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2016 Austin Film Festival and Conference Schedule has ended
Wednesday, October 12
 

7:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Phil Rosenthal

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 CDT
Driskill Hotel 604 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 78701
 
Thursday, October 13
 

11:30am CDT

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
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →
avatar for Pamela Ribon

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 CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

12:00pm CDT

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.


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

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Christopher Boone

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
avatar for Jeff Nichols

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

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

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Dennis Bishop

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
avatar for Etta Devine

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 →
avatar for Gabriel Diani

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 →
avatar for Jason Headley

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 →
avatar for Oren Uziel

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 →
avatar for Nicholas Zafonte

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Matt Dy

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Greg Beal

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 →
avatar for Kelly Jo Brick

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 →
avatar for Kevin Hamedani

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Marcie Mayhorn

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
avatar for Robin Swicord

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

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

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Dan Solomon

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
avatar for Burnie Burns

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 →
avatar for Doreen Copeland

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 →
avatar for Chris Demarais

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 →
avatar for Andrew Disney

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 →
avatar for Matt Hullum

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
Sponsors

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

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Michael MacCambridge

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
avatar for Cindy McCreery

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 →
avatar for Anne Rapp

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 →
avatar for Chris Sparling

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Pamela Ribon

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 →
avatar for Emily Zulauf

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

1:00pm CDT

*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
avatar for Katie Cates

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 →
avatar for Graham Davidson

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 →
avatar for Bob Dearden

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 →
avatar for Kristi Felton

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 →
avatar for Chet Garner

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 →
avatar for Samantha Levenshus

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 →
avatar for Justin Marks

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 →
avatar for Alvaro Rodriguez

Alvaro Rodriguez

co-creator/executive producer SEIS MANOS (Netflix, 2019)
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 →
avatar for Noelle Stehman

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 →
avatar for Betsy Van Stone

Betsy Van Stone

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 →
avatar for Tom Szentgyorgyi

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 →
avatar for Amanda Verdon

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 →
avatar for Nick Watson

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 →
avatar for Rebecca Windsor

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

1:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →


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

1:00pm CDT

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 CDT
Intercontinental Stephen F Austin, Cloak Room 701 Congress Avenue

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Cindy McCreery

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Greg Beal

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 →
avatar for Matt Dy

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival
avatar for Grace Moss

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 →
avatar for Rebecca Windsor

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 2:45pm - 4:00pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Tim Albaugh

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
avatar for Susan Brunig

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 →
avatar for Mike Sundy

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 →
avatar for Emily Zulauf

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 2:45pm - 4:00pm CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Linnea Toney

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
avatar for Jennifer Salke

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Dennis Bishop

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
avatar for Matt Cook

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 →
avatar for Jody Lambert

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 →
avatar for Chris Sparling

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 →
avatar for Oren Uziel

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 →


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

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Michael McCullers

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

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

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Jason Headley

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 →
avatar for Pamela Ribon

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 2:45pm - 4:00pm CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

2:45pm CDT

*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
avatar for Emily Best

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 →
avatar for Asmara Bhattacharya

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 →
avatar for Jeffrey Brown

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 →
avatar for Owen Egerton

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 →
avatar for Jacob Jaffke

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 →
avatar for Justin Lader

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 →
avatar for Jono Matt

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 →
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →
avatar for James Andrew Miller

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 →
avatar for Glen Powell

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 →
avatar for Jose Rivera

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 →
avatar for Erika Schmidt

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 →
avatar for Russell Leigh Sharman

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 →
avatar for Bill True

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 →
avatar for Laura Walker

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

2:45pm CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: Daniel Petrie Jr
*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
avatar for Daniel Petrie, Jr.

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Scott Richter

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
avatar for Perrin Chiles

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 →
avatar for Morgan Long

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 →
avatar for Amanda Verdon

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 →


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

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for Christopher Boone

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
avatar for Mark L. Smith

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

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

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for James V Hart

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 CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Ballroom

2:45pm CDT

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
avatar for David Misch

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

5:00pm CDT

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.


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

7:00pm CDT

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


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

7:10pm CDT

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


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:42pm CDT
Texas Spirit Theater

7:10pm CDT

Shorts Program 1: Letting Go
(82 min)

The Art of Not Appearing
(NORWAY, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Pernille Rivedal Hellevik
After years of solitude and obsession, two ghosts cross paths and are forced to question their reasons for haunting.

Past the Second Stage
(AUSTRALIA, 6 min)
Writer: Samuel Hunter Galloway
Director: Samuel Hunter Galloway, Peter Camilleri
Old family resentments are uncovered as a man cleans his dead brother's derelict house.

The Boy by the Sea
(NETHERLANDS, 7 min)
Writer: Andreas Illmer
Director: Vasily Chuprina
A young brooding boy and an old lighthouse keeper form an unlikely bond while gazing out over the shore, each finding a different truth beyond the water.

The Law of Averages
(CANADA, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Elizabeth Rose
Death waits for no woman.
In a secluded winter home, a mother and daughter are forced to confront their relationship while dealing with the passing of a family member.

Not Real
(AUSTRALIA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Michael Nicholls
When an imaginative 8-year-old boy learns the truth about Santa, he must choose between keeping his younger sister in the dark, or waking her up to their parents' lies.

Shy Guys
(USA, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Fredric Lehne
Two strangers bravely confront and resolve one of the most terrifying and perplexing scourges to ever afflict mankind… all while standing at neighboring urinals.

Las Cenizas
(USA, 7 min)
Writer: Jacob Kirby, Fiona Gorman
Director: Jacob Kirby
In the wake of a domestic tragedy, a turbulent pair of siblings travel to Cuba in hopes of finding peace with their estranged father in his homeland.

Hidden
(USA, 20 min)
Writer/Director: Farzad Ostovarzadeh
After losing his younger half-brother, 12-year-old Parham experiences a battery of conflicting emotions regarding his brother’s death, and his new position in the family.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

Hidden
(USA, 20 min)
Writer/Director: Farzad Ostovarzadeh
After losing his younger half-brother, 12-year-old Parham experiences a battery of conflicting emotions regarding his brother’s death, and his new position in the family.

Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

Las Cenizas
(USA, 7 min)
Writer: Jacob Kirby, Fiona Gorman
Director: Jacob Kirby
In the wake of a domestic tragedy, a turbulent pair of siblings travel to Cuba in hopes of finding peace with their estranged father in his homeland.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

Not Real
(AUSTRALIA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Michael Nicholls
When an imaginative 8-year-old boy learns the truth about Santa, he must choose between keeping his younger sister in the dark, or waking her up to their parents’ lies


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

Past the Second Stage
(AUSTRALIA, 6 min)
Writer: Samuel Hunter Galloway
Director: Samuel Hunter Galloway, Peter Camilleri
Old family resentments are uncovered as a man cleans his dead brother’s derelict house.



Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

Shy Guys
(USA, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Fredric Lehne
Two strangers bravely confront and resolve one of the most terrifying and perplexing scourges to ever afflict mankind… all while standing at neighboring urinals.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

The Art of Not Appearing
(NORWAY, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Pernille Rivedal Hellevik
After years of solitude and obsession, two ghosts cross paths and are forced to question their reasons for haunting.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

The Boy by the Sea
(NETHERLANDS, 7 min)
Writer: Andreas Illmer
Director: Vasily Chuprina
A young brooding boy and an old lighthouse keeper form an unlikely bond while gazing out over the shore, each finding a different truth beyond the water.



Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:10pm CDT

The Law of Averages
(CANADA, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Elizabeth Rose
Death waits for no woman.
In a secluded winter home, a mother and daughter are forced to confront their relationship while dealing with the passing of a family member.
 

Thursday October 13, 2016 7:10pm - 8:52pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:15pm CDT

Finding Oscar
(USA, 99 min)
Director: Ryan Suffern (in attendance)
Producers: Ryan Suffern, Frank Marshall (both in attendance)
The investigation of the Dos Erres Massacre in Guatemala leads to the trail of two little boys, Oscar and Ramiro, who were abducted during the slaughter and raised by some of the very soldiers who murdered their families. These boys offer the only living evidence that ties the Guatemalan government to the massacre. It will take a dedicated team—from a forensic anthropologist to a young Guatemalan prosecutor—to uncover the truth. In a country built on impunity, finding justice will be a decades-long road.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:15pm - 9:14pm CDT
Hideout Theatre

7:15pm CDT

Wakefield
(USA, 106 min)
Writer/Director: Robin Swicord (in attendance)
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Garner, Ian Anthony Dale
In Robin Swicord’s adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s short story, successful suburbanite commuter Howard Wakefield (Bryan Cranston) takes a perverse detour from family life: He vanishes without a trace. Hidden in the attic of his carriage house garage, surviving by scavenging at night, Howard secretly observes the lives of his wife (Jennifer Garner) and children and neighbors. “Wakefield” becomes a fraught meditation on marriage and identity, as Howard slowly realizes that he has not in fact left his family, he has left himself.


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:15pm - 9:21pm CDT
State Theatre

7:30pm CDT

The Big Spoon
(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


Thursday October 13, 2016 7:30pm - 9:49pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

9:30pm CDT

Happy Gilmore Presented by Tim Herlihy
(USA, 93 min)
Writers: Tim Herlihy (in attendance), Adam Sandler
Director: Dennis Dugan
Cast: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen
Sandler's second popular starring vehicle after Billy Madison is a goofy lowbrow paean to golf, hockey, and the comic hysterics of its childlike star. In Happy Gilmore, Sandler plays the title character, a raw, determined, but ultimately untalented hockey player who keeps trying out for the pros. When Happy discovers his grandmother (Frances Bay) will lose her home if she doesn't fork over 270,000 dollars to the IRS, he tries to figure out how he can possibly scrounge up the cash. An idea strikes during a game of one-upmanship with a couple furniture movers stripping his grandmother's home: On his first-ever swing, he drives a golf ball farther than the movers have ever seen. 

Panelists
avatar for Tim Herlihy

Tim Herlihy

writer Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Pixels, The Ridiculous Six
TIM HERLIHY has written or co-written the feature films Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, Bedtime Stories, Grown Ups 2 and Pixels. These films have grossed over one billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue. He... Read More →



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:30pm - 11:42pm CDT
Texas Spirit Theater

9:45pm CDT

Shorts Program 2: Dangerous Streets
(85 min)

A New Civilization
(USA, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Williams Naranjo
A young group of volunteers are about to deliver presidential ballots during the 2013 Venezuelan Elections when a group of suspicious warrant-wielding officials appear.

Mala
(USA, 19 min)
Writer: Stephen Schuyler
Director: Marly Hernandez Cortes
Young migrant worker Lucinda tries to navigate a balance between her teenage independence and the demands of work on a farm.

And Then, Violence
(USA/FRANCE, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Jordan Goldnadel
While trying to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend, Rebecca finds her life interrupted by an ambient anti-Semitism that has infiltrated French society.

Weg Met Willem
(NETHERLANDS, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Willem Bosch
After being left with two unhygienic strangers, six-year-old Willem believes he has been abandoned by his parents and decides to make his own way home on foot.

Friday Night
(FRANCE, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Alexis Michalik
Thrown into the midst of a city-wide attack, Claire is forced to navigate the French metropolis in a desperate search to find her daughter and ensure her safety.

My Viola
(CANADA, 10 min)
Writer/Director: Shawn Gerrard
A sixteen year old viola protégé’s mixed racial background suddenly comes to the forefront after his mother is held up at gunpoint by an unidentified assailant.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

A New Civilization
(USA, 14 min)
Writer/Director: Williams Naranjo
A young group of volunteers are about to deliver presidential ballots during the 2013 Venezuelan Elections when a group of suspicious warrant-wielding officials appear.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

And Then, Violence
(USA/FRANCE, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Jordan Goldnadel
While trying to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend, Rebecca finds her life interrupted by an ambient anti-Semitism that has infiltrated French society.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Friday Night
(FRANCE, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Alexis Michalik
Thrown into the midst of a city-wide attack, Claire is forced to navigate the French metropolis in a desperate search to find her daughter and ensure her safety.




Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Mala
(USA, 19 min)
Writer: Stephen Schuyler
Director: Marly Hernandez Cortes
Young migrant worker Lucinda tries to navigate a balance between her teenage independence and the demands of work on a farm.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

My Viola
(CANADA, 10 min)
Writer/Director: Shawn Gerrard
A sixteen year old viola protégé’s mixed racial background suddenly comes to the forefront after his mother is held up at gunpoint by an unidentified assailant.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Weg Met Willem
(NETHERLANDS, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Willem Bosch
After being left with two unhygienic strangers, six-year-old Willem believes he has been abandoned by his parents and decides to make his own way home on foot.



