Ruchi Narain is the co-writer for "Calcutta Mail" and the critically acclaimed film "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi". She also has the story credit for "Snip!" released in 2000. She made her directorial debut with "KAL: Yesterday & Tomorrow" in 2005, for which she wrote and produced independently. She is one of the few women directors who come from the school of contemporary realistic cinema. Her second movie "Mumbai Cutting" is soon to be released.

Popularly known as "Kallu Mama" from the cult classic "Satya", Saurabh Shukla is an actor, writer, director & lyricist. He is the co-writer for "Satya", "Raghu Romeo", "Mitya", and has written dialogues for films like "Calcutta Mail", "Mumbai Express", "Salaam-e-Ishq" and the recent "Luck By Chance". He is the writer-director for the films "Mudha: The Issue", "Chehraa" and " Raat Gayi Baat Gayi". His next movie "I Am 24", produced by Arindham Choudhary is releasing on December 11th 2009.

Manish Gupta is a writer-director and illustrator. He started his career as a scriptwriter and has written for films like the acclaimed and successful "Sarkar", "Darna Zaroori Hai", and "D". He wrote and made his directorial debut with the impressive "The Stoneman Murders".

Devika Bhagat, is one of India?s young woman screenwriters who has written for films like "Bachna Ae Haseeno" and the critically acclaimed "Manorama 6 Feet Under". Her next film "Aisha" for which she has written dialogue and screenplay features Abhay Deol & Sonam Kapoor, and is currently under production.

Nagesh Kukunoor, considered to be one of the prime examples of Indian independent filmmakers, redefined Indian cinema by making the successful film 'Hyderabad Blues' on a shoestring budget. He later made "Rockford", "Bollywood Calling", critically acclaimed films like " 3 Deewarein", "Iqbal" and "Dor". He directs his own scripts and is currently working on the film "Aashayein".

Dibakar Banerjee made his debut with the National Award winning film "Khosla Ka Ghosla". With his second film "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" which he co-wrote & directed, he broke away from the typical Three Act Structure rules of screenplay. Most Indian critics acclaimed the film for it?s unconventional way of storytelling.

Rajat Kapoor is an independent filmmaker and an actor. Famous for his role as the kindhearted uncle of Preity Zinta's character in Dil Chahta Hai, this FTII graduate has written for films like "Private Detective: Two Plus Two Plus One", "Raghu Romeo", "Mixed Doubles" and "Mithya", films that were directed by him too. He is the co-writer and co-producer for the Saurabh Shukla's film "Raat Gayi Baat Gayi".

Day 0

Introductory Session:

This session is only for those who are attending a screenwriting/filmmaking workshop for the first time.

What is Screenplay?

Format, Softwares, Film appreciation.

Day 1

• 12pm to 6pm

Screenplay, fundamentals, approach, methodology,Theme

Synopsis, Treatment, Step-outline,Elements of screenplay & process or writing

Premise and its importance, Dramatic Need, Inciting incident

• 6:15pm onwards

Movie screening, analysis & study

Day 2

• 12pm to 4: 30 pm

Plot & Subplot,Structure

Plot driven & Character driven structure

Plot points,3 Act structure & including screening scenes from movies

• 4:50 pm onwards

Confrontations, Conflicts, Hurdles & Obstacles

Types of Conflicts: Inner Conflicts, Personal Conflict & Extra-personal Conflicts,Social conflicts, Political conflicts.

Transition. Mystery, Surprise, Suspense.

Day 3

• (12 pm to 6 pm)

Characters

How to create & develop a character,backstory

Characterization,Text & Subtext.

Hero?s (/Heroine?s) Journey

• 6 pm onwards

Movie screening, analysis & study

Day 4

• 12 pm to 4 pm

Scene Design & structure

Writing Dialogues

Deconstruction of a screenplay

• 4:30 pm onwards

Adaptation, Dialogues

How to seek inspiration from life for writing.

Contemporary Indian films(Commercial & Off- Beat)

Day 5

• 1st half of the day

How to write and direct your own independent films from concept to production and releasing the film.

What are the considerations when writing for the same?

Industry & commercial aspects.

• 2nd half of the day

Mise-en-scene

Direction aspect of screenwriting

Editing aspect of screenwriting

"By the end of the workshop, participants have to form a group of 5 and work on a 5-7 minutes script and submit it by the first week of January.5 best scripts will be chosen among them and each team will be provided with a 3 CCD Camera, basic lights, a supporting crew for a day, and editing facility to make the film. The group should take care of the venue, actors and props required for the film. All the three films will be premiered at the Bangalore Roof Top Film Festival in the month February 2010."