Pilar Alessandra – You Had Me at Page One
Along with Creative Screenwriting’s weekly interview podcast, Pilar Alessandra’s On the Page podcast is an essential listen for any screenwriter.  If you have iTunes, subscribe to both.  Now. Ms. Alessandra taught all day Friday.  Because of scheduling I I was only able to take her You Had Me at Page One session which was, for me, the weekend’s most interactive engagement.  Using examples from popular screenplays i

Talent Managers Panel featuring Philippa Burgess, Christopher Pratt, and Andy Corren
“Queries don’t work.” – Philippa Burgess, Christopher Pratt, and Andy Corren Earlier this year I made a concentrated effort to fully research and query specific agents and managers.  Personalizing my queries, I reasoned, would more effectively prove my worth as a client.  My indiscretionary efforts are explained in this blog entry from March. I’ve read from multiple sources recently, and Ms. Burgess, Mr. Pratt, and

Michael Hauge – Sell Your Story in 60 Seconds
I’ve read Michael Hauge’s Writing Screenplays that Sell and listened to his CD lecture Screenwriting for Hollywood.  His and Christopher Vogler’s

George Escobar – The New Christian Film Movement
“Movies have become more influential than the church.” – George Barna How can one ninety minute seminar be equally inspiring and disparaging at the same time?  George Escobar’s was the first session I attended at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo and I came away with mixed emotions. Mr. Escobar spoke of Sherwood Pictures’ Fireproof and

Decisions
“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.” – Voltaire I am inanely annoyed by most sports broadcast analysts.  They get paid handsomely to repeat recycled comments week after week after week.  Gee, did you hear Adrian Peterson has a firm handshake?  Did you know Kobe and Shaq had a falling out?  Did you know whenever the [insert team] play the [insert team] you can throw the records out the window?  What bothers me most, though, is the way these suits in the booth second-guess everything on the field or court.  And they do it with such certainty.  If they know so much better, why are they not coaching t