LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. This is separate event is not covered by a Gold Pass. The Pitch Boot Camp is a special event held before the Screenwriting Expo, run by the Scriptwriters Network, http://www.scriptwritersnetwork.org. The Pitch Boot Camp is designed to drill perspective screenwriters into delivering professional, concise and interesting pitches comfortably and sincerely to anyone at any time in any place under any conditions. The goal is to prepare screenwriters for participation at any pitching or networking event. The Pitch Boot Camp structure will mirror that of the Golden Pitch event itself, and thus potentially increase the effectiveness of the screenwriter's pitch. Tables will be set up just like the Golden Pitch, attended by ‘company reps’ (mock production companies, agents, managers and studio development executives). Each participant will pitch at each table for five minutes and switch roles to act as a ‘company reps’ to hear five-minute pitches from the other participating writers. Company reps will mark a simple checkbox score card on the major pitching points to help the pitcher to gauge how thoroughly they are communicating their project. Participants must have their material copyright protected and a prepared pitch. Some Pitching Resources: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds; The Script Selling Game; Ten Minutes To The Pitch. LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. You must click the 'Buy' link to sign up. (The price will be zero; this is the only way to reserve a seat.)

LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. This is separate event is not covered by a Gold Pass. The Pitch Boot Camp is a special event held before the Screenwriting Expo, run by the Scriptwriters Network, http://www.scriptwritersnetwork.org. The Pitch Boot Camp is designed to drill perspective screenwriters into delivering professional, concise and interesting pitches comfortably and sincerely to anyone at any time in any place under any conditions. The goal is to prepare screenwriters for participation at any pitching or networking event. The Pitch Boot Camp structure will mirror that of the Golden Pitch event itself, and thus potentially increase the effectiveness of the screenwriter's pitch. Tables will be set up just like the Golden Pitch, attended by ‘company reps’ (mock production companies, agents, managers and studio development executives). Each participant will pitch at each table for five minutes and switch roles to act as a ‘company reps’ to hear five-minute pitches from the other participating writers. Company reps will mark a simple checkbox score card on the major pitching points to help the pitcher to gauge how thoroughly they are communicating their project. Participants must have their material copyright protected and a prepared pitch. Some Pitching Resources: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds; The Script Selling Game; Ten Minutes To The Pitch. LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. You must click the 'Buy' link to sign up. (The price will be zero; this is the only way to reserve a seat.)

Welcome to the Screenwriting Expo! We are doing our best to make this meeting the most useful and valuable educational, networking, and pitch opportunity you find all year. Registration will open late in the afternoon of Oct. 15, and will be open each day of the Expo, beginning in the morning before sessions begin, and continuing through the day. Consult this schedule or the program for registration hours. At Expo registration, the windows for advance-purchased registration materials and tickets are a separate set of windows from those for purchasing on site, so be sure to read the signs before you get in line. Also, if you are buying a registration or tickets to sessions or receptions, please obtain the registration/ticket form before you get in line and fill out the name, address, and payment information before you reach the window. Forms of payment accepted: major credit cards and e-checks. To buy with an e-check, you will need to provide a voided actual, physical check, which we will keep as a record of the payment information.

LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. This is separate event is not covered by a Gold Pass. The Pitch Boot Camp is a special event held before the Screenwriting Expo, run by the Scriptwriters Network, http://www.scriptwritersnetwork.org. The Pitch Boot Camp is designed to drill perspective screenwriters into delivering professional, concise and interesting pitches comfortably and sincerely to anyone at any time in any place under any conditions. The goal is to prepare screenwriters for participation at any pitching or networking event. The Pitch Boot Camp structure will mirror that of the Golden Pitch event itself, and thus potentially increase the effectiveness of the screenwriter's pitch. Tables will be set up just like the Golden Pitch, attended by ‘company reps’ (mock production companies, agents, managers and studio development executives). Each participant will pitch at each table for five minutes and switch roles to act as a ‘company reps’ to hear five-minute pitches from the other participating writers. Company reps will mark a simple checkbox score card on the major pitching points to help the pitcher to gauge how thoroughly they are communicating their project. Participants must have their material copyright protected and a prepared pitch. Some Pitching Resources: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds; The Script Selling Game; Ten Minutes To The Pitch. LIMITED TO: 30 REGISTRANTS; SEPARATE ADMISSION REQUIRED. You must click the 'Buy' link to sign up. (The price will be zero; this is the only way to reserve a seat.)

Put your knowledge of the movie dialogue to the test at this unique networking opportunity. Have fun, win prizes, perhaps meet your next writing partner.

Welcome to the Screenwriting Expo! We are doing our best to make this meeting the most useful and valuable educational, networking, and pitch opportunity you find all year. Registration will open late in the afternoon of Oct. 15, and will be open each day of the Expo, beginning in the morning before sessions begin, and continuing through the day. Consult this schedule or the program for registration hours. At Expo registration, the windows for advance-purchased registration materials and tickets are a separate set of windows from those for purchasing on site, so be sure to read the signs before you get in line. Also, if you are buying a registration or tickets to sessions or receptions, please obtain the registration/ticket form before you get in line and fill out the name, address, and payment information before you reach the window. Forms of payment accepted: major credit cards and e-checks. To buy with an e-check, you will need to provide a voided actual, physical check, which we will keep as a record of the payment information.

Don't cry into your Hagen Dazs. Write female-driven screenplays that hang with the big boys. This seminar will help you brainstorm original stories with female leads, replace 'soft' scenes with active moments, and create bold characters, all without falling into tired stereotypes.

