How to Write Indie Dramedies that the Industry Will Embrace

Writing the Next Break Out Hit
Taught by Jake Detharidge

$249

On Demand Class - Available for immediate viewing and unlimited access.

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Who Should Attend:

All levels of producers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking for general knowledge regarding the indie genre.

All levels of filmmakers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking for general knowledge regarding the indie genre.

All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking for general knowledge regarding the indie genre.

Actors looking for general knowledge regarding the indie genre.

This Next Level Education class has a 94% user satisfaction rate.

Class hosted by: Jake Detharidge

Independent Development & Production Executive

Jake Detharidge is currently an independent development & production executive. Prior to going independent he was the VP of Development & Packaging for Drive Films. Prior to joining Drive, Jake was the head of development for financing company 3311 Productions (In A World.. (Sundance winner), Big Sur with Kate Bosworth, Mr Right with Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, Table 19 with Lisa Kudrow and Anna Kendrick Ad Inexplorata with Mark Strong) Jake began his career at Marty Katz Productions as a development exec, transition next to the then newly formed WME. At WME, Jake became the head story analyst in the story department, overseeing the entire literary catalogue for the agency as well as all coverage and submissions. During this period he also helped develop, implement and run the Rights Research Department for all of WME. After WME, Jake moved on to run development for director Luke Greenfield (The Animal, Girl Next Door, Role Models, Something Borrowed) and WideAwake Inc. Here, Jake helped Luke develop his studio feature Let's be Cops with Simon Kinberg producing and shot through 20th Century Fox. Jake also worked on the 2012 ABC pilot Prairie Dogs, as well as development for 3 other studio features. Still hoping to broaden his horizons, Jake moved on the financing company, 3311. During his time at 3311 Jake helped oversee the post-production and sale of their first two feature films as well as the development of multiple other projects in various stages of pre-production. Mr. Detharidge's experiences have given him a unique opportunity to sample material from all areas and arenas of the industry, as well as providing him with a wealth of contacts and information. Full Bio »

Summary

How to Write Indie Dramedies that the Industry Will Embrace

Writers writing in this space so often struggle with keeping these stories character driven and grounded while also creating a hook and blending the comedy and drama. So many executives are on the hunt for the next Silver Linings Playbook and Little Miss Sunshine, but it's getting harder and harder to sift through the mountains of scripts to find distinct dramedies with commercial appeal.

Stage 32 is excited to bring you the previously-recorded 4 part class: How to Write Indie Dramedies That the Industry Will Embrace – Writing the Next Breakout Hit taught by Jake Detharidge, who's been an executive for over a decade at places like 3311 and Drive Films. Learn what it takes to make your indie dramedy stand out and capture the industry's attention.

Purchasing gives you access to the previously recorded live class.
Although Jake is no longer reviewing the assignments, we still encourage all listeners to participate!

What You'll Learn

Part 1 - Introduction to Indie Dramedies

Jake discusses several dramedies that worked, and several that didn't. How do you choose between drama and comedy? Which one should take precedent? He also covers the many archetypes to be found in the genre, and how writers can avoid being cliché or stereotypical.

Q&A with Jake

Part 2 - Picking a Concept with a Hook/Fleshing Out Characters

Jake discusses how to pick a concept that still has a hook while staying true to the authenticity of the genre. He covers the various kinds of driving forces that are usually the most successful in this genre, and some that aren't.

Q&A with Jake

Part 3 - Tone

Jake focuses this discussion on tone and how to establish it from the beginning, how to balance the comedy and drama, what executives look for in dramedies and how the style of writing tone affects the read.

Q&A with Jake

Part 4 - Outlining Dramedies

Jake covers structure, plot turns, page count, number of characters, and layout of the outlining process. He also goes over what the major bullet points writers should be aware of when writing in this genre are. Lastly, Jake runs through the common mistakes writers often make in this genre.

Q&A with Jake


WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • This class is designed for beginner and intermediate students looking for general knowledge regarding the indie genre. This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed class with significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar.
  • This class will consist of 4 sessions, each roughly three to four hours in duration.

About Your Instructor

Jake Detharidge is currently an independent development & production executive. Prior to going independent he was the VP of Development & Packaging for Drive Films. Prior to joining Drive, Jake was the head of development for financing company 3311 Productions (In A World.. (Sundance winner), Big Sur with Kate Bosworth, Mr Right with Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, Table 19 with Lisa Kudrow and Anna Kendrick Ad Inexplorata with Mark Strong)

Jake began his career at Marty Katz Productions as a development exec, transition next to the then newly formed WME. At WME, Jake became the head story analyst in the story department, overseeing the entire literary catalogue for the agency as well as all coverage and submissions. During this period he also helped develop, implement and run the Rights Research Department for all of WME.

After WME, Jake moved on to run development for director Luke Greenfield (The Animal, Girl Next Door, Role Models, Something Borrowed) and WideAwake Inc. Here, Jake helped Luke develop his studio feature Let's be Cops with Simon Kinberg producing and shot through 20th Century Fox. Jake also worked on the 2012 ABC pilot Prairie Dogs, as well as development for 3 other studio features.

Still hoping to broaden his horizons, Jake moved on the financing company, 3311. During his time at 3311 Jake helped oversee the post-production and sale of their first two feature films as well as the development of multiple other projects in various stages of pre-production. Mr. Detharidge's experiences have given him a unique opportunity to sample material from all areas and arenas of the industry, as well as providing him with a wealth of contacts and information.

FAQs

Q: What is the format of a class?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Classes are typically 2 to 4 week ongoing broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32.

Q: Do I have to have to be located in a specific location?
A: No, you can participate from the comfort of your own home using your personal computer! If you attend a live online class, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the class.

Q: What are the system requirements?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the class software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion): The class software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live class. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer 

Q: What if I cannot attend the live class?
A: If you cannot attend a live class and purchase an On-Demand class, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.

Q: Will I have access to the class afterward to rewatch?
A: Yes! After the purchase of a live or On-Demand class, you will have on-demand access to the audio recording, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year!

Questions?

If you have a generic question about Stage 32 education you can take a look at our frequently asked questions section on our help page, or feel free to contact support with any other inquiries you might have.
 

Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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