Thursday October 13, 2016 9:45pm - 11:30pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

10:00pm CDT

Electric Nostalgia
(USA, 93 min)
Writer/Director: Jacob Leighton Burns (in attendance)
Cast: Lauren Analla, Stephen Goodman, Page Tudyk, J. Alan Davidson (all in attendance)
After dying in a car accident, a young woman is brought back to life in an artificial body, thanks to Project Lazarus and its founder, Leland Helm. As she struggles to deal with her new life, she begins to experience a phenomenon known as Electric Nostalgia, where memories of a previous body inhabitant present themselves as dreams or visions. Things spiral out of control as she learns more about the mysterious Leland Helm, her new body, and the faceless man who haunts her.


Thursday October 13, 2016 10:00pm - 11:51pm CDT
Hideout Theatre

10:15pm CDT

Desierto
(MEXICO, 94 min)
Writer/Director: Jonás Cuarón
Writer: Mateo Garcia
From Jonás Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón, the acclaimed filmmakers of Gravity, comes a unique, modern vision of terror.  Desierto is a visceral, heart-pounding suspense-thriller packed with tension and suspense from start to finish, starring Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries and Y Tu Mamá También) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen).


Thursday October 13, 2016 10:15pm - 11:49pm CDT
Paramount Theatre

10:30pm CDT

Friends Presented by Marta Kauffman
Friends
"The Pilot" & "The Last One"

Created by: David Crane and Marta Kauffman
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer

This year's Outstanding Television Writer and co-creator of Friends, Marta Kauffman, joins our Retrospective Series with a presentation of the pilot and finale episodes from the acclaimed series, Friends. Kauffman will take us on a stroll down memory lane and share all the central perks of creating this beloved show.

Panelists
avatar for Marta Kauffman

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 CDT
State Theatre

11:00pm CDT

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


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

11:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Amy Berg

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 →
avatar for Angelo Pizzo

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 →
avatar for Bernie Su

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

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

8:30am CDT

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.


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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Greg Beal

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Craig Behenna

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 →
avatar for Asmara Bhattacharya

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 →
avatar for Bob Dearden

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 →
avatar for Kelly Fullerton

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 CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Janine Barchas

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 →
avatar for Lindsay Doran

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 →
avatar for Bernie Su

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 →
avatar for Robin Swicord

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Tom Copeland

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
avatar for Shawn Gerrard

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 →
avatar for Elizabeth Rose

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 →
avatar for Ya'Ke Smith

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 →
avatar for Oates Yinchao Wu

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

9:00am CDT

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Fred Strype

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
avatar for Carter Bays

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 →
avatar for Stephen Falk

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 →
avatar for Phil Rosenthal

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 →
avatar for James Wong

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Cindy McCreery

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Kim Bass

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Trey Selman

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
avatar for Adam Kolbrenner

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 →
avatar for Justin Marks

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 →
avatar for Edward Ricourt

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 CDT
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Karol Ann Hoeffner

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
avatar for Melanie Marnich

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 →
avatar for Mark L. Smith

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 →
avatar for Beau Willimon

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

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

9:00am CDT

Austin Pitch #2
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
avatar for Tim Albaugh

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 →
avatar for Jill Chamberlain

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

9:00am CDT

*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
avatar for Max Borenstein

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 →
avatar for VJ Boyd

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.
avatar for Kelly Jo Brick

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 →
avatar for Katie Cates

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 →
avatar for Graham Davidson

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 →
avatar for Deniese Davis

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 →
avatar for Kristi Felton

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 →
avatar for Morgan Long

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 →
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →
avatar for Raamla Mohamed

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 →
avatar for Meta Valentic

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 →
avatar for Amanda Verdon

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 →
avatar for Nick Watson

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 →


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

9:00am CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: The Wibberleys
*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
avatar for Cormac Wibberley

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 →
avatar for Marianne Wibberley

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Dennis Bishop

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
avatar for Kent Alterman

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 →
avatar for Perrin Chiles

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 →
avatar for Jacob Jaffke

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 →
avatar for Daniel Petrie, Jr.

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 →


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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Scott Richter

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
avatar for Stephen Clark

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 →
avatar for Aaron Kaplan

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 →
avatar for Chris Sparling

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Charles Ealy

Charles Ealy

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

Panelists
avatar for Michelle Ashford

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 →
avatar for Kieran Fitzgerald

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 →
avatar for Jose Rivera

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 →

Sponsors

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Marcie Mayhorn

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
avatar for VJ Boyd

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.
avatar for Jono Matt

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 →
avatar for Raamla Mohamed

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 →
avatar for Michael H Weber

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 CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Emily Best

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 →

Sponsors

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for James Andrew Miller

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Tim Herlihy

Tim Herlihy

writer Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Pixels, The Ridiculous Six
TIM HERLIHY has written or co-written the feature films Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, Bedtime Stories, Grown Ups 2 and Pixels. These films have grossed over one billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue. He... Read More →
avatar for Michael McCullers

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 →
avatar for Paula Pell

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

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Tim Albaugh

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
avatar for Amy Berg

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 →
avatar for Nicole Perlman

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 →
avatar for Pamela Ribon

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Matt Dy

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Mike Covino

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 →
avatar for Tess Morris

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 →
avatar for Maya Perez

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 →
avatar for Ya'Ke Smith

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 →

Sponsors

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Ashland Viscosi

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
avatar for Wendy Calhoun

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 →
avatar for Jamie Wong

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

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Craig Mazin

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Ballroom presented by Final Draft

10:45am CDT

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
Panelists
avatar for Jason Segel

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

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

10:45am CDT

Austin Pitch #3
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
avatar for Bob Dearden

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 →
avatar for Chris Mass

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

10:45am CDT

*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
avatar for Greg DePaul

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 →
avatar for Rick Dugdale

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 →
avatar for Phil Hay

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, PHILHAY & 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 feature... Read More →
avatar for Jason Headley

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 →
avatar for Christina Hodson

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 Black... Read More →
avatar for Adam Kolbrenner

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 →
avatar for Angelo Pizzo

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 →
avatar for Mark Protosevich

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 →
avatar for Anne Rapp

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 →
avatar for Matt Smith

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 →
avatar for Oren Uziel

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 →
avatar for Ric Roman Waugh

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall

10:45am CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: John Turman
*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
avatar for John Turman

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Aaron Covington

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

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

1:00pm CDT

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!

