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PAGE ONE Film and Television Writers’ Conference
Event on 2012-05-04 13:00:00
PAGE ONE: First Annual Entertainment Writers’ Conference

On Friday, May 4, DePaul University’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media will present their first annual writers’ conference devoted to screenwriters working in the entertainment industry. The five panels and one film screening cover topics related to the multiple roles writers play in the film and television business. This event will feature some of Los Angeles’ and New York’s hottest entertainment writers.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m., there will be presentation by Michael McCarthy on “Comedy Writing”. Michael’s credits include writing for “Saturday Night Live,” “Sesame Street,” and “The Drew Carey Show,” along with many, many Comedy Central projects—not to mention creating a TV series for Channel Four in England called “Beyond The Pale,” a morning radio show in Chicago called “The Morning Fix,” and a comedy festival in Ireland called “The Cat Laughs.” Prior to most of that he opened five reviews at The Second City in Chicago, three on the mainstage with titles like “Economy Of Errors” (ha), “Winner Takes Oil” (ha, ha) and “Truth, Justice or The American Way” (ha, ha, ha). He richly enjoys referring to himself in the third person.

At 2:30 p.m., Ryan Farley and Carley Steiner will discuss “Breaking into the Business: the First Five Years.” Ryan was born and raised in Metro Detroit, where after high school he graduated from fire academy and is licensed to be a firefighter in the state of Michigan. After changing career paths, he attended Emerson College in Boston, focusing on playwriting, and from there got his MFA in Writing for Film and Television from USC. His credits include the CBS drama Cold Case and the FX drama Justified. Carley was born and raised in Louisiana. She attended Columbia University majoring in film studies, and USC for an MFA in Screenwriting. She has also studied abroad at the Fundacion de Cine in Buenos Aires, and the Israeli Cinemateque in Tel Aviv. Along with her writing partner/sister, Carley has written feature films for studios like Walden and Disney, and networks such as Lifetime, Disney Channel, and NBC. She lives and writes in Los Angeles.

At 3:45 p.m., Mary Sweeney will discuss “The Relationship Between Writing and Editing.” Mary is a long-time producer and creative collaborator of David Lynch’s, beginning with Blue Velvet in 1986. Sweeney also edited Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me (1990), Lost Highway (1996), The Straight Story (2000) and Mulholland Drive (2001), which earned her a British Academy Award for Best Editing. Her producing credits date to 1995 with Nadja, directed by Michael Almereyda, and include Lost Highway, The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire, all directed by Lynch. She also wrote the screenplay for The Straight Story for which Richard Farnsworth received an Academy Award nomination. Sweeney has recently completed her directorial debut, BARABOO, based on her original screenplay. She has a Master's Degree in Cinema Studies from NYU, and actively serves the independent film making community in Los Angeles.

At 5:00 p.m., Adam Rapp will discuss “Writing for Multiple Mediums.” Adam is an Obie-award-winning and Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright, novelist, and filmmaker. He is the author of the play, RED LIGHT WINTER, which received Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Play and was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Other plays include: NOCTURNE, FINER NOBLE GASES, STONE COLD DEAD SERIOUS, and BLACKBIRD. He has published eight novels for young adults, including Under the Dog, which was short-listed for the L.A. Times Book Prize. He is also the author of the adult novel, THE YEAR OF ENDLESS SORROWS and the graphic novel, BALL-PEEN HAMMER. His new novel, THE CHILDREN AND THE WOLVES, was just released from Candlewick Press. He also wrote and directed the films WINTER PASSING and BLACKBIRD, and authored the role of Sunil for the third season of HBO’s IN TREAMENT. Recently, he directed the world premiere of Karen O’s psycho Opera, STOP THE VIRGENS at St. Ann’s Warehouse, which will play the Sydney Opera House in May. He is currently in preproduction for the film version of RED LIGHT WINTER, which he will direct this coming fall for Parts & Labor and Scott Rudin Productions.

There will be a fifteen minute break between each panel. At 6:00 p.m., there will be a one hour break.

At 7:00 p.m., there will be a screening of 2011 SXSW Award Winner Natural Selection followed by a question and answer session with writer/director, Robbie Pickering. This film, Natural Selection, swept the 2011 SXSW Film Festival winning the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, and the competition awards for Best Editing, Best Score, Best Screenplay, Breakthrough Performance (for both of the leads), and the Grand Jury prize for Best Narrative Feature. The film has gone on to win top awards at festivals across the country as well as was nominated for Best First Feature and Best Actress at the prestigious Independent Spirit Awards. It is currently in theatrical release. Robbie was recently hired by Sony Pictures to direct The Kitchen Sink. Robbie is a graduate of USC’s MFA Writing for Film and Television program.

The conference is free, open to the public, and takes place at the CDM Theatre in the lower level of 14 East Jackson in the Loop.

CONDENSED SCHEDULE:
1:00PM Introductions
1:15PM Comedy Writing with Michael McCarthy
2:30PM Breaking into the Business with Ryan Farley and Carley Steiner
3:45PM The Relationship Between Writing & Editing with Mary Sweeney
5:00PM Writing for Multiple Mediums with Adam Rapp
6:00PM One Hour Break
7:00PM Screening of 2011 SXSW Winner Natural Selection
8:30PM Q&A with Natural Selection Writer/Director Robbie Pickering

at DePaul University, Loop Campus

Chicago, United States

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