SEMINAR | Turning Your Memoir Into A Screenplay
April 11 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
You lived it. You wrote about it. Now, you want to adapt it.
For Memoir
Does your memoir have what it takes to be a film or TV series? Adaptation requires more than screenplay formatting. This class shows you how to evaluate your story like a producer, structure it like a screenwriter, and imagine yourself as a character an actor would want to play.
In this three-hour seminar, we move beyond personal reflection and examine memoir as dramatic source material. You’ll begin by clarifying what your story actually is: its scale, its genre, its central tension, and whether it is better suited to a feature film or television series format.
Next, we focus on the dramatic shift that drives adaptation. What is the disruption that alters the trajectory of the narrative? What decision, loss, or revelation creates forward motion? You’ll distinguish between interior point of view and visible action, identifying the turning points that can structure and sustain a film or series rather than simply recounting events.
Finally, we adopt a producer’s lens. What makes this story entertaining? What does it need to sustain the development process? What makes the central character strong enough to attract the talent that can help get it made?
Through focused exercises and real case studies—from big-budget movies to independent films and TV series—you’ll begin evaluating your memoir’s adaptation potential with clarity.
Attendees are invited to submit loglines, 250-word synopses, OR a single scene from the exercises in class for written feedback, up to 4 weeks after the session.
A resources handout with links and session slides will be available after the class.
In this insightful three-hour live seminar, you will:
- CLARIFY the scope, genre, and central tension of their memoir as potential screen material
- DETERMINE whether their story is better suited to a feature film or a television series
- IDENTIFY the pivotal disruption in their memoir and distinguish between internal point of view and the dramatic action required for film & TV
- EVALUATE their memoir through a producer’s lens, assessing entertainment value, character strength, and development potential
- ANALYZE case studies of major studio and independent adaptations to understand how true stories are reshaped for the screen
- SUBMIT a logline, 250-word synopsis, OR short adaptation exercise for written feedback following the seminar
This course is ideal for…
- memoirists who want to unlock the cinematic potential of their manuscript
- writers ready to evaluate their book’s marketability through a producer’s lens
- authors who want to translate true stories from source material to screen
- screenwriters interested in adapting memoir and nonfiction projects
Closed captioning is available. ✔
Think you might miss class? No worries, replay will be available 3 business days after the event. ✔
ABOUT YOUR Instructor
Michelle Cutler is an award-winning screenwriter, storytelling coach, and developmental editor specializing in true stories and memoir, as well as an enthusiastic and collaborative teacher. She has worked with Academy Award–winning producers and directors, and her original and adapted screenplays have been optioned and developed by major studios and featured at international film markets.
She has written more than 1,700 advertising campaigns for global brands and worked as a script analyst for agencies and production companies. She previously served as a judge for the Independent Spirit Awards and as North American Curator for the Chinese Women’s Film Festival. She holds an MFA from NYU and a diploma in advanced creative nonfiction from Cambridge. She is currently writing I WON’T LET YOU DIE ALONE, a reported memoir from the trenches of modern elder caregiving.
Student Testimonials
“Consulting with Michelle on my memoir’s adaptation has been transformative. She brought fresh ideas and a professional perspective I never would have had on my own, while always honoring what my story was truly about at its core.” – Elizabeth Austin
“I participated in a highly informative seminar about adaptation with Michelle, where she discussed how books gain the attention of media-makers. She is very knowledgeable and generous with her time personally, as well.”- Christina Adams
“Michelle’s professionalism, knowledge, and humor made this workshop engaging and insightful. Her attention to detail and the case studies she shared made the adaptation process clear. I would highly recommend this class for anyone working on a memoir project.” – Grace Koo
“Working with Michelle on adapting my father’s story was an exceptional experience. Her care, thoughtfulness, and thoroughness were evident at every step. I highly recommend her for anyone seeking honest, creative storytelling techniques for true story adaptations.”– Patrick Boyd
THE FINE PRINT
We understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers.
Before the class, you may request a full refund.
Please keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins.
Questions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com
