Screenwriters
For writers bringing a feature, pilot or series bible to its strongest possible version.
Launching 2027 · Japan
A creative retreat for the work you were meant to make.
Creative Retreats Japan is a curated 14-day creative development lab where ambitious projects move forward. Every element — from guest experts to the locations — is intentionally designed to maximize focus, inspiration and exceptional creative work.
The announcement
Not a vacation.
A temporary creative studio in Japan.
This is being built for creators who do not need another generic workshop, another content sprint or another inspirational trip that disappears the moment they return home.
The idea is simple: take a small, carefully selected group of serious creative professionals, remove everyday noise, place them in a powerful environment and give them the structure, feedback, time and community their work actually needs.
The first retreats are planned for 2027. Before applications open, the Founding List will receive early updates, concept notes, first dates and priority access.
Who it is for
For creators building ambitious work.
Game Designers
For designers and worldbuilders building richer worlds, stronger stories and unforgettable player experiences.
Creative Leads
For producers, creative directors and team leads who need clarity on story, IP and direction.
Studios & Indies
For teams building a project that needs sharper positioning, structure and emotional force.
Why it matters
Everything is designed around one goal:
helping you create exceptional work.
Surround yourself with exceptional creators. Every participant is personally selected to create an ambitious, collaborative and inspiring creative environment.
Two weeks of continuous expert guidance. Develop your project through daily creative direction, structural thinking and high-level story development.
Ideas evolve every single day. Continuous feedback means every insight can immediately become tomorrow's stronger draft.
Focused entirely on your project. Dedicated conversations about your story, your challenges and your next creative decisions.
Think together. Build together. Professionally moderated collaborative sessions that challenge assumptions and unlock stronger ideas.
Learn directly from experienced creators. Guest speakers contribute through intimate talks, discussions and practical feedback — not just presentations.
Meet the people you'll still know years later. A carefully curated group of creators who become collaborators, advisors and long-term creative partners.
Everything is intentionally curated. Hotels. Schedule. Workshops. Culture. Dinners. Speakers. Every detail is designed to maximize focus and creative momentum.
A change of place changes the way you think. Japan isn't the destination. It's an intentional part of the creative process.
Two weeks without meetings, deadlines or everyday distractions. Just you, your project, world-class feedback and an inspiring creative environment.
The people in the room
High-level input without turning the retreat into a conference.
The retreats are planned with selected guest speakers, consultants and creative professionals from a creative network across games, television, audio, animation and transmedia.
Think less “lecture hall” and more: intimate keynotes, project conversations, fireside chats, professional feedback and direct access to people who have built, led and shipped ambitious creative work.
We're not building a speaker lineup. We're building better conversations.
Why Japan
Japan is not a backdrop. It is part of the creative method.
Contrast. Craft. Distance. Japan combines things that rarely coexist: radical modernity and deep tradition, sensory intensity and deliberate quiet, obsessive craftsmanship and constant reinvention.
Japan's contradictions become a creative tool. Tradition vs. technology. Silence vs. sensory overload. Precision vs. imperfection. Participants deliberately apply one of these tensions to their own story, world or creative problem to challenge familiar solutions.
Temples. Ryokans. Izakayas. Onsen evenings. Neon streets and quiet mornings. These are not tourist stops. They are deliberately woven into the creative process. Conversations that continue long after the workshop ends.
Japan changes the way you look. We use that to change the way you create.
Potential formats
The first planned 14-day tracks.
Screenwriters Retreat
Develop feature films, series, pilots or rewrites through intensive creative direction, daily feedback, writers' rooms and conversations with experienced writers, producers and showrunners.
Game Designers Retreat
Designed for narrative designers, game designers and creative leads developing worlds, stories and player experiences through collaborative workshops, worldbuilding and project critiques.
The rhythm
A rhythm designed for creative momentum.
08:00Morning Reset
Tea, quiet walks, reflection and preparing the day with intention.
09:00Deep Work
Protected time to build your project without meetings, notifications or distractions.
13:00Shared Lunch
Conversations over Japanese lunches with the cohort, consultants and guests.
14:30Collaboration+
Writers' rooms, keynotes, creative direction and 1-on-1 sessions.
19:00Shared Evenings
Shared dinners, fireside conversations, guest talks and unexpected ideas.
Weekends & Free TimeExplore Japan
Optional experiences including onsen, izakayas, and quiet temple walks.
For companies & studios
Private development labs for teams,
IP development and confidential projects.
Beyond public retreats, Creative Retreats Japan can become a closed development lab for studios, publishers, streamers, production companies and creative departments.
A private retreat can be built around one company, one team and one confidential creative challenge — for example a new IP, a transmedia world, a game concept, a writers’ room sprint or a narrative strategy reset.
NDA-readyClosed rooms, confidential material and private project workflows.
Custom agendaDesigned around the team’s goals instead of a public program.
Team alignmentUseful for narrative teams, creative leads, producers and cross-disciplinary groups.
Protected developmentTwo weeks away from meetings, deadlines and everyday production to focus on what matters.
Host & curator
Curated by
David Daubitz.
David works across games, television, audio and animation as a creative leader, narrative designer, head writer and content director. His strength lies in helping other creators find the real power inside their stories — often before they can fully see it themselves.
Rather than imposing ideas, David helps creators uncover what their project truly wants to become — bringing structure, emotional clarity and creative momentum without losing its original voice.
Content Director for Originals · Audible
Head Writer for Series
Lead Narrative Designer · Ubisoft & Bandai Namco
Development Producer for Animated Series · RTL Disney
GDC Speaker about Adaptations
15+ years building stories across multiple industries
Storytelling · Worldbuilding · IP Development · Creative Leadership
Founding phase
Join early. Help shape the first edition.
The Founding List is for people who want to follow the development of the first Creative Retreats Japan, receive early updates and be among the first to know when applications open.
You will receive concept updates, first dates, track announcements, speaker news, early pricing notes and Founding Member opportunities before the public launch.
Founding List
Get the first invitation before applications open.
Join the Founding List for concept updates, first dates, founding-member opportunities and priority access when the first 2027 retreat applications open.
FAQ
Can I already apply?
Not yet. Creative Retreats Japan is currently in its founding phase. Join the Founding List to receive early access, first application dates, track announcements and founding updates before applications officially open.
How are participants selected?
There is no open enrollment. Every retreat is intentionally curated for just 12 participants, creating a cohort that works exceptionally well together — professionally, creatively and personally. The speakers, workshops and two-week journey are all designed around the group, not the other way around.
When will the first retreats take place?
The first Creative Retreats Japan are planned for 2027. Founding List members will receive dates, tracks and application details before the public announcement.
Will flights and accommodation be included?
Flights and accommodation are booked separately to give participants maximum flexibility — whether they want to arrive earlier, stay longer or continue exploring Japan afterwards. Once accepted, participants receive access to exclusive hotel partnerships with significantly reduced rates at the hotels where workshops and activities take place. Everything else — from guest experts and special dinners to curated cultural experiences and workshop sessions — is included in the retreat.
Can companies book a private retreat?
Yes. Alongside public cohorts, Creative Retreats Japan can be designed as a private development lab for studios, publishers, production companies and creative teams. Every company retreat is tailored around one team, one project and one clearly defined creative objective.
Why join the Founding List now?
Founding members follow the project from the very beginning and receive early access to applications, retreat dates, guest expert announcements, founding benefits and behind-the-scenes updates as the first editions take shape.