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YES, LET'S!
With the responsibilities of our adult lives, and our inner critics constantly telling us we're not good enough, it's no wonder we lose our sense of play!
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However, play is the foundation of creativity, imagination and innovation. It's there, inside each and every one of us, just waiting for us to embrace it like we once did as kids. We just need to give ourselves permission to access that part of our silly, authentic selves again to fully connect with ourselves, and our creativity.
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In this one-of-a-kind online intensive, you'll learn how to get out of your head, manage your inner critic, follow your flow and creative impulses, as well as write from your heart through the art of play!
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*Please note: contrary to the design of this page, this is not a course for kids! You must be 18+ years of age to register due to the high possibility of strong language and mature subject matter.
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
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- Diane Ackerman
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED
PAPER, TAPE, STRING &
WRITING UTENSILS
You will need to make a mask for the class. Feel free to get as creative as you'd like by using any materials you have at home! Whether it's the materials listed above, or paint, arts and craft supplies, papier-mâché, face paint, or even an object/objects you can transform into a mask--anything is welcome! The only requirement is that it must go over your face, plus have a costume associated with it.
Which brings us to our next item on the list...
CLOTHES/
COSTUMES
Not only is it a requirement to wear clothes to class(!), you will be required to go through your wardrobe/
belongings to create costumes at a few points during the course. Use anything you can find. Clothes, accessories, towels, curtains(!?), even things that aren't traditionally supposed to be worn as clothing! Don't be afraid to get creative!
A SPACE
TO MOVE
Although you don't need a ballroom, you will need at least a meter or two of space to move around for some of the warm-ups and exercises!
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Because this will be a hands-on experience with a high level of engagement between classmates and the instructor, please ensure your space will be free of disruptions and distractions out of respect for your classmates, and so you get the most out of this unique experience!
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We also suggest wearing comfortable clothing that you can move in easily for each class, as there will be some movement portions.
A WILLINGNESS
TO BE SILLY
Letting go of whatever is holding you back from letting go is one of those human conundrums many of us have struggled to solve, nevermind overcome!
That said, it is completely understandable that it may take some time to become comfortable in the class, and that's more than okay. We just want to ensure our students and prospective students know that this class requires a willingness to take that first step towards allowing yourself to let go and play, which in turn will also require vulnerability. It's scary, we know. But trust us when we say it'll be worth it!
We will be doing everything in our power to ensure the class will not be recorded as we have a strict no photos/videos/audio recordings policy* so that the space stays as safe as possible.
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*Photos may be taken by the instructor for promotional materials but only with
advanced notice and explicit permission from all class participants.
FEATURE FILMS
$295
$395
Writing Through
PLAY
In this one-of-a-kind intensive, you'll learn how to get out of your head, manage your inner critic, follow your flow and creative impulses, as well as write from your heart through the art of play!
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Writing Through Play is a 6 week intensive
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Class starts on April 12th and ends on May 17th, 2021
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Class will be from 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm (ET)
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Minimum 2.5 hour weekly commitment, plus self-guided assignments each week (the more you put into the assignments, the more you'll get out of the course!)
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Learn and play alongside other students from all over the world via Zoom
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Small class sizes to ensure everyone feels seen and heard
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By registering for one of the spring classes of Writing Through Play, you will be taking part in our soft launch, meaning you'll also receive:
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An additional discount on our upcoming classes
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A free Script & Story membership!​
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We will also provide you with a Certificate of Completion upon finishing the course! Yeehaw!
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Please note all prices are in USD
CLASS
BEGINS
IN...
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
LEAD INSTRUCTOR, SCRIPT CONSULTANT & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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Whether it’s on stage, on screen, or in my grandma’s living room, I have dedicated my life to the art of storytelling. That presented itself in many different ways over the last 18 years of being in the performing arts/film industry, be it training or opportunities. While the majority of my training and opportunities were insightful and rewarding, the most beneficial, the most impactful were the ones that focused on the root of creation: play!
In 2014, I took my first Pochinko clown intensive at the University of Alberta with Jan Henderson, one of Canada's leading clown and mask teachers, and it completely changed my life.
Contrary to popular belief, we did not learn birthday party clowning--no, we learned performance clown which focuses on the fine art of letting go and following your flow. In that class, we discovered our clown/inner fool for the first time--our 100% authentic selves--and it was in that class that I truly discovered myself as an artist, and as a person.
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Naturally, I was hooked on this fun, liberating thing called play that I almost completely forgot how to do. So, in 2015, I jumped at the chance to take Advanced Clown, which consisted of an in-depth exploration of not only our inner fool, but also our inner Joey (powerful; high status) and our inner Auguste (eager to serve their Joey; low status). Then, in 2017, I returned to the U of A to take Baby Clown & Mask, rediscovering myself and my inner fool once again, but most importantly, rediscovering play after an extremely traumatic time in my life.
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After completing the 3 clown intensives, I continued my training in play in a variety of workshops and courses, most recently Overcoming Creative Doubt at The Making-Box. Previous to that, I studied improv at the Second City Hollywood, as well as took a Pochinko clown Chekov workshop with Christopher Brauer at the University of Winnipeg. To this day, I continue to train in play whenever I can (just completed Virtual Playground: A Clown Class with Shannan Calcutt in March 20201!), as well as try and incorporate play into to my everyday life as much as possible.
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As for writing, I've recently been contracted to write a feature screenplay for a production with a Canadian producer attached (more details to come very soon!). Additionally, I've also recently finished writing the second draft of my third feature script Metagame alongside Dylan Miles—an epic Dungeons & Dragons-inspired coming-of-age fantasy/adventure which made it to the quarter-finalists (top 3%) of the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest. My second feature screenplay Feeling Unreal, a mental health-focused independent film, made it to the second round of the 2020 Sundance Development Track, second round of the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition, and the ScreenCraft Fellowship semifinals.
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Both writing and play have gotten me through many creative and personal ruts, from daily "blahs" and writers block, all the way to playing a part in my trauma recovery. Having had such an impactful part in my own life, I designed this one-of-a-kind course to provide writers with a transformational training experience in hopes that the art of play can enrich their work and their lives just as it did for mine.
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To learn more about me, you can check out my personal website, or my IMDb! 💗 🌻
