The Workshop (L'Atelier)

There's nothing at first.

Take the plunge.

You can say whatever you like.

A murder maybe?

A good start for a thriller.

Bravo!

A murder isn't always at the start.

You're right.

It it starts with a murder, what happens?

Do we witness it?

No, it's not good to see it.

We mustn't know who did it.

Literature is good that way.

You can keep things back.

You can describe the crime without showing the killer's face.

Like in a movie.

It's dark or you see through his eyes.

- A subjective camera. - Right.

What is this?

Mastermind? What are these fancy terms?

Subjective camera?

Who can explain?

It's when

the camera replaces the character. You see what he sees.

Thanks.

So do we see the murder'?

I thought...

The corpse could be found floating in the harbor...

I like that.

Not very corpse-like.

Why not?

He could've drowned.

All right...

So how do we make it clear?

Riddled with bullets.

A bullet-riddled corpse.

No weapon nearby.

It's not suicide, so it has to be a murder.

A round from an AK-47.

No one suicides by AK-47.

A Kalashnikov is a war weapon.

It slices you in two.

Too gory

Play with your dolls!

You see sicker stuff on the Net or TV.

- I don't watch. - Come on!

Any social network you use,

you find it.

The other day, a pal

posted a video of ISIS beheading guys.

Often there's no title.

Know the worst? I saw this video

of two-year old kids twerking...

- What? - Wiggling their butts.

It's a dance.

There's a link with ISIS?

Stuff like that goes viral.

It's almost porn, that dance.

No one makes you watch.

Not always.

I thought...

the corpse could be found disfigured.

Like someone threw acid over it.

The forehead's run into the eyes so you can't

recognize the eyes.

The cheeks have run too.

The teeth have slipped...

Ghost rider teeth.

All right...

So we have to imagine the whole story.

It's like some US series.

- With suspense. - Suspense!

We'll need a CSI team.

That's very American.

What's that in French?

Pathologists.

Pathologists? Seriously?

I'm sick of DNA. There's no more mystery.

- What? - I agree.

- What do you suggest? - I dunno.

Not identifying the victim is good,

but I imagined more psychology.

Psychology?

The lady knows big words!

Boys aren't into that.

We learn about the victim bit by bit...

How do you do that? In flashbacks?

Yeah, flashbacks maybe.

A guy on the docks at night...

He's there for a reason.

Do you mean a specific area of the docks?

Visualize the place.

It'll help you to describe the scene.

I was thinking

of the shipyard.

It's a monumental setting, it's great.

It's really La Ciotat's past.

I thought of that right away.

We all think of it- Not very original of you-.

Sorry. Forgive me, Boubacar.

Something classier

or more modern like the marina.

Yachts, billionaires...

Or someplace else... Boston, Washington, New York...

Here isn't good'?

Look around. Le Mugel, the coves, nice places...

You and your US cliches... Gangs,

the mafia, etc.

You write a story to escape your shit life.

The novel has to be set here?

Yes.

The idea of this workshop is to write about your town.

A novel is fiction,

imagination.

We can't write in isolation or looking in a mirror.

It's dumb.

You don't have to look in a mirror.

Use your imagination

to make your daily life an adventure...

What's so funny'?

An adventure...

Adventure isn't always a world away.

Adventure here will be tough.

We've only just started.

Not in this place.

Let's keep talking, but I suggest you take notes.

We write already?

No, just take notes.

It the conversation gives you an idea,

- He goes swimming! - And you don't?

- Towel and all... - He wants to tan.

You can take notes?

She's just a teacher, not much of a writer.

I don't like her fancy, arrogant air.

Pretentious, like.

Her Paris accent gets to me.

I barely understand at times.

"I'm delighted to meet you.

"We'll do good work here.“

"Delighted to get a vacation out of this.“

They rented her a really fancy villa.

The bus!

Shit--- Run, Run, Run!

Hey, Antoine!

Théo, look who's here.

- Doing OK, cuz? - And you'?

Got a kiss for me'?

Stop it!

- Where were you'? - Swimming.

I wanna go swimming too.

- You do? - I'll take you.

- See you. - Ciao, bro.

- Love you, Théo. - Say bye.

Ciao, bro.

Hi!

Antoine...

Well'? How did it go?

Fine.

- You'll tell me about it? - Don't worry-.

PROTECT

HELP OTHERS

PREPARE

TO DEFEND OUR VALUES

THE FRENCH ARMY

Watch out, will you?

Sorry, beauty.

Hello.

Where do I put it?

Here is good.

- Had a good evening? - And you'?

- I didn't sleep. - Why?

- I watched an action movie. - What?

Not your type.

And what do you think I watch?

Gentle movies.

I don't know...

- Benjamin? - No, nothing.

Ok, thanks. But please put your phone away.

Etienne, any ideas?

Yes, but nothing really...

It's not worth it.

It is. We'll sort them after.

As we mentioned the shipyard,

why not do a story set in the past?

Interesting.

Did you have a period in mind?

I thought...

when the yard was active.

Just before it shut down, when things heated up.

Great. The chaos, the strikes and all.

It was wild. They tied the manager to a crane,

burned tollbooths... Crazy.

They cut the tracks

so the riot police were brought in.

But that was before I was born.

I wasn't born either

but my grandad left Algeria to work here.

That makes me French now.

French? What's your name'?

Chill, you Arabs.