Friday Panel Schedule
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Friday 10/23
9:00am-10:15am
Austin Pitch #2
Driskill Hotel, Austin Room
It’s the seventh annual Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition! Give your best pitch in 90 seconds and secure your spot in the finals at the Pitch Finale Party on Saturday evening.
Judges: Owen Egerton, Chris Mass
Second Rounder Panel
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Room
Grab a cup of coffee and your composition notebook—you’re going to hear from an agent-client team who have stories and advice to share. This panel is open to Second Rounders only.
Jimmy Miller, Gayla Nethercott
Art of the Pitch
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
Here's where you learn the most challenging skill of a screenwriter's career: pitching a story that sells. Your livelihood in the film industry depends on the presentation of your ideas in a short but entertaining way. Want to make your buyer believe you can capture the tone of an amusing, thrilling and dramatic story? Learn how to be a great storyteller.
Richard Bever, David Boxerbaum, Billy Brown, Bryan Brucks
Moderator: Drew Yanno
Script-to-Screen: MAD MEN
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
Case study on the writing and production process of getting stories to the screen. Talk with Matthew Weiner, creator/writer of MAD MEN, about the research, staff writing, and production process that goes into the hit AMC show.
How to Sell Your Spec Script
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
So you wrote a great screenplay...what's next? Learn how to get an agent, manager, producer and a deal. Understand how to write scripts competitively for the studios', target trends and choose commercial subjects. Most importantly, learn how to create longevity in a career that begins with the first sale.
Marvin V.Acuna, Jeff Graup, Barry Schwartz, Bob Soderstrom
Moderator: Karl Williams
Write What You Know: Comedy
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Assembly Room
A new master class series on writing for specific genres.
Adam Beechen, Paul Feig, Pat Hazell, Danny Rubin
Moderator: Greg Garrett
10:45am-12:00pm
Final Draft Demo
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club
The 1-3-5 template is based on the book The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System, which guides writers through including the nine essential elements needed to sell their first script. Created by the book’s author and former story analyst, DMA, this template will offer writers insider assistance from the screenplay buyer’s point-of-view and more.
DMA/Donna Michelle Anderson, Alejandro Seri
Austin Pitch #3
Driskill Hotel, Austin Room
It’s the seventh annual Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition! Give your best pitch in 90 seconds and secure your spot in the finals at the Pitch Finale Party on Saturday evening.
Judges: Ron Pippin, Barry Schwartz
Roundtable: Agents and Managers
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
Get in-depth answers to your questions about the craft and business of screenwriting and film making. This session offers registrants exclusive access to professional agents and managers in an informal setting. This session has a limited number of speakers and is open to Second Rounders only.
David Boxerbaum, Melissa Breaux, Bryan Brucks, Stephen Crawford, Rebecca Ewing, Jeff Graup, Gayla Nethercott
Turning Your Shorts/ Webisodes Into a Film Career Driskill Hotel, Hogg Room
The popularity of short films has exploded thanks to dwindling attention spans, the popularity of Internet sites like YouTube, and the omnipresence of mobile, small screen broadcast outlets like cell phones. How do shorts and features differ in concept and execution? Will the cinema of the future be a hybrid of both? How can you turn your short film into a film career?
Tom Copeland, Dan French, Jocelyn Stamat, Jesse Trussell
Moderator: Fred Strype
The Art of Storytelling
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
What is it that causes a great script to stand out against all the rest? Why do some scripts seem to pale in comparison to others, even if both capture an interesting story? Three titans of cinema discuss the tools they use to bring a script life with rich characters, authenticity, and memorable dialogue.
Terry Rossio, Tom Skerritt, Herschel Weingrod, Boaz Yakin
Moderator: Warren Etheredge
Script-to-Screen: VALKYRIE
Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Case study on the writing and production process of getting stories to the screen. Talk with Academy Award®-winning writer Chris McQuarrie about the researching and writing process of this history-based story and his second partnership with director Bryan Singer since THE USUAL SUSPECTS. As Chris himself says, “this is one a room-full of struggling writers will love to hear. I couldn't have made this one up if I tried.”
In Treatment
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
The hardest step in any journey is often the first. Let this panel guide you in the first steps of your screenwriting process: developing the idea in a successful treatment.
Juliana Farrell, Mary John Frank, James V. Hart
Moderator: Greg Garrett
Write What You Know: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
A new series of master classes on writing for specific genres.
Michael Green, Lawrence Kasdan, John Turman
Moderator: Jane Sumner
What Gets Producers Excited
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Assembly Room
Think you have what it takes to become the next “it” writer? Find out what successful producers are looking for in a script and learn what projects interest them the most.
Ashley Brucks, Marcia Nasatir, Alexander F. Young
Moderator: Aadip Desai
1:45pm-3:00pm
Austin Pitch #4
Driskill Hotel, Austin Room
It’s the seventh annual Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition! Give your best pitch in 90 seconds and secure your spot in the finals at the Pitch Finale Party on Saturday evening.
