PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative (BFMC) announced a virtual workshop, “Architecting Your Movie: A Screenwriting Workshop with Matthew Syrett,” to be held on Tuesday, June 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. via Zoom.

Led by acclaimed filmmaker, screenwriter, and Oscar-winning producer Matthew Syrett (Freeheld, Netflix’s MerPeople), this live, interactive session will guide participants through the essential early stages of screenplay development, using the beat sheet method to craft strong, compelling story structures before the writing process begins.

The workshop will cover how outlining can strengthen a screenplay’s foundation, help spot story problems early, and speed up the writing process. Participants will also reverse-engineer the beat sheet of a well-known film, gaining hands-on experience applying professional outlining techniques to their own projects.

Syrett’s award-winning work has been recognized with Oscars, Emmys, and Sundance awards, and has appeared on HBO, PBS, Netflix, Cinemax, and TNT. A graduate of the American Film Institute’s prestigious Screenwriting MFA program, he was recently named one of the top five emerging TV writers by AFI’s Writers Room Ready competition. Inaddition to his creative work, he has held leadership positions at Grey Advertising, IMDb (Amazon), Marstone, and Rakuten USA.

“We are excited to offer this unique opportunity for aspiring and working screenwriters to learn from one of the best in the industry,” said Diane Pearlman, executive director of Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative. “Matthew’s insights into story architecture are invaluable for anyone looking to take their screenwriting to the next level.”

Two ticket options are being offered: $70 for the seminar or $120 for the seminar plus one-on-one follow-up with Syrett (to be scheduled after the workshop). Register online at bfmcscreenwritingworkshop.eventbrite.com. Scholarships are available by request. For scholarship inquiries, email [email protected].

LENOX — Berkshire Film & Media Collaborative (BFMC) will host a spring networking event on Tuesday, May 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the historic Ventfort Hall in Lenox.

BFMC’s networking events bring together filmmakers, editors, technicians, educators, and media professionals from across the region to share ideas, find collaborators, and spark new creative projects.

“This is our first in-person networking event since COVID. We’re excited to gather members of our industry together to see old friends and make new connections,” said Diane Pearlman, executive director of BFMC. “Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker or just curious about getting involved in this industry, we welcome you to be part of this growing creative community. We’re excited to collaborate with our friends at Ventfort Hall, featured in the Oscar-winning film The Cider House Rules. It’s the perfect location for our event.”

Ventfort Hall is an elegant, artisan-crafted Jacobean Revival mansion built in 1893 for George and Sarah Morgan, JP Morgan’s sister, in Lenox. The estate is on the National Register of Historic Places and is now a house museum. Daily self-guided tours are offered year-round, as well as lectures and teas, exhibits, ghost hunts and tours, children’s programs, and concerts.

Admission to the networking event is free, but space is limited to 100 guests. RSVP is required on Eventbrite by May 12. Click here to register.

Light bites will be served, and a cash bar will be available. Donations are welcome at the door to support BFMC’s educational programming, including its high-school documentary film curriculum, “Your Voice Through Video.”

For more information about the event, visit the Eventbrite link or email BFMC at [email protected].

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative (BFMC) has been awarded a $9,000 operating grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

According to BFMC Executive Director Diane Pearlman, “this funding will help the Western Massachusetts nonprofit to strengthen its operations, expand programming, build new partnerships, and continue to support the growing film and media industry in Western New England.”

Pearlman also announced that Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative has moved its offices into 1Berkshires’ new space in the Crawford Square Building at 137 North St., Suite 200, Pittsfield.

“Sharing office space with 1Berkshire strengthens our partnership and deepens our connection to the region’s creative and business communities,” she said. “The new location provides opportunities for collaboration and positions us to better support filmmakers, students, and media professionals throughout the Berkshires.”