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

1:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Greg Garrett

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
avatar for James V Hart

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 →

Sponsors

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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Marta Kauffman

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 →

Sponsors

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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Linnea Toney

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
avatar for Julie Kalceff

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 →
avatar for Rosie Lourde

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 →
avatar for Tracy Oliver

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 →
avatar for Bernie Su

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 →


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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Karol Ann Hoeffner

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
avatar for John Lee Hancock

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 →
avatar for Richard LaGravenese

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 →
avatar for Jose Rivera

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 →

Sponsors

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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Ashland Viscosi

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
avatar for Minhal Baig

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 →
avatar for Steve Barr

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 →
avatar for Chuy Hernandez

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 →
avatar for Derek Sieg

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Matt Dy

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Kent Alterman

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 →
avatar for Michelle Ashford

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 →
avatar for Stephen Falk

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 →
avatar for Tom Szentgyorgyi

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 →

Sponsors

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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Bryan J Davidson

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 →
avatar for Erika Schmidt

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 →


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

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Fred Strype

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
avatar for Stephen Clark

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 →
avatar for Adam Kolbrenner

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 →
avatar for Kay S. Wolf

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

1:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Marcie Mayhorn

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
avatar for Justin Lader

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 →
avatar for Charlie McDowell

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

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

1:30pm CDT

Austin Pitch #4
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
avatar for Andrea Dimity

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 →
avatar for Michael Fry

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room

1:30pm CDT

*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
avatar for Kim Bass

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 →
avatar for Asmara Bhattacharya

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 →
avatar for VJ Boyd

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.
avatar for Kelly Fullerton

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 →
avatar for Kevin Hamedani

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 →
avatar for Tess Morris

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 →
avatar for Jason Neulander

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 →
avatar for Anne Rapp

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 →
avatar for Edward Ricourt

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 →
avatar for Jason Romaine

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 →
avatar for Dan Rosen

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 →
avatar for Mark L. Smith

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 →
avatar for Bill True

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 →
avatar for Nick Watson

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 →


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

1:30pm CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: Perrin Chiles
*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
avatar for Perrin Chiles

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 →


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

2:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Phil Rosenthal

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 →



Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:48pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

2:00pm CDT

Shorts Program 11: Documentary Shorts 1
(89 min)

Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405
(USA, 40 min)
Director: Frank Stiefel
Previously trapped in a life of darkness and isolation, Mindy Alper’s psychologically powerful and emotionally honest art pieces have allowed her to emerge into a brighter life.

Bike Love
(USA, 12 min)
Director: Kara Minnehan
Bike Love explores car-free living, new modes of transportation, and the city of Portland’s bike culture firsthand.

All the Presidents' Heads
(USA, 8 min)
Director: Adam Roffman
A short documentary about the rise and fall of Presidents Park, and one man's quest to bring the giant presidential busts back into the public eye.

Mile 19
(USA, 10 min)
Director: Vincent DeLuca
Johnnie Jameson returned from the Vietnam War seeking peace andfound it in the LA Marathon. Preparing for his 30th consecutive race, Johnnie must face his aging body and dig deeper than ever before to push forward.

Heavy Fog Tonight
(USA, 19 min)
Writer/Director: Nathan Reich
Chief engineer since 1967 at NYC’s last steam driven power plant, Conrad will have to face his fear of retirement and start making new plans for his future.


Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

2:00pm CDT

All The Presidents' Heads
(USA, 8 min)
Director: Adam Roffman
A short documentary about the rise and fall of Presidents Park, and one man's quest to bring the giant presidential busts back into the public eye.

Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

2:00pm CDT

Bike Love
(USA, 12 min)
Director: Kara Minnehan
Bike Love explores car-free living, new modes of transportation, and the city of Portland’s bike culture firsthand.

Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

2:00pm CDT

Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405
(USA, 40 min)
Director: Frank Stiefel
Previously trapped in a life of darkness and isolation, Mindy Alper’s psychologically powerful and emotionally honest art pieces have allowed her to emerge into a brighter life.



Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

2:00pm CDT

Heavy Fog Tonight
(USA, 19 min)
Writer/Director: Nathan Reich
Chief engineer since 1967 at NYC’s last steam driven power plant, Conrad will have to face his fear of retirement and start making new plans for his future.


Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

2:00pm CDT

Mile 19
(USA, 10 min)
Director: Vincent DeLuca
Johnnie Jameson returned from the Vietnam War seeking peace andfound it in the LA Marathon. Preparing for his 30th consecutive race, Johnnie must face his aging body and dig deeper than ever before to push forward.


Friday October 14, 2016 2:00pm - 3:49pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

3:00pm CDT

Script Reading Workshop: BEFORE THE BOOM

The on-screen comedies and real-life tragedies of silent screen legends Fatty Arbuckle, Mabel Nomad, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin leading up to Hollywood's first celebrity scandal.

Five scripts have been chosen from this year's group of Semifinalists and Finalists in the Screenplay and Teleplay Competition to be read aloud in our Script Reading Workshops. Selected scripts will be performed by a group of actors in an intimate setting.


Friday October 14, 2016 3:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, State Boardroom A

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Samantha Levenshus

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Melanie Marnich

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 →
avatar for Jose Rivera

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 →
avatar for Tom Szentgyorgyi

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 →


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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Becka Oliver

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
avatar for Carter Bays

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 →

Sponsors

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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Chet Garner

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Brandon Dickerson

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 →
avatar for Jake Goldberger

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 →
avatar for Lena Khan

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 →
avatar for Matt Porter

Matt Porter

Writer/Director
Matt Porter is a director, writer, and actor living in New York. He is the co-director/co-writer/co-star of the Comedy Central web series NEW TIMERS, and was featured as part of the "New Faces: Creators" category at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Matt was the Field... Read More →


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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Bernie Su

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Amy Berg

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 →
avatar for Scott Neustadter

Scott Neustadter

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Disaster Artist
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 →
avatar for Angelo Pizzo

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 →
avatar for Anne Cofell Saunders

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

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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Greg Garrett

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
avatar for Max Borenstein

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 →
avatar for James V Hart

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 →
avatar for Andrew Kevin Walker

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

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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Michael H Weber

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Lindsay Doran

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 →
avatar for Craig Mazin

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 3:15pm - 4:30pm CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Fabienne Harford

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
avatar for Wendy Calhoun

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 →
avatar for Malcolm Spellman

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

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

3:15pm CDT

Austin Pitch #5
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
avatar for Deniese Davis

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 →
avatar for Dan Rosen

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 →


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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Geoff Betts

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 →
avatar for Kelly Jo Brick

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 →
avatar for Stephen Clark

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 →
avatar for Aaron Covington

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 →
avatar for Andrea Dimity

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 →
avatar for Rick Dugdale

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 →
avatar for Tim Herlihy

Tim Herlihy

writer Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Pixels, The Ridiculous Six
TIM HERLIHY has written or co-written the feature films Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, Bedtime Stories, Grown Ups 2 and Pixels. These films have grossed over one billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue. He... Read More →
avatar for Daniel Petrie, Jr.

