02/03/2012 - UK organization offers masterclasses, workshops, film degrees and plenty more

Raindance, responsible for the Raindance Film Festival, the British Independent Film Awards, the Independent Film Trust and IPTV online distribution channel Raindance.tv, is upping its education game. One of many planned programmes for the year is a weekend masterclass (April 27-28) by celebrated Hollywood story consultant Chris Vogler. His bestseller The Writer’s Journey has been read by over 250,000 screenwriting students and has been cited by Black Swan director Darren Arronofsky as “the first book everyone’s got to read.”

Raindance Director Elliot Grove said, “We’re thrilled Christopher Vogler will be hosting this special Raindance masterclass in a rare appearance here in London. He really is the stuff of screenwriting legend so this is a must for writers, directors, actors and producers interested in the entire story process from idea to script to screen.”

Raindance is dedicated to fostering and promoting independent film in the UK and around the world. In addition to the Raindance Film Festival and the British Independent Film Awards, they offer a packed calendar of courses year round, attended by over 3000 filmmakers, writers, directors, actors, agents and film students each year. Courses range from a 99 Minute Film School to a groundbreaking Post Graduate Masters Degree in filmmaking, now in its second year, and in association with Staffordshire University. Alumni have included Christopher Nolan, Julian Fellowes and Guy Ritchie.

Their popular film idea pitching competition Live! Ammunition!, recently seen at the Berlinale, will take place in London on March 5.