Judges: Melissa Breaux, Jeff Graup
Roundtable: Writers
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
Get in-depth answers to your questions about the craft and business of screenwriting and film making. This session offers registrants exclusive access to professional filmmakers and screenwriters in an informal setting.
Greg Carter, Pat Hazell, Brian McGreevy, JT O'Neal, Terry Rossio, Danny Rubin, Lee Shipman, Ben Steinbauer
Writing for Late Night
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Room
Sit down with late night comedy talk show veterans Chuck Sklar and Dan French to hear what it takes to write for late night television – breaking in and the challenges they face.
Moderator: J. Kevin Smith
The Art of Storytelling
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
What is it that causes a great script to stand out against all the rest? Why do some scripts seem to pale in comparison to others, even if both capture an interesting story? Three titans of cinema discuss the tools they use to bring a script life with rich characters, authenticity, and memorable dialogue.
Sacha Gervasi, Peter Hedges, Lawrence Kasdan, Daniel Petrie Jr.
Moderator: Marcia Nasatir
Young Filmmakers Pitch Session
Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Co-sponsored by the Mobile Film School, the student pitch session gives high school students the opportunity to pitch to industry professionals. Learn more about the art of the pitch. This session is for high school students only.
Judges: John Turman
Young Filmmakers Pitch Session
Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Co-sponsored by the Mobile Film School, the student pitch session gives high school students the opportunity to pitch to industry professionals. Learn more about the art of the pitch. This session is for high school students only.
Judges: Michael Green, James V. Hart
Beyond the Page: Expressing your Ideas in Person Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
Selling yourself and your screenplay in person is often as important as being able to write a good script. Learn what they're looking for and, just as importantly, what you can do to help your chances of ever seeing your dream project produced.
Gayla Nethercott, Herschel Weingrod
Moderator: Greg Garrett
Write What You Know: Comedy
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
A new master class series on writing for specific genres. Paul Feig, Mike White
Moderator: Owen Egerton
Breaking into (and Writing for) Animation
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Assembly Room
Hear from creators and producers of some of the most successful animation from the last few years. Learn what it takes to get your start in animation.
Jessica Julius, Maggie Malone
Moderator: Stuart Kelban
3:15pm-4:30pm
Finalist/Semifinalist Panel
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club
Your script has made its way through the competition, all the way to the top. How do you use it to your advantage? What are your next steps? This panel is open to Semifinalists and Finalists only.
Shane Black, Lawrence Kasdan
Moderator: Karl Williams
Austin Pitch #5
Driskill Hotel, Austin Room
It’s the seventh annual Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition! Give your best pitch in 90 seconds and secure your spot in the finals at the Pitch Finale Party on Saturday evening.
Judges: Mike Fry, Bob Schultz
Roundtable: Producers & Executives
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
Get in-depth answers to your questions about the business of screenwriting and filmmaking. This session offers registrants exclusive access to producers and executives in an informal setting.
Richard Bever, Ashley Brucks, Curtis Burch, Carlo Eugster, Juliana Farrell, Jessica Julius, Maggie Malone, Matt Summers
Documentaries: From the Ground Up
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Room
From pitching your story, to writing the script, to maintaining objectivity with your subject(s), to finding funding and distribution, this panel covers the basic groundwork for documentary filmmaking.
Turk Pipkin, Ben Steinbauer, Joel Heller, Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud
Moderator: Jesse Trussell
The Creative Career: What You Need to Know
Driskill Hotel, Ballroom
A panel of successful professional writers will discuss what you need to know when setting out on your career as a writer; common pitfalls to avoid, what the Writers Guilds can do for you, and what resources are available to emerging writers through the Foundations of the Writers Guilds East and West.
James V. Hart, John Markus, Daniel Petrie, Jr., Holly Goldberg Sloan, Michael Weller
Is Film School Worth It? And What Next?
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room
Is film school a path to a career or a waste of money? Can you learn everything you need to know about screenwriting online and shouldn't that tuition go toward your film budget? If you’ve graduated from film school, now what? Find out the answers to these questions and many more.
Bryanne Cooke, Tom Copeland, James Macak
Moderator: Fred Strype
Breaking Into the Business
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Ballroom
While seeing your work produced is the ultimate goal, selling the script is a great first step. Many scripts are bought and never produced. But your script can serve as a sample to secure other work. Much of a professional screenwriters' income lies in script doctoring and assignments, not movies produced from their spec scripts.
Marvin V. Acuna, Melissa Breaux, Mary John Frank, Steven Puri
Moderator: Steven Arvanites
Writers/Directors Panel
Stephen F. Austin Hotel, Assembly Room
Listen to some of the top writers/directors in the business discuss the peaks and pitfalls of doing it all, and learn how you can take control of your work.
Robert Byington, Peter Hedges, Jeff Nichols, Andrew Shea
Moderator: Drew Yanno
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