Hear your story pitched back to you by a professional screenwriter/pitchman! Here’s how it works: 1) Come to the lecture and pitch your story to Chris Soth, WGA member and star of the DVD SOLD! “How I set up 3 pitches in Hollywood!” 2) Chris pitches your story back to you, putting in the professional polish that you’re looking for! 3) With your pitch perfected, you take Hollywood by storm on Saturday and Sunday!

THE IDEA -- STEP ONE in building a great screenplay. There is no more important skill to up and coming writers than the ability to catch the attention of executives and readers with a short intro to their work. Lew Hunter co-Dean of UCLA's graduate screen writing program calls seminar leader James Dalessandro one of the best pitch men he has ever seen. His pitch for his novel and screenplay 1906 resulted in an extensive Hollywood bidding war.

Drawing across the genres, this Master Class focuses on heroes and their flaws, fears and needs that build their worlds and unlock the second act. The session winds up by combining worlds, plot and journeys to give these heroes one last chance to achieve their potential and inspire us all.

Learn how to master the most challenging skill of a screenwriter's career: how to pitch a story that sells. Concise storytelling helps not only a completed script but is the key building block in weaving a compelling plot. Your livelihood in the film industry depends on the presentation of your ideas in a short but entertaining way. Walking through plot points will not stimulate your buyer to believe you can capture the tone of an amusing thrilling or dramatic story. Learn how to be a storyteller.

Exhibitors offering demos and products for sale at discounts. Note: exhibitors may close booths before official daily closing time at their option.

If you can’t hook the reader in the first ten pages of a spec script you’re toast. Learn how to tell the reader with one line of dialogue in the first ten pages 'This si what the movie is about!' using the power of the ‘thematic line of dialogue.’

Most screenwriting books and seminars attempt to teach the frustrated screenwriter what to do; this seminar will outline how to do it. Author Karl Iglesias will discuss the ten essential habits of highly successful A-list screenwriters such as Ron Bass Akiva Goldsman Eric Roth and more offering students an insider's view at how the pros discipline themselves create original material conquer the blank page eliminate writer's block and persevere in Hollywood. Students will also get an insightful look at the realities of the business directly from the top writers in Hollywood.

Learn the multiple techniques that will keep the reader in your 'created reality' throughout your script. Study the most common mistakes made by professional and advanced screenwriters.

You know your script has to be rewritten but where do you begin? Conquer your rewrite fears with writing tools that cut through the fat highlight the hook and make your script an industry must-read.

A successful plot depends on conflict and movement to build tension and momentum while at the same time it must expose character and motivation to create meaning. This seminar concentrates on tools that will help you design your story to increase emotional impact strengthen momentum deepen characterizations and clarify exposition.

Writers always ask, ‘What is an executive looking for? How come they don’t see what I see?’ This class will teach writers how to think, read and write from the executive perspective. Topics Covered include: How a Development Exec reads a script and what they’re looking for The 3 questions executives think of while reading The Top 12 Notes an executive gives and how to avoid them How an exec hears/interprets a pitch The 3 different types of projects execs read The development process - what to expect and how to survive it with flying colors.

Hollywood studios are looking for screenplays with worldwide blockbuster appeal. Acclaimed teacher and consultant to studios in the U.S. and abroad, John Truby explains the specific story techniques in blockbuster scripts and how to execute them. Part one covers – The one story technique found in all blockbusters; How to write the most popular character in movies; Translating the high concept premise into a quality script; The 6 filmic elements you must have for a blockbuster movie; The best technique for punching up the middle; The structure sequence of summer’s most popular genre; The key plot technique for both drama and comedy, and more!

Sure, your pilot must be brilliantly written… but it must also attract business-savvy TV execs. Unfortunately, most pilots suffer from one of seven creative pitfalls that could be avoided with simple strategizing. This seminar examines these self-sabotaging mistakes… how to know you’re making them… and ways to ensure you don’t.

How to read analyze and prepare a screenplay for the rehearsal of actors and direction of the crew. How to shift from literary thinking to dramatic thinking. How events dictate creative choices. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

STAGE TWO -- THE ARCHITECTURE. Too many lecturers of screen writing try to over-intellectualize structure and turn it into some metaphysical/philosophical treatise. It is simply the foundation the architecture of a successful screenplay. Most structural elements should be worked out in the outlining stage with a simple goal in mind: to build ever-rising conflict through both the plot and subplots. Once those elements are strong and compelling it frees the screen writer to focus on great dialogue and character development.

This class will cover: The elements you should include in your pitch and the order you present them. What not to do and say when you're pitching. Which are the easiest and hardest genres to pitch. How many projects should you be prepared to pitch and how you should practice your pitching.

Why Pitch? Industry Access. Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive with the power to turn your dream into a reality. In one room, up to 50+ representatives of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agencies and management companies at a time will be looking for new material. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts. Who? Representatives from the top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development production companies as well as reps from writers' agencies managers. Each of our executives is with an organization which has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows Movies-of-the-Week, or New Media or Web productions. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWs, as well as hour and half-hour television formats, New Media, and Web producers will be hearing pitches. The execs are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent. NOTE: ignore the message in some program pages that you do not need to buy tickets for this session with a Gold Pass. An offshore programmer wrote that into the PHP program code, and we don't have time before the Expo to get it out. You DO need to buy a ticket for each pitch.

nimation is an international industry with shows travelling to territories worldwide and iconic characters such as Thomas The Tank Engine becoming merchandising juggernauts. Experienced animation writer Dan Wicksman offers tips on what it's like working in Toontown, and how he gets his jobs.

