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Has anyone attended this event in the past and can offer their comments?

They are offering a great discount fro registering before 01/30.

Also, for those who have attended, can you advise where you stayed (if from out of town)

I think you're referring to the Selling to Hollywood seminar sponsored by American Screenwriters Assoc every August. If not, disregard this.

I went to it in 1999. One, stay in the hotel where the conference is held. Some of your best contacts are made in the hotel bar at 1:00am. Two, it's a great time. Don't go out expecting to make a big sell, but you do meet people, especially other writers. I'm still in contact with writers I met a year and a half ago.

Three, the seminars they offer are helpful if you're just getting started; less so if you've been pounding away through several scripts.

Bottom line, if you've got the time and money, by all means go, but don't expect it to be a career altering event.

Bill,

This is a different event, though at least last year it was held on the same weekend. This is actually called the "Hollywood Film Conference", part of the "Hollywood Film Fest" put on by Carlos DeAbreu. Last year it was held at the Roosevelt, mostly, so I imagine this year it will be as well.

Donna Marie,

If it's at the Roosevelt, you could stay there. There are also a couple of Holiday Inn's nearby, one up the hill that's a bit of a hike, one down around a coupla blocks called a "Holiday Inn Express" which was close, that's where I stayed and I could walk to most events (I know, shocking to walk in L.A.). I can dig up details if you want.

The conference was pretty good; some interesting panels, and a pitchmart one day; are they doing that again this year? A good experience for pitching, a bit like a writer's cattle call, but nothing concrete came out of it. I did make a couple of contacts and met some interesting people. One of the highlights was the fancy dinner they had at the Bevery Hills Hilton which was like a poor man's Oscars, complete with big stars getting awards, the red carpet, we had to get dressed up and everything. A real trip.

I'd love to go again but don't know if it's realistic. Let me know if you're going . . .

Miriam

Thank-you Miriam. That's why I like this site. Sure, it exposes the depths of my ignorance (granted, not a difficult thing to do), but at least I'm always learning something.

I think maybe you've sold me with this poor man's Oscars thing. I'm used to being herded around, so a cattle call looks to be right up my alley.

Donna Marie,

I attended the conference in August 2000 and had a great time. My wife and I rented a pool-side cabana at the Roosevelt Hotel, where the conference was held, and made a vacation out of it.

The conferences were informative and I even managed to establish a relationship with a producer who was on one of the panels.

The gala award ceremony was a lot of fun (Hi Miriam), and I was able to experience the LA - Hollywood thing.

Rafael

Hi Rafael,

You going back this year? What else is going on? Would you believe I'm still waiting, though I'm getting reads at places I always dreamed of? (email me for details)

Hope you are both well,

Miriam

I attended in 1999 and sat through all of the sessions except one (casting direction). I live about 1800 miles from LA and had done my screenwriting homework well, so from most of the panels I did not really learn that much. But, for anyone who hasn't read a couple dozen books on screenwriting and the industry, one could learn a whole lot. Also, this event allowed me to chat a bit with some industry professionals between panels.

The big payoff, as it were, was the pitch session at the end, which did get my script looked at by an agent and a synopsis considered by a prodco, both of which small feats I've had trouble achieving from home, by mail or via internet.

That piece of writing has garnered me some interest in the form of an LA entertainment attorney and a talent manager trying to branch out into writing rep, who made a few pitches for me.

At any rate, the Hollyood Film Festival could be well worth your time. A lot depends upon your material and how you deal with people.

In '99, it was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt, which is where my wife and I stayed. The conference room there was the site of the very first Academy Awards ceremony. The hotel stay was okay, except that the hot & cold water in the shower was somewhat unmanageable — and reading at night in the rooms is not recommended; the lighting isn't right for it.

Ron B.

Hey, Ron. Perhaps you remember me, from numerous appearances at this festival on panels. I've been a friend of Carlos' for years, and he does a great job with this festival.

If you're looking for an inexpensive and easy way to get your material out there, may I humbly suggest our site, storyXchange.com. We have over 200 buyers who search the database regularly, and quite a few projects are out to broadcast and cable networks for consideration as TV movies. You should check us out and register, even if you don't list anything.

Either way, good luck!

Donna Marie, are you the woman from buffalo who used to be in manny fried's playwriting workshop? Do you remember me, I wrote Burying 4-D and it was done at Buffalo Ensemble theatre.