Atelier Farnese
2009-2010 Regulations
Introduction
− Atelier Farnese was established to promote relations between French and Italian writers and
producers, starting with writing;
− Atelier Farnese is not a screenwriting school for novices, but seeks in particular to support
screenwriters who have already written at least two films;
− Atelier Farnese is not a new fund to finance screenplays;
− Atelier Farnese is a shared workspace promoting “forward-thinking skills” exactly as in an
atelier of the Renaissance.
Objectives
- Atelier Farnese proposes to:
Offer Italian and French film professionals the opportunity to meet one another and
undertake to work together to further the exchange of ideas and joint writing;
Provide the occasion and venue to set projects in motion that might be achieved in
co-production between Italy and France;
Encourage the writing of shared stories;
Make it possible for writers to exchange views with Italian and French masters of
screenwriting in order to improve the quality of projects;
Contribute to the processing of rules that can support forms of “co-creation” and co-
production.
The operation of Atelier Farnese is regulated as follows:
Art.1. For the first year, Atelier Farnese will promote the development of at least three
projects in which it will facilitate joint writing between Italian and French
screenwriters who have authored at least two films.
Art.2. Projects that do not already have an Italian or French producer cannot be presented.
Art.3. Presented projects must have the following characteristics:
a) stories by Italian or French writers with elements common to both France and Italy
concerning plot, setting, characters, main themes;
b) stories by Italian or French writers which, in absence of the elements in point
a), are presented jointly by an Italian and French producer within a
framework of close co-productive collaboration;
c) screenplays by Italian writers which, due to subject, setting, characters, main
themes addressed, require revision by a French screenwriter, or vice versa.
Art.4. A limited committee, consisting of the director of Atelier Farnese, a screenwriter of established
reputation who has dramatized no less than 5 films co-produced by Italy and France and a
producer of established reputation who has co-produced no less than 5 Franco-Italian films
who, under guidance from several professionals present at the meeting of July 3-5 in
Grottaferrata, will choose the first three projects to be developed within Atelier Farnese.
Art.5. A co-writing group will be formed specifically for each project, consisting accordingly
of the project’s writer and by a screenwriter of the other nationality.
Producers may also participate in screenwriting meetings.
Art.6. The first writing session will take place in a location in Lazio from October 10 to 16.
Work will be characterized by the presence of expert screenwriters, and also
producers, distributors, international exporters.
Art.7. Four months later, the screenwriters, who will have continued distance working with
the help of the Atelier’s translating and interpreting service, will meet again for a week
at Abbaye de Royaumont in Ile-de-France, in February 2010. With an outline
mirroring that of the first session, the writing will be brought to a conclusion with the
aim of achieving the first draft of the screenplay.
Art.8. Atelier Farnese is responsible for the travel and accommodation expenses for work
sessions.
Art.9. Screenwriters of selected projects are provided with a script incentive.
Art.10. The Atelier will conduct a translating and interpreting service at its own expense.
Art.11. Projects should be sent by e-mail to this address: atelierfarnese@gmail.com and must
be simultaneously sent by recorded post with notification of receipt, by and no later
than September 12 2009 (date as postmark), to the following address: Atelier Farnese
c/o Ambasciata di Francia in Italia, Piazza Farnese, 67, 00186 Roma