Narrative Game Design for Screenwriters
Step inside the writers’ room of a game.
Retreat
A six-night immersive retreat for screenwriters, filmmakers and storytellers who want to understand how stories change when the audience becomes the player.
Set in an extraordinary historic location and limited to a small international cohort, this intensive programme combines narrative game design, collaborative writers’ room sessions, practical exercises, industry conversations and uninterrupted time to think, write and create.
6 nights · Small international cohort · Application only
[APPLY FOR THE NEXT RETREAT]
What you’ll explore
From linear story to interactive narrative
Understand the fundamental differences between writing a 90-minute film, a television series and a game that may unfold over dozens of hours.
We’ll look at structure, pacing, worldbuilding, player agency and the relationship between authored narrative and player freedom.
Writing for player agency
What does it actually mean to give the player a choice?
You’ll explore branching narratives, meaningful decision-making, consequences, character motivation and the different ways games create the feeling of agency.
Inside a game writers’ room
Experience a collaborative game-writing process inspired by the way narrative teams work inside studios.
You’ll develop story ideas collectively, respond to design constraints and learn how writing interacts with gameplay, art, production and technology.
Characters, worlds and systems
Games allow storytellers to build worlds that audiences can inhabit rather than simply observe.
We’ll explore environmental storytelling, character arcs, lore, quests, dialogue and how narrative can emerge through systems as well as scenes.
Adapting your skills for the games industry
How does a screenwriter fit into a game studio?
You’ll learn how narrative teams are structured, what different writing roles involve, how writers collaborate with designers and developers, and where skills from film and television transfer — and where they don’t.
Developing your own ideas
Participants may bring an existing project or arrive with nothing more than curiosity.
Throughout the retreat there will be opportunities to experiment with ideas, test narrative structures and develop concepts with feedback from the group.
Who it’s for
This retreat is designed primarily for professional and emerging:
Screenwriters
Interested in games, interactive storytelling or expanding into a new medium.
Film & television writers and creators
Exploring how their storytelling skills might translate into games.
Writer-directors and filmmakers
Curious about interactive worlds and cross-industry storytelling.
Narrative designers and game writers
Looking for a focused creative environment and exchange with storytellers from other disciplines.
Authors and other experienced storytellers
Interested in exploring narrative beyond linear formats.
You do not need previous professional game-writing experience.
Applications are assessed primarily on creative background, motivation and what you hope to explore during the retreat.
Application fee + applicable VAT · credited toward your programme fee if you enrol
5-day residential programme · Scotland · April 2027
Translate your screenwriting skills into interactive storytelling in an intensive five-day residential programme for professional writers. Explore how storytelling changes when the audience becomes the player, from player agency and interactive narrative structures to the way narrative development works inside game teams.
Programme fees: €4,500 shared room · €5,100 private room
Select your accommodation preference below and complete a short application during checkout. Places are offered following application review.
Members of participating organisations may be eligible for a dedicated professional rate for selected programmes. Please indicate your current professional memberships when applying.
Applications close XX Month 2027
What You’ll Learn
By the end of the masterclass, you will learn how to:
Define and understand your core audience
Position your game clearly in a crowded market
Build a content strategy across Steam, TikTok, YouTube, Discord and other platforms
Create marketing beats around development, launch and live updates
Work with communities, creators and influencers
Encourage fan participation, sharing and user-generated content
Week 1: Positioning, Audience & Messaging
Understand who your game is for, what makes it stand out, and how to communicate it clearly.
Week 2: Content, Community & Reach
Learn how to build visibility through social platforms, Steam, Discord, trailers, newsletters and creator outreach.
Week 3: UGC, Fan Culture & Campaign Planning
Explore how to inspire players to share, remix and champion your game — and leave with a practical marketing roadmap.
Key Learning Outcomes
Develop a transmedia strategy – Learn how to expand stories across multiple platforms
Shape a creative vision with long-term potential – From script to interactive worlds
Understand the business of IP adaptation – How gaming, film, and digital media connect
Build sustainable audience engagement strategies – Leveraging community-driven storytelling
Who Should Attend?
Film & TV producers looking to expand their IPs into new media
Writers & scriptwriters interested in multi-platform storytelling
Game developers & creative teams working with story-driven content
Marketing & business professionals seeking innovative audience engagement strategies
Fees & Application dates
Early Bird (until 30.06.) 790 EUR
Regular (until 06.08.) 840 EUR
Late Bird (until 12.08.) 960 EUR
Application period 07.06 -12.08.2025.
Selected participants informed by 15.08.2025.
*prices are exclusive of VAT 25,5%
HFL offers the possibility of payment in parts.
If you choose this option, please contact us at payments@helsinkifilmlab.fi
The Course
Week 1 - Narrative Voice
Tue 26.08 / 17:00-19:00 (CEST) & Thu 28.08 / 17:00-19:00 (CEST) + 30mins for questions after each session
During Week 1 of this masterclass, participants will learn to distill an idea down to its central “creative signature”. The Creative Signature is defined as a combination of its Narrative Voice, its World Focus. This “technique” is universal and is used by authors, creative directors and content producers as federating and alignment tools to bring together all stakeholders on project around a central vision. This vision then translates easily to both the community development and transmedia strategy and deployment.
