La Poudrière

Training objectives

Thanks to the support of the MEDIA programme of the E.U., for the forth year in a row, la Poudrière animation film school is offering a training course which is open to European animation students and young professionals.

This training course is an 11- week module focusing on scriptwriting for television projects and children's book adaptation. The course also includes one week at the Annecy International Animation Festival and Market.

Participants work in small groups of 2 or 3. The adaptation is divided into two tasks : development of a concept for a TV series, and screenplay writing for a TV special. Both areas of work involve common issues based around writing, filmmaking and methodology.

The goal of the training session is to allow its participants to be confronted with the practicalities of professional life by leaning on the school's ties established with publishers of children's literature, enabling them to choose from a collection of some thirty books.

Description of the training curriculum

Part 1: Scriptwriting and book adaptation: TV series development (6 weeks)

Participants are divided into small groups of 2 to 3 people and each group will work on developing a concept for a television series based on one of the chosen books. The books have been pre-selected for their strong visual qualities and storylines, which are straightforward enough not to add further difficulties to what is already quite a challenging exercise. The focus here is on storytelling, rhythm, editing and artistic choices in relation to the original book's visual and literary qualities.

Each group will direct its own project, ending up with a presentation dossier (with visuals and storylines) together with a 30-second trailer, in colour and with a soundtrack. The animation will be made at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark (a partner of la Poudrière for this Media-supported training course), under the supervision of the group.

Part 2: Annecy International Animation Festival and Market (1 week)

The annual Annecy festival, held in June, offers an exceptional opportunity to see films and assess the diversity of international production in all areas of animation, as well as to meet key international professionals (filmmakers, producers, distributors, etc) working within the animation industry and related areas.

Part 3: Scriptwriting and book adaptation: TV Special (4 weeks)

In the second part, each group will work together on writing a script for a 13 - minute TV special based on a children's book. This exercise will focus on scriptwriting rather than graphical issues. Contrary to the previous exercise, in which the participants also have to take into account the graphic aspect of the work of adaptation, this second exercise is purely centred on the story and the structure of the story, without graphic constraint, the reference books not being illustrated. This exercise thus allows the participants to confront process with a longer and more detailed work of writing with the aim of directing a film of 13 minutes, (standard format), with 26 minutes, for a audiovisual work.

Methodology

The teaching methodology is that of a supervised project. The working brief will be given to participants as a group, following which each course participant or group will benefit from individual supervision by each of the trainers. Supporting this working project are several professionals working in this sector of the animation industry. They will be involved with the group as a whole, offering the benefit of their own professional experience and will be open to Q & A sessions.

Alternating between individual and group work offers both the potential to benefit from a core training programme and to develop each participant's own aptitudes, skills and knowledge base.

Working language: French (some English possible)

Requirements

Open to students and young European professionals possessing a good knowledge of the basic techniques of 2D animation and graphic skills.

Applications to be sent by February 28, 2010 with a covering letter, graphical elements and a CD or VHS Pal tape with personal animation work (films or exercises).