Comments on: Is the Screenwriting Expo any good?

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:36:07 +0000

Went to the Expo last year and had 17 companies express interest in my screenplay. Out of the 17, only 3 requested a copy of the script, and to date . . . two are still “considering it”. Is the Expo worth it? Yeah, if nothing else, for the chance to practice your pitch, and to find out if you are writing anything that interests producers. The classes are mostly crap. The only one interesting was Viki King. Most are trying to sell their books or seminars . . . The ones I’m looking forward to meeting this year are Blake Snyder and Dave Trottier. They are the gold standard in teaching, at least in my opinion. Bottom line, it’s a great experience for a relatively low cost – and yes, I left wanting to write more.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:15:30 +0000

Here’s my question. After the Expo, did you leave with a burning ambition to write? I mean, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Getting us to sit down and get the thing written. You’ve had a year. Have you been productive? Is it written?

By: Denise

Denise — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 01:05:21 +0000

If you miss the Expo, would like to see Michael Hauge or one of the other pros and live in LA, I recommend The Learning Annex. I took a three-hour course with Michael Hauge for 99 bucks and it was totally worth it. There’s also UCLA’s Writers’ Program which is wonderful. I’ve gotten a great education in a short period of time. Of course, you can also go to screenwritingexpo.com to purchase DVDs from last year for about 20 bucks. Surf the Web and look at your options. There are many out there.

By: Cheryl Laughlin

Cheryl Laughlin — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 22:01:20 +0000

Hi John- Went to this year's expo and had the best time ever. Rarely would I have the opportunity to hear John August, Don Roos, and Tom Arnold speak with such insight.

Even cooler...I got to say hi and thank you personally for answering my question from way back about the proper attire for a writer taking a meeting. The little stuff like that has really helped me be more secure as I go after creating a career in screenwriting.

Thanks again! --Cheryl from Lodi, CA

By: Katri Manninen

Katri Manninen — Sun, 16 Oct 2005 10:33:18 +0000

Hello from Finland (Europe)!

I’m also going to be there from Thursday evening (the pre-expo party) til Sunday + attend “I’ve heard all the lectures….” on Monday and Sony studio day on Tuesday. Since I come so far, this is my first time in LA and I’m all alone (sob), I would be more than grateful if any nice screenwriters (or even less nice ones) would like to come to say hello to me. Check my comic-blog and you’ll surely recognize me. ( http://www.dramageek.net — picture and other info in English: http://www.kolumbus.fi/katri.manninen/english.html )

I was also wondering which lectures should I go to. John’s Q & A, of course, Goldman, Whedon etc too, but I have a little bit mixed feelings about the rest of the program. Some of the lectures sound interesting, but as a film school graduate I know how most of the lecture/course descriptions usually sound much better than the actual lecture/course is…

Well, I’ll definitely go now to check if there’s any room at Tim Minear’s lecture. Any other good lectures you could recommend? John — I’m also interested to know, if you are going to attend any evening parties or such, since I suppose it would be much less disturbing to greet you there than right after your Q & A, or would it?

Hope to see you al there!

Love, Katri from Finland

By: Clint Johnson

Clint Johnson — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 00:42:53 +0000

There was a serendipitous slowdown at my paying job that left the time open to go to Expo 4 so I carped the diem and signed up for pretty much everything that a fella can sign up for. If I’m taking the time to travel down there from Middle of Nowhere, British Columbia then I am going to dive in at the deep end. I’m not going with expectations of signing the big deal since I can’t recall any deals coming out of these sort of fests… what it will do is give me a chance to work my schmooze muscle… which isn’t near as dirty or fun as it sounds.

I have blocked out Mr. August’s session on my itinerary and Joss is a must see (I’ll try not to be too fanboy geek but the man is the reason I want to writer television). As well, there was still room in “Breaking the Story” with Tim Minear and I am really looking forward to that. I hope the fact that it wasn’t full yet is because they didn’t have it in the catalog and not because there is a 300 seat auditorium to fill.

By: kullervo

kullervo — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 14:40:36 +0000

I went for the first time last year, and went to the classes, which I didn't find terribly useful. I've got an MFA from UCLA, and didn't hear much I didn't already know. I walked out on one seminar, which was supposed to be about pleasing the reader but spent the first half hour talking about writing slug lines. I was also too nervous to enjoy last year's Expo, as I was one of the finalists in the contest (I won the grand prize, so it was worth it in the end).

This year I'm going to the speakers. That, I think, will be well worth the drive downtown.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:35:38 +0000

The expo was good.

By: Kevin_M

Kevin_M — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 15:02:35 +0000

“Do they parade in alumni to talk about how much it sucks working at Baskin Robbins?”

Yeah – that’s my big problem with MFA In Screenwriting programs. If you don’t make it in the industry, you’re pretty much screwed. There you are, in your late twenties, with a huge debt load and a degree that’s worthless in the job market. At least if you do your degree in creative writing you can get a job teaching high school or – if you’re lucky – in another MFA program…

By: Fun Joel

Fun Joel — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 14:30:25 +0000

Thanks Shawna! Looking forward to seeing you again there.

By: Hudson Phillips

Hudson Phillips — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 09:48:29 +0000

Is that a new walpaper in the background of your page? Looks killer. I really like it.