FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the Dates of the 2021 ScreenCraft Writers Summit?
Friday, April 23rd - Monday, April 26th, 2021
Where will it take place?
The 2020 ScreenCraft Writers Summit will take place at the historic Allegro Hotel in downtown Chicago’s theatre district. The Allegro is a Kimpton Hotel, part of the IHG Group. The panels, workshops and socials of the Writers Summit will primarily take place in the Allegro’s ballrooms, meeting rooms and event spaces.
The address of the Allegro Hotel is:
171 W. Randolph St., Chicago, Illinois
Phone: (312) 236-0123
For more information about booking rooms at the Allegro Hotel, please see below.
What kind of events can I expect?
Panels, workshops and public group discussions, as well as social events every night! The panels and workshops will feature our A-list writers, TV showrunners, studio and network executives, agents, managers, producers and screenwriting instructors. For the panelist list check the website.
The Preliminary schedule can be viewed here. The full schedule will be released the week before the Summit. Note: Events, activations and panelists are subject to change.
Many of the “greatest hits” events and panels will be returning, from The Hollywood TED-Style Talks, to The Failure Panel, and the Pitch Competition. New in 2021 will be a guaranteed signing with a Literary Manager for the winner of the pitch competition (see more information below).
Additional panelists are added all the time, keep checking back!
How do I attend?
To attend the ScreenCraft Writers Summit, you need to have a Badge.
While all panels, workshops, happy hours and evening events are open to anyone with a Writers Summit Badge, some of the more exclusive events are for Elite badgeholders only. This includes The “Mentorship AMA’s” (“Ask Me Anything”). All elite badgeholders will be able to join two 30-min AMA sessions. Each session features one panelist: Award-winning writers, agents, managers, producers, studio executives, etc. With only 10-12 Elite Badgeholders in each session, this is your chance to ask every burning question and get actionable advice from working industry professionals at the top of their game. AMA sessions will be scheduled throughout the weekend, and signup information will be released four weeks prior to the Summit.
Other Elite-only events include the VIP reception on Saturday 4/24 with only elite badgeholders and panelists, and the Pre-Pitch “wine-down,” a wine & cheese reception, with the panelists and mentors, on Sunday 4/25 before the Pitch finals. Elite badgeholders will be able to sign up for personalized pitch assistance in the weeks before the Summit, to prepare for the official pitch time!
For the full list of events for each badge type, check the website.
PLEASE NOTE: In all past years, the ScreenCraft Writers Summit SOLD OUT, with Elite Badges the first to sell out. Be sure to purchase your badge early!
How do I get my badge?
Badges must be purchased on our website, and they can be picked-up in-person at the Box Office. Official photo ID will be required for pickup.
How much are Badges? Do the prices change?
See the website for full list of badge prices.
The prices change on certain cutoff dates:
- Late Deadline, and Pitch Competition cutoff: April 3, 2021
Are Student Badges available?
Yes, but only 25 Student Badges are available. If you purchase a student badge, you must present a valid and current student ID at badge pickup. If you do not present a valid and current student ID, the badge cannot be picked-up and purchase price will not be refunded.
I had a badge for the 2020 conference, what does that mean for 2021?
Your badge will automatically be transferred to the 2021 Summit. If you’re unable to attend the rescheduled event, we’re honoring refund requests until March 23rd, 2020. Please note that with next year’s expanded event, badge prices have gone up, and you will not be able to re-purchase a badge for less than the amount you’ve already paid.
If you choose to keep your current badge and join us at the 2021 Summit, we’re excited to add the following to your existing registration:
- A $50 ScreenCraft Competition Gift Card, sent on March 24th
- An invitation to a party with VIP panelists at the 2021 event, exclusive to you, the “Chicago Year One” badge holders, who registered before this notice
Are badges refundable?
Due to Coronavirus concerns, any 2020 badges purchased before March 12th, 2020 are refundable until March 23rd, 2020.
Should Coronavirus concerns affect the 2021 Writers Summit, a public announcement will be made to badgeholders no later than December 15, 2020.
What else does my Summit Badge get me?
All Writers Summit Badgeholders get a 75% discount on annual membership to TSL 360: The Script Lab’s library of educational video content for screenwriters and filmmakers (including recorded panels from the Summit)!
If I have an Elite Badge, do I need to sign-up for the Mentor AMA’s or other events?
Specific instructions containing the details for these events will be sent to all Elite Badgeholders four weeks prior to the Summit, in March 2021. Stay tuned for details.
What’s the Pitch Event and how do I sign up?
The Pitch Competition at the ScreenCraft Writers Summit is your chance to let your work shine, compete for prizes and profile your skills to our panel of judges, A-List Hollywood writers, agents, managers and producers. At the 2021 Summit, the winning pitch will get a guaranteed signing with a literary manager, who will be on the VIP judging panel on Sunday night.
The Pitch Competition Signing Rep will be Tony Gil, of The Gotham Group. The Gotham Group is one of Hollywood's most prestigious Literary Management companies, also producing the work of their clients. Gil's clients include the writers of OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, ANGEL HAS FALLEN and THE EXPENDABLES 3 and more.
How it works: Prepare the best possible pitch of your work - it can be feature, television series, webseries, play, podcast, you name it. But the pitch has to be TWO (2) MINUTES or less. The goal is to be efficient and dynamic, cutting straight to the heart of your best material!
In the weeks leading up to the Writers Summit, you can sign-up for a preliminary pitch time. Preliminary pitch times will run from 2pm Friday 4/23/21, all day Saturday 4/24, and Sunday 4/25 until 3:00pm. You’ll pitch to our first round of judges, who will select the finalists. The finalists will then live-pitch to VIP judges at an evening social, on Sunday 4/25.
What do you win? In addition to a guaranteed signing with a literary manager, you will have the exclusive chance to have all eyes and ears of the Summit focused on your work, and of course, bragging rights as the “Best Pitch of the Summit!”
Note: In order to be eligible to participate in the Pitch Competition, you must have purchased your badge by or on April 3, 2021.
What kind of Social Events will be at the ScreenCraft Writers Summit?
On Friday, April 23rd, 2021, there will be a Summit-exclusive opening Reception, with complimentary beer and wine, for all Writers Summit badgeholders.
Later in the evening on Friday April 23rd will be the "Chicago Year One" party, exclusively for badgeholders who purchased a Summit Badge for 2020, before the announced reschedule due to coronavirus.
On Saturday night, April 24th, there will be an evening party for all badgeholders and VIP’s. Earlier on Saturday will be an Elite badge-only hosted reception at the Allegro, for Elite badgeholders, panelists and sponsors.
Sunday, April 25th, is the Pitch Finals, in the evening at a restaurant/event space nearby to the The Allegro Hotel. Stay tuned for locations to be released in 2021!
Will there be a Summit discounted hotel room rate?
Yes, please check back on or after July 1, 2020 for our dedicated hotel booking link!
Can I arrive early or stay late?
Yes! We are planning excursions and pre-Summit social events for the days prior to the Summit. Watch for that schedule to be released in early 2021.
Can I bring a guest?
All Writers Summit social events are for badgeholders, only. For any special situations please contact us.
What is the dress code?
The recommended dress code for all events of the Writers Summit, including happy hours and parties, is “Entertainment Casual”. This means: Whatever makes you feel comfortable, confident and professional. The event has a relaxed, casual atmosphere. All parties have this same atmosphere, no suits or black-tie required.
Are the event venues accessible for people with additional needs?
Yes, we will make every effort to ensure accessibility to the ballrooms and meeting rooms, as well as offsite events.
For any specific questions about additional needs, please email us: [email protected]