2016 Austin Film Festival and Conference Schedule: Full Schedule

7:00pm

Film & Food Fundraising Party

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Austin Film Festival is pleased to announce their 14th annual Film & Food Fundraising Party, an evening dedicated to celebrating Austin's thriving film industry and famous culinary talent. Held in the glamorous and historic Driskill Hotel, the event brings Austinites and visitors together to celebrate the film arts and enjoy flowing cocktails and inventive cuisine from some of Austin’s most notable chefs. Live and silent auctions showcase the very best in luxury items, trips, and experiences. Click Here for more information!
Proceeds from the event benefit AFF’s Young Filmmakers Program. YFP was founded to encourage youth to explore their creativity and improve their literacy skills through the arts of screenwriting and filmmaking. Click Here for more information!

Panelists

Phil Rosenthal

creator/executive producer/host I'll Have What Phil's Having, Everybody Loves Raymond; writer/director Exporting Raymond

Phil Rosenthal is the creator and host of “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having,” a new series that combines his love of food and travel with his unique brand of humor. Rosenthal was born in Queens, New York and moved with his parents and brother to New City, New York in Rockland... Read More →

Sponsors

Wednesday October 12, 2016 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701

Party, Extra Ticket Required

11:30am

Opening Remarks

Austin Film Festival welcomes you to its 23rd annual celebration of storytelling through film, television, theatre, and new media. Bringing together industry icons, independent filmmakers, aspiring storytellers, and everyone in between, this year features intimate discussions, workshops, premieres, retrospectives, parties, and limitless networking opportunities. Join AFF staff and board members for Opening Remarks to learn more about the week ahead, last-minute additions and changes, and new special guests.

Panelists

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

Ashley Edward Miller grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from The College of William and Mary. He began his professional writing career on Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda and continues to write and produce for television, most recently on Black Sails. A screenwriter on Thor... Read More →

Pamela Ribon

writer Moana, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Untitled Wreck-It Ralph Sequel, Bears, Samantha Who?; comic book writer Rick and Morty, SLAM!

Pamela Ribon is a screenwriter, TV writer, comic book writer, author, and best-selling novelist (Why Girls are Weird, You Take It From Here). She has worked with Walt Disney Animation Studios as a writer on Moana and is writing with Phil Johnston (director/writer) on the upcoming... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 11:30am - 12:30pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

12:00pm

Exhibit Hall

We are fortunate to have a wide variety of well-respected businesses and organizations present at this year's Exhibit Hall. The Exhibit Hall is held in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel and is only open for three days, so please take advantage of this opportunity to visit with the exhibitors.

Exhibitors

Stage 32

The Hart Chart

Cypress Grove Chevre

Final Draft

MPS Film

Steel City Pops

Seed&Spark

Fade In Software

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701

Special Event

1:00pm

An Indie Special: A Conversation with Jeff Nichols

Join writer/director Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter, Midnight Special, and the 2016 AFF Opening Night Film Loving) for a conversation on the state of independent film, building a team, developing concepts, and cultivating a career in the indie film-scape that has been received with wide and critical acclaim.

Moderators

Christopher Boone

Moderator; writer/director Cents; contributor No Film School

Christopher Boone is a screenwriter and filmmaker living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He contributes to the blog No Film School (nofilmschool.com), where he shares lessons learned from professional screenwriters about the craft and business of screenwriting. Christopher is currently preparing for a fall 2016 VOD release of his first feature film as writer/director, Cents, from his 2012 Academy Nicholl Fellowship semifinalist scre... Read More →

Panelists

Jeff Nichols

writer/director Loving (2016), Midnight Special, Mud, Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories

JEFF NICHOLS (Director/Writer) previously wrote and directed the internationally acclaimed features Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, and Midnight Special. Shotgun Stories earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination; the Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle and Austin Film Festivals... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Indie Film Track, Conversation

1:00pm

Fresh Off the Set: First Time Directors

Directing for the first time can be daunting. Join recent feature film directorial debutants fresh off the set as they discuss their journey from writer to director.

Moderators

Dennis Bishop

Moderator; producer The Trip to Bountiful, Dexter; production executive The Fast and the Furious; VP of Production HBO Barbarians at the Gate, And the Band Played On

The genesis of Dennis’ filmmaking career began with a Nikon F camera that his brother Gary gave him and the intimate portrait that he shot of his family’s Christmas. A native Texan, Dennis has overseen numerous commercially successful and award winning feature and television productions... Read More →

Panelists

Etta Devine

writer Bee & Puppycat; writer/producer/director Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse; producer/actor The Selling, Diani & Devine Prod

Etta Devine is an actor, filmmaker, and writer whose script Don’t Be Evil made the 2017 Blacklist and was optioned by See-Saw Films. With partner Gabriel Diani she wrote, directed, and starred in the feature Diani & Devine Meet The Apocalypse which premiered at the Austin Film Festival... Read More →

Gabriel Diani

Writer Director Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse; writer Don't Be Evil, Bee & Puppycat, Diani & Devine Productions

Etta Devine and Gabriel Diani are award-winning filmmakers whose script “Don’t Be Evil” made the 2017 Blacklist and was optioned by See-Saw Films. They wrote, directed, and starred in the feature “Diani & Devine Meet The Apocalypse” which premiered at the Austin Film Festival... Read More →

Jason Headley

writer/director A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, It's Not About the Nail, At the Bar, F*ck That: A Guided Meditation

Jason Headley's short films have been featured on NBC's TODAY Show, SundanceTV, Banksy's Dismaland, the front page of Funny or Die, the TED Conference, Vimeo Staff Picks, and film festivals far and wide. His first feature film, "A Bad Idea Gone Wrong" starring Matt Jones, Will Rogers... Read More →

Oren Uziel

writer/director Shimmer Lake; writer 22 Jump Street, Freaks of Nature, The God Particle

Oren Uziel recently directed his first feature, SHIMMER LAKE, which previously won an award at the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. Production recently wrapped on his science fiction film THE GOD PARTICLE, directed by Julius Onah and produced by JJ Abrams. His previous... Read More →

Nicholas Zafonte

writer/director/producer No Retreat, The First Day; director Picket Fence; writer Alabaster

Nicholas Zafonte started his career as an advertising copywriter, producing award-winning work for American Express, Johnnie Walker, Axe, LG, Miller Lite, and Levi's, including the record-breaking "Elf Yourself" viral website for Office Max. He then moved into directing commercials... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Film, Indie Film Track

1:00pm

How to Work the Conference

The AFF Conference is a great place to mingle and learn – that person sitting next to you could be a life-changing contact. Although the schedule can be intimidating, this panel featuring seasoned festival attendees is here to help. Join this discussion on everything from networking to pitching to where the closest restroom can be found. Find out how to maximize your Badge and your time here at the Conference!

Moderators

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Greg Beal

Director of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Since 1989, Greg Beal has administered the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting program. Over the past 18 months, he has written articles for Written By magazine. Prior to joining the Academy, Beal coordinated programs at the AFI and taught film and screenwriting at Syracuse... Read More →

Kelly Jo Brick

writer Pause, The Jewel in the Woods; contributing editor TVWriter.com

Kelly Jo Brick is a television and documentary writer and producer. She wrote the Telly Award-winning film PAUSE and the Frank Lloyd Wright documentary The Jewel In The Woods. She is a Contributing Editor for TVWriter.com where she writes an interview series, The Write Path, that... Read More →

Kevin Hamedani

Moderator; co-writer/director ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, Junk

Kevin Hamedani began his filmmaking career with the feature ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION. Produced by Academy Award nominee John Sinno (IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS) the film went on to receive critical acclaim showing in film festivals worldwide. ZMD was acquired by Lions Gate and premiered... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Networking

1:00pm

Script-to-Screen: Little Women

How do you adapt a beloved classic for the big screen? Sit down with Robin Swicord as she unpacks Little Women’s journey from novel to script to screen, and how the story evolved throughout the process. Using specific scenes as examples, Swicord will discuss writing a well-balanced ensemble piece, distilling a two-hour film from a detailed saga of source material, and the role of female storytellers in recreating this enduring tale of girlhood.

Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Moderators

Marcie Mayhorn

Moderator; Writer's PA "A.P.B."

Marcie Mayhorn is a Texas native and an AFF alum. (You might remember the loads of emails she sent to you as the AFF Office Manager or Conference Coordinator a few years ago.) She now resides in Los Angeles. Marcie was the Line Producer's assistant on "CSI: Cyber", and currently... Read More →

Panelists

Robin Swicord

writer Little Women, Memoirs of a Geisha, Practical Magic, Matilda; writer/director The Jane Austen Book Club, Wakefield (2016)

Robin Swicord is primarily known for her work as a screenwriter for Memoirs Of A Geisha (Satellite Award for best screenplay); Little Women, (co-producer, Writers Guild award nomination); Matilda (co-written and co-produced with Nicholas Kazan); and the cult comedy Shag (shared... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Script-to-Screen, Case Study

1:00pm

The Next Wave of Digital Content

Digital entertainment company Rooster Teeth was making web series - such as the groundbreaking Red vs. Blue - before YouTube even existed. Fourteen years later, Rooster Teeth is venturing into new territory with high value, premium series like Day 5 and Crunch Time, and feature films like Lazer Team. With content that falls somewhere on the spectrum between YouTuber videos, Netflix Originals, and the latest HBO series, Rooster Teeth is staking a claim on a new form of content that is made for and inspired by digital audiences. Hear from a group of executives, producers, and writers from the company on where they think digital is headed and where content creators should take aim.

Moderators

Dan Solomon

Moderator; writer at Fast Company

Dan Solomon is a writer with Fast Company and Texas Monthly. He writes about sports, entertainment, and politics. He lives in Austin with his wife and his dog.

Panelists

Burnie Burns

Chief Creative Officer/Co-Founder, Rooster Teeth

Burnie Burns is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Rooster Teeth, and creator of the visionary web series Red vs. Blue. Burnie also wrote and starred in the 2015 feature film Lazer Team, heralded as the most successful cinema-on-demand film of all time. Over the last decade... Read More →

Doreen Copeland

Supervising Producer, Rooster Teeth

Doreen Copeland is an Austin-based producer currently leading the Featured Productions department at Rooster Teeth Productions. During the course of her 20- year career, she has produced everything from live broadcasts & commercials to short films & her first feature-length film... Read More →

Chris Demarais

Head Writer Live Action

Chris Demarais is one of the lead creatives at Rooster Teeth and is the star and co-creator of the hit shows Social Disorder and A Simple Walk Into Mordor. He's also a writer and director on some of the company's most high profile projects including Day 5, The Gauntlet, Immersion... Read More →

Andrew Disney

writer/director Crunch Time

Andrew Disney is a Texan, born and bred. He grew up in Fort Worth, went on to attend New York University, and now resides in Los Angeles. In 2011 he directed his first feature film, SEARCHING FOR SONNY, a fun slacker-noir comedy with Jason Dohring, Minka Kelly, and Masi Oka. In... Read More →

Matt Hullum

CEO/Co-Founder Rooster Teeth

Matt is the CEO of Rooster Teeth, a pioneering media and entertainment company that boasts more than 26.5 million subscribers and 5.6 billion video views across its YouTube network. He serves as Executive Producer of all of the company's marquee productions, including RWBY, the first... Read More →

Community Partners

Rooster Teeth

Sponsors

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags Digital Storytelling Track

1:00pm

Writing for Hollywood Outside of Hollywood

As the pace of technology advances and film communities grow in cities throughout the world, writers are finding it easier and easier to work outside of Hollywood. Sit down with panelists who have maintained successful careers outside of LA and New York as they discuss ways to sustain your own writing profession away from the main centers of production.

Moderators

Michael MacCambridge

Moderator

From 1988-95, Michael MacCambridge was a columnist and critic at the Austin American-Statesman, writing about movies, music and popular culture. Since then, he has written and edited several books, including America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured A Nation, which... Read More →

Panelists

Cindy McCreery

Moderator; writer Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove, Steven King's Haven, Seventh Day, Parker; Disney/ABC Feature Writing Fellow; Professor UT Austin

Cindy McCreery is an Assistant Professor of Screenwriting in the Department of Radio-TV-Film at The University of Texas at Austin. Previously she taught screenwriting at UC Santa Barbara and The UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting. She is a graduate of the Walt Disney/ABC... Read More →

Anne Rapp

writer Dr T and the Women, Cookie's Fortune; script supervisor Funny People, This is Spinal Tap, The Color Purple, Death Becomes Her, That Thing You Do!

Anne Rapp is a writer and ex-script supervisor in the movie industry who worked on more than 60 feature films, beginning with “Tender Mercies” in 1981 and ending with the HBO TV series “Westworld.” She has worked with many acclaimed directors including Jake Kasdan, Billy... Read More →

Chris Sparling

writer Buried, The Sea of Trees, ATM; writer/director Mercy, The Atticus Institute

Chris Sparling wrote the 2010 film BURIED starring Ryan Reynolds, for which he won "Best Original Screenplay" from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. His Black List script, ATM, was produced by Gold Circle Films and released by IFC Films in 2012. His feature directing... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business, Digital Download

1:00pm

Austin Pitch Prep

Are you ready to give your best pitch? Get prepped to sell your script - and yourself! - and ensure your first pitch won't be your last. Wll you be in the select group that makes it through to the Pitch Competition Finale?

Panelists

Pamela Ribon

writer Moana, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Untitled Wreck-It Ralph Sequel, Bears, Samantha Who?; comic book writer Rick and Morty, SLAM!

Emily Zulauf

instructor at The Film School, Northwest Film Forum; Pixar Development Associate; script supervisor Inside Out

Emily Zulauf spent over seven years with Pixar Animation Studios, first as a Creative Development Associate and then a Script Supervisor on Inside Out, before moving to Seattle last fall. She is currently an instructor at The Film School and the Northwest Film Forum, writes screenplays... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

1:00pm

*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Television

*Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art, craft and business of writing for television. How do you break in? What is the dynamic in a writers’ room and the difference between various jobs involved? How is the changing landscape of television affecting the role of a writer? This roundtable session offers registrants exclusive access to TV writers, producers, showrunners, and executives in an informal setting. Come prepared with questions that focus on the importance of both the creative and business sides of breaking into and writing for television.

*This Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Crail Hall, located at 301 E 8th Street. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Katie Cates

Katie has over a decade of experience in the talent agency business, and she is currently a television literary and packaging agent at ICM Partners where she works with leading artists in entertainment including writers, directors, actors, comedians and musicians. After starting... Read More →

Graham Davidson

executive producer Shipping Wars, Marshal Law: Texas, Skin Tight; producer Chalk, The Aviatrix

Graham Davidson is an award winning executive producer having worked on nearly 200 hours of television, numerous short films and feature films. A native Texan, he began his career developing and producing scripted content including the feature film Chalk which won both the... Read More →

Bob Dearden

writer iZombie, Play It Again, Dick

Bob Dearden is a former forestry worker and decorated free-throw shooter hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received an MFA from The University of Texas at Austin in 2013, and during his studies submitted multiple entries to the AFF Screenplay Competition (results included semi-finalist... Read More →

Kristi Felton

VP of Scripted Programming at AMC/Sundance TV

Kristi Felton is the VP of Scripted Programming at AMC and Sundance TV and she is currently overseeing the series Hell on Wheels, Feed The Beast, Turn: Washington Spies and Hap & Leonard. Prior to AMC, Kristi was an executive at AT&T DIRECTV’s Audience Network where she worked... Read More →

Chet Garner

Moderator; host/executive producer/writer The Daytripper

Chet Garner is the creator, host, executive producer, and writer of The Daytripper, a 6-time Emmy-award-winning travel show airing on PBS across the country. Chet earned a degree in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin and went on to graduate from Baylor... Read More →

Samantha Levenshus

Managing/Literary Director at Stage Rights; writer

Samantha Levenshus has been at Stage Rights since 2008, where she now serves as Managing and Literary Director. In her time with the company she has helped publish more than half of their catalog and works with playwrights and theater administrators on a daily basis. A playwright... Read More →

Justin Marks

writer The Jungle Book (2016), creator/executive producer Counterpart (upcoming)

Justin Marks is a screenwriter known for his work in multiple genres. He has written on major studio projects including He-Man, Green Arrow: Escape From Supermax, and Suicide Squad for Warner Brothers, Voltron for New Regency, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea for Disney, and Zorro for... Read More →

Alvaro Rodriguez

writer Last Rampage (2017), You, Mine (2018), Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series

ALVARO RODRIGUEZ began his writing career in the sixth grade with a short story that likely would have gotten him referred for counseling and intervention in a post-Columbine America. Luckily, it was written in 1982. He is the writer of true-crime thriller LAST RAMPAGE starring Robert... Read More →

Noelle Stehman

Betsy Van Stone and Noelle Stehman are a female-driven comedy writing team across various mediums. Upon finishing respective stints in the NBC Page and DGA Trainee Programs, they began their career together at VH1 in New York where they worked on such high-brow shows as Awesomely... Read More →

Betsy Van Stone

Tom Szentgyorgyi

executive producer Bates Motel (2015-2016), The Mentalist (2009-2015); writer/producer Journeyman (2007), NYPD Blue (2002-2005); writer Sports Night (1999); playwright

Tom Szentgyorgyi is a television writer and playwright. Currently an executive producer on the A&E show Bates Motel, he was a writer and producer on The Mentalist for six years and was its showrunner for its final season. Other shows he has written for include NYPD Blue, Law and... Read More →

Amanda Verdon

Manager of Scripted Programming AMC, SundanceTV

Amanda Verdon is the Manager of Scripted Programming for AMC and SundanceTV. At AMC, she oversees The Son, based on the acclaimed novel by Philipp Meyer (premiering in 2017) as well as TURN: Washington’s Spies, Feed the Beast and a number of things in development. At Sundance, she... Read More →

Nick Watson

Creative Executive at Artillery Creative; Freelance Animation Writer at Hasbro Studios

Nick hails from Melbourne, Australia, where he completed a Masters of Screenwriting at the Victorian College of the Arts, and went on to teach Screenwriting at the University of Melbourne. While there, he wrote for three seasons of late-night comedy, and was a freelance sitcom writer... Read More →

Rebecca Windsor

Manager of Warner Bros. Television Workshop

Rebecca Windsor is the Manager of the Warner Bros. Television Workshop, helping to find and cultivate new emerging voices to develop TV and digital series. Previously, she was the Creative Producing Initiative Manager of Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, playing a key... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Pitch Track, Television

1:00pm

Producers Badge Roundtable: Ashley Miller

*For Producers Badges only, sit down for intimate, informal, and in-depth conversations with select panelists on the art, craft, and business of storytelling through film, television, and new media.

*This Producers Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at The Driskill Hotel's Citadel Club. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 2:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

1:00pm

Script Library

The Script Library is located in the Cloak Room of the SFA Hotel and houses all Semifinalist, Finalist, and winning scripts from the 2016 Screenplay Competition. Come check it out and find that perfect written work to get those creative juices flowing again!

Thursday October 13, 2016 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Intercontinental Stephen F Austin, Cloak Room 701 Congress Avenue

Script Reading

2:45pm

Alternative Ways to Break In

While there are countless platforms to get your script noticed, the landscape of breaking in is constantly shifting. These days, one of the best ways to launch your writing career is through screenplay competitions, labs, and fellowships. But what separates one from another, and which is the best fit for you? Representatives from various writing programs will share what they look for, what they can offer, and how to use these platforms as a calling card in the industry.

Moderators

Cindy McCreery

Moderator; writer Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove, Steven King's Haven, Seventh Day, Parker; Disney/ABC Feature Writing Fellow; Professor UT Austin

Panelists

Greg Beal

Director of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Grace Moss

Executive, Entertainment Diversity Initiatives for NBC Entertainment

Grace Borrero Moss currently serves as an executive in Entertainment Diversity Initiatives for NBC Entertainment. In this role, she helps oversee multiple programs that focus on discovering, cultivating and showcasing talented writers, directors and actors of diverse backgrounds... Read More →

Rebecca Windsor

Manager of Warner Bros. Television Workshop

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track, Digital Download

2:45pm

No One Understands My Work! How to Give and Take Constructive Feedback

Want a compliment? Call your mom. Want to make your screenplay better? Learn to accept and implement honest feedback. Panelists will talk about where to get affordable (or free!) notes, the five stages of feedback, how to parse good criticism from bad, and more.

