Austin 2018

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  • #16
    Re: Austin 2018

    Just as a heads up, hotels really do fill up fast. If you want to be close to everything, you might see if you can get a refundable reservation just to hold something. One year I waited and ended up at La Quinta, which I have always said is Spanish for "waited too long to book the Driskill." (Some people love the La Quinta for its prices. I find it a little nerve-wracking walking alone that far at night.)

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    • #17
      Re: Austin 2018

      Originally posted by wenonah View Post
      Thank you so much!!! It's a crazy, surreal feeling to be working your butt off for 18 years and having such a big dream come true. I've come close several times but it's the first as a Nicholl finalist and semi at Austin (which seems hard to crack) I've written about 22 features and have submitted over half of them to competitions over the years. I write stuff for free locally just to get it made (shorts, web series, etc.) I've been on panels, been a guest speaker for MFA writer students and have won local fellowships but never had a feature made or had a big sale. I did have some success with a short film I wrote and got a lot of awards for during its festival run last year - waaboozmovie.com

      I am a self-taught, Middle-aged, college dropout stay at home mom and a minority. I'm ready for a career. Horsehead Girls is my latest and I'm pretty proud of it.

      I would LOVE to go to Austin and meet up (been once before a couple years ago) but I'm waiting to see what the Nicholl finalist week schedule is like before making travel arrangements.

      W
      Regarding Nicholl:
      Not sure if they've changed the process since I was a Finalist so many years ago (~10), but if it's a matter of budget as opposed to logistics, they most likely will cover your air fare and lodging... and I also recall receiving a bit of spending money while staying there for the Nicholl week. Not sure if that has changes so perhaps a more recent Finalist can weigh in, but that's something to keep in mind.

      Regarding other "stuff":
      I feel like we're leading parallel lives to some extent (minus a few things like stay-at-home mom and your incredible drive to get work produced for the screen), but I think you're in a unique (and somewhat rare) position of being able to attend Austin while also getting additional spotlight for an especially strong script that has advanced to the latter rounds in multiple categories. I think you must have some great buzz right now so that's something to seize upon.

      For my two cents, it just seems like a great opportunity that doesn't occur very often (as you've outlined in your post) so please give it strong consideration and by all means, book some lodging in advance.

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Austin 2018

        Originally posted by wenonah View Post
        I am a self-taught, Middle-aged, college dropout stay at home mom and a minority. I'm ready for a career.
        You are so inspiring. I'm ready to write a biopic about you, haha : )

        Ecstatic that things are taking off for you right now. Can't wait to see your name on the big screen. All the best!
        "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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        • #19
          Re: Austin 2018

          Haha! I love you guys. Thanks so much for the info and cheerleading. I'm gonna need an Austin hug.


          I will definitely TRY to get there. I want to. It's more just waiting until the dates for the Nicholl thing so that I can decide if I wanna hang in Texas for the festival and go straight to LA or come back home first. These are awesome problems to have, I know. I'm humbled - a lot.

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          • #20
            Re: Austin 2018

            We're already writing the opening lines to your acceptance speech: "It's taken me eighteen years to be an overnight success..."

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            • #21
              Re: Austin 2018

              Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
              having gone four of the past six years (sometimes placing in the contest other years not) i would say it's definitely worth it though the conference doesn't feel like a hotbed of deal-making in the same way Cannes, Toronto, or Sundance can be. the panels are always interesting and more often than not actually useful. and then everyone hangs out in the Driskill bar in the evenings and schmoozes -- or just drinking with close friends. but unless one is an actual winner in the competition i wouldn't expect managers or producers to necessarily be in signing mode then and there (although who ever knows for sure?)
              Originally posted by docgonzo View Post
              I was a finalist last year with a TV spec and went to the festival. It was fun and I met some good people, but nothing professional came out of it. Not like I was expecting it, because nobody wants to read specs of existing shows anymore. And I wasn't really looking for that anyway, because I already have reps. Maybe if you're a finalist with a feature or pilot, more people might be interesting in requesting a read. Who knows? You do get access to more things as a finalist, so there's that. Go for the experience and try not to expect too much.
              Originally posted by acquaformosa View Post

              And to Friday:
              If you've never attended Austin, I highly encourage you to attend at least once, especially if you're already on the fence and giving it consideration. Sure, it might not change your life, but I've had times where just a few simple panels have energized me in hard-to-describe ways, as well as being in an environment of "my kind"... just writers, filmmakers, industry people being so generous with their time can have its own form of inspiration. Contacts? Signings? To borrow an old baseball teaching phase that might sound hokey: "Don't worry about the outcome or the results and instead, just trust the process. Stay in the moment, be sociable, and don't be too overzealous (a fine line to be sure)."
              Originally posted by cvolante View Post
              Absolutely worth it. I think I've gone every year for 11 years?

