8 Week First Level Working Writers Lab

Learn directly from Literary Manager Jairo Alavarado at Circle of Confusion (THE WALKING DEAD).

We are providing you opportunities to work directly with executives in the industry on a one-on-one basis to help shape your writing through Stage 32 Happy Writers Labs. The Stage 32 Happy Writers believe in evolving and transforming to continuously put our writers ahead of all competition.

***INSTALLMENT PLAN AVAILABLE - Contact Joey at joey@stage32.com***

To teach this lab, we selected leading manager Jairo Alvarado from management powerhouse Circle of Confusion! Jairo's industry experience ranges from being a studio executive, producer to head manager at leading management companies. Circle of Confusion is currently producing the mega hit THE WALKING DEAD and reps some of the biggest names in filmmaking with client credits including THE MATRIX, AWAY FROM HER, THE GOLDBERGS (TV), CHRONICLE, BOYS DON'T CRY, AMERICAN PSYCHO and KILL YOUR DARLINGS. You will meet once a week with Jairo through an interactive webinar and be assigned weekly assignments to further your growth as a writer. We have created this lab so it will be the most hands on, professional atmosphere out there.

This Lab is limited to 20 people per class!

The Curriculum for the 8 Week Lab

The purpose of this lab is for you to collaborate with a REAL, high profile Hollywood executive to create a commercial, unique concept and a full, iron clad outline. And, of course, to get you on the road to being a WORKING WRITER!

Each class will be 2 hours long and will be done via Stage 32 Happy Writers GoToWebinar. You will see your instructor live via video and be able to ask questions via chat.

• WEEK #1 – The Story of Me; Your Questions; Your Stories Discussion to cover: General Class Overview; my history/experiences; what I write/love about writing, what I tend to look for in a good story/screenplay, and some of your initial queries as raised in the pre-class questionnaire. NOTE: Given the online format, I will use this week’s “office hours” to more personally respond to/discuss the ideas you are contemplating working on during the Lab.

• WEEK #2 – Theme- Making sure your theme stands out. Finding out what makes yours different. Also, answering questions like what are you trying to say with your story? What’s your POV on the world that makes it different than other people? What do you want the audience to learn by the end of the story? How do you want them to feel? Theme will be the north star for the rest of the class. All the set pieces must tie back to the theme.

• WEEK #3- Character- A discussion on the creation of strong, unique, memorable Characters; how to have them best serve your story, the genre, themes, etc. Dialogue/voice to be discussed. Will cover some examples, including personal experience on working at a major studio and a major management company.

• WEEK #4 – Act I; Premise into Story Discussion to center around how to make the leap from basic premise/concept and characters into a full-blooded Story. Topics: where to start, what to include in Act I, where does Act I end/Act II begins, creating a world, setting a tone,
etc. Will discuss examples of strong (attention-grabbing and/or smartly-chosen) and weak (meandering, overstuffed, unfocused, etc.) beginnings.

• WEEK #5 – The Story So Far (Consultation) No on-line class this week. Instead, you will submit premise, Character Bio(s), and Act I outline for review; I will discuss the materials in your mini group in a 1 hour session.

• WEEK #6 – Act II; Structure and Plotting Discussion to revolve around the plotting and development of your story across Act II, with examples focusing particularly on Structure (midpoints, End of Act II, internal/external conflict, etc.).

• WEEK #7 – Act III; Sticking the Landing When and how to achieve a strong finish is arguably one of the most difficult parts of writing a screenplay. Discussion will revolve around examples of scripts/films that have accomplished this, as well as those that have not (and why).

• WEEK #8 – The Completed Outline (Consultation) No on-line class this week. Instead, you will turn in your completed outline for review; I will then discuss with you in your mini group over a 1 hour session. 

The Stage 32 Happy Writers believe in evolving and transforming to continuously put our writers ahead of all competition. We are providing you opportunities to work directly with executives in the industry on a one-on-one basis to help shape your writing through Stage 32 Happy Writers Labs.

About your Teacher, Jairo Alvarado

Jairo Alvarado was a Creative Executive at Warner Bros. in 2009 and is credited for spotting Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez and his short PANIC ATTACK! In 2011, while building a reputation for identifying up-and-coming talent, he joined 3 Arts Entertainment as a manager. A couple of years later he joined Circle of Confusion. At Circle, he reps writer Brian Miller (ALL OUR YESTERDAYS); photographer/filmmaker Greg Williams, who co-wrote and is attached to direct SAMARKAND, which has Tom Hardy attached to star; AMERICAN DAD writer Jordan Blum; writer/ director Kealan O'Rourke (EMILY THE STRANGE); and Josh C. Waller, of horror label SpectreVision. Alvarado's eye to develop high concepts and genre work is what led him to Circle, which produces THE WALKING DEAD. The show is coming off an amazing mid-winter debut that saw the show, which drew 15.8 million viewers, outperform the Olympics in the 19-49 demo.