Moderators

Tim Albaugh

Moderator; Professor at UCLA; Director of Hollins University Graduate Screenwriting Program

Tim Albaugh is a writer/producer, and a graduate of San Francisco State University and the UCLA M.F.A. screenwriting program. Albaugh has taught screenwriting at UCLA, UC Irvine, Hollins University, Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Feature Animation. He wrote the film TRADING... Read More →

Panelists

Susan Brunig

Post Production Pixar; AFF Screenwriting Competition Finalist

Susan Brunig fell in love with Cinema at Binghamton University, studying with renowned avant-garde filmmakers Ken Jacobs and Larry Gottheim. She went on to get her MFA from San Francisco State University. For the past ten years she’s worked in Post Production at Pixar and has... Read More →

Mike Sundy

AFF Screenwriting Competition Finalist

Mike Sundy is a screenwriter and children's book author who writes epic but heartfelt stories. He's a long-time member of the writer's group at Pixar, where he worked for eight years. Two of his family scripts from the AFF Screenwriting Competition have been optioned: SANTAGATE... Read More →

Emily Zulauf

instructor at The Film School, Northwest Film Forum; Pixar Development Associate; script supervisor Inside Out

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

2:45pm

Presidential Programming: A Conversation with Jennifer Salke

Sit down with the President of NBC Entertainment, Jennifer Salke, for an in-depth conversation on the ins-and-outs of original programming and development in such a crowded marketplace. Salke will discuss how she identifies and cultivates storytellers with unique voices and vision, and what she thinks is in store for the future of network television.

Moderators

Linnea Toney

Moderator

Linnea is a Talent Manager and Executive Producer with projects spanning digital and traditional media. Previously, Linnea was a scripted television executive at Ryan Seacrest Productions, developing comedy and drama projects such as ABC's Mixology and NBC's Shades of Blue. She began... Read More →

Panelists

Jennifer Salke

President, NBC Entertainment

Jennifer Salke was named President, NBC Entertainment in July 2011. Reporting directly to NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt, Salke is responsible for comedy development, drama development, current programming, casting and diversity programming initiatives for NBC, as well... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Panel

Tags Television, Business, Conversation

2:45pm

The Filmscape: Studio vs. Indie Storytelling

Panelists who have dabbled in both indie and studio film discuss the major benefits, challenges, and differences in regards to creative freedoms, relationships, and sustainability.

Moderators

Dennis Bishop

Moderator; producer The Trip to Bountiful, Dexter; production executive The Fast and the Furious; VP of Production HBO Barbarians at the Gate, And the Band Played On

Panelists

Matt Cook

writer/co-producer Triple Nine, By Way of Helena; co-writer Patriots Day

Cook is a screenwriter, director, and producer of various studio and independent films and television. His work includes The Duel (formerly By Way of Helena), Triple Nine, and Patriot’s Day. Both By Way of Helena (2010) and Triple Nine (2012) made the top 10 of The Black List. Cook... Read More →

Jody Lambert

director/co-writer Brave New Jersey (AFF 2016 World Premiere); co-writer/co-producer People Like Us

Jody Lambert directed and co-wrote the comedy feature Brave New Jersey, starring Tony Hale, Heather Burns, Anna Camp, Dan Bakkedahl and Mel Rodriguez (2016 AFF World Premiere). He cowrote and co-produced the DreamWorks drama People Like Us, starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia... Read More →

Chris Sparling

writer Buried, The Sea of Trees, ATM; writer/director Mercy, The Atticus Institute

Oren Uziel

writer/director Shimmer Lake; writer 22 Jump Street, Freaks of Nature, The God Particle

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

2:45pm

The Script that Shagged Me: A Conversation with Michael McCullers

Groovy, baby! Between writing both Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember, Michael McCullers knows a thing or two about serenading a screenplay. After beginning his career as a writer on Saturday Night Live and later writing and directing Baby Mama, McCullers will “kiss and tell” all about his screenwriting mojo, his approach to mastering the hardest genre, and what he’s looking forward to next.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Michael McCullers

writer Saturday Night Live, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember; writer/director Baby Mama

Michael McCullers is a comedy screenwriter and director who works in film, television, and animation. His feature film, Boss Baby, starring Alec Baldwin, is in production at Dreamworks Animation and will be released in Spring of 2017. His previous work for DWA includes Mr. Peabody... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Comedy

2:45pm

Austin Pitch #1

It’s the 14th Annual Austin Film Festival Pitch Competition! This unique event allows contestants 90 seconds to pitch their best ideas to a panel of judges made of up agents, producers, managers, and screenwriters in a constructive and friendly environment. Give your best pitch in 90 seconds and secure your spot in the finals at the Pitch Finale Party on Saturday night.

All Pitch Sessions require an advance sign-up and are held at St. David’s Episcopal Church in the Vestry Conference Room, located at 301 E 8th Street.

Panelists

Jason Headley

writer/director A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, It's Not About the Nail, At the Bar, F*ck That: A Guided Meditation

Pamela Ribon

writer Moana, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Untitled Wreck-It Ralph Sequel, Bears, Samantha Who?; comic book writer Rick and Morty, SLAM!

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

2:45pm

*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film

*Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art, craft and business of writing for film. How do you break in, deal with contracts and options, and find representation? What’s the difference between indie and studio films, and what happens when your movie goes into development? What are the most essential habits and routines to assume? 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 the importance of both the creative and business sides of breaking into and writing for film.

*This Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Crail Hall, located at 301 E 8th Street. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Emily Best

founder/CEO Seed&Spark; co-creator F*ck Yes!

Emily Best founded Seed&Spark to make a contribution to the truly independent community in which she would like to make moving pictures. Synthesizing subscription streaming and crowdfunding, Seed&Spark delivers sustainability for artists and diversity of content for audiences - and... Read More →

Asmara Bhattacharya

writer Stone; 8-time AFF Screenwriting Competition Second Rounder; creator DickFlicks.net

A produced screenwriter and playwright, Asmara Bhattacharya’s scripts have placed multiple times at AFF and Nicholl as well as in many other competitions. Last year, she co-produced a staged reading of “Land of Enchantment” for veteran filmmaker Pen Densham at Santa Fe Independent... Read More →

Jeffrey Brown

Production For Use; producer Punk in Africa, No No: A Dockumentary, Moving Mountains: A Land Art Film, Vinyl Generation, Yallah! Underground, Pirating Pirates, Mamas & Papas

Jeffrey Brown has produced several award-winning narrative features and feature documentaries in Europe, Africa and the USA. He is Co-Producer of No No: A Dockumentary on outspoken 1970s baseball player Dock Ellis, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, was released theatrically... Read More →

Owen Egerton

writer/director Follow; Moderator

Owen Egerton is the writer/director of the horror film Follow, a Black List honored screenwriter and the author of several books including How Best to Avoid Dying and The Book of Harold, The Illegitimate Son of God, which was optioned by Warner Brothers Television. He’s also one... Read More →

Jacob Jaffke

producer In a Valley of Violence, Sleepwalk with Me, Don't Think Twice, The Sacrament, Jamie Marks Is Dead

Jacob Jaffke is an awardwinning producer and the head of development & production for filmmaker Tate Taylor's Wyolah Films. Before joining Wyolah in early 2016, Jaffke was the head of feature film development at producer Eric Newman's Studiocanal backed coventure Grand Electric... Read More →

Justin Lader

writer The Discovery (2017), The One I Love

After receiving a film degree from the University of Central Florida, Justin went on to attend the American Film Institute (AFI) where he received his Masters in Screenwriting. While at AFI, Justin met Charlie McDowell who was enrolled in the directing program. Their partnership... Read More →

Jono Matt

Jono Matt attended San Francisco's most fake sounding school, The Academy of Art University, where he majored in Screenwriting and Editing. After college, he became a director's assistant to DGA President, Paris Barclay, on the TV shows "Sons of Anarchy" and "Glee." Since transitioning... Read More →

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

James Andrew Miller

Moderator; author Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood’s Creative Artist Agency; co-author Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN, Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live

James Andrew Miller is an award-winning journalist whose latest book, “Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood’s Creative Artist Agency” was an instant New York Times bestseller. Previously he co-authored “Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN,” which was... Read More →

Glen Powell

Glen Powell was born and raised in Austin and has been a part of the film community since he was a kid, working with Texas film icons like Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, The Wilson Brothers, and Kat Candler all before graduating Westwood High School. He attended the University... Read More →

Jose Rivera

writer The Motorcycle Diaries, The 33, On the Road, Letters to Juliet, Trade

José Rivera is a recipient of two Obie Awards for playwriting for Marisol and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, both produced by The Public Theatre, New York. His plays Cloud Tectonics (Playwrights Horizons), Boleros for the Disenchanted (Yale Rep), Sueño (Manhattan Class... Read More →

Erika Schmidt

Creative Development Associate Pixar Animation Studios

Erika Schmidt is a Creative Development Associate at Pixar Animation Studios, where she works with directors in the earliest phases of their filmmaking process, conducting research to help deepen the worlds of their stories. She also supports the process of matching writers with... Read More →

Russell Leigh Sharman

writer Bobbie Sue; writer/director Apartment 4E; author The Tenants of East Harlem, Nightshift NYC

Russell Leigh Sharman is a writer, filmmaker and anthropologist. He has written (and re-written) for Hollywood since 2008 when his screenplay BOBBIE SUE won a spot on the Hollywood Blacklist. He has since worked as a writer-for-hire for studios and production companies, including... Read More →

Bill True

writer Runaway

Bill's debut feature, Runaway, premiered to universal accolades at Tribeca and Toronto. It went on to take the top prize at the Austin Film Festival and was subsequently released by eOne Films. Recently, Bill was tapped to adapt the true crime bestseller, Running with the Devil. More/Medavoy... Read More →

Laura Walker

CEO of AG Capital

Laura Walker has over ten years of experience in film which spans production, post-production, financing, packaging and domestic sales. After graduating from the University of Texas, Laura worked on projects like BOYHOOD and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. However, most of her career has... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Film

2:45pm

Producers Badge Roundtable: Daniel Petrie Jr

Panelists

Daniel Petrie, Jr.

partner Enderby Entertainment; writer Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy; director Dawn Patrol, Toy Soldiers; executive producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway; former WGAW President

Screenwriter, producer and director Daniel Petrie, Jr. was nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay for his first produced script, the box-office hit Beverly Hills Cop, starring Eddie Murphy. Next came Petrie’s original screenplay of the romantic thriller The... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

2:45pm

Second Rounders and Above Panel: How to Take a Meeting

Join these writers for a conversation on what to expect when you take a meeting, how to respond to script notes you totally disagree with, and what the development process – from the perspective of the writer – really entails.

This panel is open to Second Rounders and above only.

Moderators

Scott Richter

Moderator

Scott M. Richter is a multiple award winning WGA writer, producer, director, attorney and founder of Richter Scale Media, his Los Angeles based production company. In addition to having written for TV, film and digital media, Scott has practiced law in both Florida and California. Scott... Read More →

Panelists

Perrin Chiles

CEO/co-founder Adaptive Studios; executive producer Project Greenlight, The Runner, Coin Heist

Perrin Chiles is an Emmy® award-winner producer and writer with a background in private equity, finance and entrepreneurship who currently serves as the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Founding Partner of Adaptive Studios Inc. Adaptive Studios is a pioneering media studio focused... Read More →

Morgan Long

International Consultant for The Gersh Agency

A native Texan and proud Longhorn, Morgan Long got her start in television at Televisa USA in scripted development, where she also worked closely with Lionsgate under their joint venture on shows like Devious Maids and Chasing Life. She later moved to the representation side (the... Read More →

Amanda Verdon

Manager of Scripted Programming AMC, SundanceTV

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Second Rounders and above, Pitch Track

2:45pm

Script-to-Screen: The Revenant

With clips on the screen and screenplay in hand, Mark L. Smith will take us on a journey of adapting The Revenant; working with Alejandro González Iñárritu; and how he tackled character, description, and structure in this visually epic, Academy Award® winning film. This panel offers a great case study for writers looking to learn more about the evolution from original script to shooting script, the writer/director relationship, the types of changes made during production, and why.

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL END AT 4:15PM.
Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Moderators

Christopher Boone

Moderator; writer/director Cents; contributor No Film School

Panelists

Mark L. Smith

writer The Revenant, Vacancy

Mark L Smith has a slate of studio projects, including Conquest, (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Collider, (Edgar Wright/JJ Abrams), for Paramount Studios, Ruthless, (Leonardo DiCaprio), Chain Of Events, (Morten Tyldum), Queen Of The Tearling, (Emma Watson), Tramps, (Tom Hardy), and Ghost... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Script-to-Screen, Case Study

2:45pm

The Hart Chart

Back by popular demand (though no two sessions have ever been the same), James V Hart (Hook, Contact, August Rush) is bringing his infamous “Hart Chart” to the 23rd annual AFF for an exploration of how to develop strong characters by getting to the “heart” of the script.

This special rendition of the Hart Chart will dissect Hook in celebration of its momentous 25th anniversary!

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL END AT 4:15PM.
Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Panelists

James V Hart

writer Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Contact, Tuck Everlasting, Muppet Treasure Island, August Rush, Epic, Crossbones; creator of HartChart story mapping tool

James V Hart is an award-winning and world-renowned Hollywood screenwriter whose film credits include Contact, Hook, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Lara Croft: Tombraider, August Rush, Epic and many more projects in various stages of development, including Kurt Vonnegut’s AI fueled story... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:15pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags Workshop, Case Study

2:45pm

How Comedy Works

David Misch (Mork and Mindy, Saturday Night Live, The Muppets Take Manhattan) leads this invaluable workshop that dives into the depths of how comedy works. Topics include the Rule of 3; the relationship between Comedy and Logic (hint: they’re bitter enemies); the calculations involved in timing; comedy cues, and why withholding them is sometimes the best way to get a laugh; why your body is hilarious; the evil of punchlines; comedy “placebos”; and how the mechanics of jokes – tension and resolution, pattern recognition, misdirection, and surprise – provide a template for all humor.

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL END AT 4:30PM.

Panelists

David Misch

writer/producer Mork and Mindy, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Saturday Night Live, Funny: The Book

David Misch has been a comic folksinger, stand-up comedian, and screenwriter; his credits include the multiple-Emmy-nominated “Mork and Mindy”, the Emmy-losing “Duckman”, the Emmy-ignored “Police Squad!”, the Emmy-engorged “Saturday Night Live”, and the Emmy-ineligible... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 2:45pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Workshop, Comedy

5:00pm

Austin Film Commission Opening Night Reception

This year's Opening Night Reception, hosted by Austin Film Commission, will feature Chloe Wines, Odell Brewing, Hendricks Gin and Urban Pie Pizza! The Opening Night party is the perfect place to reconnect with AFF friends, compare notes on which movies you can't miss, and fall back into the Austin vibe. The Austin Film Commission, will host live music by a local Austin band representing Austin as the live music capital of the world.

*Pick up the shuttle outside the Driskill Bar on 7th Street starting at 4:30pm. Return shuttles will stop running at 7:30pm

Must have an AFF Producers Badge or be on the ACVB/Austin Film Commission Guest List for entry. All parties are 21 and up.

Community Partners

Austin Film Commission

Fiesta Gardens

GoodPop

Kwik Ice

Sponsors

Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau

Chloe Wine Collection

Hendrick's Gin

Odell Brewing Company

Urban Pie

Thursday October 13, 2016 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Fiesta Gardens 2101 Jesse E Segovia St, Austin, TX 78702

Party

7:00pm

Loving

(USA, 123 min)
Writer/Director: Jeff Nichols (in attendance)
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Marton Csokas, Nick Kroll, and Michael Shannon
“Loving” celebrates the real-life courage and commitment of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred Loving (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), who married and then spent the next nine years fighting for the right to live as a family in their hometown. Their civil rights case, Loving v. Virginia, went all the way to the Supreme Court, which in 1967 reaffirmed the very foundation of the right to marry – and their love story has become an inspiration to couples ever since.

Sponsors

Hiscox Insurance

Thursday October 13, 2016 7:00pm - 9:23pm
Paramount Theatre

Film, Marquee

7:10pm

ProGamer

(USA, 72 min)
World Premiere

Director: Justin Agnew

ProGamer explores the emerging world of electronic sports by following professional Starcraft II gamers Naniwa and White-Ra, who navigate worldwide gaming tournaments and their own personal lives

In Attendance: Director Justin Agnew

Community Partners

(USA, 119 min)
World Premiere
Writers: Mallory Culbert, Carlyn Hudson (both in attendance)
Director: Carlyn Hudson
Cast: Mallory Culbert, Zach Knighton (both in attendance), Agustín Silva, Isabelle McNally, Nick Stevenson (in attendance)
Mallory and her long-term boyfriend Ben are looking forward to having the house to themselves until Mallory’s flighty roommate comes home early with a surprise lover in tow. Four people in one tiny house proves more stressful than anyone bargained for and each has to decide which relationships are worth holding onto and which are not.

Community Partners

Texas Film Commission

Panelists

Marta Kauffman

2016 Outstanding Television Writer award recipient

Marta Kauffman is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning television writer, producer and showrunner. Having earned her BA in Theater Arts at Brandeis University, Kauffman and then-writing partner David Crane – whom she met at Brandeis – got their big break in the early 1990s after... Read More →

Thursday October 13, 2016 10:30pm - Friday October 14, 2016 11:30pm
State Theatre

Film, Retrospective

Tags Awardee

11:00pm

The Cliff

(SPAIN, 99 min)
Writers: Natxo Lopez, Andres Martorell, Helena Taberna
Director: Helena Taberna (in attendance)
Cast: Daniel Grao, Juana Acosta, Goya Toledo Gabriel is a promising attorney whose life is turned upside down when he receives a phone call from the police. A sect has committed mass suicide in the Canary Islands and his sister Cordelia was one of the followers. Her cadaver has yet to be found. Having not seen her for years, Gabriel sets out to the Canary Islands in search of her, longing to know the truth of her fate. Subtitles

Community Partners

Cine Las Americas

Thursday October 13, 2016 11:00pm - Friday October 14, 2016 12:39am
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

Film, Dark Matters

11:00pm

WGA West Late Night Welcome Party

The WGA West Late Night Welcome Party celebrates the first full day of panels and is a great end to the day's packed film schedule. This party sets the tone for the rest of the week as panelists, filmmakers, screenwriters and attendees discuss what the rest of the festival has in store. Grab a beer or a glass of Chloe wine and enjoy the first late night party-but pace yourself, you've got a lot more ahead!

Must have an AFF Conference, Producers or Press Badge or be on theWGA West Guest List for entry. All parties are 21 and up.

Panelists

Amy Berg

writer/executive producer Counterpart, Da Vinci's Demons, Eureka, Person of Interest

Amy Berg is a writer-producer for film and television. She's also a massive geek as evidenced by the many genre shows she's worked on including DA VINCI'S DEMONS, PERSON OF INTEREST, EUREKA, and THE 4400. But her proudest creative achievement might be the award-winning digital series... Read More →

Angelo Pizzo

writer/producer Rudy, Hoosiers; writer/director My All American

Angelo Pizzo grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, the son of a Sicilian immigrant. After remaining in Bloomington long enough to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science at Indiana University, Pizzo moved to the West Coast to attend film school at the University of Southern California... Read More →

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Two-time Emmy Award winning creator, writer, director and producer Bernie Su is known for interactive and transmedia storytelling. Past projects include the Emmy winning LIZZIE BENNET DIARIES and EMMA APPROVED, as well FRANKENSTEIN MD for PBS and VANITY for STYLEHAUL. He was named... Read More →

Sponsors

Chloe Wine Collection

Cypress Grove Chevre

Odell Brewing Company

WGA West

Thursday October 13, 2016 11:00pm - Friday October 14, 2016 1:00am
213 W. 5th 213 W. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Party

8:30am

Exhibit Hall

Exhibitors

Stage 32

The Hart Chart

Cypress Grove Chevre

Final Draft

MPS Film

Steel City Pops

Samsung

Seed&Spark

Fade In Software

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 8:30am - 5:30pm
Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701

Special Event

9:00am

Breaking In: Competitions

Screenwriting competitions can be a great way to have your work read, receive helpful feedback, and even get noticed by the people who can take your career to the next level. But how do you stand out amongst an ocean of entrants? Panelists will walk you through the ins and outs of the competition world, how to give yourself that competitive edge, and what to do if you—gulp!—win.

