Expo 4 from my perspective

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  • Expo 4 from my perspective

    I finally made it home from Expo 4 and wanted to pass on my thoughts while they were still fresh.

    I've organized and hosted large one and two day events in the past. But they were much smaller in scale than Expo. Every additional day adds a tremendous amount of additional work - like having triplets, instead of twins. I was tremendously impressed with the organization and the quality of the experience I had at Expo 4.

    The speakers were superb and willing to spend extra time with you if requested. The pitch sessions were organized with great precision (to as great a degree as the Expo staff could, considering some people didn't show up as promised or arrive when they said they would). One of my pitchees didn't show but the staff allowed me - and all others in a similar situation - to pitch to whoever they wanted after regular time was up. I got to pitch to Kopelson, instead of much smaller producer! And they requested a read!

    I made ten pitches (including the one to Kopelson) on Saturday - 9 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. All but one requested additional material from me - one pages or scripts. Also, every staff member I interacted with was friendly and helpful. One producer/writer told everyone at his seminar that they could send the first 15 pages of their scripts and he would read and respond to them. I can't thank the organizers (Jim, Eric, and ?) enough.

    I also met with a WGA signatory agent while I was down, before Expo started, and he requested two of my scripts. So, it was a great trip!

    Thanks again to all who made this a terrific experience.

  • #2
    Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

    Don't forget how handsome and attractive all the organizers and speakers are!

    Seriously, both years I've gone I've had to wipe drool off my chin after talking to Jeff "The Wolf." You just want to pack him up and take him home in a Happy Meal box!
    "The intrepid Spaceman Spiff is stranded on a distant planet! Our hero ruefully acknowledges this happens fairly frequently." Calvin & Hobbs

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    • #3
      Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

      Originally posted by Willoughby
      Seriously, both years I've gone I've had to wipe drool off my chin after talking to Jeff "The Wolf."
      The trick is to not get it in your eyes. It stings apparently.
      http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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      • #4
        Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

        Originally posted by English Dave
        The trick is to not get it in your eyes. It stings apparently.
        Jeff actually bowed to me this year. I'd just mented that I was a QF for this Expo and he bowed to me.

        As highlights go, that ranks right up there with when Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillon sat in front of us at Mr. Whedon's talk and with Tim Minear saying Mr. Whedon used to walk into the writer's room and f*** the couch.

        /good times, good times...
        "The intrepid Spaceman Spiff is stranded on a distant planet! Our hero ruefully acknowledges this happens fairly frequently." Calvin & Hobbs

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        • #5
          Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

          Hey, you were in the Minear thing? Where were you? I was the one who suggested that Xander bring a cursed talisman to Angel.

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          • #6
            Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

            I was sitting in the front row and I was the one that suggested the theme of the episode was shaping up to be how litle we're willing to face the reality of things that appear to be too good too be true.

            Man, that was a fun time!
            "The intrepid Spaceman Spiff is stranded on a distant planet! Our hero ruefully acknowledges this happens fairly frequently." Calvin & Hobbs

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            • #7
              Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

              That was a fun time. I wish the group had been smaller, as it was hard to build on previous ideas. I bet the energy of a writers room would be fantastic.

              It's great that you had such a fantastic response. I met some interesting people, exchanged some cards, felt incredibly discouraged by some of the things I heard (such as during the producers panel, a comment that mailed queries are just tossed in the trash without being read and e-mail is frequently not read) and felt inspired by other things. Did you do the Pitch to America?

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              • #8
                Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

                I didn't do any pitches this year. I wanted to focus on learning as much as I could from the classes.

                Don't give up on querry letters. The woman who runs the company Smart Girls and tought one of my classes said her clients do get responses from them. A couple even got responses after sending a letter to a company who's record in the HCD said 'don't send querry letters.' Remember Tim Minear's experience getting onto X-Files, too. Those sort of guidelines are great and valuable, but no one really considers them commandments or anything.
                "The intrepid Spaceman Spiff is stranded on a distant planet! Our hero ruefully acknowledges this happens fairly frequently." Calvin & Hobbs

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                • #9
                  Re: Expo 4 from my perspective

                  I did the Smart Girls seminar and have to say that I wasn't impressed by the query letter that was provided as a sample. If that's what they'll do for near on a thousand bucks then I know where my money's staying.

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