We're excited to announce the preliminary schedule for the 2019 ScreenCraft Writers Summit in Partnership with the Atlanta Film Festival. 

Join us on April 5th , 6th and 7th for workshops, panels, cocktail parties, pitch events and mentorship with some of Hollywood’s top screenwriters, agents, managers, studio executives and producers at the historic Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta.

Atlanta is currently America’s hottest city for producing movies and TV! Known as Hollywood of the South, Atlanta is hosting more big-budget productions than Los Angeles, including The Avengers, Black Panther, The Walking Dead and many more shows!

Click here to reserve your badge now.

2019 SCREENCRAFT WRITERS SUMMIT SCHEDULE

This schedule is up to date as of March 19, 2019

ALL EVENTS AND PANELIST LINEUP SUBJECT TO CHANGE - Bios of panelists and moderators will be printed in The Pocket Guide.

Badge pick-up: Box Office:

Thursday, April 4th: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM // Friday, April 5th: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM // Saturday April 6th 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM  // Sunday April 7th 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

The Georgian Terrace Hotel, Lower Level Lobby

659 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30308

Event Venues

The Georgian Terrace Hotel (“GT”)

659 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30308

The Georgian Terrace is the Primary Venue for the 2019 ScreenCraft Writers Summit.

The majority of panels and workshops will take place in the ballrooms and meeting rooms.

“The Craft Hub” at SPACES Midtown

715 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 100 & 200 Atlanta, Georgia 30308

This year we have a special venue for deep-dive instructional workshops and classes, with some of the best instructors in the business. Two doors down from the Georgian Terrace, join us to elevate your craft!

Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at these venues.  

FRIDAY, APRIL 5th, 2019

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM // Writers Summit Opening Reception, presented by SAGindie

All Writers Summit Badgeholders are invited to join us in the Piedmont Ballroom of the Georgian Terrace, for our Opening Reception, presented by SAGindie.  

Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom
Complementary Beer & Wine, 21+, no outside guests permitted.

7:00 PM - ON // Writers Summit Open Social

Join us in the Official Writers Summit Bar, Edgar’s Proof & Provision, the downstairs bar with the speakeasy past, to keep the evening going!

Location:  Edgar's Proof and Provision, Georgian Terrace Downstairs

7:00 PM - 12:00 AM // Atlanta Film Festival Opening Night Films  *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badges receive standby tickets to ALL films at the Atlanta Film Festival. Be sure to get in line! (90% of films admit all standby ticket holders). See ATLFF website for film schedule.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6th

8:30 AM - 9:15 AM // Ready? Set? Pitch!

Are you participating in the Summit Pitch Competition?  Get an early start on the morning and join us for a cup of coffee and a Pitch Prep Session where Danny Manus, an experienced pitch coach, will share best practices, secret tips and answer questions.  If you're planning to pitch, you won't want to miss it!

Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom
Coffee provided

9:30 AM - 10:50 AM // All-Attendee Opening Keynote, Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

The Hollywood TED’s:  “The Best Lesson I Ever Learned”

Back by popular demand, we kick off the 2019 Writers Summit right, with a series of TED-style stories from our esteemed panelists, on “The Best Lesson I Ever Learned” in the entertainment industry. From how they broke in, to dealing with network notes and drama, expect secrets and slip-ups shared on how to survive and thrive, in Hollywood and beyond. This is the only All-Attendee panel of the Summit, with key announcements and insights on how to get the most out of the days of the Summit. Don’t miss it!

Panelists:

Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, Big Love, The Cloverfield Paradox)

Darrien Gipson (National Director, SAGindie)

Ben Cory Jones (Boomerang, Insecure, Underground)

David Rabinowitz (Oscar Winner, BlacKkKlansman)

Chad Kennedy (VP Current Programming, Warner Bros. Television)

Steven E. de Souza (Die Hard, Commando)

Moderator:  Emily Dell (Director/Writer; Exec. Director ScreenCraft Writers Summit)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

9:30 AM - 5:30 PM // Pitch Competition: Open Pitches, GT Meeting rooms 1, 5, and 6

Please consult your Pitch Confirmation for your room location and time. Only badgeholders with Pitch Confirmations are eligible to pitch.

