2024 Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference

I’ll be there moderating panels and participating in roundtables. Hope to see you there!

This year’s Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference will be my 9th trip to what I have described as “Woodstock for screenwriters.” Here is my tentative schedule.

Friday, October 25, 2024

Industry Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film & Television
3:15–4:30 (St. David’s Episcopal Church / Crail)

Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art, craft, and business of writing for film and television. This roundtable session offers registrants exclusive access to screenwriters, directors, producers, executives, and studio reps in an informal setting. Come prepared with questions that focus on both the creative and business sides of breaking into and writing for film and television.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

The Nuts and Bolts of Development
12:30pm — 1:45pm (Omni / Mansfield)

Join these development executives to learn what they look for in a script, how they source and work with new voices, and how to get your script ready for production.

Featured guests: Kyle Castellanet (Vice President, Development and Production — Echo Lake Entertainment); Jade-Addon Hall (Vice President of Drama Development at 20th Television); Vanessa Johnston (Head of Television, Mandalay Entertainment)

Industry Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film & Television
4:45–6:00 (St. David’s Episcopal Church / Crail)

Sunday, October 27, 2024

What Managers Want
11:30–12:45 (Omni / Pennybacker Room

Join us to hear literary managers discuss how they evaluate potential new clients, what attracts their attention in a script, and how they help clients to reach their career goals.

Featured guests: Glenn Cockburn (President/Literary Manager, Meridian Artists); Andrea Dimity (Andrea Dimity, producer/literary manager); Jason Lubin (Jason Lubin Literary, Manager/Producer, First Story Entertainment); Corey Simon (Executive Vice President/Talent Manager, Cultivate Entertainment Partners)

It’s always great to attend the festival. I reconnect with many of my screenwriting colleagues, as well as current and former students. The weekend is both exhilarating and exhausting … in a good way.

If you’re there and happen to see this ol’ long-haired hippie shuffling around 6th Street, be sure to say hello. I always love talking with writers.

For more information on the festival, go here.

Twitter / X: @austinfilmfest, #AFF31,