Moderators

Greg Beal

Director of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Panelists

Craig Behenna

Coming from a background in theatre, Craig is an Australian writer and filmmaker. His first feature as a writer, One Eyed Girl, written with director Nick Matthews, had its world premiere at the 2014 Austin Film Festival where it won the Dark Matters Jury Award. Craig's more recent... Read More →

Asmara Bhattacharya

writer Stone; 8-time AFF Screenwriting Competition Second Rounder; creator DickFlicks.net

Bob Dearden

writer iZombie, Play It Again, Dick

Kelly Fullerton

writer The Fosters (S1-2), Next Caller, Awkward (S1-2)

Kelly Fullerton has written for The Fosters S1-2, Next Caller and Awkward S1-2. In addition to writing, Kelly is thrilled to be a story consultant and teach as part of the professional program at the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television as well as in the MFA screenwriting program... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track

9:00am

Deconstructing: Jane Austen

With six novels that produced over sixty adaptations for the screen, the talents of Jane Austen have lived on long past her time on earth. Panelists who have worked on projects including Sense and Sensibility, The Jane Austen Book Club, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and What Jane Saw will discuss how they adapted these beloved novels for various storytelling mediums, and why they think Austen’s themes and stories remain so powerful today.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Janine Barchas

professor UT Austin; creator What Jane Saw

Janine Barchas is Professor of English at the University of Texas, where she teaches Austen in Austin. She is the author of, among other scholarly books, Matters of Fact in Jane Austen: History, Location, and Celebrity and also writes for popular audiences—from guest blog spots... Read More →

Lindsay Doran

producer Stranger Than Fiction, Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee, Dead Again; executive producer The Firm, Sabrina; former president/COO of United Artists

Lindsay Doran has worked in the movie business for more than 30 years as a studio executive and as a producer. She has served as the President and COO of United Artists Pictures and as the President of Sydney Pollack’s Mirage Productions. She currently divides her time between... Read More →

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Robin Swicord

writer Little Women, Memoirs of a Geisha, Practical Magic, Matilda; writer/director The Jane Austen Book Club, Wakefield (2016)

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

9:00am

Indie Film Track: Short Films, Big Heart

It’s hard enough to compose a script that has character development, rising action, intelligent dialogue, and a clear beginning, middle, and end while developing a feature film. Creating a film that lasts less than a half-hour, however, can bring forth its own set of challenges. Panelists will share tips on the process of making a short film and how to craft a compelling narrative that demands the same investment from an audience within these condensed parameters.

Moderators

Tom Copeland

Moderator; Professor at Texas State University

Since 1983 Tom Copeland has been one of the state’s best-known and most-respected advocates for its film production industry. During his ten years as the director of the Texas Film Commission, a division of the Office of the Governor, he was the state’s primary liaison and troubleshooter... Read More →

Panelists

Shawn Gerrard

writer/director My Viola; producer Head on Pictures Inc.

Shawn Gerrard is a filmmaker from Toronto and alumnus of York University’s Film Production and Screenwriting program. Since graduating, Shawn has directed three short films Isaiah’s Birthday, 5PiX and My Viola, a short film financed by the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council... Read More →

Elizabeth Rose

writer/director The Law of Averages; co-writer/co-producer CHUM

Elizabeth Rose is a Canadian-Ameican filmmaker. She is currently in her final year as an MFA candidate in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University in New York City where she is the cochair of Columbia Women in Film, a student group that advocates for and empowers female... Read More →

Ya'Ke Smith

writer/director Katrina’s Son, WOLF, dawn., Hope’s War, One Hitta Quitta; film professor at UT Arlington

Ya’Ke Smith known for his unflinching and veracious style of storytelling, is a rising voice in independent cinema. His films have received world-wide acclaim, screening and winning awards at over 90 film festivals. The Director’s Guild of America, the Student Academy Awards... Read More →

Oates Yinchao Wu

writer/ director/ editor Like Hope, Flying Trout and Swimming Vulture, Goodbye, My Big Cat, Behind the Bear's Eyes

Oates Yinchao Wu is a Chinese but US based writer-director and editor. He graduated from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 2015 with an MFA in Film Directing. Oates is an autobiographical filmmaker, and his work focuses on sexual identity, gender and race. He is especially... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

9:00am

Morning Improv

It’s no secret. Writers, by nature, are… well… a bit more on the introspective side. Pitching your logline like a trained Shakespearean actor or approaching your screenwriting idol with the confidence of Kanye West during the Grammys® may feel a tad out of your comfort zone. Never fear – AFF is here! For the second year running, the Festival will be offering morning improv workshops during the Conference to help you warm up your inner Lone Star so you can ‘rise and shine’ throughout the day. Hopefully, you’ll be given the opportunity to say “yes, and” to new skills, friendships, and that screenplay deal. No experience necessary!

This workshop is presented by The New Movement.

Community Partners

The New Movement

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Workshop

Tags Comedy, Pitch Track

9:00am

Showrunners: The Big Picture for the Small Screen

In the world of television, the creator’s job comes with a lot of other jobs – sometimes showrunner, sometimes executive producer, often, writer, and most importantly, building a team. This panel gives you an inside look into one of the most nuanced and exciting roles in television production. How does the creator’s role in screenwriting change after the pilot and in subsequent seasons? What are the day-to-day duties of creators, and what do they look for when staffing their writers room? Come and hear answers to your questions from the people who have experienced running the show in the world of television.

Moderators

Fred Strype

Moderator; AFF Screenwriting Award Winner; Chair at Sarah Lawrence College's Filmmaking, Screenwriting & Moving Image Arts Program

Fred Strype is an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker whose work has been screened and honored internationally. He is a tenured professor at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY, where he is Chair of their Filmmaking & Moving Image Arts Program. In the past, he served... Read More →

Panelists

Carter Bays

co-creator/executive producer How I Met Your Mother; writer American Dad!, Late Show with David Letterman

Carter Bays is a co-creator and executive producer of the popular comedy series How I Met Your Mother. His other writing credits include Oliver Beene, American Dad!, and the Late Show with David Letterman. Along with HIMYM co-creator Craig Thomas, Bays co-founded the band The Solids... Read More →

Stephen Falk

creator/executive producer/showrunner You're The Worst; co-executive producer Orange is the New Black, co-executive producer Weeds

STEPHEN FALK is the Creator/Executive Producer/Showrunner of the FXX series “You’re The Worst,” which appeared on numerous Top 10 lists after each of its first two seasons; both seasons received nominations for Best Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Season 3 will air in... Read More →

Phil Rosenthal

creator/executive producer/host I'll Have What Phil's Having, Everybody Loves Raymond; writer/director Exporting Raymond

James Wong

writer/executive producer American Horror Story, The Others, Rosemary's Baby (2014); writer/director/co-executive producer The X-Files; writer/director Final Destination

Jim is a prolific writer and director and has worked extensively in both the film and television worlds. He is currently working as an Executive Producer on the hit FX series, AMERICAN HORROR STORY. He recently shot a pilot at A&E with Platinum Dunes and Michael Bay Executive Producing... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Television, Pitch Track

9:00am

The Mister Behind Sister, Sister and Kenan & Kel: A Conversation with Kim Bass

Kids of the ‘90s owe a world of thanks to Kim Bass, for without him, television sets across the nation would be void of some of the most entertaining content. Responsible for creating the beloved characters Tia, Tamera, Kenan, and Kel, Bass has since left television to run his own independent film production company. Don’t miss this intimate exploration of Bass’ adept ability to bridge racial gaps in his stories, and why he chose to embark upon the atypical transition from television to movies.

Moderators

Cindy McCreery

Moderator; writer Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove, Steven King's Haven, Seventh Day, Parker; Disney/ABC Feature Writing Fellow; Professor UT Austin

Panelists

Kim Bass

writer In Living Color, Sister, Sister, Kenan & Kel; writer/director Kill Speed, Day of Days (2016)

Kim Bass—is an Emmy-nominated, screenplay and teleplay writer who became a member of the Writers Guild of America West in 1989 after selling sketch comedy material to the HBO news parody show, Not Necessarily The News and optioning his first screenplay. Also in 1989 Mr. Bass... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Television, Conversation

9:00am

The Writers/Manager Rep-lationship

A lot of writers will tell you how important it is to have a manager, but what is that relationship really like? As a writer, how do you facilitate this? How do you know what kind of representation is right for you and what you should realistically expect? Join screenwriters and their manager for an in-depth exploration of how to find, keep, and utilize these relationships.

Moderators

Trey Selman

Moderator

Trey believes in slow-smoked brisket, Davy Crockett and Bigfoot. After studying business at The University of Texas he traded in his suits and dry cleaning bills for shorts and flip flops and became a writer. He's lucky to live in the hill country and works from an offbeat collection... Read More →

Panelists

Adam Kolbrenner

Co-founder Madhouse Entertainment

Adam Kolbrenner is co-founder of Madhouse Entertainment, a literary management and production company based in Century City, CA. Since its inception in 2006, Madhouse has built its reputation on developing and producing the highest quality of writers and projects for both feature... Read More →

Justin Marks

writer The Jungle Book (2016), creator/executive producer Counterpart (upcoming)

Edward Ricourt

writer of Now You See Me; consulting producer/writer Jessica Jones, Wayward Pines

Edward Ricourt’s films include: Now You See Me, produced by Summit Entertainment. Paramount Pictures brought his 2009 Black List script, Year 12. Joe Roth is Producing. Ricourt also wrote the graphic novel Anomaly for Relativity Entertainment. In TV, Ricourt worked as a Consulting... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

9:00am

To Speak or Not to Speak: Dialogue

How is something we do on a daily basis so difficult to master in our writing? Join panelists who are particularly skilled in the art of dialogue as they guide us through how it can shape the rhythm of a screenplay, when to “show” and not “tell”, how meticulous character development can inform great writing, and exercises to practice when conquering your own craft.

Moderators

Karol Ann Hoeffner

Moderator

Karol Ann Hoeffner is the Graduate Director of Screenwriter for Loyola Marymount University where she oversees two program tracks: Writing for the Screen and Writing and Producing for Television. Before coming to LMU in 2008, she worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood where she wrote... Read More →

Panelists

Melanie Marnich

writer Big Love; writer/producer The Big C, The Affair, the upcoming Netflix show The OA; playwright

Melanie Marnich is an award-winning television writer-producer and playwright. She’s written for Big Love on HBO; The Big C and The Affair on Showtime; and for AMC’s Low Winter Sun. Her episode, “Come, Ye Saints” for Big Love earned her a Writers’ Guild award nomination... Read More →

Mark L. Smith

writer The Revenant, Vacancy

Beau Willimon

creator House of Cards (US, TV Series)

Playwright and screenwriter Beau Willimon earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on The Ides of March, adapted from his play Farragut North, and made his first foray into television as the creator and showrunner of the Emmy and Golden Globe winning House of Cards. Through... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Playwriting

9:00am

Austin Pitch #2

Panelists

Tim Albaugh

Moderator; Professor at UCLA; Director of Hollins University Graduate Screenwriting Program

Jill Chamberlain

Moderator; author The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting

Jill Chamberlain is a sought-after script doctor, screenwriting coach, and founder of The Screenplay Workshop, Austin's only educational institution dedicated solely to the craft of screenwriting (www.thescreenplayworkshop.org). She is the creator of the Nutshell Technique, a completely unique screenplay structuring method and the subject of her book, The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting (University of Texas Press), which is available on Amazon and wherever fine books are sold. She has taught the Nutshell Technique to mor... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

9:00am

*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Television

Panelists

Max Borenstein

creator Minority Report (television show); writer Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla 2

Max Borenstein is a screenwriter and director who captures the soul and complexity of richly developed characters. His films push the boundaries while maintaining an authenticity regardless of genre. Borenstein wrote the script for 2014’s blockbuster GODZILLA, an epic, contemporary... Read More →

VJ Boyd

writer/producer Justified, The Player, Snowfall

VJ Boyd has written for JUSTIFIED and THE PLAYER and is the author of the graphic novel GHOST COP. He is currently producing his pilot THE JURY for ABC.

Kelly Jo Brick

writer Pause, The Jewel in the Woods; contributing editor TVWriter.com

Katie Cates

Graham Davidson

executive producer Shipping Wars, Marshal Law: Texas, Skin Tight; producer Chalk, The Aviatrix

Deniese Davis

producer Awkward Black Girl, Guidance, The Choir, Sequin Raze, Insecure

Deniese Davis has produced countless music videos, short films and various online content. In the web-series realm she is best known for producing Issa Rae's award-winning web series “The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl”, which accumulated over 17 million views with seasons... Read More →

Kristi Felton

VP of Scripted Programming at AMC/Sundance TV

Morgan Long

International Consultant for The Gersh Agency

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

Raamla Mohamed

writer/producer Scandal, Still Star-Crossed

Raamla was born and raised in Los Angeles by her Somalian father and her South Bronx-ian mother. After graduating from Columbia University with a double major in English Literature and Film Studies, Raamla remained in NYC to work in off-Broadway theater. She then went on to receive... Read More →

Meta Valentic

producer Trying, Urbania; assistant director Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Lost, Bones, Nixon

Meta Valentic began her career as the youngest member of the DGA Assistant Director's Training Program. Her credits include “Nixon”, “Castle”, “Lost”, “Bones”, and the Golden Globe winning musical comedy “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”. Meta has produced 5 independent feature... Read More →

Amanda Verdon

Manager of Scripted Programming AMC, SundanceTV

Nick Watson

Creative Executive at Artillery Creative; Freelance Animation Writer at Hasbro Studios

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Pitch Track, Television

9:00am

Producers Badge Roundtable: The Wibberleys

Panelists

Cormac Wibberley

writer National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

Cormac Wibberley is half of a married writing team with Marianne Wibberley. They both grew up in Southern California and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. After college, Cormac worked as an executive in children’s programming at ABC. It was during this time... Read More →

Marianne Wibberley

writer National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

Marianne is half of a married writing team with Cormac Wibberley. They both grew up in Southern California and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduation, Marianne went on to receive her masters degree in film from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. In... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

9:00am

Second Rounders and Above Panel: Producing the Script Producers Look For

Hear from veteran Hollywood producers regarding what they look for in a screenplay or teleplay, the differences between producing for film and television or independent and studio projects, and the development of a story through execution. Panelists will discuss trends in the industry, how to take your project to the next level, and what you can expect from good – and bad – writer/producer relationships.

This panel is open to Second Rounders and above only.

Moderators

Dennis Bishop

Moderator; producer The Trip to Bountiful, Dexter; production executive The Fast and the Furious; VP of Production HBO Barbarians at the Gate, And the Band Played On

Panelists

Kent Alterman

President Comedy Central

Kent Alterman is president of Comedy Central. He is responsible for the leadership, strategy and management of the #1 brand in comedy and oversees the development and production of all original content produced by Comedy Central. Alterman rejoined Comedy Central in 2010 as head of... Read More →

Perrin Chiles

CEO/co-founder Adaptive Studios; executive producer Project Greenlight, The Runner, Coin Heist

Jacob Jaffke

producer In a Valley of Violence, Sleepwalk with Me, Don't Think Twice, The Sacrament, Jamie Marks Is Dead

Daniel Petrie, Jr.

partner Enderby Entertainment; writer Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy; director Dawn Patrol, Toy Soldiers; executive producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway; former WGAW President

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Second Rounders and above

9:00am

Semifinalists and Above Panel: Your Team Behind the Scenes

A lot of writers will tell you how important it is to have your behind-the-scenes team, but who exactly do you need in the corner? As a writer, how do you facilitate this? How do you know what kind of representation or legal help is right for you? Join a writer, manager, and attorney as they discuss the anatomy of their specific relationship, what to expect, and how this can translate your to own career.

This panel is open to Semifinalists and above only.

Moderators

Scott Richter

Moderator

Panelists

Stephen Clark

Partner at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman

Stephen Clark is a partner in the West Hollywood, CA entertainment law firm, Lichter, Grossman, et al. For over 16 years, he has represented a diverse group of writers, directors, actors and producers in film and television. His extensive experience includes a wide variety of... Read More →

Aaron Kaplan

Manager Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment

Aaron Kaplan, founding partner of Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment spent the first 22 years of his life in Chicago. After graduating from Northwestern University he came up through the UTA Trainee Program, where he and fellow UTA trainee Sean Perrone recognized the need for forward-thinking... Read More →

Chris Sparling

writer Buried, The Sea of Trees, ATM; writer/director Mercy, The Atticus Institute

Friday October 14, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Semifinalists and above

10:45am

Based on a True Story

Creating a compelling story from scratch is always a challenge. This is why writing something based on true events —with a built in beginning, middle, and end—can be appealing to screenwriters. This can yield its own set of challenges, however: How do you condense these often complex and unwieldy occurrences into a tight-knit narrative, complete with structure and nuance? how do you form a visually interesting and cinematic story when real life can often be anything but? Panelists will discuss their strategies on balancing truth, fact, and fiction while capturing the essence of real-life subject matter that, as a result, continues to live on in our memories.

Moderators

Charles Ealy

Moderator

Charles Ealy is the former books and movies editor for the Austin American-Statesman and the Dallas Morning News.

Panelists

Michelle Ashford

creator/executive producer Masters of Sex; writer The Pacific, John Adams, Boomtown

Michelle is the creator and executive producer of the Showtime drama MASTERS OF SEX. She has written for the HBO miniseries JOHN ADAMS and THE PACIFIC. She recently adapted UNDAUNTED COURAGE, the Stephen Ambrose account of the Lewis and Clark expedition, also for HBO. She is... Read More →

Kieran Fitzgerald

writer Snowden, The Homesman, The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez

Kieran Fitzgerald has a BA in English from Harvard University and a MFA in fiction and screenwriting from the Michener Center for Writers. He wrote and directed the feature documentary, The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández, which aired on PBS and was nominated for an Emmy in investigative... Read More →

Jose Rivera

writer The Motorcycle Diaries, The 33, On the Road, Letters to Juliet, Trade

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

10:45am

Breaking In: As an Assistant

There are many ways to break into this industry and not all are accompanied by the glitz and glam that most of us associate with Hollywood. For many, the road to the top is paved with more empty coffee cups and dry cleaning receipts than red carpets or writers rooms. Join panelists who weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty as they share their experiences breaking in, and how they ultimately transitioned from writer’s assistant to working writer.

Moderators

Marcie Mayhorn

Moderator; Writer's PA "A.P.B."

Panelists

VJ Boyd

writer/producer Justified, The Player, Snowfall

VJ Boyd has written for JUSTIFIED and THE PLAYER and is the author of the graphic novel GHOST COP. He is currently producing his pilot THE JURY for ABC.

Jono Matt

Raamla Mohamed

writer/producer Scandal, Still Star-Crossed

Michael H Weber

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Masterpiece, Our Souls At Night

Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber are screenwriters and producers of various studio and independent films. Their 2014 adaptation of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS opened as the #1 movie in America and went on to gross over $300 million dollars worldwide. | The pair wrote the hit Fox... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track

10:45am

Indie Film Track: Crowdfunding to Build Independence

The only proven path to independence as an artist is a direct connection to your audience. Crowdfunding is becoming a fundamental piece of most financing plans for independent film. However, many filmmakers miss the opportunity to turn their film funding campaigns into audience-building opportunities that can last an entire career — and provide the groundwork for theatrical distribution that you control. This class for film-related projects will provide the crowdfunding action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. In this workshop, you'll learn how to find your audience, how to structure your crowdfunding campaign, how to pick the right goal and backer incentives, and much more. And just so you know...Seed&Spark crowdfunding projects launched by people who've attended this session have a 100% success rate. Just sayin'...

This panel is presented by Seed&Spark.

Panelists

Emily Best

founder/CEO Seed&Spark; co-creator F*ck Yes!

