Course Access for One Month!


WHAT IS IT?

Part 2 of a 3 Part Series.

You've got the actors in the room to rehearse for a week prior to shooting, or for 10 minutes on set while the clock is ticking!

Building on the work done in DIRECTING FEELING, this Lab will unlock how to use your rehearsal time (however large or small) to dive even deeper into the exploration of your movie or episodic!

This one is all about ACTION!

In this Lab you will:

  • Crack open the question “What Do I Do?” in rehearsal.
  • Discover how this question plays out through:
    • The Overall Action of the “Series/Film”  
    • The Overall Action of a scene
    • Supporting actions 
    • Beats and blocking
  • Observe Joan work with actors and directors in each rehearsal; something previously only available in a Master Class setting.
  • Learn how to use these tools to have the clarity to manage your rehearsal time in the most productive way.
  • Watch the rehearsal footage and learn how to identify Hot Coals, Scene Rhythms, and Feelings that you can use to bring your film or episodic to life!


Day 1: Prep

On day one Joan will talk about the concept of Action and how it specifically can be applied in the rehearsal space. 

During the class, all students, whether live or online, engage with the lectures, the exercises and the Q & A's with Joan

You will learn:

  • How to break down the 3 part question of "What do I do to get what I want?"
  • How action reveals: 
    • Character
    • Blocking
    • Plot 
    • Relationship
  • How to break down the 3 levels of Action:
    • Plot Action
    • Interpretive Action
    • Director Action
  • To take all of these tools and apply them to the rehearsal space on Day 2.


Day 2: Rehearse

On Day 2, the 4 Hands On participants will conduct rehearsals using the concepts covered on Day 1. 

The day will be spent observing each rehearsal, with the unique opportunity of watching Joan coach (actors and directors of each scene) throughout. 

The goal of these rehearsals is to learn how to use embodied exercises to explore the levels of Action in a scene. 

By observing this process, you will:

  • See how exploring the levels of Action in the rehearsal space can reveal:

    • Character, Blocking, Plot, and Relationship.


  • Learn how to build on what you learned about Nugget, World, Character and Relationship in Part 1 by:

    • Exploring and adding the layer of Overall Action for the Scene, Supporting Actions, Beats and Blocking. 

By the end of Day 2, you will have clarity on how to organize a rehearsal, so that no matter how little time you have, you can make real headway into the core issues of your film or episodic.


Day 3: View

On Day 3,  the 4 Hands-On students will share select footage from their rehearsals, which will be viewed by all in attendance. 

During the class, all students, whether live or online, engage with the lectures, the exercises and the Q & A's with Joan. 

You will learn:

  • How to identify Hot Coals that can be used to build the world of your movie. 

  • How the rehearsal work  lands on the screen. 

  • How to use this footage to bring clarity to the emotional truth of your story!


Day 4: Online Q & A 

After the weekend intensive, a Monday night Q & A via Zoom allows you to slow down and integrate the learning. This lively night is always full of surprises as the students connect with each other and the work!


Recap all the new tools the Lab has delivered!


Watch the students ground as a group (both Live Hands On and Live Online students have a chance to meet in the Zoom Room!)


WHEN:

DIRECTING ACTION has over 13 hours of Directing-based curriculum!


You will have link access for ONE MONTH! So no need to rush! The Lab allows you to slow down, try the exercises on your own, and connect with the JSFL Alumni Network to practice and absorb the material on you own time. 

 

WHERE:

Online via Thinkific! Find out more about Self-Guided labs HERE!



PRE-REQUISITES:

Please note that if you are new to The Lab Series, there is a pre-requisite of Action before taking this Lab. Email Us for options on how to fulfill this requirement.


TUITION:

The course is designed for professionals who wish to bring their skills to the next level.

The Tuition per participant is $1625

We love teams and groups that want to take the Lab together! Should you choose to study with your team, please note the tuition price is per participant, not per group. 


PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION:

To remit tuition, click button at the top or bottom of the page.

 

REFUND/CANCELLATION/MAKE-UP POLICY:

  1. There are no cancellations or refunds after booking.

  2. Students are responsible for payment in full whether or not they chose to attend all class sessions.

  3. Media links are available for one month. 

  4. Extender passes are available should you wish to access media links longer than one month.


WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF LABS ONLINE?

