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m2 Series Writing Workshop 2023

m2 Film Lab Launches New Workshop Format to Cultivate Quality Series Writers
and Illuminate Today’s Turkish and Global TV Industry Landscape

m2 Series Writing Workshop is designed to provide a safe environment for aspiring writers who are currently working on writing projects in literature or cinema but have not yet worked in the Series industry to develop their creative writing skills. With this new format, m2 Film Lab aims to support talented writers by prioritizing diversity and inclusivity in Turkey’s growing Series industry and encouraging collaboration among them.

Similar to the film development program, the m2 Series Writing Workshop will be implemented in collaboration with the Global Media Makers (GMM) program, which is supported by Film Independent and the US Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. The selected writers, who will participate in the online workshop from May 22-26, 2023, will work under the guidance of international mentors. They will experience the collaborative writing process through a simulated writer’s room, listen to case studies on successful domestic and foreign series pilot episodes, and gain knowledge about the industry’s workings through masterclasses that cover series development processes. All sessions will be conducted in English, and participation in the workshop will be free of charge.

In addition, m2 Film Lab will host prominent decision-makers in the Series industry in Turkey and the world in online discussions and masterclasses parallel to the workshop. The talks will be held with limited capacity and open to the public.

The deadline for applications for m2 Series Writing Workshop is April 30, 2023.

Application Requirements:

Writers who are currently working on writing projects in literature or film and want to improve themselves in the TV series industry can apply to the workshop.

Applications must be made by the writer who wants to participate in the workshop until 30 April 2023 at 23:59.

Applications should be made in Turkish. As the entire workshop program will be conducted in English, the applicant is expected to be able to express themselves comfortably in English.

The applicant writers undertake to attend all sessions within the online workshop that will take place in May.

  • A completed application form (below)
  • Resume
  • 5 pages of a realized screenplay or a published literary work that the writer believes represents themselves accurately.

Mentors

MARLANA HOPE

SARAH WATSON

Marlana Hope was born in Illinois, survived five years as a little girl in a log cabin in rural Pennsylvania and spent her tween and teen years on a horse ranch in Missouri. After obtaining a BFA in Theatre from the University of Illinois, she swore off inclement weather for good and headed west.
Early in her career, Marlana worked on Desperate Housewives, Friday Night Lights and Southland. Her writing and producing credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Army Wives, The Kicks, Reaper and Skam Austin. Marlana has two pilots currently in development.
In her free time, Marlana mentors military veterans as part of the Writers Guild Foundation’s workshop series and has traveled to Abu Dhabi, UAE to teach episodic writing workshops for emerging filmmakers in the Arab World. She also serves on the Writers Education Committee where she organized the WGA Writers Salon for three years bringing together hundreds of Guild members with top showrunners for a series of break-out sessions.
Sarah Watson is a television writer, producer, and novelist. She is the creator of the Freeform series, The Bold Type, the show that The New York Times described as, “Sex and the Single Girl for Millennials.” Previously she was a Writer and Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed NBC drama, Parenthood. She has also written for About A Boy, Lipstick Jungle, The Unusuals, and The Middleman, as well as other series. She has sold pilots to ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Disney+, and Amazon. Her debut novel, Most Likely, was published by Poppy/Little Brown.
She is an adjunct professor and Distinguished Industry Mentor for the University of Georgia’s MFA in Film, Television & Digital Media Program (home of the Peabody Awards), and served as a lecturer in the MFA Screenwriting Program, Writing for Television track, at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
A Northern California native, Sarah studied English and American Literature at UCLA before beginning her career in television.

PINAR BULUT

Pınar studied at Istanbul University’s Department of History and completed a master’s degree in Turkish-Italian relations. After working as an editor and translator for a while, she started her career as a screenwriter in 2007. She has written for TV series such as Ezel, Suskunlar, 20 Dakika, Maral: En Güzel Hikayem, Mucize Doktor, as well as for films like İkimizin Yerine, Cingöz Recai, and Güzelliğin Portresi. Recently, she has worked as a screenwriter for the Disney+ series Dünyayla Benim Aramda, the Netflix series Şahmaran, and Taçsız Prenses series, which aired on Fox TV. She also teaches screenwriting at the Toy Istanbul.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can apply for the workshop?

Writers who want to improve themselves in TV series writing and who already have experience in writing in film and literature fields can apply.

Is the event paid?

Participation in the event is free.

Will the event take place completely online?

Yes, the event will be held online for 5 days.

Is the event open to everyone?

The TV Series Writing Workshop sessions are only open to selected writers. Announcements will be made and registrations will be accepted for open discussions and case studies. Please stay tuned.

How many writers will be selected for the event?

Up to 15 writers will be eligible to participate in the workshop from among the applicants.

What is the language of the event?

All events will be conducted in English.

Is my English sufficient?

To benefit from the workshop to the fullest, writers must be able to express themselves comfortably in English.

Do I need to have previous screenplay writing experience?

No screenplay experience is required for writers from the literature field. They will apply with a sample text from their previously published works such as a novel or short story. Writers who have worked in TV series, short film, and feature film fields will apply with a sample text from their screenplays.

How are applications evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by an independent jury of industry professionals. The m2 team may participate in the jury meetings and provide opinions.

What documents are required during the application process?

During the application process, you will be asked to provide 5 pages of a work that you have previously published in any medium (screenplay, novel, or short story) that you think best represents you as a writer, a letter of intent explaining your desire to participate in the workshop, and a resume.

In what language should the application documents be?

The application documents should be in Turkish.

Can a team of writers apply together for the workshop?

Writers must apply individually.

Are you only considering writers who work in fiction?

We do not distinguish based on genre or format. Non-fiction writers can also apply to the workshop.

Do I need to have a project I am working on to participate in the workshop?

No. During the workshop, training will be provided on TV series writing. This workshop is not a project development program applied for with a specific project.

Application Form (Turkish):

Applications are closed. Thank you for your interest.

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