Do you have a story to tell? Did you stumble upon a precious artifact on an archaeological dig in Jerusalem’s City of David? Did you visit an ancient mikveh in a Jerusalem neighborhood? Do you know where the graves are of soldiers who fought for the War of Independence in 1948? In Beit Lechem, have […]
Storytelling through Documentary
Hmmm…There’s a story here… The Women who Saved the Dagan Hill – an article, appearing in Ha Mizrachi Combining the genres of drama, memoir-true story, and historical epic, a documentary is yet to be made about this stellar moment in modern Israel, based on the antiquity of bygone eras, linked to Jerusalem. “During the protest,
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1932, Berlin…Storytelling Through Stage Play
Hmmm…There’s a story here… A Happy End, by Iddo Netanyahu “The Erdmanns’ life in Berlin is tinged with denial. Not only does acclaimed physicist Mark refuse to admit that his marriage to Leah is coming apart at the seams, but it’s also 1932, and the Erdmanns are Jewish. Family friend Dieter urges them to heed the
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1940’s America…Storytelling Through Stage Play
Hmmm…There’s a story here… The Accomplices, by Bernard Weintraub “Based on actual events, The Accomplices centers on Hillel Kook, who arrives in the United States at the beginning of World War II, fresh from the underground resistance to the British in Palestine. Under the alias Peter Bergson, he leads a small group of activists seeking aid
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Storytelling Through Feature Film
The following films have two features in common: They all deal with the Holocaust, and therefore, they are stories of the Jewish people BEFORE the birth of the modern State of Israel, with Jerusalem as the ancient, Biblical, eternal capital of the Jewish people. For the writer, these films are a turning point in understanding
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The Pianist
Genres: Drama, Historical Epic, Memoir/True Story Premise on imdb.com: A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II. The Premise Line is the spine of the story, whether the medium is a 400-page novel, a 110- page screenplay, or a 120-page stage play. It can be a
Porcelain Unicorn
Genre: Memoir/True Story/Drama 3-Minute Short FilmThis is a brilliant short film that won many awards. I’ll break the script down into its Story Beats. In just three minutes, all of the Story Beats are there! Please note that dialog does not carry a story, whether it’s a film, stage play, or novel. What carries a
The Zookeeper’s Wife
Genres: Drama/Historical Epic/Memoir-True Story Premise –The Zookeeper’s Wife is the account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of Jews and animals during the Nazi invasion of Poland. As a writer, it is important to know your genres because each genre embodies special story beats. Biography or Memoir-True
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Europa, Europa
Genres: Memoir/True Story/Drama/Historical epic This is the epic story of war from the perspective of the Hero, a German Jewish 14-year-old teenager caught up in WWII. The Hero’s story of survival in a world gone mad with the backdrop of the Holocaust is but one of the themes running through this story line.
La Rafflé (The Roundup)
French film with English subtitlesGenres: Drama/Historical Epic/Thriller Premise according to imdb.com: A faithful retelling of the 1942 “Vel d’Hiv Roundup” and the events surrounding it. I would re-write this Premise: When a young, Christian nurse is caught up in the 1942 “Vel d’Hiv Roundup” in France, she risks her life to provide help and care
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