discussions (events)

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

A discussion on conveying character, conflict and tension in your script without dialogue or voice over.

Join a conversation with Academy Award©-nominated writer/director Randall Wallace, whose credits include “Pearl Harbor,” “We Were Soldiers,” “The Man in the Iron Mask,” and the Academy Award©-winner “Braveheart.”

The Austin Film Festival welcomes you to its 17th year of panels, films, parties and conversation. Find out about this year’s special events, last-minute additions and special guests.

Making films can be a risky business, and filmmakers are often left in the dark when trying to navigate the gambles that go hand-in-hand with bringing their stories to life. Join industry experts for an interactive game of Jeopardy that addresses the common challenges filmmakers face when developing their projects. Jeopardy topics will include: dealing with idea theft, use of name and likeness, false light, issues around stories based on or inspired by true events, legal pitfalls when blurring fact with fiction, public domain and fair use complexities, and the critical role insurance plays in getting your story out there.

The trailblazing linchpin of a sprawling African-American family of comic entertainers, it was the multi-talented writer/director/producer Keenen Ivory Wayanswho was the first to achieve national prominence by successfully creating, launching, and hosting the landmark, Emmy award-winning, 1990s black-oriented comedy satire In Living Color. Join this conversation with the 2017 Extraordinary Contribution to Television honoree for an in-depth conversation about his creative baby— and ultimate “pièce de résistance”—and how In Living Color paved the way for so many artists and projects.

In the world of independent film, everyone on a production does, well, everything: directors write, actors produce, and someone’s mom does props. But on a shoot, amidst the chaos of doing a million other jobs, building a good actor-director relationship is crucial to making the film a success. As a director, how can you be an effective creative leader, even as you’re setting locations and dealing with last-minute script changes? And as an actor, how can you put in the focus necessary for your craft even while you feel pressure to pick up other duties on a production? Seasoned independent filmmakers will can give you tips on how to make the most of this delicate dynamic.

By this point in the weekend, you’ve probably got a notebook chock-full of industry secrets, a rolodex full of new contacts, and only a faint memory of what sleep feels like. So now that you’ve met new contacts and rattled your brain with new ideas, what’s next? Join these AFF alumni– all of whom were once in your shoes – as they provide insight on how to use the competition as a calling card, how it has launched their own careers, and how it can do the same for you.

After four days full of panels, making new contacts, reconnecting with old friends, and packing your notebook full of screenwriting secrets, what do you do next, and how do you utilize your new arsenal full of writing resources? Join Shane Black for a candid conversation on how to transition “Black to the Future” from a writer’s retreat to retreating to the blank page.