HANDLING STORY
Improve your odds
Successfully developing a project from early concept to production financing requires writers, directors and producers answering two key questions:
What is your story really about? The THEME.
And how do you intend to explore it? The STORY.
Working with your story as a framework, allows you to focus on crafting the building blocks that bring its true meaning to the surface.
The story of a woman navigating her roles as head of state and as wife and mother to a dysfunctional family, against the backdrop of significant historical events, serves as the story framework to explore the theme - ‘can one retain their sense of self while expected to devote themselves entirely to something else? - The Crown.
When a surgeon must choose the unthinkable, taking a family member's life to save the rest, a story framework is created through which we explore the theme - ‘how do we hold onto logic when faith seems to offer the certain answer?’ - The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
I get writers, directors and producers to explore back and forth between their theme and mapping out their story framework. By working within a loop, they create more compelling and coherent stories, significantly improving the chances of projects being made."
“Our session with Paul Tyler, provided the most insight and clarity I’ve had about my feature since I conceived it.”
“The session with Daan & you is one of my favorite moments in my career”
This method has a proven track record across film, TV series, fiction, documentaries, entertainment formats, XR and interactive media. Its starting point can be simply your one-page synopsis or your treatment, both can be in any language. It can also be your script, ideally in English.
“Paul’s technique of mapping was a turning point in the development of my project. It helped me to clearly see the unconscious hesitations I was holding towards my subject.”
“I think throughout my entire career I have never enjoyed something so amazing like this!! It was so real for me and even magical. Like my own characters came to life.”
“A scary and exciting process that I truly recommend to anyone who wants to know what their idea is, and more importantly why they want to give it life.”
Further reading…
The theme in David Lean’s 1962 classic is to be found in the sideways movement of the protagonist and not in their overall arc. A short article on finding Lawrence of Arabia’s ‘rock and hard place’.
How paradox can be the route to your theme. A short piece on most powerful tool that helps writers shape their stories.
Clients
18Frames (DK), 73 Eyes Film (NO), Adomeit Film (DK), Aesthetica Film Festival (UK), Alternative Wave (GE), Anhui TV (CN), ANIDOX (DK), Animation Sans Frontières (DK), The Animation Workshop (DK), Animationsinstitut (DE), Ape&Bjørn (NO), BardoLA (USA), Berlinale Talents (DE), Budapest Debut FIlm Forum (HU), BOOST (SE), Le Boost Camp (BE), The Bureau (UK), Caligari Film (DE), CPH DOX (DK), Creative Europe (IRL & DE), DADIU (DK), Danish Film Institute (DK), The Danish Film School (DK), DMJX (DK), Documentary Campus (DE), Dutch Film Fund (NL), EAVE (LU), Entertainment Master Class (DE), European Creators Lab (DE), Eyeworks TV (DK), Film I Skåne (SE), Film+ (RO), Filmiapaja Saariselkä (FI), Filmlance (SE), Filmværkstedet (DK), FORMATE AUS THÜRINGEN (DE), Freihändler Filmproduktion (CH), Göteborg Film Festival (SE), Hot Potato (BG), Hélicotronc (BE), Hunan TV (CN), Indie Film (NO), Internationale Filmschule Köln (DE), iPPP (EU), Klassefilm (DK), Lake Martin Films (AU), Lübek Film Festival (DE), Magic Hour Films (DK), Nationalmuseum (DK), Nederlands Film Festival (NL), Nordic Talents (DK), Norwegian Film School (NO), Power to the Pixel (UK), Pupkin Film (NL), Rat Pack Film (DE), Red Sea Lodge (SA), R/O Institute (BE), SADA (SE), Satore Studio (UK), Save our Scripts (UK),Shipsboy (PL), Silver Films (SE), Smarthouse Films (NL), SOURCES 2 (DE), STHLM Debut (SE), Submarine (NL), Super16 (D), SuperRTL (DE), TIFF Writers Studio (CA), Torino Film Lab - Red Sea Lodge (SA), TRANSMIXR I EU Horizon (EU), Turn East Media (CN), VAF - Flanders Audiovisual Fund TV/web series development program (BE), Venice Biennale College Cinema (IT), Volya Films (NL), Warner Bros. (DK), Way Creative Films (SE) & Zhejiang TV (CN).
Pricing
Sessions over zoom or Copenhagen office - 150 € per hour.
All other sessions, hourly rate depends on setup.
Prices do not include 25% VAT.
More about set-up FAQ.
“Paul helped our head writers dive deep into the background story of our main character. The workshop made us grasp what makes the series work and which elements of story-telling are the most important for developing new stories and characters.”
“Paul Tyler`s approach has amazing impact for the writer. Paul just puts the story out of the writer`s head and maps it with objects on the table.”