The Chateau for Paul's 2012 Rewrite and “From Scratch” retreat.

Villa in Ver-sur-Mer, in Normandy, France, site of Paul's 2011 summer rewriting retreat.

Rewriting workshops with Paul Chitlik (Cortona, Italy, June 2008).

Villa Mas Roca in Estanyol, Spain. Site of the June 2010 Rewrite Workshop.

Please note that the Rewrite Mentor's retreats have no affiliation with UCLA or Loyola Marymount, nor do do they carry course credit. These are for the experience only, not the credit.

UPCOMING SEMINARS

ANNOUNCING PAUL CHITLIK'S FIFTH ANNUAL REWRITE SEMINAR!

Lots of good news to report. My summer rewrite retreat in Ver-sur-Mer, France, was terrific. The location, a small town on the Normandy coast bordering the D-Day beaches, was beautiful and very French. The 18th century maison was comfy and roomy, and the food, prepared by our host, was unbelievably good. Also, according to writers who have been in my other workshops, it was the best yet.

This year's summer retreat will take place in Burgundy, France, very near Vichy. Yes, Burgundy, the center of French wine and cuisine. Ooh la la. Smack dab in the center of France, we'll be headquartered in an eighteenth century chateau six kilometers from the nearest village—secluded, but not remote. Surrounded by 18 acres, including a small lake and a river, we'll be able to focus on your rewrite (or new script—more on that in a minute) while we dine on gourmet French cuisine, enjoy the pool, fish on the lake, walk in the forest, and write, write, write.

Last year we headquartered in Normandy, where the workshops took on a new depth. Writers from Ireland, Israel, Italy (lots of “I” countries) and the US gathered to work on their scripts. We were fed by the madame, who turned out to be an expert in French cooking. We walked that off on country roads through wheat and flower fields, or through villages on the way to the beach. Have a look at the YEARBOOK. I enjoyed the French so much (truly not like the stereotypes we hear about) and the food and the Calvados, that I decided to go back.

If you were not able to get into one of my 434s or Professional Program advanced or rewrite classes at UCLA, this may be your only opportunity to see why more than one MFA grad has said, “I learned more in ten weeks with Paul than I learned in two years at bleep University.” I will not be teaching at UCLA for the near future as I am exclusive to Loyola Marymount University now.

This year there will be two seminars at the same time! I will lead one that will focus on rewriting an existing script. If you prefer to write a new script from scratch, Nanou Matteson, UCLA MFA grad, who has been expertly teaching and coaching writers for 20 years, will lead our first-ever first draft seminar. Nanou has worked one-on-one with hundreds of writers in addition to attending many of my retreats. She knows my method and has always been a leader in my classes. I'm pleased to have her on board this year in an expanded capacity.

I'll be focusing on the usual—story, character, dialogue, then more story, then more story (not a typo), then pages until we get your existing script up to the next level. Nanou will take those who face the blank page through the whole process as if you were in a UCLA 434 graduate seminar, only better since she'll have only 6 in her section.

Talk to a former participant (50% of participants each year are repeaters)—it's intense. There are three hours of seminar every afternoon, office hours in the morning, group meals, long walks after—all focused on script work. Mornings, early afternoons, and, if you're a night writer, nights will be for writing. For more on the program, please go to THE PROGRAM.

The level is always high—last year we had four MFA candidates and four alumni of UCLA's Professional Program in screenwriting. Oh, and me, the not-tooting-my-horn former UCLA Prof Program instructor (TESTIMONIALS—I'm just saying…) and sometime Visiting Assistant Professor, currently Clinical Assistant Professor at Loyola Marymount University, and author of “Rewrite, A Step by Step Guide to Strengthen Structure, Character, and Drama in Your Screenplay,” now in its second printing. BTW, you'll get a copy of the book on your arrival.

The house is between the Paris airports and the Nice airport, though I'd recommend flying into Paris and taking the train or renting a car. We'll pick you up at the train station in Moulins sur Allier. The house is near Lyons, Orleans, and Dijon. Caves that housed Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons up to 90,000 years ago are close, too. Lots of small villages to explore if you rent a car (you can share—we'll put you in touch with others in the program).

You're wondering about cost. For Paul's program, if you have a single room, it will be $3500 by check ($3605 if by PayPal). A shared room will be $3200 ($3296 via PayPal). Same as last year! If you go for Nanou's startup workshop, a single will be $3250 ($3347.50 via PayPal) and a double will be the incredibly affordable $2950 (3038.50 via PayPal). There's a 10% discount for you if you've taken one of my private workshops before. Think about it—13 days and nights in a French mansion, room and board plus instruction for a lot less than, say, tuition only for an equivalent course at a private university. My section will be limited to eight, and Nanou's section will be limited to six, so you'll get lots of personal attention.

Deadline is January 1 for initial deposit of $200 to hold your place. Contact me immediately, though, if you want to make sure you have a spot. First come, first served. There was a waiting list last year which I went to only when one student cancelled because of illness. Write to: Paul.chitlik@gmail.com.

THIS IS NOT A UCLA or LMU COURSE. THERE IS NO COLLEGE CREDIT FOR THIS SEMINAR. THERE'S JUST THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR SCREENPLAY WILL BE BETTER ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED THE COURSE OR THAT YOU WILL BE WELL ON THE ROAD TO WRITING A NEW SCREENPLAY.

Check back soon for further information or email Paul.chitlik@gmail.com.