The only way to guarantee a script request is to interest and excite the listener with your pitch. Presenting techniques from the most successful pitchers in the biz author Karl Iglesias will show students how to ignite the executive's interest. Topics will include an insider's view of the do's and don'ts of pitching to producers the essential elements of a great pitch how to distill your story into a pitchable and enticing logline and most important how to develop your verbal confidence by practicing your pitch until it shines.

In the process of developing plot and character writers often lose track of what is important and meaningful. Understanding how to utilize the Transformational Arc greatly expands a writer's ability to identify and stay focused on unifying principles that link plot and character to the thematic emotional and even spiritual dimensions of a story.

Make the reader love you on the first page. Learn writing techniques that help your script hit the ground running. Writers may bring in a first page (enough copies for the class) for potential feedback.

Structuring a non-linear plot is no easy task. Action plays an important role in organizing the plot but other considerations are just as important in creating the needed dramatic unity. In this seminar you'll learn key factors in plotting the non-linear film to make your work clear, original and powerful.

Learn the business of television and what it takes to get staffed and sell a pilot. The session will discuss their writing, what representatives look for when signing new writers, how to network and how to take a successful meeting.

How to create storyboards and blocking diagrams. How to stage and shoot a scene in one shot in the style of Orson Wells and William Wyler. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

STAGE THREE -- THE VOICE. Structure is mathematical: the true creativity in American film lies in the strength of The Scene. If the paragraph is the building block of fiction the Scene is the heart of film. In this lecture James offers insights into writing memorable scenes characters and dialogue that appeal to talented actors and directors

Screenwriters Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio sold their feature pitch LIGHTSPEED to Disney this May for $3.5 million. Now watch Bill take shameless advantage of that sale to get you to come to his workshop, in which he'll demonstrate successful pitch skills and techniques, using material submitted by attendees at the start of class. Get there early — he may choose yours! But if he doesn't, don't kill him, it's not like he thinks he's God.

Using examples from CHINATOWN to LADY FROM SHANGHAI you'll learn how to create stories in this dark, twisted genre. Bad guy leads, planting clues, red herrings, unlikely suspects, perfect victims, spider women, mean streets, fallen heroes, the funhouse mirror world of noir supporting characters.

How to build a feature film length story from nothing but your own heart all the way into a three act structured screenplay treatment - a blueprint for writing the actual script. This technique and blueprint has kept writer's block at bay and me employed as a screenwriter.

We will again interview Guest Of Honor Shane Black, and then throw the session open to audience questions. Ask away about the next Lethal Weapon, his his upcoming Cold Warriors, his most recent film Kiss-Kiss Bang-Bang, how to break into action feature writing, or any other question you can think of!

How do you know you’ve completed a draft and are ready to submit it to an agent or producer? Paul will walk you through the steps you must take to ensure you’re ready to go on to the next stage, focusing on dialogue – the element that producers most care about. There will be exercises.

Panelists will include David Warden representing TV and feature writers. He sold his client's script for five million dollars. Sheree Guitar manages TV writers and feature writers. She’s secured dozens of jobs for TV writers. Bruce Bartlett works with the highly respected Above The Line Agency. Enrollees should bring typed short logline to class for feeback. Moderator Gary Shusett is director of Sherwood Oaks College, which offers year round sessions for writers, and brings them to award shows to meet major producers, actors and directors. Their alumni includes James Cameron, Paul Haggis, Nancy Meyers and Sylvestor Stallone. www. sherwoodoakscollege.com

The opening of your screenplay is your single most powerful weapon for acquiring an agent or securing a deal. Most Hollywood executives won't read past page 10 if they're not immediately involved in your story but will forgive an abundance of weaknesses later in the script if you grab them from the moment they begin. Using examples from several Oscar-nominated screenplays this seminar will show you how to insure that your opening scenes draw readers into the world you've created set the tone of your screenplay establish empathy with your hero lay the groundwork for character growth and theme and compel readers to turn the page. Michael also gives selected participants direct feedback on their opening scenes which you can read directly on the screen as you hear his commentary and suggestions.

A must for any writer who's mastered the basics but has yet to break the barrier. Focusing on the key element of all successful scripts—the reader's emotional response to the written page—Karl Iglesias will show you fresh ways to evoke emotion on every page of your scripts. He'll discuss why emotion is the key to successful screenwriting what readers look for in evaluating scripts showcase 'good' and 'bad' examples and illustrate why A-list screenwriters keep getting hired. He'll also guide you through the professional's creative process from concept to final draft.

Inside Story is an innovative approach to screenwriting that illuminates the inner journey of the character enabling writers to build an internal structure that forms the Transformational Arc. Knowing how to utilize the power of the Arc will enhance your ability to move beyond traditional story structure and construct scripts that are more powerful meaningful and marketable.

Learn quick and effective writing techniques to revive bland exchanges tune up character voices create relationship tension and generally bring more life to the page.

Ensemble films explore the world through a tapestry of interwoven stories and character relationships. Many screenwriters attempt the ensemble story but more fail than succeed. In this seminar you'll learn clear principals to help you understand how to hold your multiple plot lines together and make your work focused and compelling.

Jennifer will discuss all the components of what makes a pilot stand out. She will discuss several of the pilots that were picked up this year and she will break them down as a way to illustrate why they worked and how participants can learn from their structure and apply it to their writing.

Writer & Story Editor Robert N. Skir (X-Men, Transformers: Beast Machines, Godzilla, Extreme Ghostbusters) presents a workshop on The Craft Of Animation Writing, a heavily condensed version of the class he teaches at UCLA's School of Film, Television, and Digital Arts.

