You love getting lost in a film.
Discover why a scene stays with you. Look closer at characters, conflict and the choices behind the camera. Find the words for what you see.
Independent film education · Winnipeg
Understand film.
Develop your story.
In-person film courses in Winnipeg for curious viewers and emerging storytellers. Explore how films work, exchange perspectives and put your ideas into practice.
For curious film lovers & emerging storytellers.
A deeper understanding.
A story of your own.
Two reasons to join. One shared programme of film analysis, discussion and creative practice.
You have a story to explore.
Give your ideas shape. Work on a character, a conflict and a clear direction, then develop a logline and synopsis with feedback along the way.
Our first course
In person in WinnipegHow Stories Work
Film Analysis & Dramaturgy
6 Saturdays · 18 hours · Your own film idea
Why do we root for a character? What makes a scene feel alive? Discover the craft behind the films you love, then put it to work in a story of your own.
Leave with a logline, synopsis and pitch.
1 developed film idea + logline + synopsis + a clear direction for further development.
Six weeks. A new way of seeing.
01The Protagonist
The Protagonist: Who Drives the Story?
Identify the protagonist, their goal, motivation, and dramatic function in a selected film.
02Conflict
Conflict as the Foundation of a Scene and a Film
Analyze the conflict in a single scene and identify its external and internal levels.
03Structure
Three-Act Screenwriting Structure
Break down a well-known film according to its structure and identify its major dramatic turning points.
04The Language Of Cinema
Framing, Editing, and Visual Dramaturgy
Watch 5–7 short film excerpts and discuss one central question: Why this shot? Why did the director choose this particular shot size, angle, duration, and connection to the next shot?
05Script & Idea Development
Editorial Analysis
Collective editorial breakdown of several participant projects.
06From Idea To Project
From Idea to Project
Each participant presents their idea or project. 5-Minute Pitch + Feedback.
A little cinema, in everyday life
There’s a story
in the way you look.
Every photograph offers a different way to see.
Choose a frame, notice what draws you in, and imagine what could happen next.
A study in movement
What happens in the next second?
Pause here. What do you notice?
Explore one way of seeing
The ball hangs above the net. Hands, faces and bodies turn towards it. A still photograph contains an unfinished action: we can imagine the next movement before it happens.
A study in light
Can an empty room have a mood?
Pause here. What do you notice?
Explore one way of seeing
The window becomes the brightest point in the frame, while chairs recede into shadow. Imagine the same room in flat, even light. What would change in your expectation of the scene?
A study in perspective
What are we not being shown?
Pause here. What do you notice?
Explore one way of seeing
Two people lean over the wall, but the object of their attention stays outside the frame. We follow their gaze and begin filling in the missing information. A frame can create curiosity by leaving something out.
A study in focus
Who gets to be the main character?
Pause here. What do you notice?
Explore one way of seeing
The sharp bird stands out against the soft shapes of the boats. Focus gives this small subject importance. Imagine shifting that focus to the harbour: the same place would tell a different story.
Photographs from Gulfia’s archive. Everyday observations, explored through the language of film.
A few things you might be wondering
Let’s clear things up.
Still have a question?
We’d love to hear from you.
Is this for film lovers or aspiring filmmakers?
Both. We explore films to understand how stories work, then put those ideas into practice. The course includes developing your own film idea and sharing a short pitch with the group.
What will I work towards?
A developed film idea, a logline and a synopsis. In the final session, you will present a five-minute pitch and receive feedback on your project and its next steps.
Where and when will we meet?
This is an in-person course in Winnipeg, spread over six Saturdays and 18 hours. Check the course page for the details of each group, or get in touch if you have a question about attending.
Do I need to arrive with a finished script?
The programme works with ideas at different stages, including a concept, logline, synopsis or scene. If you are unsure where to start, contact us to talk about whether the course fits what you are looking for.
Interested in the first course?
Take the next step
towards your story.
Leave your details for How Stories Work: Film Analysis & Dramaturgy. We’ll contact you about the next group, including dates and pricing when they’re confirmed.
No payment now. No obligation to enrol.
Film education. Creative community.
Cinema brings us together. Curiosity takes us further.
Our project brings film education and creative exchange together in Winnipeg. We start with close viewing, open discussion and the development of original stories. As we grow, we want more educators, partners and perspectives to be part of that conversation.
Look closer.
Ask why a character, a scene or a single frame stays with you. Turn an instinctive response into a deeper understanding.
Make something yours.
Use what you discover to explore an original idea. Develop a character, a conflict and a direction for your story.
Learn in conversation.
Bring your perspective, listen to others and practise giving thoughtful feedback. Cinema gives us common ground.
People behind the project
Film is collaborative.
So is what we’re building.
Meet our founder. Explore a teaching collaboration, bring a partnership idea or help make local film education happen.
Founder · Film producer
Gulfia
Gulfia brings a producer’s perspective to film analysis and story development, with a course built around watching, questioning and working through ideas together.
Meet the founderLet’s build this together
There’s more than one way
to be part of the story.
Share your craft
For film professionals and educators interested in future teaching collaborations.
Talk to us about teachingHelp make it happen
Bring your time, skills or a partnership idea to a growing local project.
Offer your help Become a partnerUpcoming courses
A little support goes a long way