Austin (Tex.)

Coming off his Academy Award® win for Best Original Screenplay for Manchester by the Sea, join this conversation with 2017 Distinguished Screenwriter honoree Kenneth Lonergan. Accomplished writer, director, and playwright, enjoy this in-depth conversation on writing internationally acclaimed stories across mediums.

Once considered “unfilmable,” Arrival scored big at the box office last year. This cerebral sci-fi thriller plays down its action potential in favor of an intense, emotional narrative. Join screenwriter Eric Heisserer to find out how a short story became a hit feature film, why it took over a decade to bring the adaptation to life, and the challenges he faced along the way.

Women make up a small percentage of writers in Hollywood, and working toward a full-time career in the industry requires a lot of flexibility and persistence. While this can certainly lend itself to a demanding journey, female artists are continuously changing the landscape of film and television for the better. Come chat with these devoted writers about their stories, viewpoints, and advice.

Saddle up yer horse, harness your writing weapon, and get ready for an exploration of the great Western frontier. Truly a quintessential American genre, the art of the Western requires true grit so you can navigate the good, the bad, and the ugly in your writing. Come learn the ropes and lasso the truth about the common pitfalls to avoid, world-building techniques to embrace, and how to craft a story that could survive any shoot-out.

Don’t wait until after you’ve booked a meeting to panic. From honing your pitch to following up, learn what to expect and how you—and your script—can best be prepared. 

Back by popular demand, producer Lindsay Doran will explore what the field of Positive Psychology has to teach us about the secrets of creating a satisfying script.

From novel to film to Broadway, American Psycho has had a controversial run. This scathing satire on the vanity of men ignited a flurry of debate over its depiction of violence towards women. Join screenwriter Guinevere Turner for a conversation on the process of adapting such a contentious novel into a movie, the decisions made in bringing the story to the big screen, and how she sees the role of women in both the story and the production.

Action sells! It delights! But without a good story to support it, it totally bombs. Even the most intricately choreographed chase sequence that romps across rooftops and cavorts through construction sites is only really effective if it furthers the story. In this action-packed panel, writers will address the importance of tension and pacing, plot twists and back kicks, believability and motivations, and how to convey all of this within the margins of your screenplay.

Join this conversation with Courtney A. Kemp, a highly regarded creator, showrunner, and producer in the television industry, not to mention one of Marie Claire Magazine’s picks for “Top 50 Most Influential Women in America.” With a resume that includes The Good Wife, The Bernie Mac Show, Justice, and creating the critically acclaimed gritty New York drama Power, Kemp knows her way around a successful TV show. Sit down for a session packed with information on the power dynamics in the television industry, the writers room, and a well-crafted story.