Screenwriters World Conference

Screenwriters World Conference East offers educational seminars and access to New York’s top agents, managers, and executives currently seeking new material. There’s no other script-centric opportunity like this on the East Coast!

Beginning at 9:00am you’ll have the chance to pitch to as many execs as you can in five-minute sessions over a four-hour time frame. You'll have 90 seconds to pitch your work, with the remaining time for the exec to give immediate feedback, along with helpful suggestions for improving your pitch. This is invaluable practice for pitching in the high-stakes world of screenwriting.

Execs from:

• New York Office
• Gigantic Pictures
• Fourth Row Films
• One Management
• Faber Management
• Prolific Entertainment
• WVM Management
• Cinetic Media
• ESPN Films
• Pearl Street Productions
• Autumn Sky Films
• Dorothy Palmer Literary
• Nickelodeon
• Red Crown  Productions
• Gotham Artists
• And more signing up each day

Next up is an afternoon full of networking and educational opportunities for those at every level, from newbie to seasoned writer. Choose from an array of seminars led by Industry professionals in tracks that cover the business of the silver screen, the craft of screenwriting, and tactics beyond the typical spec script. Choices include:

Track One: The Business

2:30 – 3:20 Represent Me!
The biggest hurdle for new screenwriters is gaining representation. There are many inroads to agents and managers if you know how to market yourself as a writer. Learn how to determine which representatives are best for you and your work, and how to build successful relationships with them.

Moderator: Marilyn Horowitz
Panelists: Eric Faber of Faber Management, Anthony Aeillo of One Entertainment, Stuart Wrede of WV Management

3:30 – 4:20 Breaking Down the Doors
Screenwriters have to be as creative about launching their careers as they are about writing their scripts. Breaking into the business requires an arsenal of sensational query letters, treatments and pitches – and the knowledge to get them in the right hands. Learn the secrets to marketing yourself as a screenwriter.

Presenter: Marilyn Horowitz

4:30 – 5:20 All I Want to Do is Write
Spec sales are every screenwriter’s dream, but sadly, the wild spec boom of the '90s is long gone. Don't despair – writers can build steady, successful careers by writing on assignment. Here’s how to create a career that pays the bills while doing what you love. 

Moderator:  Staton Rabin
Panelists: Mollie Fermaglich, Jon Goodman, D.B. Gilles

Track Two: The Craft

2:30 – 3:20 Tools to Tackle the First Draft
Every writer faces the blank page, and it can be daunting. Hear from successful screenwriters on how they prepare to write the first draft – outlining, notecards, software, etc. – and how that preparation helps them write screenplays that sell.

Moderator: Staton Rabin
Panelists: Jacob Krueger, Billy Frolick, Enid Zentelis

3:30 – 4:20 Anatomy of a Scene
Scenes are like miniature screenplays. They must be carefully constructed and fit perfectly into the structure of your screenplay as a whole. Working writers discuss the scenes they have struggled with, and give advice on how to tackle the most challenging scenes in your own scripts.

Moderator: Shelly Mellott
Panelists: Billy Frolick, Trey Ellis, Enid Zentelis

4:30 – 5:20 Secrets of Screenplay Dialogue
Characters come alive with great dialogue. But poorly written dialogue instantly marks you as an amateur writer. Learn from professional screenwriters how they craft dialogue that sings and what trade secrets you can use to make your lines leap off the page. 

Moderator: Shelly Mellott
Panelists: Billy Frolick, Trey Ellis, Jacob Kreuger

Track Three: Beyond the Spec Script

2:30 – 3:20 Breaking Into Television
If you can find your way into the writers’ room, you can build a career that spans decades. Find out the realities of working in television and what in-roads are available for scribes who want to write scripts for the small screen.

Moderator: Shelly Mellott
Panelists: D.B. Gilles, Mollie Fermaglich, Jon Goodman

3:30 – 4:20 Is My Screenplay a Novel?
Many films made today are based on novels because of the built-in audience base. Savvy screenwriters are finding success by rewriting their scripts as novels and then selling the film rights. Professional novelists and screenwriters discuss the options you need to know.

Presenter: Staton Rabin

4:30 – 5:20 Words Into Pictures
Studios are always snapping up rights to successful graphic novels and comic books. Inventive scribes are creating graphic novels based on their scripts and getting the attention of development execs looking for exciting material. Learn how your script can find new life as a graphic novel or comic book.

Presenter: Ariel Schrag

Plus, Screenwriters World East is limited to just 200 attendees to maintain the most advantageous ratio for pitching and networking. So don’t miss this opportunity to get in front of the Biz’s best and brightest, right in your own backyard. Sign up for Screenwriters World East today!

Screenwriters World Conference has partnered with Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers to provide you with comfortable (and discounted!) accommodations located squarely in the publishing capital of the U.S. Take a stroll down Poet’s Walk in Central Park, catch a show on Broadway, visit the Museum of Modern Art – all a short walk from the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers and available to you now when you register with the conference.

Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
811 7th Avenue (between 52nd St and 53rd Street )
New York, New York 10019
Phone: 212-581-1000
Hotel Website

The Sheraton Hotel & Towers is centrally located in midtown Manhattan and is mere steps to Times Square, Radio City Music Hall, many Broadway theaters, the Museum of Modern Art and more.

Screenwriters World Conference attendees can book rooms at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers at a special rate of $215. Make sure to mention the "Writer’s Digest Conference" when reserving your room to qualify for the group rate.

Click here to reserve your room online or call (212) 581-1000‎ and make your reservation today.
For guests staying at the hotel, check-in time is 3:00 PM and check-out time is 12:00 PM.