Session 1: Giving Your Content a Voice
Session 2: Worlds as Fractal Metaphors
What’s included
Your retreat fee includes:
six nights' accommodation
the complete teaching programme
intimate group sessions and workshops
collaborative writers’ room exercises
individual and group feedback
breakfast each morning
lunch during the programme
selected group dinners
retreat activities and programmed industry sessions
access to the Helsinki Film Lab / Constellation Labs international creative community
local group transfers at designated arrival and departure times where specified
Flights and travel to the designated meeting point are not included.
Additional dinners, drinks and personal expenses are not included unless stated otherwise for the individual retreat.
Retreat fee
Early bird 3900 EUR | Regular 4,500 EUR | Late bird 5400 EUR
Six nights including accommodation, tuition, breakfast, lunch and selected dinners.
A limited shared-room rate may be available for participants choosing twin accommodation.
The programme is intentionally kept small to allow meaningful individual attention and a genuinely collaborative group dynamic.
Payment plans may be available.
Before Applying / Requirements
Course language English
Group work Yes
Technical prerequisites None
Who can apply?
Even if our courses are designed with a specific target audience in mind, all film, TV, gaming, literary and creative industry professionals are welcome to apply. We believe this is what enhances the cross-industry experience and takes us all further.
Meet David Daubitz
Narrative Designer & Game Writer
David is a narrative game designer with extensive experience working across interactive storytelling and education.
Alongside his professional narrative work, he has taught game writing for five years at the International Film School Cologne and has extensive experience facilitating collaborative writers’ rooms.
His approach combines the structural discipline of screenwriting with the systems-thinking, player psychology and collaborative processes required to create narrative for games.
During the retreat, David will lead the core teaching programme and an immersive game-writing simulation designed to give participants first-hand experience of how narrative development works inside a game production environment.
This is an online course! Creators from all countries are encouraged to apply.
Application process
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We look forward to you sending your application! Please note the different dates for Early Bird, Regular and Late Bird prices.
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Your application will be carefully evaluated by the HFL team together with the Masterclass holder. We take great care in creating a group of participants from different backgrounds and experience levels that suite the course in the best way possible.
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Selected participants will be informed, and the invoice for the course fee will be sent. Please note that the fee needs to reach us within 7 working days unless stated otherwise. After this, the spot might be offered to a participant in the waitlist.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Frequently asked questions
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If a project is needed with your application, it will be clearly indicated on the course page.
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The number of participants depends greatly on the course. In general, the more group work there is, the fewer participants are accepted. We pride ourselves with giving the best possible learning experience to all attendees and hire teaching assistants for larger course groups if needed.
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Courses at Helsinki Film Lab must be applied to, after which we select participants together with the masterclass holder. Courses are either online or onsite in Helsinki or an international destination. This will be clearly indicated in the course information.
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Helsinki Film Lab courses are held either online or on-site in Helsinki or at different international locations. The course information will include the location, and upon being selected for a course, you will receive detailed information.
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Helsinki Film Lab courses are always in English unless stated otherwise in the course programme.
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Helsinki Film Lab does give a 10% discount to participants from the following organisations: EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs), Sunklo (Finnish Writers’ Guild) and AVATE Audiovisual Authors and Performers Finland. If your organisation is not listed here, please let us know: moi@helsinkifilmlab.fi We are always looking for ways to be more accessible to creative industry professionals.
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No. The retreat is specifically designed to make game narrative accessible to experienced storytellers coming from film, television and other creative disciplines.scription
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Not at all. This is a narrative programme, not a programming course.
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We review applications on a rolling basis. Successful applicants will receive an invitation to join the retreat together with payment and accommodation information.
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Being on the Waitlist for a course means that your application has been successful, but we might not have space. Spots on the course become available if someone does not accept their place or cancels.
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To apply to a Helsinki Film Lab course, you need to fill in the application form here. If the course you want to apply for is not indicated in the application form, the course does not have dates yet. In this case, please register your interest on the specific course page. We will inform you as soon as the dates have been secured.
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The different fee rates depend on the date we receive your application.
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We look forward to hearing from you! Please email us at moi@helsinkifilmlab.fi.
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Our selection process is very streamlined, and we aim to respond within 14 days.
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Helsinki Film Lab does not organise accommodation or flights at the moment, but we do offer special rates with our Official Hotel Partner, Hobo Hotel Helsinki. All selected participants will receive a special code they can use.
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Each cohort is deliberately small. Final numbers may vary by location, but the retreat is designed around intimate group work rather than large-class teaching.
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No. Participants arrange their own travel to the designated arrival point. Where appropriate, we organise shared group transportation from a designated airport, railway station or city meeting point to the retreat location.
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Yes, subject to availability. Private accommodation is the standard option. A limited number of discounted twin-room places may also be offered.