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How To Get the Most Out Of the Austin Film Festival

by Heather Hughes and Aadip Desai

When is the festival?

The Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Conference is October 21-24, and the Austin Film Festival runs from October 21-28.

Why should I go?

As John Arends said to me in an email, "The hallmark of the Austin Film Festival is that it's a WRITER'S festival. It celebrates screenwriters and scripts like no other film festival on the planet. And that's why it's so beloved by, and attended by, so many of our writer and writer-director heroes. And that's why everyone you meet will have something of value to say about the craft of screenwriting. That's right - EVERYBODY!"

Greg Beal the director of the Nicholl Fellowship recently said, "Some screenwriting conferences seem like high-end Wal-Marts, loads of panels, including some great ones, but not much in the way of character. Austin, which I've attended for multiple days every year, seems more like a wonderful small department store. A fair amount of variety, though far less than the some conferences, but far more wonderful events and opportunities."

Where is the Festival held?

The Austin Film Festival and Conference takes place in Austin, Texas. Conference headquarters are the historic Driskill Hotel and the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel.

Why should I go?

Aside from being the premiere screenwriting conference in the country, the best reason to go is that all the panelists - filmmakers, agents and big screenwriters - who are the very best in the world -can't go home at night (like they can at Pitch Fest and other LA-based conferences). They attend the parties, go to the films, and sit around the Driskill bar at night. You can listen to their wisdom during the day and hang out with them in the evening. This conference gives you unprecedented access to amazing screenwriters and filmmakers. Last year for instance I met my agent Gayla Nethercott. In the first panel I attended I stood up and asked Gayla's advice. She gave me a thoughtful answer, but was very clear that she wasn't looking for clients. The next event on my schedule was a 2nd Rounder Round Table. The last panelist to sit with us was Gayla. By the end of the week we'd run into each other a number of times and that's the beauty of Austin - the casual, intimate contact with industry professionals.

Which badge should I get? How much are they?

I suggest everyone get a Producers Badge. It is pricey, but it allows you to go to all the parties. The parties are a great place to meet people, and I wouldn't buy a lesser badge because of it. The Producer's Badge is $585 until September 30th, and then goes up to $650.

If you want to do the Festival on a budget, there are some other options. The Festival offers a Conference Badge that gets you into all four days of the Conference and all the films, but only 3 parties. The Lonestar Badge gives you access to Saturday panels, the Pitch Finale Party and all the films.

If you've entered the contest and advance to the "Second Round" (Austin's term for quarter-finalist) you will get a discount. As you progress in the contest, the discount becomes larger. Even if you buy a badge before you go, they will refund the added expense if you advance in the contest. It's too late to enter now, but keep it in mind for next year. Another reason to splurge on the Conference or Producers Badge is that only with one of those badges can you buy an Awards Luncheon ticket. (The 2010 luncheon is sold out, but check with the conference office to see about last minute openings.)

Which days should I attend?

I always arrive Wednesday night and stay through the Hair of the Dog party on Sunday. Panels run all day Sunday, this year. How do guests get into events without having to pay for a Conference Badge? (i.e. how can our spouses/partners/friends go to parties with us?) You cannot get into any event or party without a badge. There are discounts for spouses ONLY if you advance in the contest. You need to weigh the cost of a Producers Badge against how much your spouse wants to be with you. My husband isn't a writer or filmmaker, but he considers the Producers Badge well worth the money because the parties are so much fun.

Just a warning - don't think you'll skip the badge and try to sneak people in. Security is tight and they do check that you're wearing your very large and distinctive badge as you enter any panel or party. Also, if you lend your badge to anyone it will be confiscated since they are non-transferable.

Where does all the action happen? Where should I stay?

I love to stay at the Driskill, and this is one reason we buy our badges early. The Conference helps you book discounted rooms at the Driskill and the Stephen F. Austin hotels, and the Driskill usually sells out first. The Driskill is a beautiful old hotel and it truly is where everything happens. If you can't get a room, the Stephen F. is right across the street and is very nice, and nothing prevents you from hanging out at the Driskill. The Driskill and the Stephen F are my first choices, but AFF offers a variety of discounts at several downtown hotels, some that even sit right on beautiful Town Lake. Check out the website for prices that best fit your budget.

Do I need to rent a car to get around?

No. We take a cab to and from the airport. Everything else is within walking distance and/or they have shuttles to events.

Which events are a "must attend"?

Conference: I wouldn't miss it. See details below.

