STORYTIME WORKSHOP
SPRING 2026, EAST COAST AUSTRALIA
Is there a way to free yourself from the tyranny of endless choice that afflicts all directors? Is there a way to increase the emotional drama of your films? And is there a way to make your proposal stand out from the thousands of others that flood the desks of funders?
Yes there is.
Join dual Emmy award-winning director Geoffrey Smith for an intense two-day workshop to find the beating heart of your film, and to draw the most clarity, emotion, and drama from your story. Whatever the style or type of your doc, we will work together to discover which universal Story archetype best reflects your characters and ideas, and then use that timeless wisdom to transform your thinking, your shoot, and your edit.
Story archetypes are the single most powerful tool you will ever use.
Across the last six years I have helped over 500 directors and producers transform their storytelling skills.
This is what some of them have said:
“I loved this workshop, and came out of it with an infinitely clearer idea of the film I want to make” Fernando Souza – Director, Spain
“I’ve known Geoffrey Smith since he made the extraordinary documentaries, The English Surgeon and Presumed Guilty. Just as he works tirelessly to make his own stories and characters come fully to life, he is equally passionate about getting other directors to create the same through his workshops. Geoffrey is a master at finding and telling the story. I am honoured to call him both my friend and mentor”. Cynthia Kane – Producer, New York
“It is wonderful how this experience can change not only the direction of a project, but also the whole way a filmmaker works.” Maite Daneris – Director, Barcelona
“Geoffrey has a keen understanding of story, of helping craft the most compelling factual narratives, and then setting in place the emotional building blocks to ensure the most resonant story for audiences. His story development was invaluable”. Adam Farrington Williams – Producer AFW Films, Melbourne
“Thanks for the wonderful workshop Geoffrey. It was very absorbing, and I loved applying the framework of Archetypes shaking up my previous notions of the story. Every documentary maker should take this workshop!!” Nick Dunlop – Director, Perth
“It’s easy to get lost in the details of your material. Geoffrey does an amazing job as story consultant helping you find focus and structure, and I highly recommend him for all creative documentaries. I have been working with him for two years now and all my current and future productions will pass through his expert lens”. Friedrich Moser – Director/Producer Blue Green Communication, Austria
“The Storytime Workshop fundamentally reshaped the way I approach storytelling, giving me a clearer understanding of what truly drives my film and how to communicate it. Geoffrey created a supportive, focused space and was incredibly generous with his time, ensuring everyone left with strong, market-ready pitch materials. I can’t rate the experience highly enough”. Lucy Messenger – Director, Perth
“Geoffrey is an extremely generous mentor and comes with a wealth of knowledge and understanding that emerging filmmakers really need access to. His input and experience helped us transform our material, and to create a more globally relevant film with a much, much bigger audience. I could not more highly recommend him!“ Mario Adamson – Producer Sisyfos Film, Sweden
“I wish I had Geoffrey early on in my story development phase! It would have saved me a lot of time and money in R&D of my feature documentary!” Sunita Jariwala – Director, India
“As a consultant Geoffrey is truly great at diving in to offer his experience and skill to a project whilst respecting the director’s vision. He is nurturing and kind but won’t shy away from having difficult conversations if there are problems and issues with a film that must be addressed. He is really methodical and offers mature and intelligent insights which empower everyone in the team to do their best work and to raise the bar to the highest level” Rachel Wexler – Producer Bungalow Town Productions, UK
“Having worked with Geoffrey on several documentary projects, I can confidently say he is an outstanding mentor and creative producer. When you’re up to your neck in a project and can’t see the wood for the trees, having someone like him to turn to is immensely reassuring. Geoffrey has made some great films, and thankfully, can help you make one too! I can’t recommend his services highly enough!” Nick Barkla – Director/Producer, Melbourne
Email me at geoffrey@storytime.dev for more details, and happy to chat on Zoom anytime.