102 Screenwriters Lab with David Lafontaine
A comprehensive workshop designed for aspiring film and television writers ready to finally break ground on their scripts.
Dates to be announced May 1st.
I’ve spent over 20 years working in the film and television industry as a writer, actor, and filmmaker. In that time, I’ve met countless people who consider themselves storytellers. And without fail, when they find out I’m a screenwriter, they tell me about an idea they’ve been sitting on—something they’ve been “meaning to write.”
Often, they’ll pitch me a concept, trying to gauge whether it has potential. My response is always the same:
“You won’t know until you start writing.”
You can’t sell a script that hasn’t been developed. You can’t make a film without pages. You can’t pitch a series that hasn’t gone through a creative process. Sure, lightning might strike and someone buys an off-the-cuff idea—but that’s the exception, not the rule. Most ideas never make it to the page.
And that’s not about talent. It’s about process. Talent can be acquired in the world of writing because we all have a unique point of view on the world. To me that is the talent in writing. The rest can be developed.
So let me say this clearly:
Your idea has legs. It’s worth writing. And you are more capable than you think.
Why Most Scripts Don’t Get Written
If you’ve ever started something and stopped… you’re not alone. I did it for years—and honestly, I still do. But now I understand why.
1. Writing is hard.
It requires discipline and focus. Everyone has discipline—but we’re also dealing with resistance. And resistance hates discipline. So we need tools to overcome it.
2. Fear of the unknown.
“Can I do this? Will it be good?”
You don’t need to get it right—you need to get it done. Most first drafts are messy, bad — even the most accomplished writers start with something that is a mess. That’s part of the process. The real writing happens in the rewrite. The first draft doesn’t need to be perfect it just needs to be written.
3. I don’t know the rules.
Those “rules” you’ve heard about storytelling? They’re not rules—they’re patterns. They’re useful, but they’re not something to be afraid of because they are easy to understand.
4. Lack of clarity.
Writing isn’t just sitting down with a blank page. Preparation is everything. Without clarity and organization, confidence disappears quickly. You need a process—something that helps you shape your ideas into something workable.
These are the biggest obstacles to starting a script. They make you question your ideas and your ability and lead to resistance.
But here’s the truth:
You do have what it takes.
Every person has the ability to tell a story. The work is learning how to shape it—and pushing through the resistance that tells you not to begin.
What This Workshop Offers
This isn’t just theory—it’s momentum.
It’s a structured, hands-on workshop designed to help you:
Develop your idea
Build a process that works for you
Starting your screenplay and seeing it through
Understand both craft and industry
Whether you’re writing a pilot, a feature, or a series pitch, the goal is simple:
Get your idea moving—and turn it into something real.
Starting Your Script
Duration: 6 weeks (2.5 hours per week)
Over six weeks, we’ll build a character worth following—and construct a story around them.
Whether it’s:
A father trying to reconnect with a daughter he never knew,
A woman discovering a dark presence in her home,
A personal story or something pulled from the news…
We’ll break it down, build it up, and shape it into something compelling.
Week One — Getting Started
Building discipline and carving out writing time
Overcoming resistance
Core elements of story: theme, character, world
Basic script formatting
Why chasing plot can derail your story
Week Two — Character Building
Who is your protagonist, really? (beyond surface traits)
Want vs. Need: the engine of transformation
Internal vs. external conflict
The lie your character believes
Backstory as fuel (not exposition)
Defining voice and point of view
Character relationships: how others reveal your protagonist
Flaws, contradictions, and making characters human
Week Three — Story Design
Breaking story
Transforming your idea into a script
Research as a creative tool
Story setup and foundation
Disrupting the status quo
Structure (in context):
What is an act?
How to recognize when an act is complete
Understanding structure so you can bend or break it
Organic structure driven by character choices
Building the story through your protagonist’s journey
Turning character into action
Week Four — The First 10 Pages
Sequence writing: building strong, purposeful scenes
The active protagonist (action vs. reaction)
World-building and tone
The art of conflict
The First Act Setup: How Your Movie Begins
How to effectively set up your first act
Showing vs. telling: revealing character through behavior, not exposition
Establishing who your protagonist is through action
Creating a compelling opening that introduces tone, world, and stakes
Identifying and building your catalyst:
What event disrupts your protagonist’s world?
Why does it force them to move forward?
Setting the story in motion with clarity and intention
Week Five — Private Session
One-on-one feedback on your one-pager and pages
Personalized creative session
Refining direction and next steps
Week Six — Where Do You Go From Here?
Structuring your second and third acts
Using obstacles to reinforce theme
Driving toward a strong conclusion
Breaking down successful scripts: what works and why
What You’ll Leave With
Each week, you’ll complete a targeted exercise designed to build your script step by step.
By the end of the course, these exercises won’t just be practice—they’ll become a roadmap for your screenplay, giving you a clear structure, a defined character, and a strong foundation to continue writing with confidence.