Festival: Screenwriters from Seattle tell me that the buzz of the conference is over and they felt a little lonely when they stayed. I haven't stayed for it, so I can't speak from my own experience. I have heard that if you want to stay and explore Austin that week is a perfect time to do it and watch movies starting in the afternoon. The movies during the week tend to be films that get Oscar buzz later and you never know what screenwriter will be in attendance with their film.

In past years, AFF screened films like: 'Up in the Air', 'Slumdog Millionaire', 'Precious', 'Lars and the Real Girl', 'Juno', and 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'. Parties: I love the parties, and that's saying a lot since I usually stay far away from parties. The bar-b-q is fantastic. It's outside and lots of fun. The Hair of the Dog party is at a little diner and is really great. All of them are wonderful.

Awards Luncheon: Most panelists don't think to shell out the extra $45 for the luncheon, but I've made some amazing contacts and friends there. The conference arranges that each table has at least one panelist, industry executive, filmmaker or screenwriter, so it's another great way to casually network while the screenwriters and filmmakers are receiving awards for their work. The Awards Luncheon is where you get to meet the festival's honorees, like this year's David Simon and David Peoples. Last year Award recipients included Ron Howard (Michael Keaton presented him with the Award!), Mitchell Hurwitz and Steven Zaillian.

How does the pitch competition work? How should I prepare?

The pitch competition is $15 per ticket with a limit of two. Judges who are AFF panelists listen to pitches and pick a winner from each round. The top 8 winners go on to pitch at the Pitch Competition Party on Saturday evening.

How do the roundtables work? How should I prepare?

The roundtables are my favorite part of the conference. There is a conference room set up with about ten round tables. When you enter you choose a seat at one of the tables. Each table has a chair with a little sign that says "speaker (or something like that, can't quite remember). When everyone is seated the speakers come in and take seats at each table. They do their spiel about their companies and what their interests are, and then there's usually time for questions. After 10 minutes or so, the moderator rings a bell and all the speakers switch tables. You don't change places, but you have each speaker come to your table. This is not a time for you to pitch your script, but often producers will say what they're looking for and hand out emails. How to sign up: When you get to the conference, you must go to the second floor of the Driskill (unless you arrive at night) and sign up for the round-tables. You will get your pick of one roundtable and it pays to have studied the bios of the speakers. You will be given a colored dot to put on you badge and that will let you get into the round table you picked. TIP: If you stand in line at the roundtable door, you can usually get into all the roundtables you want even if you haven't signed up. I've never not gotten into a roundtable when I've been willing to stand in line. (There are some that are only for finalists or second rounders that may be restricted.)

What should I bring with me to the conference (business cards, leave-behinds, etc.)?

I would bring it all. You never know who you'll meet. I wouldn't bring scripts, of course. Create a system for keeping track of contact info, cards, etc. I scribble notes on the back of producers' cards and slip them into my plastic badge holder. That way I can refer back to them during the conference and I have them all in one place when I get home.

What can our guests do while we're in panels?

My husband brings me lattes between panels. He attends panels for me when there are two going on at the same time that I'd like to attend. Austin is a beautiful city to wander around in, so walking is fun. The shopping is great. We wandered over to the beautiful Four Seasons hotel one afternoon and had lunch and walked by the river. Austin is famous for its music and there is always something playing. To quote John Arends, "Austin's 6th Street scene is a mix of college dogtown, Sunset Strip in cowboy boots, and a Nashville-meets-Seattle music scene.

The film festival runs during the conference so there are some unbelievable films playing. Of course, no trip to Austin would be complete without going to see the bats. The Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin is home to one of the largest bat colonies in North America. Sunset is bat viewing time.

What's the weather like that time of year?

Warm to hot.

How should I dress?

The dress code is almost non-existent - flip flops and jeans or shorts. Even the parties are very casual. Austin is very unpretentious. The Awards Luncheon is a bit dressier. There are some beautiful fancy restaurants, so if you want to dress up there are opportunities. Just remember that it will probably be warm, so dress lightly.

Any "don'ts" for attending the conference?

This goes for any conference, but DON'T hang out with your friends. You'll have paid a lot to get to the conference and you should treat it like the costly business expense that it is. You can hang out with your friends at home. Cultivate your own relationships at the conference.

To register for the Austin Film Festival Conferece & Film Festival call 1-800-310-FEST (3378).

For more information see: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/conference_festival

Updated: 09/20/2010

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