The 2009 Screenwriting Expo in Downtown Los Angeles is history. What a wild, roller coaster ride it was, providing this writer with some exciting moments and a thrill or two. I joined hundreds of eager screenwriters or aspiring screenwriters at the Wilshire Grand hotel from October 15-to-18 for seminars, pitch meetings, and the all important, networking.
Writers came from places like China, Canada, London, Washington D. C., Chicago, West Palm Beach, Canoga Park, and oh yes, Burbank. They got the chance to pitch their scripts to heavy hitters like DreamWorks, Benderspink, CAA, Warner Bros., and the Gersh Agency. They got to listen to screenwriting legend William Goldman and highly successful Producer Mike Medavoy. Despite all of what’s been said about the low status of writers in Tinseltown, Medavory says, “…you have the power…” and it’s on the page. Nice to hear.
In another seminar, San Francisco screenwriter/lecturer James Dalessandro described a recent trip to the Southland to sell a project this way, I had… “$430 in the bank… came back with a half million dollars.” Hey, now that’s the stuff that Hollywood dreams are made of.
Oh, speaking of scripts, my romantic comedy, “He’s The One,” was in the 2009 Screenwriting Expo screenplay competition. They got nearly two thousand entries! I did not win the big prize, but did reach the short list of semifinalists. More on my adventures at the Screenwriting Expo later.