Reserve your summit badge!

11:05 AM - 12:25 PM // Morning Panels & Workshops

Agents and Managers, Oh My!

Do I need an agent? Do I need a Manager? Do I need both? What’s the difference between them, and how do I find, keep and work with these people?  This panel breaks down representation for working writers in the film and television industry. There are a thousand myths, misconceptions and burning questions, we'll try to address them all!

Panelists:

Keya Khayatian (Partner & Literary Agent, United Talent Agency)

Hannah Ozer (Literary Manager, Kaplan/Perrone)

Tony Gil  (Literary Manager, The Gotham Group)

Scott Carr (Literary Manager, Management SGC)

Moderator:   Steven DeBose (Director of Script Competitions, Austin Film Festival)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

Is Film Dead?  The State of Feature Films in the Film Industry

Is the feature film business still viable? Is every slow opening weekend a harbinger of doom? What happens when the Disney/Fox merger goes through? Is this panel title intentionally incendiary?  For many of us, the experience of watching films was what inspired us to join this business, and we’re not about to give it up without a fight. Join the conversation!

Panelists:

Meg LeFauve (Oscar Nominee, Inside Out, Captain Marvel)

Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, Big Love, The Cloverfield Paradox)

Jonathan Wu (Director of Production at 20th Century Fox)

Wayne Horton (Coordinator for Original Independent Features, Netflix)

Moderator:  Elizabeth Dell  (Producer, Destination Wedding, B-Girl)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom

Note: No recording or posting permitted at this panel

Craft Intensive:  The Power of Structure, with John Yorke

The Power of Structure - Not just how structure works, but why it exists. John Yorke’s unique approach gets to grips with the very fundamentals of storytelling. Gurus never ask "why?” - but the why is everything. A look at the underlying universal principals behind story from the UK’s greatest practitioner. 

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 1  *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM // Lunch Break

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 2  *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

1:35 PM - 2:55 PM // Afternoon Panels & Workshops 

WeScreenplay Presents:  How to Sell New Ideas to "Old Hollywood"

“Old Hollywood” is finally getting the picture: It’s the distinctive stories from unique and underrepresented voices that feel fresh and new, and today grab audiences and awards. But it takes commitment to vision, and brave individuals, to fight for these stories to be told. WeScreenplay seeks to highlight the most exciting emerging voices.  

Panelists:

Ben Cory Jones (Boomerang, Insecure, Underground)

David Rabinowitz (Oscar Winner, BlacKkKlansman)

Hannah Ozer (Literary Manager, Kaplan/Perrone)

Wayne Horton (Coordinator for Original Independent Features, Netflix)

Moderator:  Sonhara Eastman (Screenwriter, Playwright)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom

The Scariest People in Hollywood: Agents and Studio Executives

Some people in Hollywood just seem scary. They’re apex predators, at the top of the food chain. But Agents and Studio Execs are really marshmallows underneath it all! Why does their position seem daunting from the outside? What do they want you to know about the role they play in getting films and television made? And what does their unique vantage point tell them about the industry? Join us to learn all and more.

Panelists:

Keya Khayatian (Partner & Literary Agent, United Talent Agency)

Chad Kennedy (VP Current Programming, Warner Bros. Television)

Jonathan Wu (Director of Production at 20th Century Fox)

Moderator: Elizabeth Dell (Producer, Destination Wedding, B-Girl)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Meeting Room Two

Note: No recording or posting permitted at this panel

Craft Intensive with Sandra Leviton: Everything You Need To Know About Becoming a TV Writer

The road to becoming a television writer is often a mysterious journey. Join former television Executive Sandra Leviton to navigate the map of the TV business and decode the process of becoming a TV writer. Topics include: finding representatives, the changing TV cycle and how it effects you, what to do if you don't live in Los Angeles, and the various paths that lead to the writers' room.