Sponsors

Seed&Spark

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

10:45am

Live from New York: It's Saturday Night Live Writers

Few shows rival the reputation, longevity, daringness, and esteem of Saturday Night Live, which is perhaps due in part to its rigorous and demanding work environment. To make it at SNL is practically the equivalent of earning a PHD in comedy (with a side of insanity and healthy serving of insomnia). Such was the case for SNL veterans on this panel, who are here to share hard-earned lessons from late night, how they managed to come up with fresh content week after week, and the inner-workings of one of the greatest variety shows of all time. All that’s missing is more cowbell.

Moderators

James Andrew Miller

Panelists

Tim Herlihy

writer Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Pixels, The Ridiculous Six

Michael McCullers

writer Saturday Night Live, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember; writer/director Baby Mama

Paula Pell

writer Sisters, Saturday Night Live

PAULA PELL (screenwriter/actor) Pell was a writer for Saturday Night Live for twenty years. She started in 1995. She was also a producer and writer for the sitcom “30 Rock.” In the film world, Pell has collaborated with Judd Apatow and Paul Feig, providing additional writing... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Comedy, Television

10:45am

Ready, Set, Pitch: 90 Pages in 90 Seconds

Panelists who have experienced their fair share of pitching will impart words to the wise on how to condense 90 pages into a concise and engaging 90 seconds. What do you keep? What do you leave out? What do you emphasize? And how do you overcome those dreaded nerves? Bring a notepad – if you’re lucky enough to land a meeting, a good pitch may end up being the most important minute and a half of your career.

Moderators

Tim Albaugh

Moderator; Professor at UCLA; Director of Hollins University Graduate Screenwriting Program

Panelists

Amy Berg

writer/executive producer Counterpart, Da Vinci's Demons, Eureka, Person of Interest

Nicole Perlman

writer Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel (2019), Pokémon (2018)

Nicole Perlman attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Shortly after graduating, she won the Tribeca Film Festival's Sloan Grant for Science in Film for her screenplay "Challenger," which also placed on the Hollywood Black List. She has since been named one of Variety Magazine's... Read More →

Pamela Ribon

writer Moana, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Untitled Wreck-It Ralph Sequel, Bears, Samantha Who?; comic book writer Rick and Morty, SLAM!

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Digital Download, Pitch Track

10:45am

Screenwriters to Watch

Screenwriters are, of course, the perennially overworked, underappreciated artists whose heart, soul and lifeblood the movie world depends on. Since its inception in 1993, Austin Film Festival has worked diligently to erode the “underappreciated” element by championing screenwriters through the Conference, film programs and screenplay/teleplay competitions. AFF partnered with MovieMaker Magazine to highlight filmmakers with different backgrounds and at different stages in their careers: promising creators who possess original voices, keen storytelling sensibilities, and bright and buzzy futures. Join this panel to meet just a few of the inaugural “25 Screenwriters to Watch” as they impart major turning points in their careers and important lessons learned along the way.

This panel is co-presented by MovieMaker Magazine.

Moderators

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Mike Covino

Mike is a writer, producer and actor from New York City. Keep in touch, is his first film as a writer. His producing credits include Absence, which Cinedigm released in 2013, Babysitter (SXSW 2015), Hunter Gatherer (SXSW 2016) and Kicks (Tribeca 2016). Mike is a partner and Co-Founder... Read More →

Tess Morris

writer Man Up

Born and bred Londoner, Tess has been writing since she could walk (not 100% true) and her first words were ‘Elvis is the King!’ (100% true). Her first screenplay, the romantic comedy MAN UP, made the 2011 Brit List, was picked up by Big Talk Pictures, co-produced by Studio Canal... Read More →

Maya Perez

writer/producer On Story

Maya Perez is a writer and producer. Her work has appeared in The Masters Review, Electric Literature, and Misadventures, and she is co-editor of the books On Story: Screenwriters and Their Craft and the upcoming On Story: Screenwriters and Filmmakers on Their Iconic Films, both from... Read More →

Ya'Ke Smith

writer/director Katrina’s Son, WOLF, dawn., Hope’s War, One Hitta Quitta; film professor at UT Arlington

Sponsors

MovieMaker Magazine

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track

10:45am

Storytelling through a Matrix: A VR Case Study

Join collaborators Wendy Calhoun and Jamie Wong for an exploration into uncharted territory: Virtual Reality. The duo will discuss their upcoming VR series, Project Empathy, how to approach writing in a matrix, and why virtual reality arguably holds the future of storytelling in its three-dimensional hands.

Moderators

Ashland Viscosi

Moderator - Creatives Meet Business

Ashland Viscosi is the founder of Creatives Meet Business, an event and podcast series based out of Austin, Texas for creatives of ALL disciplines to no longer think of themselves just as "artists" and "creatives" but also as "small business owners" and "entrepreneurs.” She assists... Read More →

Panelists

Wendy Calhoun

writer/producer Justified, Revenge, Nashville, Empire

Wendy Calhoun is a series creator and executive producer with content currently in development at multiple digital and cable companies. This summer she wrote and directed LEFT BEHIND, a virtual reality short with Project Empathy's VR series for social impact and criminal justice... Read More →

Jamie Wong

creator/executive producer Project Empathy

Jamie is a producer, writer and entrepreneur. She created the virtual reality series, Project Empathy, in partnership with Van Jones. She wrote and directed the series' opener, entitled, The Letter. Jamie was a producer for THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, a writer for SUNDANCE... Read More →

Community Partners

Samsung

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Virtual Reality

10:45am

Structurally Sound

Are you getting stuck in the middle or end of a script? Craig Mazin, writer of Identity Thief and co-host of the popular ScriptNotes podcast, introduces a new way of thinking about structure. He'll discuss how to build your plot as a function of character and theme, why beginnings are endings and endings are beginnings, and how the answer to solving your plot is to stop thinking about plot. After this panel, you'll never get lost in a script again!

Panelists

Craig Mazin

co-host ScriptNotes; writer Identity Thief, The Hangover Parts II & III, Scary Movie 3 & 4, Rocketman

Writer and producer Craig Mazin has made a name for himself as a screenwriter with a knack for appealing to broad audiences over the course of his twenty-year career. His hit films include The Hangover Part II and Part III and Identity Thief. Currently, Mazin is writing a whodunit-with-a-twist... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

10:45am

The Triple Threat: A Conversation with Jason Segel

He acts! He sings! And he can make words gloriously dance across the page. Hailing from The Judd Apatow School of Filmmaking, Jason Segel is a man of many talents, with a unique storytelling voice that spans from Forgetting Sarah Marshall to The Muppets. Join this actor-writer hybrid for a conversation on how he strives for the personal and unexpected when connecting with his audience; how writing his own roles has helped him grow as an actor; and where he found the inspiration for “Dracula: The Musical.”

Moderators

Matthew Odam

Panelists

Jason Segel

actor The End of the Tour, I Love You, Man, Knocked Up, Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother; writer/actor The Muppets, The Five Year Engagement, Forgetting Sarah Marshall; author Nightmares! book series

Jason Segel last starred in James Ponsoldt’s critically acclaimed dramatic biopic, The End of the Tour, in which he starred as writer David Foster Wallace opposite Jesse Eisenberg. The film recounts the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky (Eisenberg) and... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Comedy

10:45am

Austin Pitch #3

Panelists

Bob Dearden

writer iZombie, Play It Again, Dick

Chris Mass

writer/producer Chalk, Bobbie Sue, Free Birds

Chris Mass co-wrote, produced, and starred in his first feature Chalk, which garnered numerous festival awards including AFF's Jury and Audience Awards before going on to be nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. The feature brought Chris his first studio gig at Universal... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

10:45am

*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film

Panelists

Greg DePaul

writer Bride Wars, Saving Silverman

Greg DePaul (screenwriter, Bride Wars, Saving Silverman) has sold comedy screenplays to Miramax, Fox, Disney, New Line, Sony, MGM, and Village Roadshow studios. He is the author of Bring the Funny: The Essential Companion for the Comedy Screenwriter, published by Focal Press. Bring... Read More →

Rick Dugdale

president Enderby Entertainment; producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway, Rosemont, Dawn Patrol

Producer Rick Dugdale is the co-founder of Enderby Entertainment, an independent film finance and production company. The company, founded in 2006 by Dugdale along with his partner, writer-director-producer Daniel Petrie, Jr., is named for Dugdale’s home town of Enderby, British... Read More →

Phil Hay

writer/producer The Invitation; writer Crazy/Beautiful, Ride Along, Ride Along 2, Clash of the Titans

With three #1 hits and a pair of critically acclaimed dramas to their names, PHIL | HAY & MATT MANFREDI have established themselves as one of screenwriting’s most versatile duos, moving fluidly among comedy, intimate drama and large-scale action, sci-fi and fantasy projects that... Read More →

Jason Headley

writer/director A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, It's Not About the Nail, At the Bar, F*ck That: A Guided Meditation

Christina Hodson

writer Shut In (2016), Untitled Transformers Stand-Alone (2018), Unforgettable (2017)

Christina Hodson transitioned from development executive to screenwriter in 2012 and has started to make a name for herself writing muscular, female-driven stories in traditionally male dominated genres. | | Her first screenplay, psychological thriller SHUT IN, was on the 2012... Read More →

Adam Kolbrenner

Co-founder Madhouse Entertainment

Angelo Pizzo

writer/producer Rudy, Hoosiers; writer/director My All American

Mark Protosevich

writer/co-producer The Cell, Oldboy; writer Thor, I Am Legend

MARK PROTOSEVICH is a screenwriter whose credits include THE CELL, POSEIDON, I AM LEGEND, THOR, and OLDBOY. THE CELL (2000) starred Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, and Vincent D’Onofrio, and was the feature film debut of director Tarsem Singh (THE FALL, IMMORTALS, MIRROR MIRROR... Read More →

Anne Rapp

writer Dr T and the Women, Cookie's Fortune; script supervisor Funny People, This is Spinal Tap, The Color Purple, Death Becomes Her, That Thing You Do!

Matt Smith

executive producer Maleficient, Step Up All In, Step Up Revolution; producer Trash Fire, Mayhem

Matt Smith currently oversees Motion Picture Production and Development at Circle of Confusion, the LA based Production and Management Company best known as the producers of AMC’s hit television series The Walking Dead. Smith is the Executive Producer of Disney’s Maleficent... Read More →

Oren Uziel

writer/director Shimmer Lake; writer 22 Jump Street, Freaks of Nature, The God Particle

Ric Roman Waugh

writer/director/producer Felon, Snitch, That Which I Love Destroys Me, Shot Caller (upcoming)

Ric Roman Waugh has written numerous studio-based feature film screenplays for producers such as: Jerry Bruckheimer, Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen, Mark Gordon, Neil Moritz, Barry Josephson, Mark Canton, Jim Sheridan and Nick Wechsler. This includes his latest screenplay, CURRENCY... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Film

10:45am

Producers Badge Roundtable: John Turman

Panelists

John Turman

Writer Hulk, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Ben 10: Alien Swarm, Crow; Stairway to Heaven (TV) Macgyver (TV)

John grew up in Southern California on comic books sci-fi novels, and kung-fu and action films. He studied Journalism at the University of Colorado and law and copyright at UCLA law school. John has written and produced small independent films, worked as a storyboard artist and... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

10:45am

Rocky vs. Creed

Perhaps the only feat more difficult than conquering the steps of the picturesque Philadelphia Museum of Art is writing a film worthy of carrying on Rocky’s legacy. Creed co-writer Aaron Covington will compare the two stories, discuss how the original informed this spin-off, and what it was like to work alongside writer/actor Sylvester Stallone and director Ryan Coogler.

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL END AT 12:15PM.
Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Aaron Covington

writer Creed; director

Aaron Covington grew up in Michigan City, Indiana. He’s a graduate of Ohio State University and the University of Southern California where he received an MFA in film production. At USC he teamed up with Ryan Coogler to collaborate on “Creed” which released in 2015 to positive... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 10:45am - 12:15pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Script-to-Screen, Case Study

1:00pm

Script Library

Friday October 14, 2016 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Intercontinental Stephen F Austin, Cloak Room 701 Congress Avenue

Script Reading

1:15pm

Script-to-Screen: Hook

A master of capturing the heart of the story and in celebration of the film's 25th anniversary, James V Hart will lead a script-to-screen panel of Hook, diving into the film’s journey from first draft to shooting script, the writer/director relationship with Steven Spielberg, and how to adapt children’s stories that inspire the whole family.

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL BEGIN AT 1:15PM.
Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Moderators

Greg Garrett

Moderator; author; professor at Baylor University

Greg Garrett has been a panelist and moderator at the Austin Film Festival for over a decade. At the Festival, he has interviewed luminaries such as Lawrence Kasdan, James Hart, and Damon Lindelof, and led conversations on craft, genre, adaptation, and narrative. Himself the author... Read More →

Panelists

James V Hart

writer Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Contact, Tuck Everlasting, Muppet Treasure Island, August Rush, Epic, Crossbones; creator of HartChart story mapping tool

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 1:15pm - 2:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Script-to-Screen, Case Study, Family

1:30pm

A Conversation with Marta Kauffman: The 2016 Outstanding Television Writer

TV Goddess Marta Kauffman, leads us on a journey through The Big Apple, visiting with Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey, and travels west to the world of Grace and Frankie. Known for writing relatable characters at specific times in their lives, the glory of Kauffman’s work lies in her abilities to reach audiences across generations, genders, and genres. Don’t miss this conversation with the 2016 Outstanding Television Writer, especially since she’s been “there for you” over the years.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Marta Kauffman

2016 Outstanding Television Writer award recipient

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Television, Awardee, Conversation

1:30pm

Breaking In: Digital Space

No need to wait on the networks and studios… it’s the digital age! These days, it’s widely feasible to independently produce projects and find an audience by distributing online. With the rise of content readily available (and the decline of attention spans), many writers have turned to web series and digital shorts to give their voice an immediate home. Hear from panelists who have done just that as they discuss how to keep narratives as concise as they are compelling, and ways to use short form storytelling as a calling card to break in.

Moderators

Linnea Toney

Moderator

Panelists

Julie Kalceff

creator/writer/director/producer Starting From Now; writer/director ex, The Newtown Girls; writer/director/producer Move, The Washing Machine

Julie Kalceff is an award-winning writer, director and producer. A graduate of the Australian, Film, Television and Radio School with a Masters Degree in Scriptwriting, Julie has been working in the film and television industry for over 15 years. Julie is the creator, writer, director... Read More →

Rosie Lourde

actor/producer Starting From Now, Skin Deep

Rosie is a cross-platform actor/producer. Multiplatform series STARTING FROM NOW has reached over 30 million views online and sold to broadcast television station SBS2 earlier this year. Rosie recently received development funding through Screen Australia’s Gender Matters initiative... Read More →

Tracy Oliver

co-writer Barbershop 3, Girl Trip, The Neighbors, The Start-UP, Survivor's Remorse; writer/producer/actress The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

Tracy Oliver is an emerging writer in the TV, feature, and digital space. She recently co-wrote Barbershop 3 with Black-ish creator, Kenya Barris, as well as the upcoming Universal movie, Girl Trip, slated for a 2017 release. Her television credits include The Neighbors, The Start-Up... Read More →

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track, Digital Storytelling Track, Digital Download

1:30pm

Great Adaptations

Book-to-film adaptations may sound like they’re a walk in the park – they’re equipped with a thorough storyline, highly developed characters and stakes, and of course, a built-in fan base – but the art of writing them is equally advantageous as it is demanding. Characters in novels usually have an elaborately developed inner life, and visually depicting subtext and nuance in a compelling narrative can be a challenge, especially within the constraints of a 90-minute film. Screenwriters behind some of recent history’s greatest adaptations will discuss translating themes and literary devices, working with authors, and where and when to take creative liberties.

Moderators

Karol Ann Hoeffner

Moderator

Panelists

John Lee Hancock

writer/director The Alamo, The Blind Side; director The Rookie, Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder (2016); writer A Perfect World, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

John Lee Hancock is a film writer, director and producer. His writing credits include A Perfect World, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, The Alamo, Snow White and the Huntsman and The Blind Side. His directing credits include The Rookie, The Alamo, The Blind Side, Saving Mr... Read More →

Richard LaGravenese

writer/director/producer; credits include: The Last Five Years, P.S. I Love You, Behind The Candelabra, The Fisher King, Unbroken, Water for Elephants, Freedom Writers, Living Out Loud, The Bridges of Madison County, A Little Princess, The Horse Whisperer, The Ref, The Divide, A Decade Under The Influence

Richard LaGravenese is a writer, director and producer. Writing credits include: “Behind The Candelabra”, (Emmy Nomination for Best Writing in Television Movie/Mini Series, BAFTA nomination Best Screenplay). “The Fisher King” (AcademyAward®, BAFTA and WGA award nominations... Read More →

Jose Rivera

writer The Motorcycle Diaries, The 33, On the Road, Letters to Juliet, Trade

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

1:30pm

Indie Film Track: Assembling Your Team

The script is done and it’s time to start putting together your team – the folks who can help with shooting schedules, casting, permits, and resetting the entire film in an apartment. Learn who and what you need in your corner in order to make the journey from pre-production to post as seamless as possible.

Moderators

Ashland Viscosi

Moderator - Creatives Meet Business

Panelists

Minhal Baig

writer/director One Night, Hala

Minhal Baig graduated from Yale University in 2012 with a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. In 2013, she was chosen as a fellow for the first annual week-long screenwriting residency in Las Vegas, hosted by The Black List. In 2015, she wrote & directed her feature-length directorial... Read More →

Steve Barr

producer Chronesthesia; writer Born To Dance

Steve Barr moved to New Zealand in 2010 after working for 16 years in the Hollywood system. A graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program at the University of Southern California, he worked for two years as an actor before transitioning into writing and producing. He is... Read More →

Chuy Hernandez

Chuy Hernandez - Owner and Executive producer at Madbox Media (a commercial and content production company) and Bobblehead Productions (TV and TV Commercial Production Co). Started his producing career in Mexico with his first film Malaventura. Producer of Chronically Metropol... Read More →

Derek Sieg

writer/director Hot Air, Swedish Auto, Wasteland; extra The New World

Derek Sieg is an award-winning writer/director educated at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Virginia, who recently returned to his hometown, Charlottesville, VA, after eight years in Los Angeles. His critically-acclaimed first feature, Swedish Auto, was released... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

1:30pm

Pushing Boundaries

As T.S. Eliot put it, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” Without the daringness and resolve of visionary writers, television and film would not be what they are today. Join writers as they discuss the boundaries they’ve pushed, the hurdles they had to overcome, and why it’s important to constantly challenge the status quo.

Moderators

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Kent Alterman

President Comedy Central

Michelle Ashford

creator/executive producer Masters of Sex; writer The Pacific, John Adams, Boomtown

Stephen Falk

creator/executive producer/showrunner You're The Worst; co-executive producer Orange is the New Black, co-executive producer Weeds

Tom Szentgyorgyi

executive producer Bates Motel (2015-2016), The Mentalist (2009-2015); writer/producer Journeyman (2007), NYPD Blue (2002-2005); writer Sports Night (1999); playwright

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

1:30pm

Research and Development at Disney and Pixar Animation Studios: Collaboration and Immersion

The development process at Disney and Pixar is unique in the industry and has led to award-winning films like Disney’s Big Hero 6 and Zootopia and Pixar’s Toy Story 3 and Inside Out. Creative development team members Bryan Davidson and Erika Schmidt will share insights on how research and development help create believable worlds, engaging characters, and compelling stories.

Panelists

Bryan J Davidson

Creative Executive for Walt Disney Animation Studios

Bryan Davidson is a Los Angeles-based playwright and animation executive. As a Senior Creative Executive for Walt Disney Animation Studios, he has worked on films including Wreck-it Ralph, Zootopia and the upcoming short film Inner Workings. As a playwright, his work has been seen... Read More →

Erika Schmidt

Creative Development Associate Pixar Animation Studios

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Animation

1:30pm

Screenwriters Agreements

Industry representatives in entertainment provide an overview of screenwriters’ agreements, contracts, and legalities, along with advice on securing the best deal, avoiding common mistakes, and knowing what a Writers Guild agreement has to offer.