How to see through lenses; how and when to move the camera; how and when to experience the scene from a character's direct point of view. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

After the success of my two Contest seminars last year I would like to repeat them. My story in the May/June Script magazine should attract more participants.

How to find and develop ideas that Hollywood is looking for and you are passionate about. Learn tools like Magnification, Flipping, Substitution, Cousins, Word Association, why High Concept is *Your* Concept, finding your personal themes in high concept ideas. Includes interactive brainstorming session!

JOHN AUGUST is the acclaimed writer of Tim Burton's Big Fish and the indie hit Go. August has also collaborated with Burton on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the animated film Corpse Bride, and the 2011 Disney release Frankenweenie. August has also delved into action screenwriting by having a hand in both Charlie's Angels films. His last project was the lauded film The Nines, on which he made his directorial debut.

Whether at Expo Pitch Meetings or on the telephone screenwriters and filmmakers repeatedly face the challenge of having only a minute or two to convince the people in power to read their screenplays. This hands-on workshop will explore the key story components that will guarantee success and will give selected participants direct feedback on their story concepts and pitches.

A great overview on legal issues for the screenwriter. The class will cover such topics as 'What should and shouldn't be in an option agreement 'The ins and outs of copyright registration.'How do I avoid being sued for libel' How can I buy someone's life story rights'Do I need a collaboration agreement with my writing partner'Can I use the name of real products in my script' and 'How do I keep producers from ripping me off.

A gathering and an entertainment…we're working on this event.

An interview with James Gunn

Welcome to the Screenwriting Expo! We are doing our best to make this meeting the most useful and valuable educational, networking, and pitch opportunity you find all year. Registration will open late in the afternoon of Oct. 15, and will be open each day of the Expo, beginning in the morning before sessions begin, and continuing through the day. Consult this schedule or the program for registration hours. At Expo registration, the windows for advance-purchased registration materials and tickets are a separate set of windows from those for purchasing on site, so be sure to read the signs before you get in line. Also, if you are buying a registration or tickets to sessions or receptions, please obtain the registration/ticket form before you get in line and fill out the name, address, and payment information before you reach the window. Forms of payment accepted: major credit cards and e-checks. To buy with an e-check, you will need to provide a voided actual, physical check, which we will keep as a record of the payment information.

Why Pitch? Industry Access. Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive with the power to turn your dream into a reality. In one room, up to 50+ representatives of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agencies and management companies at a time will be looking for new material. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts. Who? Representatives from the top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development production companies as well as reps from writers' agencies managers. Each of our executives is with an organization which has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows Movies-of-the-Week, or New Media or Web productions. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWs, as well as hour and half-hour television formats, New Media, and Web producers will be hearing pitches. The execs are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent. NOTE: ignore the message in some program pages that you do not need to buy tickets for this session with a Gold Pass. An offshore programmer wrote that into the PHP program code, and we don't have time before the Expo to get it out. You DO need to buy a ticket for each pitch.

Working screenwriter Neo Edmund will discuss ways writers can pitch themselves at a pitch meeting, as well as better ways to network and build lasting professional relationships in the industry. Neo came to the first two Screenwriting Expos with no credits and no contacts, and has since gained representation with ICM and has had several professional writing gigs. Join Neo and learn how he used the Expo to jump start his career and create a path to real success.

Instructor Gary Shusett once convinced a major fillm director over the phone to make a film by saying just two sentences. He has a rare ability to take anyone's logLine and make it sound very marketable. He will do this instantly for anyone in the class. He will work very quckly. You can leave very soon or come in late.

This seminar will present Evan Smith's acclaimed method for creating 'premise-driven comedy ' an organic approach that focuses on developing a story's humor from the ground up. Attendees will learn how to weave comedic elements into a story premise to automatically generate funny scenes and seamless jokes throughout a script.

Gatekeepers include agents managers producers executives and readers. Most adhere to the same industry standards of what constitutes professionally-written and commercially-viable screenplays. Scripts failing to meet accepted criteria receive a “pass” and writers rarely find out why. This class teaches what it takes for your script to get a “recommend.”

What if most of what is being taught about screenwriting is wrong? What if most of the rules, paradigms and secrets widely touted in books, seminars and classes not only don't improve your chance of making it, but could actually sabotage it? This seminar explains the five main reasons most people fail at screenwriting and shares specific insights and hands-on tools writers can use for the best possible shot at success.

Living out of state and working a full time job? No problem! How I broke in and got my first option, the importance of screenwriting contests, how to get a Manager, why having a Manager is far more important than getting an Agent, crucial skills that you must have to make it to the next level, what to expect in a studio meeting - from someone who had no idea what to expect and thinking outside the box to get what you want. Program Manager's note: This is one of two been-there-and-have-the-T-shirt-to-prove-it sessions on breaking in from afar. The other is with new writer Mark Golik. This is valuable insight--attend both if you can.

Join comic-book writer/editor Barbara Randall Kesel (Watchmen/Hellboy/New Teen Titans, etc.) for a session on: *the nuts and bolts of writing for comics and graphic novels *how it differs from screenplay writing *how to adapt a screenplay or series idea into comics form *how to avoid the common mistakes new writers make.

Whether Indie Mini-major or Major every buyer is looking to make a great film. What is it about your material that identifies it for a particular market? Who are the approachable buyers in each of the marketplaces? How does one get taken seriously by the right buyer for your script? Once you have identified the right buyer how do you go about getting it read? How do you target content for marketing your spec script? What are the industry tips for finding out who's looking for your script right now?

Exhibitors offering demos and products for sale at discounts. Note: exhibitors may close booths before official daily closing time at their option.

