The program is open for applications.

*Please do not pay for the mentorship until you receive a formal acceptance notification via email. Payment plans are available for this mentorship program.

Click HERE to Apply Now!

Payment plans are available for this mentorship program.

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.

Instructor Dan Robert is an Emmy Award-winning writer/director/actor who grew up in western Massachusetts “where the coffee is strong, the women are stronger, and the first hour of parking is always free.” He started his career as a child actor in local professional theater, for which therapy has been very helpful. After graduating from Emerson College, he began working at Shondaland, where he served as the executive assistant to Debbie Allen on “Grey’s Anatomy” before becoming the creative assistant to Shonda Rhimes. With his high school best friend and writing partner, Lisha Brooks, he wrote on both seasons of “The Baby-Sitter’s Club” for Netflix, which won the 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Live Action Preschool or Children’s Program. They were co-producers and writers on the forthcoming second installment of “Nine Perfect Strangers” starring Nicole Kidman for Hulu. Dan is the creator and director of the Broadway Video (SNL) produced Audible original scripted podcast “Excessive” starring Chloe Fineman and Joshua Jackson. With Lisha, he co-created and stars in the web series “Beards” which has played in festivals around the world and the short film “I Love Lisha” which was optioned by 20th Television. They have various forthcoming projects in development in both television and film with studios like Fifth Season and production companies like Playtone. As an actor, Dan has appeared on “Search Party” and “Made for Love.” He is repped by 3Arts. 

This is an all levels welcome individually tailored mentorship program designed to help writers cut through the muck and mire of writing for film and television by locating the heart and shape of their story in a fun, personal, and practical way. As a self-taught screenwriter, I know how daunting and overwhelming it can be to come to his medium or break in as a professional without prior experience, learning and skill-building through trial and error. 

This is a safe and supportive place to dive in or go deeper one-on-one as we set a pace that keeps you inspired and activated in the work, making sure you walk away with a solid asset or combo of assets that puts your original voice at the forefront: a finished script, a high functioning outline (plus first scene written), and/or pitch pages depending on your goals, the duration of the mentorship, the materials you come in with (if any) and the level you start at. 

All you need is an idea. We can start from scratch with just the germ of a story or a character or world you’d like to explore, or begin with any pages or drafts you’ve got at whatever stage they’re in. I am also very passionate about the art of adaptation and would be a great match for a novelist or short story writer who is looking to try their hand at penning a film or TV adaptation of their own work. As the film and TV landscape becomes increasingly IP-driven, this is a chance for writers to take more control and ownership over the materials they already have at their fingertips. But whether we’re starting with a new or long-held idea not yet put on paper; rewriting a draft that’s hit a dead end; or adapting a project currently in another form -- we’ll focus not only on craft (structure, action, character, conflict, stakes, dialogue, formatting) but put these burgeoning or developing skills into action with the creation of urgent, voice-forward materials that are original, undeniable, and ready to go out into the world! 

The Ideal Participant is someone committed to strengthening their skills in writing for film and television who comes to mentorship with at least one strong idea for an original story they’d like to pursue writing for film/TV OR their own original novel manuscript, short story, or other piece of adaptable material (this could also be something like a title from public domain, a fairytale/myth/historical or public figure, etc.) that they’d like to reimagine for the screen.

Whether your goal is to see this project get made or you’re working on writing a bold, original staffing sample that’ll stand out in a pile, the important thing is that you’re open to discovering new ways of approaching story and are committed to writing great, voice-y stories only you can tell. 

**You may also apply with an idea or story not knowing its ideal medium (is this meant to be a movie? A TV show? ½ hour or hour long? A limited series?), and we can discuss the pros/cons of these formats for your specific idea and goals!**

The 4-week, 8-week, or 12-week mentorship consists of the following:

• One-on-one initial consultation via phone or Zoom to discuss what you’re looking for, what you’re bringing in, what you’d like to achieve, and how we might match and work best together.

• Once matched, a goal-setting session that puts a practical timeline in place at a pace that we both feel good about, working backwards from desired assets to set realistic target dates and an action plan. 

• Meetings for one hour, once a week with Dan via phone or Zoom to either: workshop ideas together in real time OR go over specific pages for feedback, Q&A, and always strategizing next steps. 

• Accountability and championship in all its forms: a place to vent when stuck, cheering when goals are met, adjusting when needed, and staying positive, big picture, and compassionate every step of the way.

• Access to Dan via email and phone during office hours.

