APRIL 2006
BLAKE SNYDER
Blake Snyder -- He's sold more than a dozen screenplays. He's made millions of dollars writing scripts -- and he's written one of the best books ever on becoming a successful (sellable) screenwriter. And he spoke to the Chicago Screenwriters Network.
[ LISTEN TO FULL AUDIO PRESENTATION ] (MP3 Format - 70MB)
Guest Speaker: Debi Rajczyk |
MAY 2006
"Subtext -- It's not what you say...
…but what you don't that separates your script from the pack. Professional writers are masters in the art of subtext. Learn how to use situational and dialogue subtext to engage and involve the audience in your screenplay." Debi Rajczyk from Scriptsmith will lead a discussion on how to make subtext work in your scripta. Scriptsmith is in the business of taking mediocre scripts and making them great. Learn from those "in the know".
[ LISTEN TO FULL AUDIO PRESENTATION ] (MP3 Format - 35MB)
Guest Speaker: Mary Scruggs |
JUNE 2006
Improvisational Writing
Improv and screenwriting? They seem like opposites, yet they are both ways to get at and tell a meaningful story. Mary Scruggs from the Second City Writing program will demonstrate how to apply improvisational techniques to improve a script.
Mary Scruggs is Head of the Writing Program at The Second City Training Center in Chicago, where she develops and implements writing courses for all ages. Se wrote The Fairy Trials, a series of nationally acclaimed plays which teach the public about their court system. Mary's other play writing credits include, "What Every Girl Should Know," produced by The Annoyance Theater; "Karma", developed at the Lakeside Writing Studio and produced at Live Bait Theater, and "Revelations", winner of the Agnes Nexon Playwriting Contest. While in Los Angeles she sold a script for "Designing Women," developed a sitcom for Hearst Entertainment and wrote jokes for Barry Manilow. Acting experience includes playing passangers in "Hellcab" and plaing various women in Circuit Court public service videos In the education field, she has written curriculum for "The Fairy Trials" and other court projects, and she served on a citywide panel to develop the Arts Education Standards in the Chicago Public Schools.
[ LISTEN TO FULL AUDIO PRESENTATION ] (MP3 Format - 48MB)
Guest Speaker: Matthew Scott Harris |
AUGUST 2006
Recently featured in an article on ReelChicago.com, Matthew Scott Harris of Rusted Rhino Production Company is an innovative screenwriter/filmmaker from Chicago. He made his way to LA by hanging out on the set of Nicholas Cage's "The Weatherman" and getting to know Cage's production company, Saturn Films. After working successfully as a script doctor in LA, he has come back home to take matters into his own hands. Frustrated with the length of the production process for films in LA, he started a production company based in Chicago and has set a target goal to make four or five features in 3-5 years. Read the article here: http://www.reelchicago.com/archive.cfm?storyID=1176
Matthew will talk about his experiences of how he got to LA and now as a filmmaker working in the city.
http://www.rustedrhino.com/
AUDIO PRESENTATION COMING SOON!
Guest Speakers: Peter Miller & Jay Bonansinga |
OCTOBER 2006
Join us for an industry insider’s look at -- what else? -- the industry.
Peter Miller and Jay Bonansinga will share their vision and experiences at the October 1st meeting of the Chicago Screenwriters Network.
Peter, head of PMA Literary and Film Management, Inc., is also the author of Author! Screenwriter! is considered one of the finest Literary & Film managers in the country. PMA has represented multiple New York Times Bestsellers and many global bestsellers. Currently, the company has over two-dozen film and television projects in active development, based on Clients and/or properties that PMA manages. www.pmalitfilm.com
Jay, is the author of nine acclaimed suspense novels, as well as three original screenplays currently in development in Hollywood. His novels include FROZEN, TWISTED, OBLIVION, THE SLEEP POLICE, BLOOD HOUND, HEAD CASE, THE KILLER'S GAME, SICK, and THE BLACK MARIAH...with several titles currently under option at major studios such as DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures and Intermedia. www.jaybonansinga.com
Jay also just directed STASH, an independent film based on his short story and screenplay adaptation which he produced with Peter, Ken Nilsson and Lance Catania. www.StashMovie.com
This will be a unique opportunity to directly interact with Peter, "the Literary Lion" and one of the top literary and film managers in the country and hear words of wisdom from Jay, a rising star in the book and film biz.
AUDIO PRESENTATION COMING SOON!
GUEST SPEAKER: BLAKE SNYDER |
DECEMBER 2006
Blake Snyder returns to the Chicago Screenwriters Network on December 3!
The author of Save the Cat (one of the best books on screenwriting ever), Blake is one of Hollywood's most successful spec screenwriters. He will share his secrets in an unprecedented day of events. Blake begins with 3 workshops (see details below) and will finish with the topic "How to fix your script and make a sale in 2007" for CSN. Blake will be available for scriptcoaching on Friday and Saturday Dec 1, 2.