An interview with David Milch, acclaimed and multiple-Emmy-winning television writer and executive producer.

See the Cyberspace Open pages for details at http://creativescreenwriting.com/cyberspace.open.2010.html

Did you know that 95% of novice writers fail at the concept? The concept is the core of the script and most insiders agree that in Hollywood the 'idea is king.' You can create a great hero write edgy dialogue weave in a deep theme but if you choose the wrong concept or fail to develop it properly you're guaranteed an uphill battle at the marketing stage. This workshop will focus on what makes a great idea regardless of genre or whether it is a high- or low-concept 'commercial' or 'art' film and on the three emotional requirements of a great idea that cause that ideal reaction of interest excitement and fascination; the itch that makes you want to read the script or see the movie.

Screenwriting has been described as a craft not an art. Structure is arguably the most important factor in a script's success. Learn how to quickly analyze your screenplay in 18 crucial areas. Discover what it takes to make your script fire on all cylinders.

John Truby, “the best script doctor in the movie industry,” continues his 3-part series on blockbuster scripts – Creating the all-important spine of your story; The one story element that must be at the beginning; Building the pressure on your hero; The trick to a great scene weave; How NOT to use dialogue; The trick to scene sequencing; How to find the best genre for your script, and more!

Character and story are not separate enterprises but two sides of the same coin. This presentation addresses some of the most common errors writers make regarding character issues. It offers insights into principles guaranteed to support the creation of memorable worthy fleshy characters that are essential to the success of any worthy screenplay.

Join Gary Whitta the author of the Warner Bros blockbuster starring Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman as he traces the journey of his spec script from conception to becoming a hit movie that has grossed more than $150m dollars worldwide – with tips on how you can do it too!

How to collaborate and achieve optimum performance from your crew and actors. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

Watching Film Clips From The Masters. No monologues? No lengthy flashbacks? Protagonist/antagonist must come into conflict early? Main character must be likeable? In one of his most popular lectures novelist/screenwriter James Dalessandro will dig into the heart of some of recent cinema's most brilliant moments by showing film clips of Oscar-winning films that broke the traditional rules of screenwriting. <> Lecture by James Dalessandro author/screenwriter of the best selling novel/Warner Brothers film 1906.

So you wrote a screenplay… what's next? Learn how to get an agent manager producer and a deal. Understand how to write scripts competitively for the studios target trends and choose commercial subjects. Learn how to collaborate and develop your material with development execs producers and financiers how to have a meeting with a studio executive that can hire you how to find and what to look for in your relationships with directors and actors. Most importantly how to create longevity in a career that begins with the first sale.

Why Pitch? Industry Access. Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive with the power to turn your dream into a reality. In one room, up to 50+ representatives of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agencies and management companies at a time will be looking for new material. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts. Who? Representatives from the top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development production companies as well as reps from writers' agencies managers. Each of our executives is with an organization which has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows Movies-of-the-Week, or New Media or Web productions. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWs, as well as hour and half-hour television formats, New Media, and Web producers will be hearing pitches. The execs are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent. NOTE: ignore the message in some program pages that you do not need to buy tickets for this session with a Gold Pass. An offshore programmer wrote that into the PHP program code, and we don't have time before the Expo to get it out. You DO need to buy a ticket for each pitch.

An interview with Jennifer Salt, acclaimed movie and TV screenwriter and actress.

Assuming you have a great screenplay, you now need to get it read by producers, managers, and/or agents. But how do you do that? In this special 180-minute class, we'll discuss what causes the decision makers to say "Yes," how a minor change in your pitch/query can double your chance, and how to create a campaign that will ultimately get your script read by Hollywood players. Hal has assisted more than 100 writers to make deals in the last few years and his strategies can help you, also.

Good scenes are like great movies in miniature: they draw the reader into a unique reality; create empathy and identification with the characters; reveal compelling desires and insurmountable conflicts; contribute to character growth and theme; provide a blueprint for direction and performance; and elicit bigger-than-life emotions. Using examples from a variety of recent successful films this seminar will reveal the elements of action description and dialogue that will ensure the overall success of your screenplay.

What makes a great scene or moment at the emotional level is the focus of this workshop. Expanding on the key element of all successful scripts the reader's emotional experience author Karl Iglesias will showcase scene techniques from highly successful screenwriters that turn cliché elements into gripping scenes that mesmerize and entertain the reader. Topics will include the three types of scenes scene beats emotional cues discovery and decision contrast and the emotional palette.

How to get 'in the room' and stay there. The basics and intricacies of of all types of pitches (in person phone written) will be covered in an interactive forum. You will learn how to find develop package and protect your ideas with an emphasis on how to stay involved with those ideas after you've pitched them. Kosberg's greatest gift to attendees is that they are encouraged to share and develop their ideas with him personally and to continue contact with him. He will continue to welcome your ideas and consider them for submission to studios and major stars. This is a must-attend for writers producers or anyone with a great idea for the next high-concept Hollywood blockbuster.', Bob'

Screenwriters should wield dialogue as merely another kind of action. Because it's poetic, punchy, peppy, funny and sad it should be worth listening to all by itself. But it can't be all by itself. It also has to advance story and expand character. Here is a baker's dozen prinicples designed to tighten, sweeten, and integrate dialogue so that it is a seamless aspect of screen narrative.

Continuity cutting to create a powerful dream-like experience for the audience. Concepts important to a director's understanding of editing and collaborating with the editor. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

James Dalessandro chairs a round-table discussion with executives from Inktip, Writer's Vault.com, ScriptPimp.com, Scriptapalooza, Slamdance and the Nicholls Fellowship.