Moderators

Fred Strype

Moderator; AFF Screenwriting Award Winner; Chair at Sarah Lawrence College's Filmmaking, Screenwriting & Moving Image Arts Program

Panelists

Stephen Clark

Partner at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman

Adam Kolbrenner

Co-founder Madhouse Entertainment

Kay S. Wolf

WGAW Independent Film Executive

Kay S. Wolf is the Writers Guild of America, West’s Independent Film Executive in Los Angeles. She conducts outreach to narrative and documentary writers and producers, encouraging them to use WGA contracts both domestically and in international markets. Kay started at the WGAW... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

1:30pm

The One I Love: A Case Study on Relationships

Collaborators Justin Lader and Charlie McDowell discuss their break-out hit The One I Love, their writer/director relationship, what it was like working with the Duplass Brothers, and how in independent film – especially this one – not everything is what it seems.

Moderators

Marcie Mayhorn

Moderator; Writer's PA "A.P.B."

Panelists

Justin Lader

writer The Discovery (2017), The One I Love

Charlie McDowell

director The One I love, Silicon Valley; co-writer/director The Discovery

After attending American Film Institute’s Directing program, Charlie McDowell went on to direct his first feature film, THE ONE I LOVE, which had its premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It went on to play at some of the top film festivals in the world including Sarasota... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

1:30pm

Austin Pitch #4

Panelists

Andrea Dimity

Literary Manager/ Producer at Pannon Entertainment, Inc.

Andrea Dimity is a film producer and literary manager based in Los Angeles. She started working in the entertainment industry while attending the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television. Since then she has worked for such prolific producers and directors as Lorenzo di Bonaventura... Read More →

Michael Fry

writer/co-creator Over The Hedge; writer/illustrator The Odd Squad series, How To Be A Supervillain series (upcoming); co-writer/illustrator The Naughty List series

Michael Fry has been a cartoonist and writer for over 30 years. He has created or co-created four internationally syndicated comic strips including the current “Over the Hedge” (writer with T Lewis illustrating) for Universal Press Syndicate. “Over the Hedge”runs in over... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

1:30pm

*Roundtable: Breaking in and Staying In

*Get in-depth answers to your questions about ways to navigate the film and television industry, and the seemingly endless ways to break in as a writer. What are good strategies for networking and making important contacts? What are the current practices, routines, and trends to be aware of? What are the differences between various forms of representation, and what should you expect from those relationships? This roundtable session offers registrants exclusive access to screenwriters, directors, producers, executives, and reps in an informal setting. Come prepared with questions that focus on the importance of both the art and the business sides of breaking into and staying in a film or television writing career.

*This Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Crail Hall, located at 301 E 8th Street. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Kim Bass

writer In Living Color, Sister, Sister, Kenan & Kel; writer/director Kill Speed, Day of Days (2016)

Asmara Bhattacharya

writer Stone; 8-time AFF Screenwriting Competition Second Rounder; creator DickFlicks.net

VJ Boyd

writer/producer Justified, The Player, Snowfall

VJ Boyd has written for JUSTIFIED and THE PLAYER and is the author of the graphic novel GHOST COP. He is currently producing his pilot THE JURY for ABC.

Kelly Fullerton

writer The Fosters (S1-2), Next Caller, Awkward (S1-2)

Kevin Hamedani

Moderator; co-writer/director ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, Junk

Tess Morris

writer Man Up

Jason Neulander

writer/director The Intergalactic Nemesis, Hit & Run, Buttercup

Jason Neulander is an award-winning writer, director, and producer based in Austin, Texas. He is best known for creating the transmedia sci-fi multiverse THE INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, which takes the form of graphic novels, a YouTube series, podcasts, audio dramas, novels, and a live... Read More →

Anne Rapp

writer Dr T and the Women, Cookie's Fortune; script supervisor Funny People, This is Spinal Tap, The Color Purple, Death Becomes Her, That Thing You Do!

Edward Ricourt

writer of Now You See Me; consulting producer/writer Jessica Jones, Wayward Pines

Jason Romaine

writer Making a Scene with James Franco, Camp; creator Soho Haus Rules

Jason Romaine is a comedy writer based in Los Angeles. He is currently writing on a Rooster Teeth digital series in Austin, Texas. Jason served as the head writer for the Emmy nominated AOL's "Making a Scene with James Franco" Season 2 and Maker's long form web series "Camp." He recently... Read More →

Dan Rosen

writer The Last Supper; writer/director Freeloaders; writer/producer The First Family

Dan Rosen’s first screenplay was the critically acclaimed cult favorite, “The Last Supper” starring Cameron Diaz, Anabeth Gish, Ron Pearlman, and Bill Paxton. Debuting at the Toronto Film Festival, The Last Supper was a crowd favorite at The London Film Festival, South By Southwest... Read More →

Mark L. Smith

writer The Revenant, Vacancy

Bill True

writer Runaway

Nick Watson

Creative Executive at Artillery Creative; Freelance Animation Writer at Hasbro Studios

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Breaking In

1:30pm

Producers Badge Roundtable: Perrin Chiles

Panelists

Perrin Chiles

CEO/co-founder Adaptive Studios; executive producer Project Greenlight, The Runner, Coin Heist

Friday October 14, 2016 1:30pm - 2:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

2:00pm

The Producers (1967) Presented by Phil Rosenthal

(USA, 90 min)
Writer/Director: Mel Brooks
After failing as a Broadway producer, Max Bialystock is forced into a life of fulfilling the sexual fantasies of elderly women make ends meet. His luck takes a turn for the better after meeting Leo Bloom, a neurotic accountant who unknowingly inspires Max with a crazy idea of how to turn failure into fortune – secure a huge financial investment for a play, and pocket the investors’ money after producing a sure-fire flop. Their secret weapon: Springtime for Hitler – the worst play they could ever hope to find. Convinced the play will close within one night, the duo sets out to get rich quick.

Panelists

Breaking In: Playwrights turned Screenwriters

We’ve all heard that the industry can be quite dramatic, so it’s not hard to believe that more and more writers are finding success by breaking in from the world of theatre. Especially with the fast-paced nature of television, showrunners are on the constant prowl for those who have mastered the craft of dialogue, structure, and creating characters: skills well honed by many-a-playwright. Join panelists who have tackled writing for both the stage and screen, and how their experience in theatre helped inform their work across mediums.

Moderators

Samantha Levenshus

Managing/Literary Director at Stage Rights; writer

Panelists

Melanie Marnich

writer Big Love; writer/producer The Big C, The Affair, the upcoming Netflix show The OA; playwright

Jose Rivera

writer The Motorcycle Diaries, The 33, On the Road, Letters to Juliet, Trade

Tom Szentgyorgyi

executive producer Bates Motel (2015-2016), The Mentalist (2009-2015); writer/producer Journeyman (2007), NYPD Blue (2002-2005); writer Sports Night (1999); playwright

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Breaking In Track, Playwriting Track

3:15pm

How I Met Your Mother: A Conversation with Carter Bays

Sit down and strap in for what’s sure to be a comedy-packed story, full of unconventional twists and turns with the co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, Carter Bays. Bays will discuss how he broke standard sitcom rules, the importance of knowing your ending, and how his love for structure and plot guided his creative process in creating one of the longest-running stories in TV history.

Moderators

Becka Oliver

Moderator; Executive Director of the Writers' League of Texas

Becka Oliver joined the Writers' League in 2013 as Executive Director after more than sixteen years of experience working in book publishing. She spent much of her publishing career inside two of the “big six” publishing leaders – Macmillan and Hachette Book Group -- licensing... Read More →

Panelists

Carter Bays

co-creator/executive producer How I Met Your Mother; writer American Dad!, Late Show with David Letterman

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Television, Comedy

3:15pm

Indie Film Track: Directing Your Own Script

The prospect of directing your own script is an exciting one. Though this endeavor hands you the creative reins of the project as a whole, it also presents a new set of obstacles and responsibilities to navigate. After all, writing a script is free, but shooting a film can cost an exorbitant amount. So how should your roles as writer and director affect and inform one another? Writer/directors will share their own experiences and constructive advice crucial for aspiring multi-taskers.

Moderators

Chet Garner

Moderator; host/executive producer/writer The Daytripper

Panelists

Brandon Dickerson

writer/director Sironia, Victor, When Jack Went Glamping; director A Single Frame; writer Benjamin Dove, storiesaboutmyass.com

Brandon Dickerson is an award-winning writer and director with an extensive body of work in features, commercials, and music videos. He has been honored with the coveted Cannes Gold Lion as well as two Austin Film Festival Audience Awards for his debut feature SIRONIA and documentary... Read More →

Jake Goldberger

writer/director Don McKay, Life Of A King, Holding Patterns

Jake’s debut feature, Don McKay, a darkly comic thriller starring Academy Award Nominees Thomas Haden Church, Elisabeth Shue and Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo, premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival before its theatrical release in April 2010 courtesy of Image Entertainment. His... Read More →

Lena Khan

writer/director The Tiger Hunter

Lena Khan is an writer and director who allows her work to be an organic blend of her varied experiences, the multi-faceted elements of her identity, her witty outlook on life, and her rich emotional aptitude. Lena graduated summa cum laude and received undergraduate degrees at... Read More →

Matt Porter

co-writer/co-director, 5 Doctors (AFF 2016 World Premiere), Comedy Central’s New Timers web series

Matt Porter is a director, writer, and actor living in New York City. He is the co-star/co-director/co-writer of the film 5 DOCTORS and the Comedy Central web series NEW TIMERS. Matt has written and directed content for Cracked, Funny or Die, Adult Swim, MTV Other, Sony, and others... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track, Digital Download

3:15pm

The Creative Career: Practical Tips for Starting Out

A panel of successful WGAW writers will discuss what you need to know in your career, how to avoid common pitfalls, and what the Writers Guild can do for you.

This panel is presented by the Writers Guild of America, West.

Moderators

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Panelists

Amy Berg

writer/executive producer Counterpart, Da Vinci's Demons, Eureka, Person of Interest

Scott Neustadter

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Disaster Artist

Angelo Pizzo

writer/producer Rudy, Hoosiers; writer/director My All American

Anne Cofell Saunders

co-executive producer Timeless; writer Battlestar Galactica, 24; writer/producer Smallville, Revolution, Chuck

Anne Cofell Saunders first broke into television as an assistant and lead researcher on the ground-breaking series "24," where she earned her first writing credit. From there, she staffed on the critically acclaimed re-imagining of "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA," where she shared a Peabody... Read More →

Sponsors

WGA West

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

3:15pm

The Writer/Monster Mash-Up

Monsters, myths, and mysterious goings-on have been rooted in our most visceral fears since childhood. The fear of the Boogeyman now reigns just as strong as that of vampires, headless horsemen, and prehistoric monsters. Join this monster mash-up – sure to be equal parts horrifying and helpful – for a discussion on how the dead and dark can scare the living daylights out of your audience.

Moderators

Greg Garrett

Moderator; author; professor at Baylor University

Panelists

Max Borenstein

creator Minority Report (television show); writer Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla 2

James V Hart

writer Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Contact, Tuck Everlasting, Muppet Treasure Island, August Rush, Epic, Crossbones; creator of HartChart story mapping tool

Andrew Kevin Walker

writer Se7en, Sleepy Hollow, Nerdland

Andrew Kevin Walker wrote SE7EN, Tim Burton's SLEEPY HOLLOW, and rewrote THE GAME and FIGHT CLUB. He wrote scripts for HBO's TALES FROM THE CRYPT and PERVERSIONS OF SCIENCE, as well as THE FOLLOW and AMBUSH for the BMW Short Film Series, THE HIRE. His movie treatment REMEMBER... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

3:15pm

The Writer/Producer Dynamic: A Case Study

What does it take to forge a strong collaboration? As the writer’s role in the production process rapidly evolves, so too does the dynamic between their relationship with producers. Join this candid conversation with Craig Mazin and Lindsay Doran on how to be the writer producers love, and vice versa, as well as the inevitable hardships that go hand-in-hand with trusting others with your fate.

Moderators

Michael H Weber

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Masterpiece, Our Souls At Night

Panelists

Lindsay Doran

producer Stranger Than Fiction, Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee, Dead Again; executive producer The Firm, Sabrina; former president/COO of United Artists

Craig Mazin

co-host ScriptNotes; writer Identity Thief, The Hangover Parts II & III, Scary Movie 3 & 4, Rocketman

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

3:15pm

Tuning In: Music in Television

Tune in for a panel that explores music in television and how to use songs to enhance the world of your story. Writers of Nashville and Empire discuss how they approach music as a character, the importance of tone and structure, and, above all else, sustaining verisimilitude throughout the process.

Moderators

Fabienne Harford

Moderator

Fabienne (Fabs) Harford first joined the AFF team in 2003 as the Volunteer Coordinator. Over the course of her involvement with the Festival, she’s worked in a variety of roles including: Marketing Director, Young Filmmakers Program Director, Financial Analyst and Assistant Director... Read More →

Panelists

Wendy Calhoun

writer/producer Justified, Revenge, Nashville, Empire

Malcolm Spellman

writer/producer Empire; writer Our Family Wedding

Malcolm Spellman grew up in the culturally diverse East Bay Area and prides himself on a true grasp of the term "mulit-culti." Raised in Berkeley he moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a script reader and video-game tester until selling his first spec to Fox 2000 in 2000... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Television

3:15pm

Austin Pitch #5

Panelists

Deniese Davis

producer Awkward Black Girl, Guidance, The Choir, Sequin Raze, Insecure

Dan Rosen

writer The Last Supper; writer/director Freeloaders; writer/producer The First Family

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

3:15pm

Second Rounders Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television

Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art, craft, and business of screenwriting. This session offers Second Rounds from the Screenplay Competition exclusive access to writers, executives, studio reps, agents, managers, producers, and attorneys in an informal setting. Take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to ask those burning questions: What’s the best way to overcome writer’s block? Or risk a taking a new direction after established success? How do I find representation? Are studios buying spec scripts? What are emerging trends in the industry? Don’t miss your chance to ask all this and more without being charged by the hour or forgoing a percentage of your script sale.

*This roundtable is open to Second Rounders only.

Roundtables required advance sign-up through the Screenplay Department.

Panelists

Geoff Betts

Business Agent WGA East

Geoff Betts has been a Business Agent with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) for the past nine years. He administers the Guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) on behalf of all WGA film, television and digital media writers on the east coast. This is in addition to overseeing... Read More →

Kelly Jo Brick

writer Pause, The Jewel in the Woods; contributing editor TVWriter.com

Stephen Clark

Partner at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman

Aaron Covington

writer Creed; director

Andrea Dimity

Literary Manager/ Producer at Pannon Entertainment, Inc.

Rick Dugdale

president Enderby Entertainment; producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway, Rosemont, Dawn Patrol

Tim Herlihy

writer Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Pixels, The Ridiculous Six

Daniel Petrie, Jr.

partner Enderby Entertainment; writer Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy; director Dawn Patrol, Toy Soldiers; executive producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway; former WGAW President

Morgan Long

International Consultant for The Gersh Agency

David Misch

writer/producer Mork and Mindy, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Saturday Night Live, Funny: The Book

Jason Romaine

writer Making a Scene with James Franco, Camp; creator Soho Haus Rules

Chris Sparling

writer Buried, The Sea of Trees, ATM; writer/director Mercy, The Atticus Institute

Meta Valentic

producer Trying, Urbania; assistant director Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Lost, Bones, Nixon

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Roundtable

Tags Second Rounders only

3:15pm

Semifinalists and Above Panel: AMA - Agents, Managers, and Answers

Agents and managers will share their advice on how to start the process of finding representation, what agencies are looking for in a new writer, some of the most common problems they’ve encountered, and what a writer should expect from the relationship. Join this “Ask Me Anything” styled discussion for an inside look at the blood and guts of the business, and come prepared with questions on what you can do to best position yourself to transition from an aspiring writer to a working writer.

This panel is open to Semifinalists and above only.

Moderators

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists

David Boxerbaum

Senior Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency

An agent in the Lit Department at Paradigm, David represents high level writers, directors and producers for Film and TV. David’s impressive client roster is only a testament to his ambition, commitment and sensibility. His notable client list includes David Guggenheim, writer... Read More →

Melissa Breaux

Manager at Washington Square Arts & Film

Melissa Breaux is a talent manager of actors, writers, and directors at Washington Square Films. Melissa’s clients include; Andre Royo, Terrell Tilford, Gabriel Luna, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Wade Allain-Marcus, Hannah Hodson, and Louis Ozawa Changchien (actors). Nicole Kassell... Read More →

Katie Cates

Aaron Kaplan

Manager Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Semifinalists and above

3:15pm

Young Filmmakers Program: Pitch #1

This session is for the Young Filmmakers Program only.

The student pitch sessions give high school students the opportunity to pitch their best ideas to industry professionals and receive feedback in an encouraging setting, while learning more about the art of the pitch.

Panelists

Jennifer Howell

Head of Feature Development at Dreamworks Animation

Jennifer Howell is a Senior Level Film and Television Creative Executive with a wide range of experience developing material, creating partnerships, leading teams of other executives, writers, and producers for nearly 20 years. Howell currently serves as the Head of Feature Development... Read More →

Cindy McCreery

Moderator; writer Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove, Steven King's Haven, Seventh Day, Parker; Disney/ABC Feature Writing Fellow; Professor UT Austin

Tiffany Paulsen

writer Nancy Drew, Adventures in Babysitting

A former professional actress, Tiffany launched her writing career in 2006 after she won a prestigious Disney/ABC writing fellowship. In 2007, she created the big-screen version of the iconic NANCY DREW series for Warner Brothers, starring Emma Roberts. Since then, she has developed... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Young Filmmakers Program, Pitch

3:15pm

Script-to-Screen: Ghostbusters

Join director Paul Feig and his co-writer Katie Dippold as they dissect the journey from script-to-screen of the rebooted blockbuster Ghostbusters. The duo will discuss their writer/director relationship, what changes were made for production and why, as well as the inspirations, influences, and departures they made from the original film.

THIS PANEL HAS EXTENDED TIME AND WILL END AT 4:45PM.
Those who enrolled in the advance sign-up for this session are required to show up 15 minutes early and will be admitted first. The panel will then open to remaining Badge holders.

Moderators

Christopher Boone

Moderator; writer/director Cents; contributor No Film School

Panelists

Katie Dippold

writer The Heat, Ghostbusters (2016), Parks and Recreation, Presenter of the 2016 Extraordinary Contribution to Film award recipient

Katie Dippold is a screenwriter, her most recent film is GHOSTBUSTERS (2016) directed by Paul Feig starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. She recently finished production on an UNTITLED ADVENTURE COMEDY film, starring Amy Schumer... Read More →

Paul Feig

2016 Extraordinary Contribution to Film award recipient

Paul Feig is a multi-talented creator, working successfully as a filmmaker, writer, producer, and author. Feig’s most recent film was a reboot of Ghostbusters, which was released on July 15, 2016 with a female-led cast that includes Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Friday October 14, 2016 3:15pm - 4:45pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Script-to-Screen, Case Study, Awardee

4:00pm

Script Reading: WAR STORY

Two soldiers, two bankers, a war overseas and a war at home. Beau Willimon's WAR STORY explores how we navigate the battlefields of our past as we confront an uncertain future.

Directed by: Beau Willimon
Featured Cast: Glen Powell

Panelists

Beau Willimon

creator House of Cards (US, TV Series)

Sponsors

(USA, 9 min)
Director: Rebecca Stern
Well Groomed is a psychedelically hued journey into the colorful world of competitive creative dog grooming - diving deep into the passion these specialized groomers bring to their competitions.

Friday October 14, 2016 4:30pm - 6:15pm
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

Short Film

4:45pm

Film Texas BBQ Supper

Hosted by the Texas Association of Film Commissions, Producers Badges are invited to kick off the weekend, chat and chow down at one of the most highly anticipated events of the Festival each year. Join us back at French Legation Museum and savor world-famous BBQ, washed down with a cold beer or glass of Chloe Wine. Representatives from regional film commissions across Texas will be on hand to tell you all about the media production industries in Texas.