Note: No recording or posting permitted at this panel

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

2:20 PM - 3:10 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 3   *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

3:10 PM - 4:30 PM // Afternoon Panels & Workshops 2

The Science and Entertainment Exchange presents: “Science and Storytelling”

In a world comprised of digital technology, smart machinery, AI, and gadgets for every possible need, a tech-driven reality where we’re all addicted to our pocket-sized supercomputers, what role does science play in storytelling? How does being in touch with the latest advancements keep your script ideas fresh? Is science relevant in fiction? In this discussion, we’ll explore these important questions and more.

Panelists:  

Meg LeFauve (Oscar Nominee, Inside Out, Captain Marvel)

Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, Big Love, The Cloverfield Paradox)

Jamie Linden (Money Monster, Dear John, We Are Marshall)

Moderator: Rick Loverd (The Science & Entertainment Exchange)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom

HollyShorts Film Festival Presents:  Writing to Get Your Sh%t Made: Tools for the Creator

We all love to write, but most of us got into this to see our work come to life.  To see the sets built and hear our dialogue come from great actors. What do you need to keep in mind, from the first moment you pick up a pen, to actually get your sh%t made?  Hear from people who make films and television every day; from new content platforms to groundbreaking series to festival darlings. They will share what they learned along the way, especially how having produced work is the best route to screenwriting success.    

Panelists:

Darrien Gipson (Executive Director, SAGindie)

Elizabeth Dell (Producer, Destination Wedding, B-Girl)

Daniel Sol (Festival Director, HollyShorts)

Donald Albright (Executive Producer & Podcast Creator, Tenderfoot TV)

Moderator:  Sandra Leviton (Producer, Former TV Executive, Consultant)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Meeting Room Two

Craft Intensive with Jacob Krueger: The Secret Language of Producers

Writers, Producers and other creatives tend to look at scripts in completely different ways, and speak different languages when pitching, developing, giving and receiving notes. So if you’re tired with pitch meetings that go nowhere, development meetings that feel like a war, and rewrites that feel like an endless hamster wheel, it’s time to learn how to manage the development process in a way that serves your script. Join WGA Paul Selvin Award winner Jacob Krueger and learn how  to talk about your script at every phase of the process (from pitching, to development, to production) in a language that producers, agents, managers, and investors can understand.

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 4   *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders:  Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM // Finalist & Competition Winners Reception

Past ScreenCraft competition Finalists and Winners are invited to a private reception with select VIP guests. Location will be sent in advance, 21+, no outside guests permitted.

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM // Elite Badge VIP Reception, Presented by Final Draft

Elite Badgeholders are welcomed to join Panelists, VIP’s and our friends from Final Draft for a reception in the Georgian Terrace Livingston Bar.

Complimentary beer, wine, select cocktails and appetizers, 21+, no outside guests permitted

9:00 PM - 10:00 PM // LATE NIGHT PANEL:  Things that Go “Bump” in the Night

Come back to the Georgian Terrace (and grab a drink in the speakeasy bar!) to join us for a discussion on the dark and dirty bits: writing thrills, chills and toe-curling squeals!

Panelists:

Steven E. de Souza (Die Hard, Commando)

Brie Neimand (Vice-President Scripted Programming, Fremantle

Wayne Horton (Coordinator for Original Independent Features, Netflix)

Jacob Krueger (Writer of EMMY-winning THE MATTHEW SHEPARD STORY, Instructor)

Moderator:  Steven DeBose (Austin Film Festival Competition Director)

Location:  Georgian Terrace Meeting Room Two

10:00 PM - 12:00 AM // All-Summit Saturday Night Party

Join us for the Summit Saturday Night Party!
Location:  The Publik Draft House
654 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

21+, cash (no-host) bar, outside guests welcomed.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7th

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM // Craft Intensive with Meg LeFauve:
Creating Emotional Characters that Audiences Will Care About

Join Oscar-nominated screenwriter Meg LeFauve (INSIDE OUT, THE GOOD DINOSAUR, CAPTAIN MARVEL) for an insight into her process for authentic, rich characters.  Note: This is a new addition to the schedule!

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM // Mimosa Brunch   *Elite Badgeholders & Panelists Only*

A delicious catered Mimosa Brunch in the Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom.