              Thanks guys for sharing your experience with it.
              I was just curious. Even though you get a nice discount off the conference itself, the airfare and hotel still cost money. I've been to a few WGA panel events here in LA. While the panels were interesting and I chit chat with a few attendees at the food truck outside, nothing really came of it... most people just listened to the panel and maybe asked the speakers a few questions afterwards. I was just curious if Austin was any different. I am trying to picture how Driskill is... if a new writer goes into Driskill, is it already a clique of the speakers and their buddies talking amongst themselves? How would the new writer join in?

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Austin 2018

                Originally posted by Friday View Post
                Thanks guys for sharing your experience with it.
                I was just curious. Even though you get a nice discount off the conference itself, the airfare and hotel still cost money. I've been to a few WGA panel events here in LA. While the panels were interesting and I chit chat with a few attendees at the food truck outside, nothing really came of it... most people just listened to the panel and maybe asked the speakers a few questions afterwards. I was just curious if Austin was any different. I am trying to picture how Driskill is... if a new writer goes into Driskill, is it already a clique of the speakers and their buddies talking amongst themselves? How would the new writer join in?
                depending how tight the panel schedules are, most panelists are pretty cool with hanging around for 5 or 10 minutes afterward to chat. nights in the Driskill are a little more of a free for all but yeah, you can find many of them just having drinks with friends or colleagues and are usually happy to say hi when they have a free moment

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Austin 2018

                  Originally posted by wenonah View Post
                  Thank you so much!!! It's a crazy, surreal feeling to be working your butt off for 18 years and having such a big dream come true. I've come close several times but it's the first as a Nicholl finalist and semi at Austin (which seems hard to crack) I've written about 22 features and have submitted over half of them to competitions over the years. I write stuff for free locally just to get it made (shorts, web series, etc.) I've been on panels, been a guest speaker for MFA writer students and have won local fellowships but never had a feature made or had a big sale. I did have some success with a short film I wrote and got a lot of awards for during its festival run last year - waaboozmovie.com

                  I am a self-taught, Middle-aged, college dropout stay at home mom and a minority. I'm ready for a career. Horsehead Girls is my latest and I'm pretty proud of it. Here's the logline if anyone's interested:

                  A blackjack dealer living on a remote reservation recovers from a night of brutality trying to save a girl from a sex trafficking ring. When her teenage daughter is kidnapped by the same organization she fights to not let her become part of a horrific fate she knows too well.

                  I would LOVE to go to Austin and meet up (been once before a couple years ago) but I'm waiting to see what the Nicholl finalist week schedule is like before making travel arrangements.

                  I used to be pretty active here and it was my first home to connect with fellow screenwriters and I'm so humbled to have the continued support of my DD'ers!!!!

                  Good luck to everyone in the semi's!

                  W
                  I am very happy for you. One, for the success so far. Two, for sticking with it and not giving up. It took me the same 18 years of working at it before I got my first produced film.... As of this month, I'm at 12 of them. You keep going. Keep pushing. I wish you nothing but the best.

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Austin 2018

                    Good luck, Wenonah -- break a pencil lead!

                    A single mom with 22 features. I'm impressed. I'm also impressed that you're doing it from Minnesota.

                    I'm looking forward to watching your movies.
                    "I just couldn't live in a world without me."

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Austin 2018

                      Originally posted by Friday View Post
                      While the panels were interesting and I chit chat with a few attendees at the food truck outside, nothing really came of it...
                      Not a lot of people go to the festival, sit in a panel, stand up and immediately sell their script, if that's what you're asking. On the other hand, I've made good friends over the years. As Shane Black always said, make friends with people at your level. Some will get in before you. Then it's like kids climbing over a fence -- one helps the other over, etc.

                      Some of the friends you make might pass your script to their manager (one did), they might want to work on a project together, you might be able to ask each other questions re: business or format or "should I spec this show" etc. Some will sell or staff on tv shows (several friends I met at AFF have done that...). Now you know people in the industry.