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 →
avatar for Morgan Long

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 →
avatar for David Misch

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 →
avatar for Jason Romaine

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 →
avatar for Chris Sparling

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 →
avatar for Meta Valentic

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 →


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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Matt Dy

Matt Dy

Moderator; Screenplay/Teleplay Director Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for David Boxerbaum

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 →
avatar for Melissa Breaux

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 →
avatar for Katie Cates

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 →
avatar for Aaron Kaplan

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 →


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

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Jennifer Howell

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 →
avatar for Cindy McCreery

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 →
avatar for Tiffany Paulsen

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony

3:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Christopher Boone

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
avatar for Katie Dippold

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 →
avatar for Paul Feig

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

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

4:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Beau Willimon

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

Friday October 14, 2016 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT
State Theatre

4:30pm CDT

Shorts Program 12: Documentary Shorts 2
(85 min)

A House Without Snakes
(USA/BOTSWANA, 29 min)
Writer/Director: Daniel Koehler
In Botswana, two young Bushmen struggle to build their futures in the wake of their people’s relocation from their ancestral homeland.

Fragile
(USA, 10 min)
Director: Nilo Batle
Using the transformative power of art, Gil Batle carves images of his twenty-year incarceration onto delicate ostrich eggs.

Soul City
(USA, 20 min)
Directors: Monica Berra, SheRea DelSol, Gini Richards
Civil rights activists attempt to build a multiracial utopia in the heart of Klan County – North Carolina in the 1970s. Faced with difficult obstacles, they are forced to balance idealism with the hostile reality of the times. 

Well Groomed
(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.

The Soul of a Tree
(USA, 17 min)
Director: Mari Walker
World famous woodworker George Nakashima's path crosses twice with a man in Eden, Idaho named Bill Vaughn: once when George was interned during World War II... and decades later, when Bill picked up the book The Soul of a Tree.


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

4:30pm CDT

A House Without Snakes
(USA/BOTSWANA, 29 min)
Writer/Director: Daniel Koehler
In Botswana, two young Bushmen struggle to build their futures in the wake of their people’s relocation from their ancestral homeland.


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

4:30pm CDT

Fragile
(USA, 10 min)
Director: Nilo Batle
Using the transformative power of art, Gil Batle carves images of his twenty-year incarceration onto delicate ostrich eggs.

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

4:30pm CDT

Soul City
(USA, 20 min)
Directors: Monica Berra, SheRea DelSol, Gini Richards
Civil rights activists attempt to build a multiracial utopia in the heart of Klan County – North Carolina in the 1970s. Faced with difficult obstacles, they are forced to balance idealism with the hostile reality of the times. 


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

4:30pm CDT

The Soul of a Tree
(USA, 17 min)
Director: Mari Walker
World famous woodworker George Nakashima's path crosses twice with a man in Eden, Idaho named Bill Vaughn: once when George was interned during World War II... and decades later, when Bill picked up the book The Soul of a Tree.

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

4:30pm CDT

Well Groomed
(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 CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

4:45pm CDT

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 CDT
French Legation Museum 802 San Marcos Street, Austin, TX 78702

5:00pm CDT

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


Friday October 14, 2016 5:00pm - 6:52pm CDT
Hideout Theatre

6:00pm CDT

Shorts Program 13: Animated Shorts
(96 min)

Moon of a Sleepless Night
(JAPAN, 26 min)
Writer/Director: Takeshi Yashiro
In a thick forest full of giant trees, a boy lives modestly with his family until a squirrel invites him on an adventure to free the moon, which is stuck high in a tree.

The Treehouse
(MEXICO, 6 min)
Writers: Adan Díaz de León, Emilio Anaya Acosta, Rubén Rodríguez Pérez
Director: Adan Díaz de León
Molière is the son of a strict luthier who wants him to play a string instrument just like him. One day at the market, Molière discovers a new instrument: the trumpet.

Taking Flight
(USA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Brandon Oldenburg
What begins as a small boy’s boring day with Grandpa turns into a larger-than-life journey, narrowly escaping wild monkeys and battling aliens to save the universe.

Mothers
(BULGARIA, 18 min)
Writer/Director: Lubomir Yotov
On a cold, wet autumn night Philip needs a woman—someone to give him all her love. So he hires Agathe—a mother for a night.

Hugo Bumfeldt
(HUNGARY, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Eva Katinka Bognar
Hugo, an alien boy on a tiny far-away planet, finally gets his first pet: a scuba diver. Swept away by his childlike excitement, Hugo doesn't recognize his plaything is an actual human being.

Hey Deer!
(HUNGARY, 7 min)
Writer/Director: Örs Bárczy
A cocoa-drinking deer has his foundation shaken by an earthquake that persistently upsets his tidy work.

Pearl
(USA, 6 min)
Writers: Alexis Harte, Scot Stafford, Patrick Osborne, JJ Wiesler
Director: Patrick Osborne
Set inside their home, a beloved hatchback, Pearl follows a girl and her dad as they crisscross the country, chasing their dreams.

Welcome to My Life
(FRANCE, 9 min)
Writer/Director: Elizabeth Ito
Monster –American teenager Douglas, aka T-Kesh, is doing his best to fit in and make it through high school. Life can be hard when you’re so very much not like the others.

Burnt
(USA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Devin Bell
In a scorched desert forest, three burnt plant creatures encounter something green.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Burnt
(USA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Devin Bell
In a scorched desert forest, three burnt plant creatures encounter something green.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Hey Deer!
(HUNGARY, 7 min)
Writer/Director: Örs Bárczy
A cocoa-drinking deer has his foundation shaken by an earthquake that persistently upsets his tidy work.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Hugo Bumfeldt
(HUNGARY, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Eva Katinka Bognar
Hugo, an alien boy on a tiny far-away planet, finally gets his first pet: a scuba diver. Swept away by his childlike excitement, Hugo doesn't recognize his plaything is an actual human being.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Moon of a Sleepless Night
(JAPAN, 26 min)
Writer/Director: Takeshi Yashiro
In a thick forest full of giant trees, a boy lives modestly with his family until a squirrel invites him on an adventure to free the moon, which is stuck high in a tree.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Mothers
(BULGARIA, 18 min)
Writer/Director: Lubomir Yotov
On a cold, wet autumn night Philip needs a woman—someone to give him all her love. So he hires Agathe—a mother for a night.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Pearl
(USA, 6 min)
Writers: Alexis Harte, Scot Stafford, Patrick Osborne, JJ Wiesler
Director: Patrick Osborne
Set inside their home, a beloved hatchback, Pearl follows a girl and her dad as they crisscross the country, chasing their dreams.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Taking Flight
(USA, 6 min)
Writer/Director: Brandon Oldenburg
What begins as a small boy’s boring day with Grandpa turns into a larger-than-life journey, narrowly escaping wild monkeys and battling aliens to save the universe.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

The Treehouse
(MEXICO, 6 min)
Writers: Adan Díaz de León, Emilio Anaya Acosta, Rubén Rodríguez Pérez
Director: Adan Díaz de León
Molière is the son of a strict luthier who wants him to play a string instrument just like him. One day at the market, Molière discovers a new instrument: the trumpet.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:00pm CDT

Welcome to My Life
(FRANCE, 9 min)
Writer/Director: Elizabeth Ito
Monster –American teenager Douglas, aka T-Kesh, is doing his best to fit in and make it through high school. Life can be hard when you’re so very much not like the others.