GUEST SPEAKER: LINDA WEISS |
JANUARY 2007
Linda Weiss has been writing and pitching screenplays for twelve years. After bouncing many of her fantastic ideas off of her Japanese Chin – Gizmo - Linda finally got one that not only stuck with him, but a producer as well.
And it was produced!
Please join the Chicago Screenwriters Network on January 7, 2007 as Linda Weiss joins us to talk about her new indie film, “Behaving Badly.” Starring Czechoslovakian actress Silvia Suvadova, BB is a dark comedy, focusing on the lives and loves of three men and two women in a small coastal fishing village.
We’ll hear how Linda got started in writing, how her “day-job” as a hospice chef influences her writing, her experiences in Hollywood and the shocker of them all – being allowed to direct a scene in her film.
GUEST SPEAKER: ALEXANDRA LEXTON-METZNER |
FEBRUARY 2007
Alexandra Lexton-Metzner, a film producer/writer ("Digger" starring Olympia Dukakis and Leslie Neilson and "Red Scorpion 2" starring John Savage and Michael Ironside) has recently moved to Chicago. How did she get where she got in L.A.? and now that she lives in Chicago, how will she keep getting what's to be gotten in L.A.?
GUEST SPEAKER: DWAYNE EDWARDS |
MARCH 2007
Dwayne Edwards - Project Greenlight director
The next Chicago Screenwriters Network meeting will take place on March 4th.
Duane Edwards, finalist in the 2004 Project Greenlight Director's
Contest, will join us for our March meeting. The self-taught filmmaker
has written, produced, and directed four 35mm award-winning shorts.
GUEST SPEAKER: DWAYNE EDWARDS |
APRIL 2007
TOPIC: Alternative Media (cell phones and iPods)
Boardmember Colin Costello, who is currently in development on what may be the the first original sitcom for the cell phone market, will talk about new mediums for writers to break into. And there are many. It's critical knowledge for writers as we move deeper into the 21st century. Also joining us for the meeting will be John Quilico and Greg Mcaleer who have started Chicago-based company, MindTap Entertainment. So come and join us for the fun. It's sure to be educational and fun. No foolin'!
GUEST SPEAKER: BRYAN WENDORF |
MAY 2007
Bryan Wendorf: Co-founder of the Chicago Underground Film Festival
This month, the Chicago Screenwriters Network is happy to welcome, Bryan Wendorf. Bryan is the co-founder of the Chicago Underground Film Festival. Last year they received over 1500 submissions and actually screened over 20 features and a 130 shorts at the historic Music Box Theatre. Please join us as Bryan talks about the plans for this year's festival, his past experiences as a board member of the IFP/Chicago and New City and Indiewire.
GUEST SPEAKER: RITA G. LEWIS |
JUNE 2007
Chicago film producer Rita G. Lewis tells her creative journey to make the film, "Lemon Tea," written by Chicago writer Marcia L. Sinclair.
A 1-minute trailer and an 8-minute scene ("Losing Olivia") from the script was produced to secure funding for the anticipated feature "Lemon Tea." Presented also will be a 20-minute "behind-the-scenes" look at making the film short by Chicago filmmaker Bill Allen.
GUEST SPEAKER: BABY GALIGO STUDIOS |
JULY 2007
Matthew Pletcher has spent 27 years in the filmindustry...and has never lived in Hollywood.
He has executive produced, invested in, coordinated stunts in, and acted in "Welcome Back To The Barrio" as well being the largest single investor in that film. Matthew also produced, did all product placement, coordinated stunts for,and supported in "Cake: A Wedding Comedy" which has won awards at every festival submitted to, including winning The Other Venice Film Festival's "best feature." He has also recently acted in "Witches Night" and in "Working Title" which includes Ed Asner, Larry Thomas and Lindsay Gareth.
In 2003, he formed Baby Galigo Studios, in Chicago, for thepurpose of producing high-quality independent motion pictures and television content.
To date, the company has been involved in the development andproduction of 3 high-concept feature films, including Cake,"Death Walks the Streets" and "Pain Is Love." Baby Galigo enters 2007 with a full slate of feature films in various stages of development and production, along with two television projects as well.
The company came about when Harrison and some friends who are also actors were sitting around trying to think of things they could do to avoid moving to Los Angeles to pursue theircareers. It was decided that day that a film company based in Chicago would be born. Harrison then set out to find some scripts.
Please welcome Matthew and director of "Death Walks TheStreets," James Zahn, as they tell us all about their adventures in filmdom and the building of their new studio.
GUEST SPEAKER: WALTER MAYSKYM |
August 5, 2007 -
Walter Maksym, Author, Attorney, Publisher and and Executive Producer will discuss how he obtained representation by America's No. 1 Literary & Film Manager, a two-book deal with New York's St. Martin's Press, executive produced the movie "Stash", the philosophy of his most recent book "Perfect Pleasure", how to deal with Talent Agents, Managers, Lawyers, and other "tinsel-town types", and his upcoming book "Ethics in Hollywood?"