• Weekly assignments tailored to your project needs: this may be watching and/or reading some great films or TV pilots and reverse beat-sheeting; chipping away at big picture materials like story shapes, beat sheets, or outlines; drafting a scene or sequence; revising past work; or getting creative with exercises to remove blocks and self doubt. 

• Last, a final plan for how you’re going to move forward when the program ends, synthesizing what we’ve learned in our time working together and polishing all materials. 

Specific skills we might focus on during our time together include:

• The fun of blue skies brainstorming and turning a good idea into a strong premise that’s run by a muscular story engine.

• The craft of writing undeniable loglines that serve as maps for writing (and, later, tools for pitching and selling!) and what we can learn and borrow from genre, tonal comparisons, and world building.

• Growing a logline into a story area, then story shape -- all motivated by what excites and surprises us about our characters, their goals, and the rules/stakes of the worlds they inhabit.

• The careful task of giving stories a structure using familiar models and closely studying other stories, then beating out our own structures act by act, beat by beat, then scene by scene.  

• Flushing out beat sheets into vivid outlines that locate the beating heart and solid foundation of our stories before scripting.

• Troubleshooting sticky story spots by returning to character needs/wants and theme (urgent, messy questions and the big why). For example: Does my story favor character choice over coincidence or force? When coincidences occur, can they be tied to theme?

• An understanding of the screenplay format and language of script writing, including trade rules and when or why to break them. 

• A laser focus on scene-work that builds on the blueprint of a well-drawn outline, making sure our scenes start and stop in the right places and are driven by action and ever-raising stakes. 

• Exercises in crafting sharp dialogue and defining/honing tone.

• The crucial art of revision and being our own best editors and champions.

FOR ADAPTATION PROJECTS: 

We’ll focus on much of the above, but tackle adaptation specific issues like: How do we work with scale and shape in adapting works from prose to screen? For example, some source material is massive and sprawling and needs to be cut down to its core elements and key characters. Some source material is more of a kernel, or is so internal and “quiet” on the page it will require the invention of new characters or heightened dramatic action to put it up on its feet. 

We’ll workshop creative solutions and opportunities by putting together an adaptation plan, working with our manuscripts or IP and asking: How do we approach our own work with the eye of a development executive or film/TV director? How do we let go of elements that are precious to us in the project’s original form that may be holding us back in this new medium? What are overlaps and differences in our toolkits as prose and screenwriters?

POSSIBLE MENTORSHIP TAKEAWAYS:

Completed Draft: Those who opt for longer mentorship periods, come in with pages already written, and/or want to work at a faster pace can walk away with a fully completed and noted draft of your screenplay or pilot, ready for final revisions after our last session. (Please note: feature films traditionally take longer to write than pilots; hour long scripts take longer to write than ½ hours. For those who wish to write an original feature film or hour long pilot from scratch, 8 or 12 week spans are recommended.) 

High-functioning Outline and Sample Scenes: For those just getting started or choosing shorter mentorship periods with a focus on breaking story, we can crack a tightly drawn and detailed outline that makes heading into scripting exciting and less daunting, along with the opportunity to workshop the first pages/scene(s) of your project so you walk away with confidence, excitement and momentum. 

Personalized Feedback and Revision Strategies: You will always be receiving targeted, honest-but-kind feedback tailored to what you bring in: both ideas and written materials, along with actionable strategies for revising and improving your work both during and after the mentorship.

Professional Development Guidance: We’ll discuss realistic and practical ways to navigate next steps in your writing career with lots of advice and anecdotal experiences on how to reach your career goals and set yourself up to succeed in the ever-changing entertainment industry. (This also includes ensuring as part of our process you have, at minimum, a logline and story area write-up for the particular project we work on, and an idea of what to do with it!) 

TESTIMONIALS:

When giving notes, Dan is both an ant and an eagle. He will dig deep down and tunnel around, and he will take to the skies to see the bigger picture. His careful attention to detail, both micro and macro, is invaluable to any writer at any stage in the process. Dan has a wealth of knowledge and experience in varying genres and formats. Dan is flexible and empathetic in his working style, and an excellent and articulate communicator. Call him before he’s too busy.

I have Dan Robert read everything I write. Not only is he a brilliant writer himself, but he understands how to give thoughtful and challenging notes, and to me, nothing is more valuable than that. He has a mastery of story and a sense of humor that elevates any script he touches. If you have a screenplay or a pilot that you want to be great and you don’t give it to Dan Robert — you are insane. 

Dan is great. He is very funny, understands story, and his background in acting and improvisation informs every note he gives, specifically on dialogue and tracking character motivation in pilots. He has made my bits, structure, and characters better, he can help you too!

Click HERE to Apply Now!

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