As a screenwriter who progressed from writing query letters to produced scripts and being a major studio writer, Gary Whitta is able to speak comprehensively on one of the most enduring questions about screenwriting - how to break into the industry and how to successfully navigate the business once you're in. From what makes a successful spec to pitching projects to studios and handling development notes

Using text and visual examples, show how to effectively write for visual effects, as well as performance capture. How VFX Supervisors break down a script.

The goal is not to write a screenplay someone will make into a movie. The goal is to write something a reader will keep reading... and finish! Beginning writers ALL make the same mistakes, most of which are simple fixes. Akers will help you defuse ten easily avoidable land mines -- any of which will stop a reader cold.

In every successful screenplay the Hero takes two intertwined journeys one of achievement and the other of transformation. As your characters pursue clear visible objectives they must also confront their deeper fears and desires in order to find true fulfillment. This presentation will provide a unique understanding of the ways plot structure and character arc are united and intertwined and provide the tools to create deeper more compelling and more commercial stories and characters by exploring your hero's wounds longings identities and destinies.

A screenplay should be as exciting to read as the movie will be to view and this requires writing designed to involve the reader. Expanding on the key element of all successful scripts the reader's emotional experience author Karl Iglesias will discuss the basics of emotionally evocative writing. Topics will include how to command attention on the page energize descriptions seamlessly weave exposition into description and trim the fat.

This seminar explains the importance of action sequences and explores pacing introducing and enhancing characters through action building suspense and writing scenes with sex and violence. Tips are also given on what to avoid when writing action.

If you've ever found yourself stuck halfway through a great script or blocked because you don't know what to do next then this lecture is for you. How character leads to choices. How to maximize conflict. The 12 GUIDEPOSTS to your screenplay and a host of over tools will be discussed.

Your golden opportunity -- ask any question you want in this 90-minute Q & A session with a panel of industry pros--a reader for William Morris, a studio production vice president, a famous horror show writer, a writer for a major prime time TV show, and a manager of writers and directors. or agent, a working TV writer and a working feature writer. The appeal for this panel is Expo-wide, both beginning and experienced writers, with panelist speaking from experience in all facets of the business. And it solves that old problem of running out of time for audience Q & A's because the entire session will be your questions from the audience. We're calling it the Golden Opportunity Panel because this is the kind of opportunity that you cannot find anywhere else. Come prepared with your questions for William Morris Reader Ben Sitzer, Paramount Exec Greg Mooradian, Manager Bard Dorros, famous horror writer Stephen Susco, and prime-time TV writer Peter Blake.

Obviously movies are the best medium for compacting and compressing huge events--for example an ocean liner crashing into an iceberg, the D-Day invasion of Normandy Beach, an outsized gorilla mounting the Empire State Building--but what they accomplish still more effectively is quite the opposite, rendering that which is small--the gesture, the facial expression, even the mere offer of a cup of coffee--into something that is hugely dramatic and emotional. This session provides time-tested techniques for mastering that aspect of the screenplay. 

How to see light and how to find visual and auditory metaphors for your films. (It is recommended that screenwriters who want to direct attend all six of Jim's classes as Jim has been known to spontaneously integrate material from one session into another.)

Make adaptation a two-way street doubling your odds of selling your story. Novelization is a realistic strategy insuring and extending the life of your script. Publishers want well-conceived novels by committed writers. Story drives the process. Experienced novelists/screenwriters teach basic structure transitions and world building for a publishable novel.

The goal of this seminar is to understand why your hero or heroine is the only character who can star in your script. By connecting the plot's Premise-Question with your character's goal can you build the rock-solid foundation needed for a strong first draft.

Eleven years ago, Michael Elliot quit his job as a well-paid entertainment executive to pursue his dream of becoming a screenwriter. With no formal education or training in screenwriting, Michael purchased a book on the subject and began using his Blockbuster card in an effort to teach himself the craft of screenwriting. After writing several scripts and no success, Michael found himself down to his last $300 and facing eviction. There was no time to take a page out of the “Traditional Hollywood Playbook” to sell his latest script. Michael realized that his approach to breaking into Hollywood had to be unique and the strategies unconventional because he had no agent, no manager, and no Hollywood connections. Adding to his challenges: the barrier that all unrepresented writers come up against, the policy that most production companies maintain of not accepting unsolicited submissions. Michael needed a fail-safe plan to pitch his script and get it read. He remembered one great detail from his days as an entertainment executive that could help him get his scripts read. And that detail is...one of the many you will learn from one of Hollywood's great rags-to-riches writer success stories. It was a trivial thing, but it was, as he calls it, a “light-bulb moment” in his screenwriting career. Sorry, no spoiler alert – you'll have to come and see his presentation at the 2010 Screenwriting Expo to learn about not only this bright idea, but the others that went into his first sale and the launch of his screenwriting career. His presentation will cover subjects including Unconventional Queries; Identifying the 'Right' Recipient for Your Query Tricks to Getting Read by a Producer; How to get a Producer to Want to be in Business with You Accessing Hollywood through the Back Door, Cracked Window and Chimney; How to Use Talent to Get Your Screenplay Sold; and The Unconventional Industry Contacts That Can Help You Launch Your Writing Career

You won't want to miss this networking opportunity. Weather permittingl it might be a rooftop or poolside affair. There will be music. It's the last bash of the Screenwriting Expo

Welcome to the Screenwriting Expo! We are doing our best to make this meeting the most useful and valuable educational, networking, and pitch opportunity you find all year. Registration will open late in the afternoon of Oct. 15, and will be open each day of the Expo, beginning in the morning before sessions begin, and continuing through the day. Consult this schedule or the program for registration hours. At Expo registration, the windows for advance-purchased registration materials and tickets are a separate set of windows from those for purchasing on site, so be sure to read the signs before you get in line. Also, if you are buying a registration or tickets to sessions or receptions, please obtain the registration/ticket form before you get in line and fill out the name, address, and payment information before you reach the window. Forms of payment accepted: major credit cards and e-checks. To buy with an e-check, you will need to provide a voided actual, physical check, which we will keep as a record of the payment information.

