AFF 2010 Preview: Parties and Panels

Badgeholders at Austin Film Festival usually have a clear idea what panels they want to go to in the four days of panels, pitches, mentoring sessions, and more. Whether you're a professional, still aspiring for pro status, or just a fan, there is something for everyone among the panels. If you're a first-time badgeholder or don't have any set plan, here are some of the panels of interest, particularly those with an Austin twist.

I should point out for AFF newbies that not every panel is open to everyone. AFF has strong teaching ties, as well as the script competitions, so some are restricted to those specific groups, but they are clearly marked.  But don't worry, the conference includes plenty of panels left over for the rest of us, and some even run twice. 

Thursday

Going to the Opening Remarks may seem unnecessary, but it's a good way to find out last-minute changes, additions and special guests. Following that, AFF Conference: How to Work it just may help you strategize your time and maximize your badge. You can follow that with A Conversation with Edward Burns moderated by James Faust of the Dallas International Film Festival. I haven't heard Burns talk, but Faust should keep the conversation moving.

Friday

Things start off early, with the extended panel Script-to-Screen: Big Fish with John August. If you've seen Big Fish, you know it's one whopper of a film, so this case study should be particularly interesting for anyone interested in writing for any screen. I may check out the Writing RX panel, but A Conversation with John Lee Hancock is also tempting. The Black List may sound like an Elvis Mitchell project, but it's not, and if you're a writer, you need to check it out, and then follow it up with Script Reading of Matthew Cook’s 2009 Top Black List Script, By Way of Helena with an introduction by Black List creator Franklin Leonard.

Saturday

While it's not very Austin, I can't help but put Pixar Story Development Process on my schedule. Hello? Pixar! More practical panels are Creating a TV Bible & Pilot to Get You in the Room and Agents. I've known too many writers who really needed to be better informed about agents, so if you're a serious writer, or intending to get serious, this is a must-attend panel.

I suspect Roundtable: Comedy Writers -- one of the few panels offsite (at nearby St. David’s Sumners Hall) is going to be a gut buster, as the roundtable participants include William Akers, Kat Candler, Greg DePaul, Larry Doyle, Jay Wade Edwards, Owen Egerton, Dan French, Mike Fry, Pat Hazell, Jeff Lowell, Jon Lucas, Chris Mass, Craig Mazin, Scott Moore, Nancy Pimental, Chuck Sklar, Malcolm Spellman and Tim Talbott. They're gonna need all the room. Austin author Alison Macor moderates the LUNA Panel: Telling Women’s Stories through Film. If you didn't realize that documentaries need a narrative structure, then check out Writing for Documentaries, with Barry Blaustein, Henry Corra, PJ Raval, Paul Stekler and moderated by Robert Draper. Hell, all of Saturday looks fantastic, it's gonna be hard to choose.

Sunday

You may be exhausted, but there are still more panels. Alison Macor is back to moderate Writing for Kids, a panel that includes former Austinites Todd Berger (The Scenesters) and Pamela Ribon. If you want to hold out for the big names, then go see The Art of Storytelling  as the 2010 AFF Award recipients Robert Rodriguez, David Peoples and David Simon will be in the same room together.

Perhaps the best titled panel of the conference is ENDINGS: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great with Michael Arndt, another extended panel, this time featuring a preview of What I Learned at Pixar: How to Write a Good Beginning, a nine-minute featurette from the Toy Story 3 Blu-ray and DVD, releasing on Nov. 2. But I also want to know more about Lone Star, the Dallas television production that was cancelled in just two episodes, despite good coverage, great reviews, etc. If you like action, then go to A Conversation with Simon Kinberg where you can learn more about X-Men: First Class as well as Kinberg's other action-oriented filmography. 

Parties

I did mention parties, and there are plenty.  If you have a Producer Badge, the annual traditional BBQ is a must; it's barbecue, and a whole lot of people sitting and standing around eating it, along with enjoying some festive beverages. Last year I enjoyed catching up with Skot Tulk (aGLIFF), and meeting PJ Raval (Trinidad, Fourplay), so I'm sure you can find people to mingle with. And don't forget the Hair of the Dog Brunch on Sunday, which also requires a Producer Badge.

Having a Producer Badge does get you into all the parties, but other badges do allow you to get into some of the parties, such as the Thursday Night Late Night Welcome Party and the Conference Wrap Party hosted by Shane Black on Saturday night. Different badges have different access, so check your badge on the AFF website to see more.

Wait, don't cry just because you economized and went with the Film Pass, which even at $50 is a fantastic deal and unless you only want to see things at the Alamo Ritz, it's really hard not to get in to screenings at AFF with a pass. And this year, it's even better because there is a new party with passholders in mind.  The Paramount Theatre Film Pass Party is Tuesday at Aces Lounge, and anyone with a 2010 badge or pass can get in. 

Remember, these are just highlights of the panels. The AFF panel schedule is not up on B-Side, so go to the AFF Conference Schedule page for more, and check onsite at the registration room for last-minute schedule changes. 

Austin Film Festival runs October 21-28 with the conference running October 21-24.  You can find Austin Film Festival on the web, Twitter and Facebook. 

[Photo Credit:  PJ Raval and Skot Tulk at the AFF 2009 Closing Night Party, taken by Jenn Brown]