Instructor:
Born and raised in Paris, Gabrielle Demeestère wrote and directed the feature film Yosemite starring James Franco and Henry Hopper, which Variety called “an impressive debut” and was released theatrically and on Netflix. She sold her half-hour comedy pilot Putain! to Topic Studios and has worked as a script doctor for Working Title Films. She is currently in pre-production on her second feature film, Terra, which participated in the Torino Film Lab and Gotham Week Project Market, and is being produced by Luca Borghese (Eddington, A House of Dynamite.)
Gabrielle has taught in the graduate film program at Columbia University, Rutgers, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Tufts, and Syracuse University. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Screenwriting at Emerson College in Boston.
Course Description:
Whether you’re writing your first feature-length screenplay or already have some experience as a screenwriter, meeting other writers, exchanging ideas, giving and receiving feedback is an invaluable part of the writing experience.
Our screenwriting masterclass will focus on character, structure, plot, dialogue and subtext, and help you develop your own, unique voice as a screenwriter. Our classes will be devoted to learning about screenwriting concepts, sharing your work with other participants, and writing exercises. The goal is for participants to bring an idea for a feature film or TV and leave the workshop with a visual pitch and the first 5-10 pages of a new screenplay.
Preparation:
Students are asked to send by May 1, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org an idea for a TV show or feature film for the first class: a one-sentence logline and short synopsis (500 words max).
Choose an active main character and come up with a few key plot points that help establish the character’s main conflict, as well as indicate where the story is heading (you don't have to know the whole story yet). Include a few sentences about why you're passionate about telling this story (why you and why now). Your classmates and I will read your submission in advance of our week together, and be prepared to discuss our observations in detail.
Please include your masterclass name with your materials.
You are also encouraged to read the screenwriting book Into the Woods by John Yorke beforehand.
Agent Consultations:
Available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass, you can register for one or two agent consultations for an additional fee. More information to come.
Cancellation Policy:
- Full refund through 15 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
- Half refund through 30 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
- Sorry, no refund possible after 30 April 2026
In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.
Photo credit: © Joey Kuhn