Why Pitch? Industry Access. Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive with the power to turn your dream into a reality. In one room, up to 50+ representatives of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agencies and management companies at a time will be looking for new material. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts. Who? Representatives from the top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development production companies as well as reps from writers' agencies managers. Each of our executives is with an organization which has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows Movies-of-the-Week, or New Media or Web productions. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWs, as well as hour and half-hour television formats, New Media, and Web producers will be hearing pitches. The execs are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent. NOTE: ignore the message in some program pages that you do not need to buy tickets for this session with a Gold Pass. An offshoren programmer wrote that into the PHP program code, and we don't have time before the Expo to get it out. You DO need to buy a ticket for each pitch.

A fully realized screenplay reveals itself primarily through images, making use of what I call the Visual Mindscape. This allows the reader or viewer to discover elements of the story rather than being told. By being able to actively participate in the unfolding of the story makes the over all experience for the reader a more visceral and luminous experience. What do I mean by this? If in Citizen Kane you were told the meaning of the word Rosebud rather than being allowed to discover it on your own, would it have the same impact? I believe that when a reader is allowed to discover elements of a story rather than being told, they participate in a far more intimate and impelling level. I feel this is the true magic of the screenplay. The screenplay needs to find a substitution for the inner motivations of your characters with external symbols. The telling of your story now becomes a grand game of hide and seek, as you search for the visual equivalents, metaphoric images, and external representations of the hidden inner world of thoughts, values and motivations.

This session will reveal some of the advanced techniques - and more daunting challenges - of creating great writing for games and interactive media.

For experienced writers who want to go to the master level. Breaks down the simple steps necessary to writing a screenplay with multiple storylines and several main protagonists. This gives you the tools to turn the process of multiple storyline writing from being complex and potentially daunting to being comprehendible and doable. Attendess should see Crash Magnolia Boogie Nights and Pulp Fiction before you come. Handout Included.

Every successful story needs to be a coherent emotional journey from beginning to end, whether it really happened or not. He will discuss what he has learned about identifying a good true story, mining and assembling its dramatic elements, and how and when to fictionalize.

Exhibitors offering demos and products for sale at discounts. Note: exhibitors may close booths before official daily closing time at their option.

This session will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing the micro-budget writer, from concept and development to filming and marketing your completed film.

The ultimate challenge for writers today is creating compelling authentic fresh dialogue that individualizes characters and entertains the reader. Expanding on the key element of all successful scripts—the reader's emotional experience—author Karl Iglesias showcases dialogue techniques from highly successful screenwriters that turn flat on-the-nose dialogue into striking speech that snaps crackles and pops off the page. Topics include the most common dialogue problems with specific fixes for each polishing devices that reveal character and push all the right emotional buttons as well as subtext individual speech and how to weave in exposition.

This information-packed seminar utilizing film clips and a Hollywood insider's pragmatic experience defines the essential components of a marketable romantic comedy. Learn how to create compelling leads who have real chemistry how to tweak the formula and how to develop genuinely passionate funny stories of substance that will speak to contemporary audiences.

Before Hal Croasmun released his Subtext model 10 years ago, subtext was an un-explainable elusive skill that was only brushed-over in even the most comprehensive screenwriting books.   But it is now expected that any great script will be filled with subtext that actors can play and audiences enjoy. In this class, you'll learn the principles of subtext and the keys to building subtext into your characters and situations so it naturally fills every page of your script.

John Truby, creator of the best-selling story development software Blockbuster, explains the final techniques in writing a script that will sell in Hollywood – Why two or three plot points aren't nearly enough; The one trick that works for every genre story; How to make your script race forward; How to come up with the right goal for your hero; The one genre you must use for a blockbuster script; The trick to rewriting that kills most writers; Hollywood's essential story strategy that must be in your script, and more!

The essence of true character conflict is not derived from the protagonist being right and the antagonist being wrong, but from both characters being right carried to an inevitable conclusion. Villains and unsympathetic characters don't consider themselves evil. They like everyone else is doing the very best they can given their fears, needs, knowledge, skills, pain, and personal history. It is the hero that offers us the journey and the objective of the story, but it is the antagonist that creates the drama. A great antagonist makes us squirm not because of the opposition he represents but because there is a truth behind his position that makes us uncomfortable. It is the antagonist that forces both the hero as well as us to confront out shadow side.

Ready to sell your pitch to NBC? Think your spec will land you a job? Think again. Navigating a TV career requires an arsenal of personal contacts, and networking takes time to perfect. This seminar explores techniques to nurture relationships, networking do’s and don’t’s, and contacting big-wigs you haven’t met.

Techniques and approaches for writers who already have a basic understanding of the field. Research, extrapolation, thematics, and the blending of SF with other genres.

Focuses on giving screenwriters workable tools they can use to debug problems in their screenplays. Details steps which find problem areas that are not always easy to see. This is not a theoretical dissertation but an actual program that can be followed to debug any screenplay that is not selling or not finished. Handout Included.

