For screenwriters starting out, or even for experienced scribes, the upcoming Screenwriting Expo 5 offers a chance to learn from some of the best in the business. Sponsored by Creative Screenwriting magazine, the annual convention will take place Oct. 19–22, at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and the Renaissance Montura Hotel. It will feature more than 300 programs; guests of honor who include Oscar winners William Goldman and Oliver Stone; pitch sessions; writing competitions; and a trade show where all products and services are discounted at least 10 percent.
According to Erik Bauer, CEO of Promise Technologies, who created and manages the expo, the event came about after he witnessed other screenwriting events. "I had always been a little disgusted with the conferences that were offered for screenwriters," he notes. "They were very expensive and didn't, in my opinion, offer a lot. So I started the Screenwriting Expo, where anyone who wanted to come could afford to attend." Attendees can choose from several registration packages, ranging from $124.95 to $349.95. All registrations come with a year's subscription to Creative Screenwriting.
Screenwriters of all levels will find something to enjoy, Bauer says. "All the seminars at the expo are broken down by level: either for beginning, advanced, or professional screenwriters," he notes. "And we have at least 20 events going on at any one time, so there is always something of interest going on for any individual." Bauer estimates there will be 5,000 attendees this year, with people coming from all over the country.
Of the hundreds of classes and events taking place over the weekend, Bauer is loath to choose a favorite, but he expresses particular excitement over a day of lectures titled "Pixar Storytelling." The entire storytelling department from Pixar Animation Studios—the team behind such modern classics as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles—will be on hand throughout the day Saturday. Thursday will feature a series on "Taking Back Your Career," featuring Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry, Mr. & Mrs. Smith scribe Simon Kinberg, Writers Guild of America West President Patric Verrone, and other industry insiders. And then there are the guests of honor appearing throughout the weekend, from the aforementioned Goldman and Stone to Neil LaBute (Nurse Betty), David Ayer (Training Day), Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Identity), and more.
The expo also offers pitch meetings: the opportunity for writers to pitch ideas and stories to up to 100 different producers, development executives, and production companies. Among the writing contests is the one-of-a-kind on-site Creative Screenwriting Open, in which entrants pen a scene based on a prompt, to be judged by a panel of industry readers managed by Coverage, Ink. Those with the highest scores advance; the top three scenes are performed live at the expo's closing ceremonies. Prizes include $5,000 and agency representation. And for more fun, four networking parties are scheduled.
Asked what he hopes writers will take away from the expo, Bauer says, "Contacts in the industry, recharged batteries, and new ideas on how to move their careers forward."
For more information about Screenwriting Expo 5, including a catalogue, visit www.screenwritingexpo.com.