Five-Week Short Screenplay Workshop by Tangyi

2 hours every Sunday 10am–12pm for five weeks
From June 21 to July 26, skip July 5

Workshop Overview:

The first step toward becoming a film director is often making short films. Short filmmaking is not only an initial training ground, but also a deeply personal and often healing creative process. While AI continues to challenge film production, it cannot replace the uniquely human capacity for emotional expression. Screenwriting remains one of the most effective ways to enter the world of filmmaking. Whether you are a beginner or already experienced, this workshop will guide you toward completing your own short film script.
This course will explore how to develop your narrative voice and learn how to shape time and space in storytelling. As emerging creators, learning to work within limitations is essential. Constraints such as budget or time are not obstacles—they are catalysts that sharpen focus, expand imagination, and strengthen problem-solving skills.
Each week, this workshop will watch and discuss one or two low-budget short films, including early works by directors such as Céline Sciamma, Charlotte Wells, and Taika Waititi. Participants will examine how they create emotional depth and cinematic texture under limited conditions, and extract practical insights from their methods.
By the end of the course, each participant will complete a refined short film script. You will learn how to dramatize a moment, discover your narrative rhythm, and translate personal inspiration into cinematic language.
This five-week workshop follows a structure inspired by NYU graduate film programs. The final script can be used for school applications or festival development, but more importantly, you will develop a sustainable creative process and a deeper connection to your inner voice.

About the Workshop:

In the first two weeks, the instructor will share insights from their own practice, introducing the fundamentals of screenwriting and directing.

Participants will then begin developing their own scripts:
- Experienced writers may pursue more complex narratives
- Beginners are encouraged to follow a “3-3-3” structure: three characters, three locations, three scenes

Weeks 3–5 will focus on workshop sessions, including:
- Table reads
- Group discussions

Each writer is expected to:
- Assign peers as readers
- Prepare two questions to guide feedback

Feedback Principles:
All feedback should be constructive—aimed at helping the writer realize their artistic vision, rather than expressing personal preference
Avoid:
- “I like / I don’t like”
- “I love / I hate”
Instead:
- Identify the direction of the work
- Offer actionable suggestions

Learning Environment:
- This workshop aims for every participant to leave each session energized and inspired, maintaining openness and curiosity toward their work
- Engaging in discussion is not only a way to support others, but also a way to discover new perspectives within their stories

Schedule:

Week 1
- Black Goat — Tang Yi
- All the Crows in the World — Tang Yi
- Fundamentals of screenwriting & directing

Week 2
- Spring — Laurel Parmet
- One Night, Two Cars — Taika Waititi
- Script demonstration

Weeks 3–5
- Workshop sessions
- Feedback & discussion
- Q&A

About the instructor:

Tang Yi is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Her short film All the Crows in the World won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the seventy-fourth Cannes Film Festival. Her work often focuses on individual experiences within contemporary social contexts, employing minimal narrative structures and non-professional actors to create a grounded cinematic language.

Tang Yi’s films frequently draw from everyday life, exploring subtle interpersonal dynamics while developing a distinctive narrative rhythm and visual style within low-budget production conditions.