Austin (Tex.)

Scott Frank is a writer’s writer, someone even the most successful scribe can turn to for inspiration. With a bulletproof and ever-growing body of work, including Out of Sight(for which he was nominated for an Academy Award®), Minority Report, Get Shorty, The Interpreter, Marley & Me, The Lookout, The Wolverine, Little Man Tate, A Walk Among the Tombstones, and Logan, Frank has made a name for himself, not for any gimmick or oddity, but simply for being damn good. Take part in this conversation as Frank explores the changing industry, his process for creating blockbuster films, and future endeavors.

Sit down for a conversation that ventures off the screen, onto the stage, and then back again. Featuring a panel of writers who have worked in both theatre and television, this discussion will pull back the curtain on ways their experiences as playwrights have affected their craft as screenwriters.

With the explosion of potential platforms to have your work seen on, digital storytelling has become an exciting new creative outlet for many storytellers. Adapting your ideas to meet the demands and wants of a global audience hungry for new content is key. Join our panelists in discussing the unique goals writers face when navigating digital storytelling.

Join AFF for an afternoon of live readings from some of your favorite writers featuring the first three pages of works-in-progress, forgotten screenplays, and a few other surprises.

The writers room can be a mysterious place for someone trying to break into television. It’s the place where good ideas, contentious debate, and a seemingly endless supply of snacks come together to create all of your favorite TV shows. But how does it work? What is the etiquette expected? What are some of the most common issues that occur? What is the difference between a writer’s assistant and a staff writer? Story editor and executive story editor? The different producing roles and the role of the showrunner? Perhaps more importantly, how does one work their way up the chain of command? Panelists will provide a glimpse inside these closed doors, offering secrets, anecdotes, strategies, to-do's, and not-to-do's.

The ingredients of a satisfying mystery are plentiful—secrets and suspicions; clues and corruption; crime and consequence... But mixed together incorrectly, your story can fall subject to stale tropes and more error than trials. Join this scrupulous investigation of writing the mystery genre led by true detectives and experts in the field, and learn how to be hot on the trail of the next great whodunit.

Oh, the theater, with its brimming lights and energy, where every performance is unique and the words of the playwright are met with reverence. One of the oldest and purest forms of entertainment, the theater is a haven for brilliant dialogue, evocative themes, and raw storytelling. Join established playwrights as they pull back the curtain on this distinguished medium and break the fourth wall by sharing seasoned lessons learned throughout their careers.

A lot has changed for Pete’s Dragon since the 1970s. Join writing duo Toby Halbrooks and David Lowery for a conversation on how they brought this adaptation to life, how fairy tales have changed since they were kids, and how they dealt with the responsibility of making something old into something new.

Panelists will discuss the creative side of writing female characters and the business related challenges of working in the male-dominated film industry.

The what, where, and why of finding an agent: What can you expect from the relationship? Where do you find representation? And why is having an agent important? Join screenwriters and their agents for an in-depth exploration on how to find, keep, and make the most of this important relationship.