As the driving force behind the successful independent training initiative, The Writing Studio, and a celebrated film and theatre journalist for 40 years, Daniel Dercksen has dedicated the past 25 years to teaching workshops in creative writing, playwriting, and screenwriting. Additionally, he has fine-tuned numerous screenplays and stories as a story editor.
His career began in the early 80s when he studied Drama and Journalism in Pretoria. As editor of the Pretoria Technikon Newspaper and a freelance journalist for the Pretoria News and Beeld, he gained unique insights by viewing films with the South African Censor Board. This experience secured him a position in Marketing and Publicity at Ster-Kinekor’s Head Office in Johannesburg (South Africa’s largest movie exhibitor), where he initiated the first Film Finesse magazine for Art Films in 1986.
During the late 80s, he served as a publicist for The Natal Playhouse in Durban, supporting the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of David Tidboald and musicals led by Geoffrey Sutherland. Following his time at the Playhouse, he managed the Blah-Blah Café in Durban under Greg Milling, where he wrote and directed several cabarets for the boutique supper theatre.
Following this, he took a position at CAPAB (now Artscape) in Cape Town in the early 90s. Here, he worked as a publicist for musicals under the direction of David Matheson, opera led by Angelo Gabato, and drama headed by Roy Sargeant, along with productions at Maynardville Open Air Theatre.
In 1996 he created Evita Se Peron in Darling and fostered the first Hello Darling Festival with Pieter-Dirk Uys.
In 1999 Daniel established The Writing Studio and created The Write Journey course for writers
He also compiled and presented his own program on Fine Music Radio, which focused on music from film and theatre. Additionally, he was a feature writer for the magazine “Women At Work” and served as the Chief Writer for the first series of the television game show “Love At First Sight,” which premiered on e-TV in January 2000.
Furthermore, he worked as a PA for Barry Greyvenstein, the Executive Director of the Western Cape Chapter of the NTVA (National Television and Video Association of South Africa), and served as the Administrator of the Western Cape Chapter for two years.
The Beauty Of Incomplete Things
Daniel’s personal play, The Beauty of Incomplete Things, which he independently produced, directed, and designed, underwent a miraculous transformation over its 15-year development.
The Beauty of Incomplete Things was inspired by his earlier play, Yes, Masseur, which he directed, designed, and successfully staged at David and Renaye Kramer’s Dock Road Theatre at the Waterfront in 1995 (now demolished, where the food market at the Red Shed was situated).
After countless rewrites and six readings with actors across South Africa, The Beauty of Incomplete Things evolved into its final draft. The play enjoyed its world premiere in Cape Town on January 24, 2014, followed by a successful 3-week run at the Joburg Theatre in July 2014.
Recently, he completed his decade-long journey of writing the novel The Beauty of Complete Things. This labour of love spanned 10 years, during which the story blossomed into its final, captivating form.
Finding Home In The Heart Of The Karoo
Daniel’s meeting with legendary filmmaker Jans Rautenbach was destined, leading him to follow his intuition to the Karoo. In 2015, he relocated to Prince Albert, where he presented a masterclass for screenwriters and filmmakers at the Indie Karoo Film Festival, headed by filmmaker Johnny Breedt.
In 2014, Daniel Dercksen and Jans Rautenbach also held a Masterclass for Screenwriters at the Artscape Theatre Centre.
He took on the position of Media Liaison at The Showroom Theatre in Prince Albert from 2016 to 2021, collaborating with local and international musicians and performers. He also curated a Movie Club and launched the inaugural Koos Roets Film Festival at The Showroom Theatre. Pictured are Eunice Visser, Marelize Vorster, Koos Roets.
Since launching The Writing Studio, Daniel has been actively involved in teaching storytellers and developing screenplays, novels, and plays. He works passionately with emerging writers and story makers to help them bring their unique stories to life.
As a qualified ETD Practitioner (Education, Training and Development) accredited by SAQA (The South African Qualifications Authority) and working in accordance with the principles of the Department of Education, Daniel Dercksen’s workshops and courses focus on outcomes-based education, training, and development.
- As an educator, he constantly explores the magic of writing, uncovering the hidden secrets behind the process that is The Write Journey.
- As a story editor, he has the privilege of taking an intimate journey into the stories of other writers, polishing their drafts to perfection. Read more
- As a freelance journalist, he launched his own website in the late 90s to share his passion for film and writing, highlighting the works of filmmakers and screenwriters globally. Over his 40-year career as a freelance film and theatre journalist, Daniel has written regular features, interviews, and reviews for various magazines and newspapers, as well as his website. He has been the top lifestyle contributor at Bizcommunity since 2012.
- As a playwright, he uses the medium of theatre to bring words to life. His plays in development include White Honey, Boo!, Arrows of Passion, The Lift, X-change, Extraordinary Lives, Little Horse, and the musical cabaret Seamen.
- As a novelist, he has adapted his play The Beauty of Incomplete Things into a fictional memoir.
As a screenwriter, he channels his passion for film to tell stories through words and images. He wrote the screenplay for Dirk Fourie’s film In God’s Country, which won the Jury Prize for Best Newcomer at the 67th Apollo Film Festival in 2003. Additionally, he has completed the unproduced screenplays for Tjommies, African Violet, and Worldmind, with the first drafts crafted in the mid-90s, now in development. He is currently adapting his screenplays into novels. Screenplays in development include The Beauty of Incomplete Things, African Violet, Worldmind, Intimate Rivals (based on the play), Imutate, Tjommies, The Faces of Angela, and Outcast.
Highlights during his career
- A Master Class for Screenwriters at the Talent Campus at the Sithengi Film and TV Market in Cape Town (November 2006)
- The facilitation of a ‘Directing Actors’ workshop with acclaimed actor Eriq Ebouaney (2006)
- Launching an evening course in scriptwriting at the City Varsity Film TV and Multimedia School in Cape Town (2001 – 2006)
- Community workshops the Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre in Kwa Mashu as part of their annual Kwa Mashu Film Festival
- A course for the Cape Film Commission at the Ikapa Youth Film Festival
- A Masterclass at the 2012 Kunjanimation Animation Festival
- Guest speaker and Judge at the 2013 48 Hours Film Project.
- A workshop for animators at Blackginger TV (2013).
- A masterclass for screenwriters at the 2016 Indie Karoo Film Festival.
- Workshops for writers in Prince Albert (2018, 2021)
- A retreat for writers in Prince Albert (2021)
Proud graduates and success stories
The dreamer who grew up in a City Hall
Daniel has traveled extensively, visiting cities such as London, Brighton, Berlin, Hamburg, Brussels, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, and New York. During these travels, he studied a variety of productions in opera, musicals, and theatre.
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