Friday October 14, 2016 6:00pm - 7:56pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

6:30pm CDT

Crunch Time (Episodes 1-2)
Writer/Director: Andrew Disney
Writer: Bradley Jackson
In a highly classified location, a gang of misfit grad students are interrogated by government operatives. Why? Because the world is about to end, and it’s all their fault. How did it all start? With a last ditch effort to win back love… by way of an extremely dangerous, untested, lucid dreaming machine.


Friday October 14, 2016 6:30pm - 7:12pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

6:45pm CDT

Middle Man
(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 CDT
Texas Spirit Theater

6:45pm CDT

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.



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

7:00pm CDT

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 CDT
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

7:00pm CDT

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/




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

7:00pm CDT

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

Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
Lucky Lounge 209 W 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701

7:00pm CDT

Shorts Program 3: Rising To The Challenge
(95 min)

Maartin
(FINLAND, 21 min)
Writers: Joel Rahkonen and Sonia Stenius
Director: Joel Rahkonen
A police officer gets an opportunity to show what he’s made of when the Norwegian bicycle mafia kidnaps Pierre, the son of his sweetheart.

Zaire
(UK, 16 min)
Writer: George Kellock
Director: Joshua Benson
A scientist struggles to bring organic life to a remote planet. Forced to face the prospect of failure after months of unsuccessful attempts, he seeks the hope needed to persevere.

The Bathtub
(AUSTRIA, 13 min)
Writers: Tim Ellrich and Dominik Huber
Director: Tim Ellrich
Three brothers try to dive back into their childhood by recreating an old family picture in the bathtub.

The Blondes
(SPAIN, 17 min)
Writer/Director: Carlota Martínez Pereda
After coming into possession of another woman’s credit card, Marta dyes her hair blonde to engage in some light identity theft. With the help of fellow blonde Pepa, Marta’s crime spree goes a little too far.

Capes
(AUSTRALIA, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Lucas Testro
When the city's superhero finds himself short of a sidekick, he comes up with an unlikely solution to his staffing problems.

That Kinda Night
(USA, 20 min)
Writers: Jeremy King and Chelsey Cummings
Director: Clayton Witmer
Kev always thought that there was only one girl for him. When an alien invasion destroys the city, he begins to realize how right he was.


Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

CAPES
(AUSTRALIA, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Lucas Testro
When the city's superhero finds himself short of a sidekick, he comes up with an unlikely solution to his staffing problems.


Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

Maartin
(FINLAND, 21 min)
Writers: Joel Rahkonen and Sonia Stenius
Director: Joel Rahkonen
A police officer gets an opportunity to show what he’s made of when the Norwegian bicycle mafia kidnaps Pierre, the son of his sweetheart.


Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

That Kinda Night
(USA, 20 min)
Writers: Jeremy King and Chelsey Cummings
Director: Clayton Witmer
Kev always thought that there was only one girl for him. When an alien invasion destroys the city, he begins to realize how right he was.

Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

The Bathtub
(AUSTRIA, 13 min)
Writers: Tim Ellrich and Dominik Huber
Director: Tim Ellrich
Three brothers try to dive back into their childhood by recreating an old family picture in the bathtub.


Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

The Blondes
(SPAIN, 17 min)
Writer/Director: Carlota Martínez Pereda
After coming into possession of another woman’s credit card, Marta dyes her hair blonde to engage in some light identity theft. With the help of fellow blonde Pepa, Marta’s crime spree goes a little too far.


Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:00pm CDT

Zaire
(UK, 16 min)
Writer: George Kellock
Director: Joshua Benson
A scientist struggles to bring organic life to a remote planet. Forced to face the prospect of failure after months of unsuccessful attempts, he seeks the hope needed to persevere.

Friday October 14, 2016 7:00pm - 9:02pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

7:30pm CDT

My Life as a Film
(SWITZERLAND, 77 min)
North American Premiere
Writer/Director: Eva Vitija (in attendance)
For her whole life, Eva Vitija saw her father from behind a camera. An obsessive videographer and documenter, he spent the majority of his time recording and later archiving his family. After he died, Eva decided to turn the camera around, taking over his extensive archive and weaving together footage and family interviews to better understand the man that raised her. My Life as a Film is a personal search for the surprising truths hidden behind a father’s pictures.
 


Friday October 14, 2016 7:30pm - 9:07pm CDT
Hideout Theatre

8:45pm CDT

Nerdland
(USA, 85 min)
Director: Chris Prynoski
Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker (in attendance)
Aspiring screenwriter Elliot (Patton Oswalt) and aspiring actor John (Paul Rudd) are best friends whose dreams of super-stardom have fizzled. With their 30th birthdays looming and their desperation growing, John and Elliot decide that in this 24/7, celebrity-obsessed world of over-shared navel-gazing, there are more ways to become famous -- or infamous -- than ever before.

