Orange Open Air - Presents Screenwriting & Directing Workshop

Orange Open Air with the support of Orange Regional Arts Foundation are proud to host AACTA award-winning screenwriter and director, Monica Zanetti, across two days of filmmaking workshops at the Orange Regional Art Gallery.

The free 2 day workshops will be held 13-14 August from 10am-3pm for ages 15+. 

Ticket includes gourmet lunch  

Spaces are limited so make sure to register and secure your spot.

There will also be a special screening for attendees of Monica’s romantic high school comedy Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt), which took home the 2021 AACTA award for Best Indie Film and a nomination for Best Screenplay. Proudly supported by Arcadia.

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ABOUT MONICA ZANETTI

Monica Zanetti is an award winning Australian Screenwriter & Director.

Monica wrote and directed ELLIE AND ABBIE (& ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) which won the 2021 AACTA Award for Best Indie Film and AACTA Best Screenplay nomination. It also opened the 2020 Mardi Gras Film Festival; the first Australian film to do so in the festival's history.  The film has also been accepted into BFI Flare London and is distributed by Arcadia locally.

Monica is currently in development on an SBS and Arcadia mini-series. Monica wrote an episode of the Channel 10/Netflix series SISTERS and co-wrote an episode of CJZ’s Channel 10 series MY LIFE IS MURDER starring Lucy Lawless. She was also a Writer/Producer on the ABC Comedy series TONIGHTLY WITH TOM BALLARD. She most recently directed the series IGGY & ACE for SBS on Demand which premiered at SERIES MANIA. Monica currently has several works in development including projects with both Amazon Studios and SBS.  

Her debut feature SKIN DEEP, screened at over 8 international Film Festivals and was honored at Austin Film Festival with an award for Best Narrative Feature. The film also earned Monica an AWGIE nomination for Best Original Screenplay, a spot on the 25 Screenwriters to watch list by MovieMaker Magazine in the US and was released internationally in 2016.

Saturday 13 August - Writing for Screen

10:00 - 10:30 Welcome & Introduction to the workshop and Writing for Screen

10:30 - 11:30 Screenwriting Style and how to to format you script

11:30 -12:30 Introduction to Character journey - Developing your Hero

12:30 - 1:00 Lunch 

1:00 - 2:00 Guided writing exercise - Write your first scene!

2:00 - 2:30 Feedback on scenes using questions to test the clarity of their characters "Wants/Goal"

2:30 - 3:00 -  Wrap up! How to take your new screenwriting skills and create new works going forward.

3:30 - 5:00 Special screening of Monica Zanetti’s 2021 AACTA award-winning film, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie’s Dead Aunt). Starring Sophie Hawkshaw (Love Child), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok) and Marta Dusseldorp (A Place to Call Home).

Sunday 14 August - Directing 

10:00 - 10:30 Anatomy of a scene - what shots directors use to frame their vision 

10:30 - 11:30 Storyboarding using the scenes from the previous screenwriting day

11:30 - 12:00 Creating a shot list from your scenes

12:00 - 12: 30 Directing scenes with Actors - (with special guest!)

12:30 - 1:00 Lunch 

1:00 - 3:00 Each person gets to direct their scene using an actor!