Bridging Divides Through Storytelling (Sundance Collab)

How do creatives actually execute these ideas in the writer’s room or on set without sacrificing pacing, dramatic tension, or their creative integrity?

To answer that, we are partnering with Sundance Collab for a free, online masterclass on Thursday, July 9th (9:45 AM – 11:00 AM PT). Steven Olikara will pull back the curtain on BEL’s foundational framework: The 4 Cs (Curiosity, Contact, Complexity, and Good Conflict). As Steven noted on USA Today, “good conflict” isn’t the absence of tension — it’s avoiding “dead-end conflict” in which conflict is painted as zero-sum and characters are dismissed as irredeemable.

Steven will moderate a practical, tactical discussion with two accomplished creators from the BEL network:

• Dave Caplan: Veteran TV writer/producer (The Conners, The Drew Carey Show).
• Valerie Weiss: Accomplished TV director (Suits, Scandal, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).

They will share concrete, evidence-based techniques for character development and structural plotting that break out of online echo chambers. The event will culminate in a live, interactive listening exercise, helping attendees to cultivate a knack for nuance and viewpoint diversity.