Panelists
avatar for Andrew Kevin Walker

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 →



Friday October 14, 2016 8:45pm - 10:10pm CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint

8:45pm CDT

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


Friday October 14, 2016 8:45pm - 10:25pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

9:15pm CDT

11:55
(USA, 80 min)
Writers: Ari Issler, Ben Snyder (both in attendance), Victor Almanzar
Directors: Ari Issler, Ben Snyder
Cast: Victor Almanzar, Shirley Rumierk, Elizabeth Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Julia Stiles
US Marine Nelson Sanchez has run out of time. Upon returning to his hometown, Nelson is immediately faced with the dire consequences of the troubled past he had tried to escape. Hoping desperately to survive the day, Nelson must chart an unlikely path in order to survive. In a place where the only options appear to be the street or the military, 11:55 captures a young man struggling to break the cycles of violence that have defined him.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:15pm - 10:55pm CDT
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

9:30pm CDT

One Night
(USA, 72 min)
World Premiere
Writer/Director: Minhal Baig (in attendance)
Cast: Anna Camp (in attendance), Isabelle Fuhrman, Justin Chatwin, Kyle Allen
Bea, a worrisome teenager, reconnects with her introverted childhood friend, Andy. The two overcome their differences in social status one night after their high school prom. Thirty-something Elizabeth must decide whether to salvage her relationship with Drew after much personal disappointment. Past and present collide as two couples explore love over the course of one night at a hotel.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:30pm - 11:02pm CDT
Texas Spirit Theater

9:45pm CDT

Diani and Devine Meet the Apocalypse
(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
Sponsors


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

9:45pm CDT

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


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:42pm CDT
Hideout Theatre

9:45pm CDT

Shorts Program 4: Young & Old
(103 min)

Fanny Pack
(USA, 11 min)
Writer/Director: Uttera Singh
A young Indian-American woman wants to follow her dreams, but her fanny pack clad Indian father would much rather have her follow his own.

The Obituary
(USA, 14 min)
Writer: Norm Leonard
Director: Jonathan Thompson
An aspiring writer pens obituaries to pay the bills, but when he shows up to a man's home for a statement regarding someone's passing, he's confronted with a life-or-death situation of his own.

Off Track Betty
(USA, 19 min)
Writer/Director: Clayton Dean Smith
A woman struggling with her neighborhood being torn down is given a link to her past when a boy shows up outside her door.

Piece of Wood
(EGYPT, 16 min)
Writer: Michael Blankenship
Director: Yassin Koptan
Adam is an Egyptian teenager that only wants to land his skateboarding trick at a local mall. When his skateboard is confiscated by mall security, it's up to him and his best friend George to retrieve it.

A Man Like a Tree
(GERMANY, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Sylvia Borges
An elderly man’s quest to buy a Christmas tree forces him to confront the fact that, even during the holiday season, things continue to change.

Dance Card
(AUSTRALIA, 7 min)
Writer/Director: Renee Crea
Cara has something important to tell her grandfather, but she's worried he might find it a bit shocking. It turns out he has some surprises for her, too.

Lucy in My Eyes
(CANADA, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Megan Park
On the eve of her wedding, Lucy has a conversation with her six year old self.

Boutik
(MAURITIUS, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Damien Dittberner
Gaetan has lost his toy soldier and seeks help from the adults around him to get a new one. Once Gaetan realizes the adults are no help at all, he begins to meddle in their already difficult lives.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

A Man Like a Tree
(GERMANY, 8 min)
Writer/Director: Sylvia Borges
An elderly man’s quest to buy a Christmas tree forces him to confront the fact that, even during the holiday season, things continue to change.

Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Boutik
(MAURITIUS, 15 min)
Writer/Director: Damien Dittberner
Gaetan has lost his toy soldier and seeks help from the adults around him to get a new one. Once Gaetan realizes the adults are no help at all, he begins to meddle in their already difficult lives.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Dance Card
(AUSTRALIA, 7 min)
Writer/Director: Renee Crea
Cara has something important to tell her grandfather, but she's worried he might find it a bit shocking. It turns out he has some surprises for her, too.



Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Fanny Pack
(USA, 11 min)
Writer/Director: Uttera Singh
A young Indian-American woman wants to follow her dreams, but her fanny pack clad Indian father would much rather have her follow his own.



Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Lucy in My Eyes
(CANADA, 12 min)
Writer/Director: Megan Park
On the eve of her wedding, Lucy has a conversation with her six year old self.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Off Track Betty
(USA, 19 min)
Writer/Director: Clayton Dean Smith
A woman struggling with her neighborhood being torn down is given a link to her past when a boy shows up outside her door.

Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

Piece of Wood
(EGYPT, 16 min)
Writer: Michael Blankenship
Director: Yassin Koptan
Adam is an Egyptian teenager that only wants to land his skateboarding trick at a local mall. When his skateboard is confiscated by mall security, it's up to him and his best friend George to retrieve it.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

9:45pm CDT

The Obituary
(USA, 14 min)
Writer: Norm Leonard
Director: Jonathan Thompson
An aspiring writer pens obituaries to pay the bills, but when he shows up to a man's home for a statement regarding someone's passing, he's confronted with a life-or-death situation of his own.


Friday October 14, 2016 9:45pm - 11:48pm CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

11:00pm CDT

Filmmakers Happy Hour presented by The Tracking Board
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
avatar for Jeff Nichols

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

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

11:30pm CDT

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 CDT
Alamo Drafthouse Village presented by Sprint
 
Saturday, October 15
 

8:30am CDT

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.


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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Daniel Petrie, Jr.

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Lindsay Doran

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 →
avatar for Jennifer Howell

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 →
avatar for Mark Johnson

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 CDT
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Karol Ann Hoeffner

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
avatar for Max Borenstein

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 →
avatar for Tom Szentgyorgyi

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 →
avatar for James Wong

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for John Merriman

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
avatar for Paula Pell

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Paul Sedillo

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
avatar for Amy Bench

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 →
avatar for Brandon Bloch

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 →
avatar for Douglas Caballero

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 →
avatar for Cullen Kelly

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 →
avatar for Thaddeus D Matula

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

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

9:00am CDT

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Fred Strype

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
avatar for Stephen Falk

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 →
avatar for Elizabeth Meriwether

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 →
avatar for Beau Willimon

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 →
avatar for Alexander Woo

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

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

9:00am CDT

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
Panelists
avatar for Summer Ash

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 →
avatar for Wendy Calhoun

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 →
avatar for Spiros Michalakis

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 →
avatar for Nicole Perlman

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 →

Community Partners
Sponsors

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Jorge Gonzalez

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
avatar for Malcolm Spellman

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 →
avatar for John Turman

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 →
avatar for Cormac Wibberley

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 →
avatar for Marianne Wibberley

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 →

Sponsors

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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Alisa Perren

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
avatar for Amy Berg

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 →
avatar for Bob Dearden

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 →
avatar for Bradley Jackson

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 →
avatar for Bernie Su

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

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

9:00am CDT

Austin Pitch #6
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
avatar for Kelly Fullerton

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 →
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →


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

9:00am CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: Kent Alterman
*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
avatar for Kent Alterman

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 →


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

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Greg Beal

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Kelly Jo Brick

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 →
avatar for Zahir McGhee

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 →
avatar for Ray Utarnachitt

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

9:00am CDT

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
avatar for Melissa Breaux

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 →
avatar for Andrea Dimity

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 →
avatar for Rick Dugdale

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 →
avatar for Kristi Felton

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 →
avatar for Christina Hodson

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 Black... Read More →
avatar for Aaron Kaplan

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 →
avatar for Jono Matt

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 →
avatar for Anne Cofell Saunders

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 →
avatar for Sanjay Shah

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.
avatar for Oren Uziel

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 →
avatar for Rebecca Windsor

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 →


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

9:00am CDT

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 CDT
St. David's Episcopal Church, Sumners Hall

9:00am CDT

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!

