Communicating Science and Engineering

AFI's Catalyst Workshop addresses one of the most significant issues facing our nation: the need to engage society (especially young people) in the activity of science. The mission of the Catalyst Workshop is to provide a means for scientists and engineers to become more knowledgeable about the initiation of motion picture projects. The Catalyst Workshop encourages those scientists and engineers interested in working in entertainment to learn how to write and submit scripts.

Participants in the Workshop become more informed about the business and craft of writing movies, learning everything from conceiving a story to selling the finished script. National attention from such diverse media as NPR, The Los Angeles Times, Science Journal and Wired Magazine has furthered this unique Workshop's success.

The need for Hollywood to produce pictures with "better science" has been pointed out in many forums. However, in order to accomplish the goal of producing scripts with better science stories, an increase in the number of science-literate writers is necessary. Most scientists already possess some fundamental skills applicable to the filmmaking process. Successful professionals in the scientific community often have excellent writing skills and they frequently juggle projects as writers do, working on several disparate projects simultaneously. And scientists, like writers, often must manage time well to accomplish complex, creative goals. The Catalyst Workshop teaches scientists how to utilize their existing skill sets within the film and television profession.

The 2006 Catalyst Workshop accepted 10 qualified applicants to focus on screenwriting craft and practice during three intensive days, August 11, 14 and 15, in sessions taught by working film and television professionals.

Format and story structure How is a screenplay formatted? What are the differences between film, television and other script formats? Is there a format to telling the story? Myth base for storytelling. Weekend assignment: Turning script idea into pitch

Story and pitch What is a story? Plot and character. How to present a compelling pitch

Pitch meetings Homework review: participants' stories - revising script pitches "Working a Room" - successful pitch meetings Selling your story

For more information please contact Chris Schwartz at cschwartz@afi.com.