21+, no outside guests permitted.
PLEASE NOTE:  According to Georgia State Law, no alcoholic beverages will be served prior to 11am

11:00 AM - 12:20 PM // Building a Development Culture in GA, presented by The Georgia Film Academy

“Development” is the process where scripts are discovered, optioned, improved, packaged, and greenlit for film and television. While filming takes place anywhere (mostly in GA!) development is still localized in New York and LA. How do we change that? Both LA and GA-based companies and creatives come together to break down development, and how to build that culture locally. Share your ideas, let's build this community together!

Note: This event begins with an open “Ideas Session” starting at 10:30 AM. Come join!

Panelists:  

Gabrielle Fulton Ponder (Playwright and Television writer, Ambitions on OWN)

Dan Rosenfelt (President of Third Rail Studios, Co-Founder Kid Opal Productions)

Kate McArdle (Director of Workforce Development, Georgia Film Academy)

Shannan E. Johnson (Former Executive, SyFy Channel; Development & Script Consultant)

Tony Gil (Literary Manager, The Gotham Group)

Moderator:  Mitch Olson (Writer/Producer; Founder of Point South Productions)

Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

11:00 AM - 12:15pm Craft Intensive #2 with Jacob Krueger
The TV Pilot:  Secrets of Writing for TV and Web Series

A successful TV or Web Series pilot has to do so much more than just tell a great story. It's actually a blueprint for the series engine which will inspire every episode and every season. In this seminar with WGA Paul Selvin Award Winner Jacob Krueger, you'll learn how to develop the engine of your series pilot, and weave it into the underlying structure of your pilot. You'll discover the secrets of great pilots in every genre, including Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Arrested Development and how to apply those lessons to your own scripts.

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

10:00 AM - 3:30 PM // Pitch Competition Open Pitches: GT Meeting rooms 1, 5, and 6

Please consult your Pitch Confirmation for your room location and time. Only badgeholders with Pitch Confirmations are eligible to pitch.

All attendees to registered before March 22nd are eligible to participate in the Pitch Competition.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 5 *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM // Lunch Break and THE SECRET PANEL

Where is it? Who is it? It’s a Secret! All we can say is that it will be awesome, and details will be released via Social Media day-of.  You won’t want to miss it!  Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

1:35 PM - 2:55 PM // Afternoon Panels & Workshops 1

“Writers on Writing” with Julie Plec, presented by the Writers Guild Foundation

The Writers Guild Foundation brings back one of its highlight events, an in-depth discussion with powerhouse television creator Julie Plec. From The Vampire Diaries to The Originals, Legacies, Roswell: New Mexico and more, this discussion will delve into her process as a television writer, producer and showrunner of some of the most-adored content on television.  

Panelists:

Julie Plec (EP/Showrunner The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Roswell: New Mexico)

Moderator: Enid Portuguez (The Writers Guild Foundation)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

Writing Competitions and Fellowships AMA

Bring your burning questions to this panel and open “Ask Me Anything” forum, where the top competition and fellowship directors address the values and differences between competitions and brands.

Panelists:

Joan Wai, (The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting)

John Rhodes (ScreenCraft)

Anna Vecellio (Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Director)

Abigail Boland (Development Associate, HUMANITAS)

Steven DeBose (Austin Film Festival Competition Director)

Moderator: Julia Camara (Writer & Director)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom

Craft Intensive:  "It All Starts with a Script": Final Draft 11 Tutorial

Join Final Draft’s Phil Galasso for an overview of the exciting features in Final Draft 11. With Final Draft 11, you can brainstorm, visualize, report, tag, collaborate and customize your writing environment like never before. The refined Beat Board offers limitless space to organize your ideas in a customizable, visual way. Plan set pieces, store character research, and much more. Plus, we’ll dig in to the foundation features that have made Final Draft the industry standard screenwriting software for over 25 years. We’ll also raffle off 3 copies of Final Draft 11 to those in attendance.