  1. Focused, deep dive on the core tools that brings structure to your movie or episodic: Directing.
  2. Lecture and physical-based curriculum support integration and insight.
  3. Self-Guided labs allow the opportunity to study on your own schedule, and at your own pace.
  4. Enjoy the media links for one month! Previously only available live, or online for 3 days! 
  5. Connect with your JFSL Alumni Community Network through Slack, Happy Hours, Generators, Mega Generators, and weekly ongoing classes! Practice the tools you are learning, and workshop your material with talented, open-hearted, and like-minded creatives!


ACCESS THE JSFL ALUMNI HUB:

  1. Join our exclusive, curated community of incredibly talented JSFL alumni.

  2. Find creative connection and support with like-minded artists via Slack, Happy Hours, Generators, Mega Generators, and Weekly Ongoing Classes!

  3. Have dynamic, personalized, interactive experiences with your colleagues.


DRESS TO MOVE:

  1. Sweats, yoga clothes (no jeans), and sneakers, as if you were going to the gym.
  2. No belts, earrings, or jewelry please. We want you to protect your bodies during floor work!
  3. Please note the lab is physical, you are free to observe at your comfort level. Please be respectful of your body and do not participate in the physical work if you have any physical injuries, illness, are on any medications, or are pregnant.


CLASS LEVEL:

  1. These are advanced classes for professional artists interested in exploring new practices, pushing their boundaries, and going deep.

  2. The Labs are physical.

  3. The work is feeling-based.

  4. Please note you may find the work to be uncomfortable. 

  5. There will be a mix of lecture and active exercises designed to investigate the meaning, structure and emotional core of your project.

  6. You are welcome to observe or participate according to your comfort level.


WHO GOES?

The Lab Series is designed for Film, Episodic, Commercial and all content creators. It may be attended individually by the Writer, Director or Producer... or by the entire Team.

  • Directors
  • Writers
  • Actors
  • Producers
  • Executives
  • Financiers
  • Production
  • Designers
  • Cinematographers
  • Editors


ABOUT JOAN:

Writer/Director/Producer/Teacher Joan Scheckel is the internationally renowned creator of The Technique™, the most influential new approach to writing, directing and filmmaking craft in Hollywood today. Joan is known as the “director’s guru” and as a master teacher in the tradition of Stanislavski, Strasberg and Joseph Campbell. Joan’s groundbreaking work challenges our cultural addiction to conflict and calls for a new storytelling paradigm that embraces feeling and meaning. Her innovations inform every level of the mise en scène, from writing, acting, directing to visual style.

 

Joan trains and then teams with directors to develop, workshop, write, direct and produce material from the ground up. Including such iconic hits as: Niki Caro’s Oscar Nominee Whale Rider, Dayton/Faris’s Oscar Winner Little Miss Sunshine, Mike Mills’s Oscar Winner Beginners (Executive Producer), Joey Soloway’s Emmy Winner Transparent (Consulting Producer), Joey Soloway’s Golden Globe Nominee I Love Dick (Producer), Sarah Shapiro’s Peabody Award Winner UnREAL, Rupert Sanders’s Oscar Nominee Snow White and the Huntsman, Nick Jarecki’s Golden Globe Nominee Arbitrage, Sacha Gervasi’s Spirit Award Winner Anvil Story of Anvil, Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation, Mark Romanek’s One Hour Photo, Miranda July’s The Future, (New Yorker Magazine Best of the Decade List), Liz Feldman’s Emmy Award Winner, Dead To Me,  Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski’s Unorthodox and many, many more.

 

Joan was also co-writer on The Vintner’s Luck, directed by Niki Caro (Mulan), starring Jeremie Renier and Vera Farmiga.

 

Overall, Joan has worked on 84 feature films and television shows. 74 came to her with unfinished drafts, no financing or cast, and with first time or early-career writer/directors at the helm. 83 have been released, earning over 800 nominations and 406 wins including major category nods at the Oscars, Spirits, Golden Globes, Sundance, Cannes, Bafta,  Emmys, PGA, DGA etc. 

 

Joan has been profiled and featured for her work and her influence on a generation of directors in many articles and publications such as: NYTimes, LA Times, Marie Claire, Deadline, Indiewire, Vox, IF Magazine, California Sunday, The New York Observer and more.

 

Now Joan is poised to create a slate of books, films, labs (live and online), podcasts, and apps.

The DIRECTING SERIES continues...