*Pick up the shuttle outside the Driskill Bar on 7th Street starting at 4:30pm. Return shuttles will stop running at 7:30pm

Must have an AFF Producers Badge or be on the Texas Association of Film Commissions Guest List for entry. All parties are 21 and up.

Friday October 14, 2016 4:45pm - 6:45pm
French Legation Museum 802 San Marcos Street, Austin, TX 78702

Party

5:00pm

Blood Stripe

(USA, 92 min)
Writers: Remy Auberjonois, Kate Nowlin (in attendance)
Director: Remy Auberjonois
Cast: Kate Nowlin, Tom Lipinski, Chris Sullivan, Rusty Schwimmer, René Auberjonois
A U.S. Marine sergeant returns home from her third tour of duty in Afghanistan unable to sleep and wracked by paranoia and anxiety. Feeling disconnected from her home life with her husband and friends and frustrated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, she retreats deep into Minnesota’s North Woods. There she seeks refuge at a picturesque summer camp with a plainspoken overseer and a local fisherman, but her deep emotional wounds continue to overwhelm and traumatize her.

Community Partners

(USA, 101 min)
Writer/Director: Ned Crowley (in attendance)
Cast: Jim O’Heir, Andrew J. West (both in attendance), Josh McDermitt, Anne Dudek
Straight-laced accountant Lenny Freeman dreams of becoming a famous comedian. There's only one problem. Lenny's not funny. Still, he hits the road to audition for a Vegas stand-up contest and along the way picks up a mysterious traveler named “Hitch.” When Lenny tests his act at a small town open-mic, a run-in with a heckler leads to murder. And as the body count piles up, Lenny discovers the dark truth -- all the violence and mayhem is actually improving his comedy.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:45pm - 8:46pm
Texas Spirit Theater

Film, Dark Matters

6:45pm

Holding Patterns

(USA, 102 min)
World Premiere
Writer/Director: Jake Goldberger (in attendance)
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Odeya Rush, Christopher Meloni, Haley Joel Osment, Rita Volk
Mid-twenties, unmotivated, and still living at home with his mother and stepfather, Charlie Brenner is given a surprising boost of confidence when he meets Amber, a local barista. As they become closer, the line between friendship and intimacy is blurred, and the situation forces both of them to examine where they are in their respective lives. Charlie’s situation is further complicated by the sudden appearance of his estranged father.

Sponsors

Screencraft Media

Friday October 14, 2016 6:45pm - 8:47pm
State Theatre

Film, Narrative Feature

7:00pm

The Big Flip - Stories from the Modern Home Front

(USA, 65 min)
World Premiere
Writer/Director: Izzy Chan (in attendance)
Over 18 months, The Big Flip follows the lives of four “flipped” families where the wife is the primary breadwinner and the husband takes care of the home and kids. In a society where the majority of Americans still believe kids are better off with Mom at home instead of at work, and divorce is 40% more likely when the wife is the breadwinner, this documentary follows their quest to redefine love, purpose and happiness when traditional gender roles are reversed.

Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 8:25pm
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

Film, Heart of Film

7:00pm

Good Fortune

(USA, 86 min)
World Premiere

Writer: Johnny O'Hara
Directors: Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell

Born into humble beginnings, at times homeless, John Paul DeJoria is the poster boy of “conscious capitalism” (a.k.a. “the triple bottom line” – people, planet and profit). GOOD FORTUNE tells his heartwarming life story and follows him as he does business as a means to make the world a better place. A self-confessed product of the motorcycle gangs of which he was once a member, JP lives an extraordinary life spreading his messages of “success unshared is failure” and “peace, love and happiness” wherever he goes. From helping to create back-to-work programs for the homeless to fighting whale poachers in the Arctic - this is the fascinating life story of a man whose passions for people and planet are deeply intertwined.

Get all 8 days of film with a Film Pass!
http://austinfilmfestival.com/product/film-pass/

Sponsors

John Paul & Eloise DeJoria

JPs Peace, Love, and Happiness Foundation

Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 8:45pm
Paramount Theatre

Film, Marquee

7:00pm

Filmmakers Meet Up

A place for Filmmakers premiering at the festival to mix and mingle. Marquee, Competition, Feature and Short Filmmakers along with competition judges make for an exciting atmosphere perfect for lively exchange. It is also a great chance to meet our Film Department Director and Film Competition Director and put faces behind the emails and the success of the 2016 Film Line Up. A great way to kick off the Friday evening of parties and films, invitees leave feeling inspired and confident.

Film Department Guest List Only

Community Partners

Lucky Lounge

Film, Marquee

8:45pm

Two Trains Runnin'

(USA, 82 min)
Writer: Benjamin Hedin (in attendance)
Director: Sam Pollard
Cast: Common, Gary Clark Jr., Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams
In June of 1964, two groups of young men made up of musicians, college students, and record collectors traveled to Mississippi. Though neither group was aware of the other, each had come on the same errand: to find an old blues singer and coax him out of retirement. Narrated by Common and featuring new music by Gary Clark Jr., Two Trains Runnin’ revisits an important moment when America's cultural and political institutions were dramatically transformed.

Community Partners

(USA, 90 min)
World Premiere

Writers/Directors: Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani
When all power and communication systems mysteriously shut off, couple and performing comedy duo Gabe and Etta pack up their troubles and hit the road with their trusty dog, Watson and their miserable cat Mrs. Peel in search of a safe haven to wait out the possible extinction event.

In attendance: Writers/Directors/Cast Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani

Community Partners

Loverboy

Sponsors

Screencraft Media

Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:35pm
State Theatre

Film, Comedy Vanguard

9:45pm

Delinquent

(USA, 97 min)
Writer/Director: Kieran Valla (in attendance)
Cast: Alex Shaffer, Bill Sage, Sam Dillon, Erin Darke
Joey’s on the verge of getting kicked out of high school and can’t wait. All he wants is to work for his father, a tree cutter by day and the leader of a gang of small-time thieves by night. So when Joey’s father asks him to fill in as lookout, Joey is thrilled—until a routine robbery goes very wrong. Caught between loyalties to family and a childhood friend in mourning, Joey has to deal with paranoid accomplices, a criminal investigation, and his own guilt.

Community Partners

The Filmmakers Happy Hour is another one of the Festival's great late-night parties and provides filmmakers and registrants alike the opportunity to discuss another full day of panels and the Friday evening films. Swap your Saturday schedule while enjoying a beer on us or martini!

Must have an AFF Producers Badge or be on the Tracking Board Guest List for entry. All parties are 21 and up.

Panelists

Jeff Nichols

writer/director Loving (2016), Midnight Special, Mud, Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories

Sponsors

Hendrick's Gin

Odell Brewing Company

The Tracking Board

Friday October 14, 2016 11:00pm - Saturday October 15, 2016 1:00am
213 W. 5th 213 W. 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Party

11:30pm

The Writer's Burrow

(SPAIN, 102 min)
World Premiere
Writers: Francisco Conde, Kurro González (both in attendance)
Director: Kurro González
Successful writer Carlos has lost his will to write after a tragic event, but his publishers insist that he fulfills his contract. To help with the process, his editor decides to send him Caterina, a young assistant and admirer of his work. Her presence makes Carlos regain some order, and he makes genuine efforts to overcome the fears that paralyze him. He sees Caterina as a unique opportunity to finish his novel, and is not willing to lose her… ever.
Subtitles

Friday October 14, 2016 11:30pm - Saturday October 15, 2016 1:32am
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

Film, Dark Matters

8:30am

Exhibit Hall

Exhibitors

Stage 32

The Hart Chart

Cypress Grove Chevre

Final Draft

MPS Film

Steel City Pops

Seed&Spark

Fade In Software

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 8:30am - 5:30pm
Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701

Special Event

9:00am

Executives and Producers: Film

Hear from the veteran Hollywood executives and producers regarding what they look for in a screenplay, how they decide which writers to work with, and the development of story through execution. Panelists will discuss trends in the industry, how to take your project to the next level, and the edge your script needs to really stick.

Moderators

Daniel Petrie, Jr.

partner Enderby Entertainment; writer Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy; director Dawn Patrol, Toy Soldiers; executive producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway; former WGAW President

Panelists

Lindsay Doran

producer Stranger Than Fiction, Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee, Dead Again; executive producer The Firm, Sabrina; former president/COO of United Artists

Jennifer Howell

Head of Feature Development at Dreamworks Animation

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson - Gran Via Productions; executive producer Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Halt & Catch Fire, Rectify; producer Downsizing, Rain Man, A Little Princess, Galaxy Quest, The Notebook, The Chronicles of Narnia franchise

Mark Johnson is both an Oscar (Rain Man) and an Emmy (Breaking Bad) winner who has produced over forty films and television shows. Johnson produced all of the writer-director Barry Levinson’s films from 1982-1994. In addition to Rain Man, their diverse slate of acclaimed features... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Business, Digital Download

9:00am

Film-Based Television Shows

In an industry that loves reboots and re-imaginings, writers are finding a home for film-based television shows more and more. Though they have pre-established stories at their fingertips, this transition between mediums bears its challenges. How do you expand the story and its characters over the course of the season, while preserving the spirit and tone of the source material? Sit down with writers from Bates Motel, Godzilla, and Minority Report as they share how they navigated these adaptations, while also putting their own spin on the story.

Moderators

Karol Ann Hoeffner

Moderator

Panelists

Max Borenstein

creator Minority Report (television show); writer Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla 2

Tom Szentgyorgyi

executive producer Bates Motel (2015-2016), The Mentalist (2009-2015); writer/producer Journeyman (2007), NYPD Blue (2002-2005); writer Sports Night (1999); playwright

James Wong

writer/executive producer American Horror Story, The Others, Rosemary's Baby (2014); writer/director/co-executive producer The X-Files; writer/director Final Destination

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

9:00am

From SNL to Sisters: A Conversation with Paula Pell

After twenty years in the writers room of Saturday Night Live, Paula Pell has since flexed her writing chops with her NBC neighbors on 30 Rock, in the web world with Hudson Valley Ballers, and for her recent debut into film with Sisters. With more projects on the immediate horizon, come find out why Tina Fey calls Pell the funniest person she knows and why she wins the 2016 Conference award for “best written bio”.

Moderators

John Merriman

Moderator; actor Mustang Island, You Hurt My Feelings

John Merriman is an award winning filmmaker and actor. He starred in the New York Times Critic's Pick YOU HURT MY FEELINGS, the LA Film Fest winning feature GRETCHEN, and the indie comedies PICTURES OF SUPERHEROES and CINEMA SIX. He also acted in the acclaimed Sundance film PIT STOP... Read More →

Panelists

Paula Pell

writer Sisters, Saturday Night Live

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Comedy, Film

9:00am

Indie Film Track: Digital Production and Storytelling

Now that the script is finished, the Herculean task of producing the film begins. With the ever-growing array of equipment and software available to today's filmmaker, how do you get beyond the tech and the buzzwords to find the optimal tools for your story and your budget? How do you maximize creativity and efficiency within those choices? Writer/directors, DPs, editors, and colorists discuss the process of designing the ideal digital workflow for your film.

This panel is presented by Republic Ventures Group.

Moderators

Paul Sedillo

founder/CEO Republic Ventures Group

Paul Sedillo is the founder and CEO of Republic Ventures Group, a company dedicated to being on the leading edge of technology for the digital film industry. His career has allowed him to work with a wide range of global clients. He has worked with companies rated at the top of the... Read More →

Panelists

Amy Bench

cinematographer/filmmaker House of Elegance, The Ville, Loves Her Gun, The Golden Rut

Amy Bench is a cinematographer and filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. She took a circuitous path to filmmaking, first working as an engineer for Eastman Kodak before pursuing an MFA in directing at UT (2010). She has been twice nominated for the Kodak Excellence in Cinematography Award... Read More →

Brandon Bloch

Director of Commercial and Branded Content

Brandon is a versatile commercial, documentary, and integrated campaign director who has worked with major global brands and celebrity talent. Recent commercial projects include an ad for Ford featuring Dan Marino, a national ad campaign celebrating the tradition of the American... Read More →

Douglas Caballero

Chief Business Development Officer, Colaborator

Chief Business Development Officer, Colaborator - the marketplace connecting companies to video professionals. Previously, Douglas was a TV executive at Al Gore's Current TV cable network; he advised SXSW's OTT digital TV network; and he produced and hosted video content for: The... Read More →

Cullen Kelly

founder/creative director Republic Ventures Group

As co-founder of Republic Ventures Group, Cullen Kelly oversees the creative and technical aspects of the company's production and post-production operations. An alum of Art Center College of Design's film program, Cullen's experience spans directing, editing, color grading, and... Read More →

Thaddeus D Matula

director Pony Excess, Brian and the Boz

Thaddeus D. Matula is a Peabody and Emmy-award winning director. He found widespread acclaim with his first feature documentary film, Pony Excess, the series finale of the original run of ESPN’s award multiple award-winning series 30 for 30; the film tells a quintessential story... Read More →

Sponsors

Republic Ventures Group

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

9:00am

Morning Improv

It’s no secret. Writers, by nature, are… well… a bit more on the introspective side. Pitching your logline like a trained Shakespearean actor or approaching your screenwriting idol with the confidence of Kanye West during the Grammys® may feel a tad out of your comfort zone. Never fear – AFF is here! For the second year running, the Festival will be offering morning improv workshops during the Conference to help you warm up your inner Lone Star in order to ‘rise and shine’ throughout the day. Hopefully, you’ll be given the opportunity to say “yes, and” to new skills, friendships, and that screenplay deal. No experience necessary!

This workshop is presented by The New Movement.

Community Partners

The New Movement

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Workshop

Tags Comedy, Pitch Track

9:00am

Playwrights in the Writers Room

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 positively affected their craft as screenwriters.

Moderators

Fred Strype

Moderator; AFF Screenwriting Award Winner; Chair at Sarah Lawrence College's Filmmaking, Screenwriting & Moving Image Arts Program

Panelists

Stephen Falk

creator/executive producer/showrunner You're The Worst; co-executive producer Orange is the New Black, co-executive producer Weeds

Elizabeth Meriwether

creator/executive producer New Girl; writer No Strings Attached

Elizabeth Meriwether is the creator and showrunner of the hit TV series New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel, currently in its fifth season on FOX. New Girl is a critical and audience favorite and has been nominated for five Golden Globes and five Emmy Awards. Liz is also known... Read More →

Beau Willimon

creator House of Cards (US, TV Series)

Alexander Woo

executive producer/writer True Blood

Alexander Woo is a playwright, screenwriter, and writer/producer for television. He served as Executive Producer on HBO's TRUE BLOOD, earning an Emmy nomination, two Golden Globe nominations, and two NAACP Image Award nominations. He has also created number of pilot projects, including... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Playwriting Track

9:00am

Science Fiction vs. Science Fact

A lot of the allure of science fiction lies in the excitement of its outlandish worlds and imaginative circumstances. But there’s also a part where audiences can’t help but wonder: could this really happen? Between mass zombie outbreaks to intricate time travel to adventures through space, writers need to know where to pull from scientific fact, and where to bend the truth. Join this discussion with writers and scientists alike on balancing fiction with fact and what’s required for viewers to truly suspend their disbelief so the appearance of truth is always within arm’s reach. After all, the science fiction of today could very well be the science fact of tomorrow.

This panel is presented by The Science and Entertainment Exchange.

Moderators

Rick Loverd

Panelists

Summer Ash

Director of Outreach for Columbia University's Department of Astronomy

Summer Ash is the Director of Outreach for Columbia University's Department of Astronomy. Having been formally trained in both rocket scientist and radio astronomy, she’s now harnessing her powers for science communication. Her written work has appeared in The Atlantic, Smithsonian... Read More →

Wendy Calhoun

writer/producer Justified, Revenge, Nashville, Empire

Spiros Michalakis

Spiros Michalakis is a quantum physicist at Caltech, where he splits his time between research on the origins of space and time, and outreach to the public. He has worked with Google on QCraft, a mod for Minecraft, which introduced millions of kids to the strange world of quantum... Read More →

Nicole Perlman

writer Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel (2019), Pokémon (2018)

Community Partners

National Academy of Sciences

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

9:00am

Turning Failure into Success

Join this panel as it uncovers mistakes and missteps made by some of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters and how they used these hardships as major learning opportunities. In an industry wrought with “no’s”, learn how to overcome rejection and turn failure into success.

This panel is presented by The Tracking Board.

Moderators

Jorge Gonzalez

Moderator

Jorge began his career as a creator, producer, and writer setting up several digital series with companies like Cinetic, Nickelodeon, and WIT.tv. He transitioned into development, working for a Los Angeles based talent management/production company where he held the position of Creative... Read More →

Panelists

Malcolm Spellman

writer/producer Empire; writer Our Family Wedding

John Turman

Writer Hulk, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Ben 10: Alien Swarm, Crow; Stairway to Heaven (TV) Macgyver (TV)

Cormac Wibberley

writer National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

Marianne Wibberley

writer National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

Sponsors

The Tracking Board

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

9:00am

Writing for the Web: Digital Storytelling

It’s hard to believe how recently it was that original programming had only one possible path for development: the weekly broadcast on the living room television set. In the last few years alone, the wireless age and its trailblazers have introduced us to an explosion of new options, new prospects, and a new kind of platform that is quickly changing the landscape of storytelling. Come join this panel of writers who used the expansion of the digital space to their advantage, why they choose to tell stories, and how new media is forging the way for a more democratic form of distribution.

Moderators

Alisa Perren

Moderator

Alisa Perren is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radio-TV-Film at The University of Texas at Austin. She is co-editor of Media Industries: History, Theory, and Method (2009), author of Indie, Inc.: Miramax and the Transformation of Hollywood in the 1990s (2012), and co-founder... Read More →

Panelists

Amy Berg

writer/executive producer Counterpart, Da Vinci's Demons, Eureka, Person of Interest

Bob Dearden

writer iZombie, Play It Again, Dick

Bradley Jackson

writer/co-producer Balls Out; co-creator/co-writer Crunch Time; co-author The Naughty List

Bradley Jackson is a writer/director/novelist from Austin, Texas. His first feature film Balls Out (which he wrote/co-produced) stars Jake Lacy (Obvious Child, Girls) and Kate McKinnon, Jay Pharaoh and Beck Bennett (from Saturday Night Live) and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival... Read More →

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Digital Storytelling Track

9:00am

Austin Pitch #6

Panelists

Kelly Fullerton

writer The Fosters (S1-2), Next Caller, Awkward (S1-2)

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

9:00am

Producers Badge Roundtable: Kent Alterman

Panelists

Kent Alterman

President Comedy Central

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

9:00am

Second Rounders and Above Panel: Labs, Workshops, and Competitions

Sure, there are a lot of scripts out there, and a lot of writers who want their work to be discovered, but there are also a lot different places you can go to take that next step into the world of screenwriting. Countless writers find success by submitting their work to various programs around the world. Screenwriters labs, writing workshops, script competitions, and fellowships all have their strengths and a list of successful alumni to prove it, but what separates one from another, and which one is the best fit for you? Join this panel of writers for their seasoned insight on the variety of options, what these programs can offer, and using them as a means to break in.

This panel is open to Second Rounders and above only.

Moderators

Greg Beal

Director of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Panelists

Kelly Jo Brick

writer Pause, The Jewel in the Woods; contributing editor TVWriter.com

Zahir McGhee

writer/producer Scandal, Private Practice

Born and raised in South Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia, Zahir earned a M.F.A. from the University of Southern California in Writing for Screen and Television. In 2010, Zahir was selected as one of eight participants in the Disney/ABC Television Writing Fellowship. Later that... Read More →

Ray Utarnachitt

writer DC's Legends of Tomorrow, The Tomorrow People, Person of Interest

Ray Utarnachitt is currently an Executive Story Editor on DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW. He is a Michigan native and like any good Asian student, was pre-med at the University of Michigan for 3 years. Much to his parents’ dismay, he switched tracks and graduated with a Film degree... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Second Rounders and above

9:00am

Semifinalists Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television

Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art, craft, and business of screenwriting. This session offers Semifinalists from the Screenplay Competition exclusive access to writers, executives, studio reps, agents, managers, producers, and attorneys in an informal setting. Take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to ask those burning questions: What’s the best way to overcome writer’s block? Or risk a taking a new direction after established success? How do I find representation? Are studios buying spec scripts? What are emerging trends in the industry? Don’t miss your chance to ask all this and more without being charged by the hour or forgoing a percentage of your script sale.

