AFI Teams with Maui Writers Conference for Screenwriting Competition

Maui, Hawaii – Maui Writers Conference will roll out the red carpet at this year’s Conference as the American Film Institute (AFI) joins in co-presenting the Screenwriting Track & Screenplay Competition. AFI is the nation’s preeminent arts organization dedicated to advancing and preserving the art of the moving image, and has a long list of alumni throughout all aspects of the entertainment profession.

The deal was initiated and orchestrated by MWC’s marketing & sponsorship director, Georja Skinner. This relationship brings a wealth of opportunities to the world renowned Conference, announced John Tullius, conference director. The 9th Annual Maui Writers Conference takes place this Labor Day weekend, August 31- September 3 at the newly renovated Outrigger Wailea Resort.

Presented through the AFI Conservatory, the prestigious organization will bring two major screenwriters to Maui as well as AFI staff, who will participate on panels during the 2001 event. “We have a great deal of respect for what the Maui Writers Conference has created, and we are all looking forward to working together to present an outstanding program for attendees,” says AFI’s Co-Director and COO, James Hindman. “From its inception, AFI has focused on the art of storytelling, and visual storytelling remains the primary goal of all the institute’s activities. That’s why aligning with the MWC is such a natural fit for us,” adds Hindman.

In addition to the Conservatory, AFI presents the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, manages the AFI National Film Theatre at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., presents the annual AFI Life Achievement Award, and along with broadband partner Intertainer, has created a new AFI online presence, AFIonline.org.

AFI alumni are well represented throughout the entertainment community, including academy-award nominated screenwriter Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich, Ever After, 28 Days), writer/director David Lynch (Dune, The Elephant Man, Twin Peaks), writer-director-producer Amy Heckerling (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Clueless), director Mimi Leder (Pay It Forward, Deep Impact, ER), writer-director-producer, Penelope Spheeris (Waynes World, The Decline of Civilization series), writer-director-producer Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line, Days of Heaven, Badlands).

“This relationship will allow us to bring even more presenters in the entertainment industry to the Conference, and we’re honored that AFI has joined us to bring a new level of excellence to our event,”, says John Tullius, conference director. Presenters for 2001 include script consultant and author, Linda Seger, interactive scriptwriter, Carolyn Miller, former Director of Development at Fox 2000 and author Chris Vogler, and CEO of Grade A Entertainment, Andy Cohen. Past presenters in screenwriting have included Ron Howard, Garry Marshall, Carrie Fisher, James L. Brooks, Mike Scully, Ron Bass, Stephen DeSouza, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.

AFI will also manage the AFI/MWC National Screenwriting Competition, where top winners take home over $4,000 in prizes. Last year’s 1st place winner, Hawaii-based writer Charles Memminger of the Star Bulletin, recently secured a multi-episode deal with a television series. Entry fee is $50 per screenplay and deadline for submission is June 15th. For more details, registration forms, and other guidelines, consult the MWC website after March 30, at www.mauiwriters.com.







Confirmed authors for the 2001 event are Anne Rivers Siddons (Peachtree Road, Outer Banks, John Chancellor Makes Me Cry), John Saul (The Guardian, Right Hand of Evil, The Blackstone Chronicles), Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) Steven Coonts (Flight of the Intruder, Hong Kong), Mary Ann Williamson (A Return To Love, Illuminata), Elizabeth George (A Great Deliverance, Missing Joseph), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul series) Dorothy Allison (Bastard Out of Carolina, Cavedweller), Susan Wiggs (The Horsemasters Daughter), and over 60 agents and editors representing the core of the publishing and entertainment industries.

Registration for the 2001 Maui Writers Conference (August 31 – September 3) is $445 for Hawaii residents only - if you register prior to March 15. Sign up before May 1st and include the cover of Writer’s Digest Magazine (or photocopy) and the cost is $495 per person. After May 1st, registration is $595. After June 15th, the cost is $695. The fee includes workshops, sessions, keynote speeches and networking social events. Agent and editor one-on-one consultations are available by lottery for registered attendees only, at a rate of $40 per session.

Tuition for the 2001 Maui Writers Retreat (August 24-29) is $975 for the six day event, and requires submission of written work to qualify. Registration closes on July 1, 2001, no exceptions. You can save $100 if you submit a cover of Writer’s Digest Magazine (or a photocopy of the cover) up until May 1. Air, accommodations and meals are not included in the price of tuition. This is an intensive learning experience. The attendees hone their own manuscripts with some of the best writers in the business. Small groups, critiquing sessions and personal consultations make this program invaluable for any writer.







For more details on the American Film Institute, the AFI Conservatory or Screenwriting Competition, contact Georja Skinner at 808-268-4341 or Joe Petricca, Vice Dean, at 323-856-7721. You can also visit the Website at www.AFIonline.org. For any of the MWC programs, travel information, accommodations and continuing education programs, contact the Maui Writers Conference at www.mauiwriters.com or call toll-free 888-WRITER3 (888-974-8373). In Hawaii, contact the MWC office at 808-879-0061.

Updated: 04/10/2001

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