                      Originally posted by Friday View Post
                      I am trying to picture how Driskill is... if a new writer goes into Driskill, is it already a clique of the speakers and their buddies talking amongst themselves? How would the new writer join in?
                      It's the same as being a geeky person at a party or a wedding where you don't know anyone except in this case, all the guests at the wedding speak "movie" so you have something to talk about once you get brave enough to say hi. But otherwise, they're just people and they're all talking. Sometimes, yeah, people are there to meet with their friends. I've found that's way more fun. But it's obviously important to meet new people. I freely admit the first year I went to AFF, I'd just zip through the Driskill and then zap back to my room and I only talked to people waiting for panels or in line or at the BBQ. I was petrified, barely left the block the festival was on, and I don't remember meeting many people but I still had a great time. You will likely be better off than I was.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Austin 2018

                        Frontier Airlines has roundtrip airfare to Austin for $111:

                        Total: $111.40
                        Minneapolis to Austin
                        Flight 1205
                        $48.20
                        Oct 23, 2018 11:25 AM

                        Austin to Minneapolis
                        Flight 1360
                        $63.20
                        Oct 28, 2018 7:45 AM

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Austin 2018

                          Originally posted by dworhach View Post
                          Frontier Airlines has roundtrip airfare to Austin for $111:

                          Total: $111.40
                          Minneapolis to Austin
                          Flight 1205
                          $48.20
                          Oct 23, 2018 11:25 AM

                          Austin to Minneapolis
                          Flight 1360
                          $63.20
                          Oct 28, 2018 7:45 AM
                          Be extremely careful with Frontier, and read the fine print, like a lawyer. Many people show up with a normal carry-on bag and end up paying an extra $100 (or so) each way. My family used Frontier once, between Texas and Colorado. I had to buy special bags that were smaller than most carry-ons. We shipped luggage to the destination in advance (and back again when when they returned).

                          They definitely make their money on surprise charges at the airport, when you're boarding the plane and don't have much choice.

                          Knowing this in advance can get you a really cheap flight. If you're traveling with a normal carry-on and one or two check-in bags, you can often find better prices on a different airline.
                          "I just couldn't live in a world without me."

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Austin 2018

                            Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
                            depending how tight the panel schedules are, most panelists are pretty cool with hanging around for 5 or 10 minutes afterward to chat. nights in the Driskill are a little more of a free for all but yeah, you can find many of them just having drinks with friends or colleagues and are usually happy to say hi when they have a free moment
                            Yeah, I am most curious about nights at the Driskill. Thanks JoeBanks.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Austin 2018

                              Originally posted by cvolante View Post
                              Not a lot of people go to the festival, sit in a panel, stand up and immediately sell their script, if that's what you're asking. On the other hand, I've made good friends over the years. As Shane Black always said, make friends with people at your level. Some will get in before you. Then it's like kids climbing over a fence -- one helps the other over, etc.

                              Some of the friends you make might pass your script to their manager (one did), they might want to work on a project together, you might be able to ask each other questions re: business or format or "should I spec this show" etc. Some will sell or staff on tv shows (several friends I met at AFF have done that...). Now you know people in the industry.




                              It's the same as being a geeky person at a party or a wedding where you don't know anyone except in this case, all the guests at the wedding speak "movie" so you have something to talk about once you get brave enough to say hi. But otherwise, they're just people and they're all talking. Sometimes, yeah, people are there to meet with their friends. I've found that's way more fun. But it's obviously important to meet new people. I freely admit the first year I went to AFF, I'd just zip through the Driskill and then zap back to my room and I only talked to people waiting for panels or in line or at the BBQ. I was petrified, barely left the block the festival was on, and I don't remember meeting many people but I still had a great time. You will likely be better off than I was.

                              Haha. That's a funny description. "just zip through the Driskill and then zap back to my room." Who knows how I'd do. I'd probably be even worse than that. Pretend to go to the bathroom then slink out the back. Especially if it's some big time Hollywood heavyweight that I recognize. From my experience at a WGA panel, I ended up mostly chatting to aspiring writers. The panelists were swarmed 50 people deep.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Austin 2018

                                if my email from AFF this morning is to be believed, Jeff Lowell is back this year! yay Jeff

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