*This roundtable is open to Semifinalists and above only.

Roundtables required advance sign-up through the Screenplay Department.

Panelists

Melissa Breaux

Manager at Washington Square Arts & Film

Andrea Dimity

Literary Manager/ Producer at Pannon Entertainment, Inc.

Rick Dugdale

president Enderby Entertainment; producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway, Rosemont, Dawn Patrol

Kristi Felton

VP of Scripted Programming at AMC/Sundance TV

Christina Hodson

writer Shut In (2016), Untitled Transformers Stand-Alone (2018), Unforgettable (2017)

Aaron Kaplan

Manager Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment

Jono Matt

Anne Cofell Saunders

co-executive producer Timeless; writer Battlestar Galactica, 24; writer/producer Smallville, Revolution, Chuck

Sanjay Shah

writer/co-executive producer Fresh Off The Boat, Enlisted; writer South Park, King of the Hill

Sanjay Shah is a writer/co-executive producer at Fresh Off The Boat on ABC.

Oren Uziel

writer/director Shimmer Lake; writer 22 Jump Street, Freaks of Nature, The God Particle

Rebecca Windsor

Manager of Warner Bros. Television Workshop

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Roundtable

Tags Semifinalists and above

9:00am

The Networking Lounge

Come get away from the bustle of the parties and events, in our NEW Networking Lounge: a space specifically intended to help streamline networking opportunities. Open to anyone looking for an area to set meetings, talk shop, or get some of those freshly inspired ideas down on the page, our Networking Lounge offers designated tables set up for writers to meet potential co-collaborators, conspirators, and creatives. Just some of the topics featured at the lounge include: writers seeking directors; registrants flying solo; playwrights; directors seeking producers; and many more. Caffeine and hydration included!

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 5:45pm
St. David's Episcopal Church, Sumners Hall

Conference, Lounge

Tags Networking

9:00am

Script Library

Saturday October 15, 2016 9:00am - 6:00pm
Intercontinental Stephen F Austin, Cloak Room 701 Congress Avenue

Script Reading

10:30am

Young Filmmakers Competition

(85 min)

Axiom (USA, 10 MIN)
Writers: Matthew Dalton, Jamie Ostmann
Director: Soorim Lee
A good citizen of αβ (Alphabeta) named K struggles to accept the truth about her society and her closest friends.

Mad & Aloof (USA, 6 MIN)
Writer/Director: Aylin Valdes
A high schooler enlists the help of her best friend and a couple of baby goats to win over her crush.

Heroes (USA, 5 MIN)
Writer/Director: Sarah Vasquez
A family struggles to pick up the pieces after their father was killed in combat.

Phantasmagoric! (USA, 4 MIN)
Writer/Director: Harrison Chen
Malus is just your ordinary 10 year old boy…until you make him angry.

Witt’s Third Wheel (USA, 7 MIN)
Writer/Director: Courtney Holden
When two of her best friends decide to start dating, Witt must learn to cope with the changes in their friendship and sleeping arrangements.

Flying (USA, 5 MIN)
Writers: Drew Collie, Sloane Reardon
Director: Sloane Reardon
A young woman learns that in life there are two choices – to hold on, or to let go.

Summer Citrus (USA, 10 MIN)
Writers: Nico Fulton Lavachek, Ronan Walters, George Esteban
Director: Nico Fulton Lavachek
John and Oliver run a lemonade stand to raise money for an inflatable pool. Trouble arises when their competition's lemonade turns out to be too delicious.

Family Under The Roof (USA, 8 MIN)
Writer/Director: Michael Deng
Family Under the Roof tells the story of the boy Yong Wang, a very tough twelve-year-old "young man", whose mother died from an accident and whose family struggles with extreme poverty.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey (USA, 8 MIN)
Writer/Director: Catrin Blythe
When Alex Miller is not allowed to have a birthday party, his best friend decides to throw him the best one ever.

The Watcher (USA, 4 MIN)
Writer: Red Ellisor
Directors: Christina Winbigler, Red Ellisor
A young man recalls a lost love.

The Ripple Effect (USA, 7 MIN)
Writers: Kyle Murphy, Bryson Price, TJ Mattson
Directors: Logan Faught, Cheyenne Mickler
In 2002, three Lampasas teenagers were involved in a hit and run accident on Lake Buchanan, killing high school senior, Justin Roberts. The case went cold for 9 years, until a tip led authorities to the killer. The ripple effect of this tragedy still continues today.

Piping Hot (USA, 7 MIN)
Writer/Director: Miles Millikan
The owner of a failing coffee shop falls in love with a neighboring baker. The only thing standing in the way of their love is a cash register.

One Day on Carver Street (USA, 4 MIN)
Writer/Director: Azure Allen
One Day on Carver Street explores the forgotten history of a South Carolina music establishment that embraced integration in the Jim Crow South.

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:30am - 12:15pm
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

Short Film

10:45am

'Drawing' Back the Curtains: Animation

Sure, animated film and television is a little more drawn than live action fare, but how different is the actual process of bringing it to the screen? This panel features guests that each play a different role in the animation process. They’ll discuss how a good animation script differs from its live action counterpart, the development process involved, and the transformation you should expect in post-production.

Moderators

Fabienne Harford

Moderator

Panelists

Bryan J Davidson

Creative Executive for Walt Disney Animation Studios

Jennifer Howell

Head of Feature Development at Dreamworks Animation

Cort Lane

Senior Vice President of Animation & Family Entertainment at Marvel

Cort Lane has recently taken on a newly-created position at Marvel as Senior Vice President, Animation & Family Entertainment. As a life-long Marvel fan, Lane is thrilled to develop and produce shows within the rich Marvel Universe. Drawing on a wealth of experience in entertainment... Read More →

Jenny Marchick

Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Sony Pictures Animation

As Senior Vice President of Creative Development for Sony Pictures Animation, Jenny Marchick is responsible for the creative supervision of a number of upcoming features for the studio, from inception to script through production, including the inspirational THE STAR, a faith-based... Read More →

Pamela Ribon

writer Moana, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Untitled Wreck-It Ralph Sequel, Bears, Samantha Who?; comic book writer Rick and Morty, SLAM!

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Animation, Family

10:45am

'Net'working: The Screenwriter on Social Media

Networking isn’t just shaking hands anymore, baby. It’s liking, following, sharing, tweeting, posting, adding, connecting, instagramming, linking in – and trying to remember to write some time in between. From Facebook to Twitter, is any and all social media fair “net”working game? And while 140 characters in a screenplay may seem excessive, it’s the perfect amount when schmoozing in the digital space. Join panelists as they discuss ways to fully take advantage of today’s social media landscape, how to stand out in the virtual crowd, and what mistakes to avoid.

Moderators

Trey Selman

Moderator

Panelists

Stephen Falk

creator/executive producer/showrunner You're The Worst; co-executive producer Orange is the New Black, co-executive producer Weeds

Tess Morris

writer Man Up

Marianne Wibberley

writer National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Digital Download, Networking

10:45am

A Conversation with the 2016 Awardees

Join this highly anticipated conversation with the 2016 Awardees, Paul Feig, Marta Kauffman, and Nancy Meyers, as they discuss their careers and approaches to the art, craft, and business of storytelling through film and television.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Paul Feig

2016 Extraordinary Contribution to Film award recipient

Marta Kauffman

2016 Outstanding Television Writer award recipient

Nancy Meyers

2016 Distinguished Screenwriter award recipient

NANCY MEYERS (Writer / Director / Producer) is a trailblazing filmmaker who, as a first-rate writer, director and producer, has created a body of work focusing on the female experience with her exceptionally literate and sophisticated comedies. Tapping into the very heart of modern... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Awardee, Conversation

10:45am

Bringing the Undead Alive in Your Screenplay

What is it about zombies that still feels fresh (despite the smell of rotting flesh), even with a cinematic history that goes back almost as long as film itself? The living dead are alive and well, not only in film, but in television too, thrilling audiences with compelling narratives, gratuitous gore, and a brazen willingness to kill or zombify any character, no matter the “stakes”. Come join the humans behind the zombies to ask any questions that have been eating away at you.

Moderators

Greg Garrett

Moderator; author; professor at Baylor University

Panelists

Angela Kang

writer/co-executive producer The Walking Dead; writer Terriers

Angela Kang joined The Walking Dead writing staff in Season 2 as a Story Editor, quickly rising up the ranks to Co-Executive Producer by Season 5. For Season 7, she expanded her relationship with AMC by signing an overall deal to continue her work on the hit series while developing... Read More →

Mark Protosevich

writer/co-producer The Cell, Oldboy; writer Thor, I Am Legend

Alexander Woo

executive producer/writer True Blood

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

10:45am

Collaborative Creativity: A Conversation with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber

Bursting onto the scene in 2009 with their critically acclaimed and highly original film (500) Days of Summer, screenwriting team Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have kept their hot streak going ever since, penning recent movies The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, and Paper Towns. Come hear the duo discuss their unique collaborative process, how they approach adaptations, their foothold in the young adult arena, and their shift into television with an upcoming project with Netflix.

Moderators

Christopher Boone

Moderator; writer/director Cents; contributor No Film School

Panelists

Scott Neustadter

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Disaster Artist

Michael H Weber

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Masterpiece, Our Souls At Night

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Film

10:45am

Executives and Executive Producers: Digital Media

Hear from these web-savvy execs and executive producers on the world of digital storytelling, ways it’s empowering independent filmmakers and creators, and the tricks of the trade on how to really make a dent within such a saturated virtual market.

Moderators

Bernie Su

creator/executive producer/showrunner The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Emma Approved, Vanity

Panelists

Deniese Davis

producer Awkward Black Girl, Guidance, The Choir, Sequin Raze, Insecure

Matt Hullum

CEO/Co-Founder Rooster Teeth

Rebecca Windsor

Manager of Warner Bros. Television Workshop

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Conference, Panel

Tags Digital Storytelling Track

10:45am

Great Bad Guys

Great bad guys with fully developed worldviews are hard to come by, but when done right, even harder to forget. They keep us up at night, and, if they’re really good (er, bad), force us to see them within ourselves. So what’s the formula for a great bad guy? How do writers create complex antagonists with thorough back-stories and motives that justify bad-doings? Panelists will discuss how they breathe life into the despicable and add depth to the evil in order to give us the movie villains we fear (and love) today.

Moderators

Charles Ealy

Moderator

Charles Ealy is the former books and movies editor for the Austin American-Statesman and the Dallas Morning News.

Panelists

Carl Ellsworth

writer Red Eye; co-writer Disturbia, The Last House on the Left (2009), Red Dawn (2012)

Louisville, Kentucky native Carl Ellsworth’s television writing credits include episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess. He broke into writing movies with his original script for the 2005 DreamWorks thriller, Red Eye, starring Rachel McAdams and directed... Read More →

John Lee Hancock

writer/director The Alamo, The Blind Side; director The Rookie, Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder (2016); writer A Perfect World, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Andrew Kevin Walker

writer Se7en, Sleepy Hollow, Nerdland

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

10:45am

Indie Film Track: Storytelling through Documentaries

Though documentaries are generally pieces of non-fiction, they still very much employ conventions of storytelling. In fact, there's even a multi-layered writing process involved. From conception to post-production, documentary filmmakers are required to constantly adapt to unforeseeable elements and craft a narrative based off the stories and accounts they are able to capture. Join these filmmakers for a conversation on the importance and techniques of planning, interviews, editing, and storytelling through documentaries.

Moderators

Greg Curtis

Moderator; Former Editor of Texas Monthly

Gregory Curtis was the Editor of Texas Monthly from 1981-2000. During his editorship, the magazine won many prizes including five National Magazine Awards. In 2000, it was selected by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the ten best magazine editors in the country. Curtis has... Read More →

Panelists

Justin Agnew

director/producer ProGamer; Master of Architecture NDSU

Justin is an architectural designer from Shorewood, MN and a life long gamer. In 2011, he moved to Austin in pursuit of new horizons and found himself jumping into the deep end in pursuit of a feature length documentary he was compelled to make. ProGamer is his filmmaking debut... Read More →

Steven Balvanz

co-director The Harvest Run

Steven Balvanz is the producer and co-director of The Harvest Run, which is making its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival. He is the President of EPS-Cineworks, a leading postproduction company offering post services to feature and television productions. Previously, he... Read More →

Izzy Chan

director/producer/editor The Big Flip, Sugared Peas

Director, producer and editor for documentary THE BIG FLIP, which is making its world premiere at the festival. I've built a successful career in advertising as a researcher and strategist in human behavior, social trends and popular culture. Some of my favorite work is for visionary... Read More →

Aaron McAdams

co-director The Harvest Run; writer/director Party Like the Queen of France; editor Alaska: The Last Frontier; Woman Rebel

Aaron McAdams is the co-director and editor of The Harvest Run, which is making its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival. His past projects include writing and directing Party Like the Queen of France for National Geographic Channel, working as lead editor on Discovery... Read More →

James D Solomon

director/co-writer/producer The Witness; writer The Conspirator, 100 Centre Street, The Practice; writer/executive producer The Bronx is Burning

James Solomon is drawn to iconic true stories we think we know from Abraham Lincoln’s assassination (THE CONSPIRATOR) to George Steinbrenner’s Yankees (THE BRONX IS BURNING) to the infamous murder of Kitty Genovese (THE WITNESS). Most recently, Solomon directed, produced and... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track

10:45am

Scripts the Biz Loves

It’s no secret: most professional writers have more scripts collecting dust in their drawer than those that have seen the light of day. While there certainly isn’t a perfect recipe for writing a story that captures the attention of Hollywood higher-ups, there are principles and guidelines for scripts that are not only well-written, but also well-timed and suited for industry demands. Behind-the-scenes veterans will discuss the inner-workings of knowing your audience, playing the field, building a diverse repertoire, and navigating ever-shifting trends.

Moderators

Greg Beal

Director of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Panelists

Adam Kolbrenner

Co-founder Madhouse Entertainment

Sarah Malkin

VP of Programming at New Form

Sarah Malkin serves as vice president of programming for entertainment studio New Form Digital. In this newly created role, Malkin oversees the development, production, and distribution of content on New Form Digital-controlled outlets. In the past two years, New Form Digital has... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

10:45am

The Fine Print: Contracts and Options

Take off the reading glasses and join this discussion on the writer’s relationship with “the fine print.” Ranging from contractual agreements, options, and basic legal advice, this is your opportunity to seek counsel without having to sign on the dotted line.

Moderators

Scott Richter

Moderator

Panelists

Geoff Betts

Business Agent WGA East

Stephen Clark

Partner at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman

Greg DePaul

writer Bride Wars, Saving Silverman

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

10:45am

Austin Pitch #7

Panelists

VJ Boyd

writer/producer Justified, The Player, Snowfall

VJ Boyd has written for JUSTIFIED and THE PLAYER and is the author of the graphic novel GHOST COP. He is currently producing his pilot THE JURY for ABC.

Tiffany Paulsen

writer Nancy Drew, Adventures in Babysitting

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

10:45am

*Roundtable: Independent Filmmaking

*Get in-depth answers to your questions about how to make it in the world of independent film. How do you find funds for your project? How does the process of making a short differ from that of a feature? What do the stages of production actually entail? How do you navigate the dense festival circuit and position your film for its best shot at success? And after all that, how do you market your film and find distribution? This roundtable session offers registrants exclusive access to independent filmmakers, producers, and distributors in an informal setting.

*This Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Crail Hall, located at 301 E 8th Street. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Kim Bass

writer In Living Color, Sister, Sister, Kenan & Kel; writer/director Kill Speed, Day of Days (2016)

Emily Best

founder/CEO Seed&Spark; co-creator F*ck Yes!

Jeffrey Brown

Production For Use; producer Punk in Africa, No No: A Dockumentary, Moving Mountains: A Land Art Film, Vinyl Generation, Yallah! Underground, Pirating Pirates, Mamas & Papas

Matt Cook

writer/co-producer Triple Nine, By Way of Helena; co-writer Patriots Day

Brandon Dickerson

writer/director Sironia, Victor, When Jack Went Glamping; director A Single Frame; writer Benjamin Dove, storiesaboutmyass.com

Kieran Fitzgerald

writer Snowden, The Homesman, The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez

Kevin Hamedani

Moderator; co-writer/director ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, Junk

Jacob Jaffke

producer In a Valley of Violence, Sleepwalk with Me, Don't Think Twice, The Sacrament, Jamie Marks Is Dead

Justin Lader

writer The Discovery (2017), The One I Love

Jason Neulander

writer/director The Intergalactic Nemesis, Hit & Run, Buttercup

Ya'Ke Smith

writer/director Katrina’s Son, WOLF, dawn., Hope’s War, One Hitta Quitta; film professor at UT Arlington

Barbara Twist

Managing Director at Art House Convergence

Barbara Twist is a filmmaker based in Detroit, Michigan. As a producer, her credits include an independent feature, Consideration (2013), and as a director, her credits include Shark Tank, a short film which screened at the 2011 Traverse City Film Festival. She is currently in post-production... Read More →

Laura Walker

CEO of AG Capital

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Indie Film Track

10:45am

Producers Badge Roundtable: Phil Hay

Panelists

Phil Hay

writer/producer The Invitation; writer Crazy/Beautiful, Ride Along, Ride Along 2, Clash of the Titans

Saturday October 15, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

11:00am

A Little Princess Presented by Richard LaGravenese and Mark Johnson

(USA, 97 MIN)
Writers: Elizabeth Chandler, Richard LaGravenese
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
A privileged, free-spirited young girl tries to adapt to life in a strict boarding school in this charming, critically acclaimed children's fantasy. Adapting a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, also the author of The Secret Garden, the film shifts the story's setting to World War I. 10 year-old Sara Crewe (Liesel Matthews) has been left in a respected New York City boarding school while her British father heads overseas to fight. Filled with wild stories and a playful attitude, the unconventional Sara becomes popular amongst her classmates but quickly comes into conflict with the harsh headmistress, Miss Minchin (Eleanor Bron), who attempts to quash the child's individuality. The young girl's situation takes a serious turn for the worse when she unexpectedly receives word of her father's death, and, suddenly impoverished, is forced into life as a servant. Treated as a lesser class of person by her former companions, Sara instead befriends her fellow servants and turns to the power of imagination in order to maintain hope for the future. In addition to changing the story's setting, screenwriters Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler add a layer of Indian mythology to the tale, allowing director Alfonso Cuaron the chance to punctuate the riches-to-rags fable with a series of lush, imaginative fantasy sequences.

Panelists

Mark Johnson

Richard LaGravenese

Saturday October 15, 2016 11:00am - 1:57pm
Paramount Theatre

Film

12:00pm

Wrestling Alligators

(USA, 90 min)
Writers: Udy Epstein, Tchavdar Georgiev, Andrew Shea
Director: Andrew Shea (in attendance)
James Billie is the charismatic leader of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an alligator wrestler, a Grammy-nominated recording artist, and the father of Indian gaming. He also sits at the head of one of the biggest gaming operations in the world. Controversial both inside and outside his tribe, James Billie has used his charm and wits to beat the white man, time and again, at his own game. Now, faced with new battles, James and his tribe once again find their way of life challenged.

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:00pm - 1:50pm
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

Film, Heart of Film

12:00pm

The Last Supper (1996) presented by Dan Rosen

The Last Supper (1996) Presented by Dan Rosen

(USA, 92 min)

Writers: Dan Rosen (in attendance)

Director: Stacy Title

Stranded student Pete (Ron Eldard) gets a lift from racist trucker Zack and repays the favor by inviting him in for dinner with his roommates, Jude (Cameron Diaz), Luke (Courtney B. Vance), Marc (Jonathan Penner) and Paulie (Annabeth Gish). When Zack praises Hitler and pulls a knife at the table, the roommates kill him. Rationalizing their actions as a favor to humanity, they bury Zack in the yard and begin to invite other offensive types to a string of similarly murderous meals.

