DIGI60 SUMMER ACCELERATOR
Screenwriting STREAM

Micaela Fitch Boardroom
Arts Ottawa, Registry Section, Floor 1

The Screenwriting Stream is designed to help emerging writers develop the tools and confidence needed to bring their stories from idea to page. Through practical workshops, case studies, and collaborative exercises, participants will explore story structure, character development, world building, dialogue, formatting, and the craft of writing for the screen.

Along the way, you'll refine your ideas, strengthen your scripts, and connect with fellow filmmakers, actors, mentors, and industry professionals. From developing a first draft to hearing your work performed and receiving feedback, you'll gain practical experience and new perspectives to help move your writing forward.

Workshop program and mentors are subject to change based on availability. Mentor bios and headshots coming soon.

Morning
(10:00-1:00 PM)

Afternoon
(2:00-5:00 PM)

Evening (5:00-8:00 PM)
Optional Programming

Monday
August 24, 2026

Orientation & Welcome,
ACTRA MIPs, Arts Court + DARC Tour

Foundations of Screenwriting: Ideas and Formatting, Shaping the Story
Teri Loretto

Cohort Welcome Reception
Albion Rooms
Cohort & Mentors only

Tuesday
August 25, 2026

World Building and Characters, Opening Scenes
Teri Loretto

Case Study: It Comes in Waves
Sammy Mohamed

Dream Eater - Ottawa Premiere with Director, Writer & Actor Q&A
Co-Presented by the Ottawa Film Office
OAG Alma Duncan Salon
PWYC Tickets | Open to the public

Wednesday
August 26, 2026

Dialogue and Action
Polished Loglines and Synopsis
Teri Loretto

Workshopping Scripts/Edits
Formatting Review
Teri Loretto

Industry Mixer with Industry Leaders
Sponsored by ACTRA Ottawa 
Club SAW Courtyard
FREE RSVP | Open to the public

Thursday
August 27, 2026

Pitching Your Project: Pitch Documents, Pitch Practice
Teri Loretto

Acting & Screenwriting Scripted Scenes
Chelsey Mark & Teri Loretto

Closing Plenary: Building Community and Sharing Ourselves
Conversation with Digi60 Alumni
Artengine
Cohort & Mentors only

TERI LORETTO

Teri (She/Elle) holds a BA and an MA from the University of Ottawa and is the current Coordinator for the Scriptwriting and Performing Arts programs at Algonquin College. She is often onstage (Shirley Valentine, Detroit, Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike), on the big screen (Summer’s Blood, Metal Tornado, The Buckley Brothers), or filling in at CBC TV and Radio (CBC News at Six, In Town and Out). She has produced and directed over 35 stage plays in the last decade and written dozens of scripts for radio plays, interviews, short film and is working on a pilot for The Cold War, a series based loosely on her father's experiences as a Cold War fighter pilot set against the backdrop of 1960s Quebec's language and civil rights struggles. No takers yet but pitching (and rejection!) is something all screenwriters need to get comfortable with. She is a previous juror for Digi60, the Prix Rideau Awards and serves on the ACTRA Ottawa board.

CHELSEY MARK

Chelsey Mark is an ACTRA Award-winning Canadian actor, writer, and filmmaker whose screen credits include Chucky (Season 3), Tubi's First Person Shooter (ACTRA Award – Outstanding Performance in a Feature), Hallmark's A Kiss Before Christmas, CBC's Burden of Truth, and APTN's Tribal. A graduate of the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices program, the Banff Centre's Write Over Here Screenwriting Residency, the Whistler Indigenous Fellowship, and the Cultural Industries Ontario North (CION) Cinema Ascent program, he brings both professional on-set experience and a filmmaker's perspective to his work. As an actor, writer, and director, Chelsey is passionate about helping performers develop truthful, confident performances while fostering a collaborative approach to storytelling.