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

1:20 PM - 2:20 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 6 *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

2:40 PM - 3:40 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 7 *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

3:10 PM - 4:30 PM // Afternoon Panels & Workshops 2

SeriesFest Presents: Network, Cable or Streaming? A Television Battle Royale

Watch out folks, we’re bringing the titans of television together for the newest installment of the platform wars!  What’s in, what’s out, and how does this affect the fundamentals of writing episodic content?

Panelists:

Julie Plec (EP/Showrunner The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Roswell: New Mexico)

Chad Kennedy (VP Current Programming, Warner Bros. Television)

Ben Cory Jones (EP/Showrunner,  Boomerang, Insecure, Underground)

Moderator: Danny Manus (CEO & Script Consultant)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Grand Ballroom

The Failure Panel

One of the most popular panels of the Writers Summit is back! Yes, it’s the Failure Panel, where our brave panelists share how they’ve learned to celebrate mistakes and foibles as the things that make us human, and make us great storytellers. There won’t be kumbayas and group therapy (okay, maybe a little) but there will be honesty and lessons learned.

Panelists:  

Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, Big Love, The Cloverfield Paradox)

David Rabinowitz (Oscar Winner, BlacKkKlansman)

Meg LeFauve (Oscar Nominee, Inside Out, Captain Marvel)

Hannah Ozer (Literary Manager, Kaplan/Perrone)

Moderator: Emily Dell (Director/Writer, Exec. Director ScreenCraft Writers Summit)
Location:  Georgian Terrace Piedmont Ballroom

Note: No recording or posting permitted at this panel

Craft Intensive: with John Yorke: "What Novelists Can Learn from Screenwriting"
The principals of narrative structure are universal, and the lessons that go into crafting a Hollywood blockbuster are equally applicable to novelists. John Yorke - the UK’s most successful narrative analyst explores what they are.

Location: The Craft Hub at SPACES

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM // Small Group Mentor Session 8 *Elite Badgeholders Only*

Elite Badgeholders: Please consult your Mentor Session Confirmation - sent out before the summit -  for your session location and time.

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM // "Women of the Writers Summit" Mixer
Co-hosted with Women in Film & Television Atlanta (WIFTA)

Join WIFTA and ScreenCraft for the Women of the Writers Summit Mixer on Sunday, April 7th. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and music (21+).  This event is  FREE for WIFTA members and Writers Summit Badgeholders, please register here using code SCREENCRAFT.  Women & Men welcomed!

Address:  Uncle Julio's 1860 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30309

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM // Summit Family Style Dinner

The Summit Family Style Dinner is a chance to share a lovely meal with your friends from the Writers Summit, and share lessons and inspirations over delicious southern food.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, see website for menu.
Location: Mary Mac's Tea Room, 224 Ponce de Leon Ave NE,  Atlanta, GA 30308

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM // Pitch Competition Finals & Writers Summit Awards Ceremony

The capstone to the Writers Summit:  The finalists of the Summit Pitch Competition will live-pitch to a panel of VIP judges. Come celebrate the best stories and watch your friends compete for prizes, the chance to have all eyes and ears of the Summit focused on them, and bragging rights as the “Best Pitch of the Summit!”

Location: The Hudson Grille, Upstairs
942 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 (6 ½ Blocks from the Georgian Terrace)
21+, cash (no-host) bar.

Last year's pitch competition winners:

The Atlanta Film Festival Continues and ATLFF Creative Conference Begins!

Thank you for joining us!

This event WILL SELL OUT. And while there will be a waitlist, make sure you don't miss this opportunity and get your badge now. Last year all Elite Badges sold out by the early deadline. This year we've expanded our venues to accommodate a few more attendees. 

“This was a life-changing weekend for me as I signed with a Literary Manager and got a script request from a great producer.”
– Dave Pileggi, Screenwriter and ScreenCraft Conference Attendee

“It was freaking amazing!”
– Rhonda Baraka, screenwriter and filmmaker (signed with a literary manager whom she met at the 2018 ScreenCraft Writers Summit)

“I have never been a part of a conference where I felt so well-taken-care-of from start to finish! I had a great time, loved my panels and enjoyed the whole experience.”
– Jeb Stuart, writer of Die Hard, The Fugitive, ScreenCraft Conference Panelist

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