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

10:30am CDT

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 CDT
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

10:45am CDT

'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
avatar for Fabienne Harford

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
avatar for Bryan J Davidson

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 →
avatar for Jennifer Howell

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 →
avatar for Cort Lane

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 →
avatar for Jenny Marchick

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 →
avatar for Pamela Ribon

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 →

Sponsors

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

10:45am CDT

'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
avatar for Trey Selman

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
avatar for Stephen Falk

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 →
avatar for Tess Morris

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 →
avatar for Marianne Wibberley

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Barbara Morgan

Barbara Morgan

Moderator; Executive Director/Co-Founder Austin Film Festival

Panelists
avatar for Paul Feig

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 →
avatar for Marta Kauffman

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 →
avatar for Nancy Meyers

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

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Greg Garrett

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
avatar for Angela Kang

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 →
avatar for Mark Protosevich

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 →
avatar for Alexander Woo

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

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Christopher Boone

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
avatar for Scott Neustadter

Scott Neustadter

writer (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, The Disaster Artist
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 →
avatar for Michael H Weber

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 →

Sponsors

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Bernie Su

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Deniese Davis

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 →
avatar for Matt Hullum

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 →
avatar for Rebecca Windsor

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Charles Ealy

Charles Ealy

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

Panelists
avatar for Carl Ellsworth

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 →
avatar for John Lee Hancock

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 →
avatar for Andrew Kevin Walker

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

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

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Greg Curtis

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
avatar for Justin Agnew

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 →
avatar for Steven Balvanz

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 →
avatar for Izzy Chan

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 →
avatar for Aaron McAdams

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 →
avatar for James D Solomon

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 CDT
InterContinental Stephen F Austin, Assembly Room

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Greg Beal

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Adam Kolbrenner

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 →
avatar for Sarah Malkin

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 CDT
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary

10:45am CDT

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
avatar for Scott Richter

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
avatar for Geoff Betts

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 →
avatar for Stephen Clark

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 →
avatar for Greg DePaul

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

Austin Pitch #7
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
avatar for VJ Boyd

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.
avatar for Tiffany Paulsen

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

*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
avatar for Kim Bass

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 →
avatar for Emily Best

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 →
avatar for Jeffrey Brown

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 →
avatar for Matt Cook

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 →
avatar for Brandon Dickerson

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 →
avatar for Kieran Fitzgerald

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 →
avatar for Kevin Hamedani

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 →
avatar for Jacob Jaffke

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 →
avatar for Justin Lader

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 →
avatar for Jason Neulander

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 →
avatar for Ya'Ke Smith

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 →
avatar for Barbara Twist

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 →
avatar for Laura Walker

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 →


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

10:45am CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: Phil Hay
*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
avatar for Phil Hay

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, PHILHAY & 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 feature... Read More →


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

11:00am CDT

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
avatar for Mark Johnson

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 →
avatar for Richard LaGravenese

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 →



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

12:00pm CDT

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 CDT
Rollins Theatre presented by Capital Metro

12:00pm CDT

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
avatar for Dan Rosen

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 →



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

12:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Paul Feig

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 →
avatar for Marta Kauffman

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 →
avatar for Nancy Meyers

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 →

Community Partners
Sponsors

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Jason Neulander

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 →

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for David Gil

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
avatar for Evan Bregman

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 →
avatar for Jacob Jaffke

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 →
avatar for Barbara Twist

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 →
avatar for Laura Walker

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 →


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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Melissa Georges

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 →
avatar for Laura Lee Prather

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 →
avatar for Joanne Richardson

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 →
avatar for Peter Rienecker

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

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Charles Ealy

Charles Ealy

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

Panelists
avatar for Shane Black

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 →
avatar for John Hamburg

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 Sundance... Read More →
avatar for Phil Hay

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, PHILHAY & 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 feature... Read More →
avatar for Scott Rosenberg

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

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for James Andrew Miller

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 →

Panelists
avatar for David Boxerbaum

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 →
avatar for Melissa Breaux

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 →
avatar for Adam Kolbrenner

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 →
avatar for Morgan Long

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 →


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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for R.B. Brenner

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
avatar for Aaron Covington

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 →
avatar for Bobby Farrelly

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 →
avatar for John Lee Hancock

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 →
avatar for Angelo Pizzo

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 →

Sponsors

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Alisa Perren

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
avatar for Cort Lane

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 →
avatar for Ashley Miller

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 →
avatar for Edward Ricourt

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 →
avatar for John Turman

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 →

Sponsors

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

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Tiffany Paulsen

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 →

Panelists
avatar for Will Gluck

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 →
avatar for Tess Morris

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 →
avatar for Michael H Weber

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 →

Sponsors

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

12:30pm CDT

Austin Pitch #8
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
avatar for Kelly Jo Brick

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 →
avatar for Bill True

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 →


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

12:30pm CDT

*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
avatar for Max Borenstein

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 →
avatar for Greg DePaul

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 →
avatar for Michael Fry

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 →
avatar for Samantha Levenshus

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 →
avatar for Elizabeth Meriwether

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 →
avatar for Tracy Oliver

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 →
avatar for Jason Romaine

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 →
avatar for Russell Leigh Sharman

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 →
avatar for James D Solomon

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 →
avatar for Noelle Stehman

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 →
avatar for Betsy Van Stone

Betsy Van Stone

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 →
avatar for Jamie Wong

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 →


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

12:30pm CDT

Producers Badge Roundtable: Jacque Edmonds Cofer
*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
avatar for Jacque Edmonds Cofer

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 CDT
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Club

12:30pm CDT

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
avatar for Anne Cofell Saunders

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 →


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

1:00pm CDT

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 CDT
Galaxy Highland 8 presented by Dove Chocolate

1:00pm CDT

Imperfections

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 CDT
Galaxy Highland 9 presented by Dove Chocolate

1:15pm CDT

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
avatar for Alexandra Daddario

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 →
avatar for Zosia Mamet

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 →
avatar for Charlie McDowell

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 →
avatar for Matt Smith

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 →
avatar for Amy Talkington

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 CDT
State Theatre

2:30pm CDT

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


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