Panelists

Dan Rosen

writer The Last Supper; writer/director Freeloaders; writer/producer The First Family

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:00pm - 2:15pm
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

Film, Retrospective

12:15pm

Awards Luncheon presented by AKR Foundation

Don't miss this year's Awards Luncheon! While attending the Festival, don't miss the opportunity to attend AFF's Awards Luncheon, where you can dine with panelists, awardees, and hear inspiring speeches from this year's honorees and winners. A must attend event to make the most of your AFF experience.

ADDITIONAL TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED! For Awards Luncheon ticketing information, please contact our Registration Director at 512-478-4795

PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY. AFF reserves the right not to seat late parties. This ticket in non-transferable.

Panelists

Paul Feig

2016 Extraordinary Contribution to Film award recipient

Marta Kauffman

2016 Outstanding Television Writer award recipient

Nancy Meyers

2016 Distinguished Screenwriter award recipient

Community Partners

Austin Club

Sponsors

Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:15pm - 2:15pm
The Austin Club 110 E. 9th Street, Austin, TX 78701

Party, Extra Ticket Required

Tags Awardee

12:30pm

First Three Pages, Live!

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.

Moderators

Jason Neulander

writer/director The Intergalactic Nemesis, Hit & Run, Buttercup

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Workshop

Tags Workshop

12:30pm

Indie Film Track: Distribution and Marketing

Even after post-production, the independent filmmaking journey is not finished yet. The end goal, after all, is for people to see your film. Along with navigating the festival circuit, often a filmmaker’s ideal scenario is to find distribution. This can be challenging and arduous work. This panel will feature representatives who can provide insight on the ever-changing distribution models, marketing strategies and practices, and the positive role film festivals can play along the journey.

Moderators

David Gil

marketing director/programmer Violet Crown Cinemas

David Gil began his career working in film and television production with A Scanner Darkly and “American Idol” among his list of credits. He transitioned into film programming in 2009 and has programmed for various festivals including ActionFest, the world’s first film festival... Read More →

Panelists

Evan Bregman

Director of Programming, Rooster Teeth

Evan Bregman is Director of Programming at Rooster Teeth Productions, a pioneering studio responsible for some of the biggest online series in history, such as the award-winning and longest-running web series, Red vs. Blue. In this role, he oversees the strategic release of over 7,000... Read More →

Jacob Jaffke

producer In a Valley of Violence, Sleepwalk with Me, Don't Think Twice, The Sacrament, Jamie Marks Is Dead

Barbara Twist

Managing Director at Art House Convergence

Laura Walker

CEO of AG Capital

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Indie Film Track, Digital Download

12:30pm

Is Your Script or Production in Jeopardy?

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.

This panel is presented by Hiscox Insurance.

Panelists

Melissa Georges

Counsel, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz

Melissa Georges is counsel to our Entertainment Group. For more than 15 years, she has helped award-winning film and television producers, directors, actors, writers, animators, and comedians resolve complex legal issues to get their projects cleared and distributed. Ms. Georges... Read More →

Laura Lee Prather

Partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP

Ms. Prather is a Partner in the Litigation Practice Group at Haynes and Boone, LLP in Austin, TX. Her practice includes First Amendment, intellectual property and media/entertainment litigation and appeals. She is an advocate at the Texas Legislature on First Amendment and open government... Read More →

Joanne Richardson

Practice Leader Media & Entertainment at Hiscox Insurance

Joanne Richardson has been underwriting media and entertainment liability for over 20 years and was designated a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriting (CPCU) in 1995. She spent nine years as an Underwriting Officer at Employers’ Reinsurance Corp./GE Capital (ERC), in New York... Read More →

Peter Rienecker

Vice President/Senior Counsel Original Programming at HBO

Peter Rienecker is Vice President, Legal Affairs for Home Box Office, responsible for legal matters concerning development, production, distribution and advertising of original programming, First Amendment issues, intellectual property and related labor concerns. In particular... Read More →

Sponsors

Hiscox Insurance

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

Conference, Panel

Tags Business, Indie Film Track

12:30pm

Learning the Tropes: Genre

Working within a specific genre can be a great tool for writers, but it can also make finding a balance between originality and formula more challenging. How do you know when to stick to tradition and when to deviate? This panel of screenwriters on the comedy/tragedy spectrum will discuss why writing within limitations can have its upsides, when to trust your creative instincts, and how to avoid falling into tropes while maintaining the familiarity of conventions.

Moderators

Charles Ealy

Moderator

Charles Ealy is the former books and movies editor for the Austin American-Statesman and the Dallas Morning News.

Panelists

Shane Black

writer/director Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; writer Lethal Weapon, Last Action Hero

SHANE BLACK has been responsible for creating a number of box office blockbusters, including the first two installments of the Lethal Weapon series and 1991’s The Last Boy Scout. In 1990, Shane sold his espionage script The Long Kiss Goodnight for a record sum of money. His directorial... Read More →

John Hamburg

writer/director Along Came Polly, I Love You, Man, Why Him? (2016); co-writer Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers

John Hamburg was born and raised in New York City. He began making short films while still in high school, and later at Brown University, then New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. | | After writing and directing the cult comedy “Safe Men,” which debuted at the... Read More →

Phil Hay

writer/producer The Invitation; writer Crazy/Beautiful, Ride Along, Ride Along 2, Clash of the Titans

Scott Rosenberg

writer High Fidelity, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Con Air, Beautiful Girls

Scott Rosenberg has written the screenplays “THINGS TO IN DENVER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD”, “BEAUTIFUL GIRLS”, “CON AIR”, “DISTURBING BEHAVIOR”, “GONE IN 60 SECONDS”, and “HIGHWAY”. He co-wrote “HIGH FIDELITY” and “KANGAROO JACK”. As well as created and... Read More →

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Genre

12:30pm

Rep-iquette

Agents and managers will share their advice on how to best navigate finding, securing, and utilizing your representation, along with the low-down on the writer/rep etiquette. Join this panel for an inside look at the blood and guts of the business, and what you can do to best position yourself to transition from an aspiring writer to a working writer.

Moderators

James Andrew Miller

Panelists

David Boxerbaum

Senior Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency

Melissa Breaux

Manager at Washington Square Arts & Film

Adam Kolbrenner

Co-founder Madhouse Entertainment

Morgan Long

International Consultant for The Gersh Agency

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Business

12:30pm

Sporting the Screenplay

Bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. A half-court shot at the final buzzer. A Hail Mary in overtime. Sports are naturally full of drama, and the movies that capture this best condense the highest highs and lowest lows into narrative journeys that inspire. Wondering how much research is involved in sports films? Or how writers incorporate other plotlines and themes into a sports-centric narrative? Hear from writers of films such as Hoosiers, The Rookie, Kingpin, The Blind Side, and Creed as they discuss what goes into making a sports script a slam dunk.

Moderators

R.B. Brenner

Moderator; Director of the School of Journalism, UT Austin

R.B. Brenner is a professor and the director of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas. He arrived at UT-Austin in August 2014 from Stanford University, where he joined the faculty four years earlier after leaving The Washington Post. At The Post, his roles included... Read More →

Panelists

Aaron Covington

writer Creed; director

Bobby Farrelly

co-writer Dumb & Dumber; co-writer/director There’s Something About Mary, Me Myself & Irene, Shallow Hal, Stuck on You, Dumb and Dumber To

Recognized worldwide for their distinct comedic sensibility, Bobby Farrelly and his brother Peter have garnered notable and global commercial success with their heartfelt and raucously funny films. Bobby made his directorial debut in 1994 with the film Dumb & Dumber. A commercial... Read More →

John Lee Hancock

writer/director The Alamo, The Blind Side; director The Rookie, Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder (2016); writer A Perfect World, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Angelo Pizzo

writer/producer Rudy, Hoosiers; writer/director My All American

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

12:30pm

The Marvel-ous World of Comic Book Adaptations

You’ve likely noticed the abundance of comic book-inspired films cropping up at the local cinema. The rich back-catalogue of nearly a century’s worth of content provides a seemingly never-ending source of inspiration for big budget spectacles, offbeat comedies, and even quirky romances. And while many of these characters are transformed before our eyes into heroes and villains, how do the writers transform their source material to something that can kick butt on screen? Learn from our superhero panelists on what they did to stay true to such mystical worlds while still infusing originality into these beloved and intricate stories. We promise this panel will be simply Marvel-ous.

Moderators

Alisa Perren

Moderator

Panelists

Cort Lane

Senior Vice President of Animation & Family Entertainment at Marvel

Ashley Miller

writer Thor, X-MEN: First Class, Power Rangers (2016), Big Trouble in Little China; writer/producer Fringe, Black Sails

Edward Ricourt

writer of Now You See Me; consulting producer/writer Jessica Jones, Wayward Pines

John Turman

Writer Hulk, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Ben 10: Alien Swarm, Crow; Stairway to Heaven (TV) Macgyver (TV)

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

12:30pm

When Romance Met Comedy: The Rom Com

It’s a classic formula: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. Romance and comedy are two of the most difficult genres to get right, so why do we keep coming back to them? How do you create something fresh when it seems like everything has been done? Meet the writers of such cliché-challenging films as Friends with Benefits, Man Up, and (500) Days of Summer for a conversation on how to bring authenticity to emotional beats, how to relate to your audience, and how to follow conventions without being conventional.

Moderators

Tiffany Paulsen

writer Nancy Drew, Adventures in Babysitting

Panelists

Will Gluck

writer/director Friends with Benefits, Easy A, Annie; co-creator The Michael J. Fox Show

Will Gluck is a filmmaker with a uniquely authentic voice and an aim to create projects that reflect popular culture and captivate audiences. Gluck has made a name for himself as a great comedic filmmaker who brings heart and a down-to-earth quality to all of his endeavors. Gluck... Read More →

Tess Morris

writer Man Up

Michael H Weber

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Masterpiece, Our Souls At Night

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Genre

12:30pm

Austin Pitch #8

Panelists

Kelly Jo Brick

writer Pause, The Jewel in the Woods; contributing editor TVWriter.com

Bill True

writer Runaway

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

Pitch, Pitch Competition

Tags Pitch Track

12:30pm

*Roundtable: Writing Across Mediums

*Get in-depth answers to your questions about the art of translating or writing across multiple mediums. This roundtable session offers registrants exclusive access to panelists who have found success writing novels, short stories, plays, and adaptations for both film and television, and how this diverse skill set can inform and improve upon the writing process and approach. Come prepared with questions on how to transition from one medium to another, how to tackle adapting your own or others’ work, and the differences between writing styles and industries.

*This Roundtable requires advance registration at the Roundtable Sign-up Table in the Driskill Mezzanine; the Roundtable takes place at St. David’s Episcopal Church’s Crail Hall, located at 301 E 8th Street. Only one roundtable sign-up slot per registrant. Registrants must have the day-approopriate badge.

ROUNDTABLE SIGN UP HOURS:
Registrants must sign up for Roundtable Sessions in the Mezzanine of the Driskill Hotel!
Wednesday, October 12 | 12:00PM–5:00PM
Thursday, October 13 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Friday, October 14 | 8:30AM–5:00PM
Saturday, October 15 | 8:30AM–3:00PM

Panelists

Max Borenstein

creator Minority Report (television show); writer Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla 2

Greg DePaul

writer Bride Wars, Saving Silverman

Michael Fry

writer/co-creator Over The Hedge; writer/illustrator The Odd Squad series, How To Be A Supervillain series (upcoming); co-writer/illustrator The Naughty List series

Samantha Levenshus

Managing/Literary Director at Stage Rights; writer

Elizabeth Meriwether

creator/executive producer New Girl; writer No Strings Attached

Tracy Oliver

co-writer Barbershop 3, Girl Trip, The Neighbors, The Start-UP, Survivor's Remorse; writer/producer/actress The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

Jason Romaine

writer Making a Scene with James Franco, Camp; creator Soho Haus Rules

Russell Leigh Sharman

writer Bobbie Sue; writer/director Apartment 4E; author The Tenants of East Harlem, Nightshift NYC

James D Solomon

director/co-writer/producer The Witness; writer The Conspirator, 100 Centre Street, The Practice; writer/executive producer The Bronx is Burning

Noelle Stehman

Betsy Van Stone

Jamie Wong

creator/executive producer Project Empathy

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

Roundtable, Roundtable

Tags Adaptations, Playwriting

12:30pm

Producers Badge Roundtable: Jacque Edmonds Cofer

Panelists

Jacque Edmonds Cofer

writer/producer Martin, Living Single, Moesha; creator/showrunner Let's Stay Together, Reed Between the Lines

Jacque Edmonds Cofer attended Princeton University, graduating with an A.B. in Politics. She also earned an M.B.A. at the Harvard Business School. | | After her graduation from HBS she left corporate life to become a television writer and producer. Her first network television-writing... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 1:45pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

Roundtable, Producers Badge Roundtable

12:30pm

Second Rounders Panel: The One Hour Drama

Panelists who have worked in the world of one-hour dramas discuss the inner-workings of what to expect: the etiquette, expectations, format, and anatomy of the writers room. Join this interactive workshop and even try your own hand at breaking a story.

This panel is open to Second Rounders only.

Panelists

Anne Cofell Saunders

co-executive producer Timeless; writer Battlestar Galactica, 24; writer/producer Smallville, Revolution, Chuck

Saturday October 15, 2016 12:30pm - 2:30pm
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

Screenplay/Teleplay Session, Panel

Tags Second Rounders only, Workshop

1:00pm

An Acquired Taste

(USA, 70 min)
Writer/ Director: Vanessa Lemaire (in attendance)
Why kill your own food? A new mindful generation of teens defy factory farming and turn to hunting as a way of connecting with the source of their sustenance. Nick, Alex and Ashlie leave behind their modern lives and embark on a journey that is foreign to their parents. To make a humane kill, these animal lovers confront tormenting ethics and their worst nightmares, partly to eat dinner, and partly to carve out their own identities in a world increasingly at odds with reality and nature.

Saturday October 15, 2016 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

Film, Heart of Film

1:00pm

Imperfections

(USA, 109 min)

Writer/Director: David Singer (in attendance)

Cast: Virginia Kull, Ed Begley, Jr., Marilu Henner, Ashton Holmes

Desperate to save enough money to move to Hollywood, struggling actress Cassidy takes a job working as a runner for an importer in Chicago’s diamond district. When she realizes the money is trickling in too slowly for her to put a stake together, she conspires with the owner’s son to stage a robbery and keep the diamonds—using her former boyfriend as the fall guy.

Saturday October 15, 2016 1:00pm - 3:09pm
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

Film, Heart of Film

1:15pm

Script Reading: The Ice Queens

A look inside the volatile, and surprisingly vulnerable, mind of Tonya Harding exposes how 90s pop culture and media inspired and ensnared her and Nancy Kerrigan into an epic and infamous rivalry.

Screenplay by: Amy Talkington
Directed by: Charlie McDowell
Producer: Matt Smith (Circle of Confusion)
Featured Cast: Zosia Mamet, Alexandra Daddario

Panelists

Alexandra Daddario

Alexandra Daddario just wrapped Stacie Passon’s WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN A CASTLE alongside Taissa Farmiga and Sebastian Stan, which Michael Douglas, Bobby Mitas and Jared Ian Goldman are producing, as well as Ari Sandel’s Netflix feature WHEN WE FIRST MET opposite Adam Devine... Read More →

Zosia Mamet

In film and television, Zosia Mamet is quickly establishing herself as one of the industry’s most exciting new talents. Since the spring of 2012, Mamet has starred in the Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning HBO series “Girls.” Created by and starring Lena Dunham, the... Read More →

Charlie McDowell

director The One I love, Silicon Valley; co-writer/director The Discovery

Matt Smith

executive producer Maleficient, Step Up All In, Step Up Revolution; producer Trash Fire, Mayhem

Amy Talkington

writer/director The Night of the White Pants; writer Valley Girl, The Fierce Rejects, The Ice Queens, Brave New Girl; co-writer Avalon High; author Liv, Forever

Amy Talkington is a screenwriter, director, and author. Amy wrote and directed the feature film “The Night of the White Pants” as well as six short films which won multiple awards and played festivals all over the world, including Sundance. As a screenwriter, Amy has numerous... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2016 1:15pm - 3:15pm
State Theatre

Script Reading

2:30pm

The Viagra Chronicles

(GERMANY/ITALY/USA, 88 min)
Writer/Director: Chiara Sambuchi (in attendance)
The Viagra Chronicles follows four men: an Italian gigolo, the head chef of a well-known restaurant in Washington, a young IT specialist, and a sixty-year old from Cologne, Germany. Each from different places and backgrounds, they all have something in common: the regular use of Viagra or similar medication. This documentary examines the culture of sexuality, performance, and expectations through the lives of these four protagonists.

Community Partners

Peach Fuzz Magazine

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:30pm - 4:18pm
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

Film, Heart of Film

2:30pm

My Mother's Wound

(TURKEY, 120 min)
North American Premiere
Writers: Ozan Aciktan, Ozan Guven, Fethi Kantarci, Uygar Sirin, Mehmet Turgut, Funda Çetin
Director: Ozan Aciktan (in attendance)
Cast: Ozan Guven, Meryem Uzerli (in attendance), Belcim Bilgin (in attendance), Bora Akkas
Upon turning 18, Salih leaves his orphanage behind in the hopes of finding his mother and father, but after discovering the brutal nature of his birth, his intentions turn dark. With vengeance in his heart, Salih continues to track down his father and stumbles upon a farm in Serbia, where he is given work, food, and a place to call home. Struggling with his new found happiness and the tragedy of his past, Salih begins to learn that sometimes the wounds of war never heal.

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:30pm - 4:50pm
Hideout Theatre

Film, Stories From Abroad

2:45pm

A Conversation with Nancy Meyers: The 2016 Distinguished Screenwriter

Nancy Meyers is a trailblazing filmmaker who, as a first-rate writer, director and producer, has created a body of work focusing on the female experience with her exceptionally literate and sophisticated comedies. Tapping into the very heart of modern relationships, she chronicles women and men, at work and in love, in a singular fashion that makes each film instantly recognizable as a Nancy Meyers movie. Responsible for such classics as Private Benjamin, Father of the Bride, The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, and many, many more, AFF’s 2016 Distinguished Screenwriter will discuss the behind-the-scenes stories and what she’s working on next.

Moderators

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists

Nancy Meyers

2016 Distinguished Screenwriter award recipient

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story, Conversation, Awardee, Film

2:45pm

Building Worlds

While many stories require a set of guidelines and boundaries to establish the environment they inhabit, some require an entirely new world altogether. With no limits to the imagination, the possibilities are as endless as they are daunting. Join panelists as they discuss the benefits and challenges of creating an entire universe, and the research, rules, and resonance needed to make the unbelievable believable.

Moderators

Greg Garrett

Moderator; author; professor at Baylor University

Panelists

Nicole Perlman

writer Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel (2019), Pokémon (2018)

Mark Protosevich

writer/co-producer The Cell, Oldboy; writer Thor, I Am Legend

Sponsors

On Story

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall

Conference, Panel

Tags On Story

2:45pm

Executives and Executive Producers: Television

Hear from the top dogs of Gran Via Productions, FOX, and Comedy Central on the state of the industry, what they look for in a writer, and ways the landscape of television is changing how stories are selected, made, and distributed.

Moderators

Daniel Petrie, Jr.

partner Enderby Entertainment; writer Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy; director Dawn Patrol, Toy Soldiers; executive producer An Ordinary Man, Blackway; former WGAW President

Panelists

Kent Alterman

President Comedy Central

Mark Johnson

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

Conference, Panel

Tags Television, Business, Pitch Track

2:45pm

First Three Pages, Live!

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.

Moderators

Owen Egerton

writer/director Follow; Moderator

Saturday October 15, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

Conference, Workshop

Tags Workshop

2:45pm

Indie Film Track: Storytelling through Editing

Film production takes many hours and many minds, but one of the most important roles often goes under-recognized: the editor. The editor's job is akin to that of the screenwriter as they are required to shape the story based on condensing many weeks of footage into something cohesive and succinct. Join us for a conversation about the critical questions all editors must ask and answer during the syncing, bridging, and slicing phase of any film, and how their role as a storyteller is pivotal to the post-production process.

Moderators