How do you create original and exciting television drama without it costing a fortune? This two day course is about alternate style and structure and how to apply it to an idea in a way which makes dramatically interesting and financially viable television.
The first meeting will look at the current market trends, the effect of American drama on our screens, the cost of production… and how all this impacts on the writer and show creator. We will examine case studies of shows that break with traditional storytelling stylistically and present alternate viewing experiences. We’ll discuss the three act structure in television terms and explore ways of reworking and removing it. We’ll identify various ways of breaking with tradition not just in storytelling terms but also in production approaches with a view to maximizing the potential for production. Innovative television must be about more than poor copies of US shows, or old fashioned storytelling. Two recent WA productions, The Circuit and Marx and Venus, as well as the children’s series Streetsmartz prove there are different and unique ways to produce good drama. In the afternoon we will jointly create a set of characters who will drive our non formula drama…and discuss the best possible combination for creating drama without it being externally imposed.
