| Ishan Ibrahim |
LOCAL writers in Brunei Darussalam’s fledgling film industry will get the opportunity of a lifetime to meet famed Hollywood screenwriter Mark Shepherd and glean his expert tips on the craft at Brunei Film Blitz 2018.
The sessions with Shepherd, who has written several feature-length scripts for major studios and independent producers, will take place at the Mahakarya, Level 3, Plaza Athirah in Jalan Tutong from today till December 15.
Shepherd is a successful screenwriter for television and film with extensive industry experience.
He serves as Associate Professor of the Practice of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC).
He notably co-wrote Ground Control (ABC 2000) starring Kiefer Sutherland and Kelly McGillis.
His other works include Emerald City and Silk Road.
At USC where he earned an MFA in screenwriting, Shepherd teaches graduate students the basics of dramatic screenwriting as well as advanced feature-length writing.
He has extensive feature film experience and has held a senior management position with the Sundance Film Lab.
One of Shepherd’s most notable students is Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.
At a press conference on the scheduled sessions, Shepherd explained briefly that he will pass on to the participants valuable bits of his firsthand knowledge on the Hollywood film industry, and give them a range of presentations and discussions on the trade.
He will also discuss the importance of intellectual property rights (IPR) in the film industry and lead cinema production workshops.
During Brunei Film Blitz, content creators and writers will be treated to various master classes.
Fifteen ‘Powered by Progresif’ secondary school students will also have a chance to pitch their stories and attend master classes on how to improve their writing skills for the screen and publication.
Film-goers will be treated to a University of Southern California Film Showcase, and will also have the opportunity to view George Lucas’ (the creator of the Star Wars franchise) student films.
A creative content pitching session will also be held on December 15, providing budding filmmakers the opportunity to test the marketability of their ideas, with the view of possibly landing a production deal.
All of Shepherd’s master classes, organised with support from the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, will be free of charge.
Brunei Film Blitz Director Siti Kamaluddin, US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam Public Affairs Officer Daniel Lee and members of Brunei Film Blitz were present.
“We are thrilled to welcome Professor Shepherd as the embassy’s first US Arts Envoy to Brunei,” Daniel Lee said. “He will engage with the growing creative community here, sharing insights into what he has learnt working in the entertainment industry. The embassy is excited to work with the local arts community and support their endeavours in media and the performing arts.”
The sessions with Shepherd are: December 10, 7.30pm-9.30pm – Meet Mark Shepherd; December 11, 7pm-9:40pm – Wayang Kitani United Film Nation; December 12, 7pm-9:30pm – Mark Shepherd: Content Creators of the Future I; December 13, 7pm-10pm – University of Southern California Showcase, 3pm-5pm – Mark Shepherd Pitching Session, and 7pm-9.30pm – Mark Shepherd: Content Creators of the Future II.
A workshop called ‘Meet Mark Shepherd, United Film Nation’ will include a panel discussion on ‘Bruneian Screen Identity and Content Creators of the Future Workshop’, where the panellists will explore filmmaking ideation using a generalised approach to the writing process.
The majority of the sessions will take place at the Mahakarya, Plaza Athirah.
To book seats for the master classes, log on to www.bruneifilmblitz.org or call 8188777.
For the latest updates on the sessions, visit Brunei Film Blitz’s social media pages and official website.