The Ultimate Story Machine

Service Description

Ultimate Story Machine is a six-week creative development lab designed to take that first spark and help you build it into a story you're ready to write. Working with writer and filmmaker Raphaël Dirani, you'll explore what gives a story meaning, build three-dimensional characters, generate plot through character and conflict, and experiment with different approaches to structure. Along the way, you'll develop your idea from its earliest foundations into an outline, synopsis, and fully imagined story world. Throughout the course, you'll: • Explore theme, myth, and the ideas at the heart of your story. • Build protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters with dimension and purpose. • Generate plot points and obstacles through character-driven story development. • Explore Western and Eastern story structures, including the Hero's Journey. • Develop your story from beats to outline to synopsis. • Define the tone, world, and characters that make your project distinctly yours. • Present your completed synopsis or pitch in the final class. Whether you're developing a screenplay, pilot, play, short film, or another narrative project, the focus is on giving your ideas shape without losing what made you excited about them in the first place. You'll leave with the foundation of a story, a developed synopsis, and a clear path forward when it's time to sit down and start writing. Instructor Spotlight Raphaël Dirani is a writer, director, actor, and multidisciplinary filmmaker whose creative work spans screenwriting, directing, producing, editing, composing, and performance. He trained in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, studied screenwriting at Antioch University Los Angeles, and continued his filmmaking education in UCLA Extension's Directing program. His approach to storytelling draws from experience on both sides of the camera and a lifelong curiosity about how stories are built, shaped, and brought to life. Course Details Wednesdays, 7:00–9:00 PM August 26–September 30, Six Weeks Capacity: 12 Students (open to Virtual Students as well) Investment: $200 Early Registration through August 19: $175 Performer Pass: Included for Performer Pass members at no additional cost. Flexible Payment Plans: Available at checkout.