Award-winning and Emmy-nominated writer Pamela Douglas presents a three-day
masterclass on writing the television drama series from 16 to 18 August 2013 in
Johannesburg.
Douglas has numerous credits in television drama and has won multiple awards from the
American Women in Radio and Television organisation. She is also the author of Writing
the TV Drama Series, a definitive book on the craft.
“Since my book Writing the TV Drama Series has been translated into several languages
and sold around the world, I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to meet writers
from many countries. I am delighted at the prospect of connecting with creative people
in South Africa who are emerging onto the global electronic stage and look forward to
sharing insights from successful US television shows with talented local writers,’ says
Douglas.
“In the South African workshop I will guide aspiring (and professional) writers through
what makes some outstanding American shows great. I’ll do this through a combination
of screenings, scene analysis, lectures and discussions. Then I will apply the principles
and examples to the work of individuals in the workshop,’ she continues.
Extensive time will be available for feedback, including information on how the industry
works, and how it can be applied globally, as well as direct personal advice on writing by
the attendees.
“We may work through pitches and even outline development of pilots, depending on
the interests of those attending and time,’ notes Douglas.
Though she will not read and mentor individual scripts, Douglas will set out guidelines
and encourage paths forward for those who are pursuing careers in this field.
According to Douglas, the biggest challenges of writing for TV drama series is honest
writing, the truth of understanding human motivations and relationships. “On TV drama
series, this is amplified because of needing enough depth of character to generate as
many as 100 hours of story.
“Without resorting to contrivance or lack of credibility, this entails layers and secrets
that may be uncovered as the main characters go through their experiences. In some
arenas, the creation of a large enough world to sustain extensive story arcs (“the long
narrative’) is also a challenge.’
Besides insight, talent and skill, Douglas recommends perseverance for television drama
series writers. “TV drama series are far longer than movies, and being able to continue
spinning out stories for a long time requires focus and dedication. The industry itself is
sometimes fickle, so perseverance in the face of career and technology changes is
needed too.’
Douglas concludes: “Television benefits from immediacy and intimacy since it is viewed in
the home. It is also writer-driven (as opposed to director-driven) and thus benefits from
emphasis on character and story as opposed to special effects and spectacles of any
kind seen in theatrical movies.’
According to Natasje van Niekerk, organiser of the workshop, 30 South African industry
professionals, among them members from the National Film and Video Foundation
(NFVF) and commissioning editors from M-Net and the SABC, will attend the workshop.
