I got a chance to escape the dreary New York June this weekend to speak at The Great American PitchFest and screenwriting conference.
Not only did I have the opportunity to soak up some L.A. sun, but also got to count myself in the lucky company of some extremely talented writers and teachers. Here are some of the highlights from their very accomplished careers:
Christopher Vogler is a Hollywood development executive best known for his guide for screenwriters called The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. He created a now-legendary seven-page company memo for Hollywood screenwriters, A Practical Guide to The Hero With a Thousand Faces, which he developed into book in the late-1990s.
Vogler has worked for Disney studios, Fox 2000 pictures and Warner Bros. in the development department. He has also taught in the USC School of Cinema-Television, Division of Animation and Digital Arts as well as at UCLA extension. He is president of Storytech Literary Consulting.
Steve Kaire has sold/optioned eight projects to the majors including Warners, Columbia, United Artists and Interscope without representation. He’s been featured in various industry publications and is a sought after speaker on the lecture circuit. He’s also taught writing classes at the American Film Institute. Steve’s new audio CD High Concept: How to Create, Pitch & Sell to Hollywood is an informational bible for film and TV writers.
Dr. Melody Jackson founded Smart Girls Productions in 1992 as a marketing and consulting firm for actors and screenwriters. Smart Girls’ unique position as a mom-and-pop, hands-on shop dedicated to marketing actors and screenwriters
She has developed proprietary SmartStudio™ specialized software for tracking who’s who in the industry (agents, managers, producers, casting directors) and then being able to select the best people for you to market to. She uses her tech savvy to support her clients in using the latest, hip and trendy websites to promote their careers in addition to the tried and true traditional marketing methods, which are vital for actors and screenwriters.
Before starting Smart Girls, Melody was a successful sales and marketing exec for film and television distribution accounting software.