For a new writer breaking in, the single most important aspect of a spec screenplay is the premise. But how do you go about creating one? And how do you know a good one when you find it? Screenwriter Bill Marsilii (DEJA VU, LIGHTSPEED) discusses his approach, from developing a movie-worthy premise, through the brainstorming and outlining process, to a solid screenplay structure.

With only a couple of unproduced studio projects and a single produced credit (indie drama The Air That I Breathe), he turned an original spec into a seven-figure payday and his first studio film. We will ask him -- and you can, too -- for all the details on how he broke in.

Why Pitch? Industry Access. Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive with the power to turn your dream into a reality. In one room, up to 50+ representatives of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agencies and management companies at a time will be looking for new material. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts. Who? Representatives from the top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development production companies as well as reps from writers' agencies managers. Each of our executives is with an organization which has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows Movies-of-the-Week, or New Media or Web productions. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWs, as well as hour and half-hour television formats, New Media, and Web producers will be hearing pitches. The execs are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent. NOTE: ignore the message in some program pages that you do not need to buy tickets for this session with a Gold Pass. An offshoren programmer wrote that into the PHP program code, adn we don't have time before the Expo to get it out. You DO need to buy a ticket for each pitch.

Author Karl Iglesias takes an in-depth look at the most challenging area for screenwriters: how to avoid 'on-the-nose' dialogue and create dramatic interactions that have subtext—the meaning and emotions behind the spoken words. This workshop presents ten proven techniques and tricks of the trade for creating subtext in your dialogue with lots of script examples. Topics include why subtext is such a big deal and the dramatic moments when 'on-the-nose' dialogue is actually acceptable.

The contemporary rom-com requires a fresh irreverent (and sometimes raunchy) comedic approach to the standard 'boy meets girl' formula. This seminar utilizing film clips and a Hollywood insider's pragmatic experience defines time-honored principles of comedy and shows you how to tweak and update them to satisfy the sensibility of today's audience.

Studios want top actors attached before greenlighting a movie. Distributors want bankable talent attached before picking up an Indie film. So a writer who can create roles that will attract movie stars is a writer in demand. Hal has interviewed producers at more than 30 top actors companies to determine exactly what they need in a script. In this simple, but powerful model, you answer 9 questions about your lead characters that will reveal what each character needs in order to attract an actor. Those answers will make your lead characters shine, improve the read of your script, and build a reputation for you as a writer who understands actors. Most important, this one change could start your career.

From the industry's top stars (Jack Black Nathan Lane Michael Patrick King etc.) to first time comedy writers producers directors and performers Steve Kaplan has worked with and developed the best. The proven and practical methods and principles contained in his famed Comedy Intensive course reveals the hidden tools and principles that help you understand comedy from the inside out: How do you write funny? How do you act funny? How do you direct funny? How do you be funny?

The first few pages of a screenplay are vital to it getting read or bought. Here are five things a screenwriter can do to start things off with a bang.

Video Books, Video games, television, stage, film, webisodes, novels, stage plays--learn how to adapt and shape your material for the challenges of a dozen different formats.

Greenlight yourself! TV and film are now producing numerous web series. Why aren't you making one? Here's the secrets to a winning series-- that you can make yourself!

Preparing characters and scriptwriting techniques for the medium of 2D and 3D animation.

Just like in features, concept is king in TV development, and the criteria for what makes an idea workable (fresh, compelling, and real) are very specific. Erik Bork will detail what he has learned from experience presenting dozens of ideas to networks, studios, producers, and his own agents at CAA.

All great scripts are about problems that desperately need to be solved. Learn the keys to getting a reader emotionally invested in what your characters want and can’t have – and how to build that investment as the things they try to fix get worse and worse.

More than a thousand entrants, and it will be down to the final three in the new Cyberspace Open, the web version of the CS Open sceene-writing competition. The three finalists' scenes will be performed live before the audience at the Closing Ceremony, which will pick the winner. Also at the Closing Ceremony: Don't miss the free "raffle ticket" giveaways, including a free trip to the 2010 Expo, free subscriptions to Creative Screenwriting Magazine, and, if they consent, free stuff signed by Guests of Honor. And, of course, one lucky (we hope) registrant wins a free Bill's Barbecued Planked Salmon cooked right before you and up to 50 of your friends (you supply the party, the location within 30 miles of Los Angeles, and the barbecue, and the publisher of Creative Screenwriting comes to your location with the salmon and cooks this delight for you).

This special event has become a staple of the EXPO, as every year Michael Hauge offers his unique, in-depth analysis of a critically acclaimed and commercially successful screenplay. At the conclusion of a week filled with writers and lecturers revealing their secrets for Hollywood success, this 2-hour workshop will illustrate the essential principles of screenwriting with a detailed analysis of the script for the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar. While this film is lauded for it’s high production values and dazzling, 3-D special effects, Michael will argue that its record-breaking box office returns could not have been achieved without James Cameron’s terrific screenplay. He will reveal how the compelling story concept, the clearly defined outer motivations, the hero’s character arc, the structure of the plot, the vividly drawn primary characters, the compelling love story and the universal theme were all essential to the film’s huge success. Please see the movie prior to attending the lecture.

Writing a spec script? Polishing up your romantic-comedy screenplay? Steve Kaplan is one of the industry's most sought-after expert when it comes to Comedy. Having taught at UCLA NYU and Yale and other top universities Steve created the HBO Workspace and the HBO New Writers Program. His famed class attracts people from around the country dedicated to learning and understanding the craft of comedy writing.

An interview with Bert Royal, the writer of the upcoming comedy 'Easy A."