RTF at 2018 Austin Film Festival

October 24 - November 1

For twenty-five years, UT has shared its hometown with the Austin Film Festival, the first of its kind to focus on the writing component of film and television production. RTF faculty, students, and alumni have been heavily involved in all aspects of the festival—as screenwriters, producers, directors, panelists, organizers, volunteers, and moderators. Several of our writers have also placed as second-rounders, semifinalists, and even finalists this year in the script competition (see list below). Please see the schedule on the festival's site and below to learn about RTF-related events in the 2018 Austin Film Festival (October 24 - November 1).

October 25 • Thursday

1:00pm – 2:15pm
Austin Pitch #1
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Vestry Conference Room
Panelists: Peter Mattei, Cindy McCreery

1:00pm – 2:15pm
*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
Panelists: Alisha Brophy, Jeffrey Brown, Kat Candler, C. Robert Cargill, Peter Craig, Ryan Cunningham, Michael Fry, Lindy Goldstein, Jason Headley, Scott Miles, Bill True

2:45pm – 4:00pm
Writing For Hollywood Outside of Hollywood
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room presented by Roadmap Writers
Moderators: Courtenay Hameister
Panelists: Macon Blair, C. Robert Cargill, Andrew Logan

9:45pm – 11:35pm
Shorts Program 2: Crossing Paths
Rollins Theatre (701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704)  

  • Tourist
    (USA, 14 min)
    Writer/Director: Paavo Hanninen
    Distracting herself from troubles back home, a woman visits New Orleans and takes on a new identity.

October 26 • Friday

9:00am – 10:15am
Research as Development
The Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room presented by Roadmap Writers
Moderators: Fabienne Harford
Panelists: Andrew Logan, Pamela Ribon, Carly Wray

10:45am – 12:00pm
The First Act
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Historic Sanctuary
Moderators: Beth Serlin
Panelists: Kat Candler, Phil Hay, Stephen McFeely

10:45am – 12:00pm  
Second Rounders and Above Panel: The Writers' Room Workshop
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Panelists: Cindy McCreery

1:30pm – 2:45pm
*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
Panelists: Macon Blair, Alisha Brophy, Jeffrey Brown, Jill Chamberlain, Lisa Ebersole, Michael Fry, Carrye Glazar, Kevin Hamedani, Jono Matt, Scott Miles, Troy Anthony Miller, David Rabinowitz, Bill True

2:00pm – 4:00pm
Shorts Program 10: Everything's Shorter in Texas 1
Rollins Theatre (701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704)

  • Atlantic City
    (USA, 15 min)
    Director/Writer: Miguel Alvarez
    A drifter sets off to find his estranged mother but finds a new mission when he meets a teenage runaway who needs his help.
  • By Dan Jenkins
    (USA, 20 min)
    Directors: Kelly Lipscomb, Matt Tisdale
    After a life filled with covering the most prestigious tournaments in the world; renowned golf and football expert Dan Jenkins sheds further light on his beginnings and how the two sports have shaped his life.
  • Lovers at Night
    (USA, 5 min)
    Director: Alexander M. Rosales
    A man awaits his date, but is met with something else: rejection.
  • The Wilderness
    (USA, 15 min)
    Writer: Zachary Jones
    Director: Agustin Navarro
    Three soldiers on the battlefield deal with the raw emotions of taking a life.
  • Tightly Wound
    (USA, 10 min)
    Writer/Director: Shelby Hadden
    A woman recounts her experience living with chronic pelvic pain and how health professionals have failed her, men have rejected her, and complex emotions have plagued her body.

3:15pm – 4:30pm      
Young Filmmakers Program: Pitch #1
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Panelists: James V. Hart, Cindy McCreery, Emily Zulauf

October 27 • Saturday

9:00am – 10:15am
* Roundtable: AFF Filmmakers
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
Panelists: Clint Bentley, Kat Candler, Sandrine Cassidy, AJ Feuerman, Sean Flanagan, Alana Hauser, Greg Kwedar, Angela C. Lee, Ashley Miller, Garineh Nazarian, Bryce Norbitz, Tony Piantedosi

9:00am – 10:15am    
Running the Show
Central Presbyterian Church, Sanctuary
Moderators: Alisa Perren
Panelists: Amy Berg, Donald Todd

10:30am – 12:00pm
Vote for Me/Molly & Ann
Rollins Theatre (701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704)
Special Documentary Presentation by Paul Stekler

  • Short Film: Molly & Ann
    (USA, 20 min)
    Writer: Paul Stekler
    This is a short film about Governor Ann Richards and best-selling author and political columnist Molly Ivins—two Texas icons, unabashed progressives, and women who made their mark in a political world dominated by men. It’s made with personal footage from a filmmaker who knew them both.
  • Vote for Me: Politics in America
    (USA, 40 min)
    Directors: Louis Alvarez, Andy Kolker, and Paul Stekler
    This is a revisit to a film that was described as "a landslide of an election special" by the LA Times; "pure Americana, merry and marvelous and authentic" by USA Today; and "a masterpiece… which it makes you laugh, makes you enraged and—most remarkable of all—makes you care about politics" by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Winner of an Emmy, a Peabody, and the du-Pont Columbia Journalism Award.

12:15pm – 2:15pm    
Awards Luncheon
The Austin Club (110 E 9th Street)
Panelists: Roger Corman, Tony Gilroy, Daniel Petrie, Jr., Larry Wilmore
Felicia D. Henderson will introduce Larry Willmore

12:30pm – 1:45pm    
Inside the Writers' Room: Queen Sugar
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Bethell Hall
Moderators: Fabienne Harford
Panelists: Kat Candler, Anthony Sparks

12:30pm – 1:45pm    
Finding Your Platform
InterContinental Stephen F. Austin, Assembly Room
Moderators: Alisa Perren
Panelists: Lisa Ebersole, Aaron Tracy, Stephen Winter

12:30pm – 1:45pm
#DiversitySells: The Power of Inclusive Storytelling
InterContinental Stephen F. Austin, Ballroom
Moderators: S. Craig Watkins
Panelists: Peter Chiarelli, Janine Jones, Terra Potts

12:30pm – 1:45pm
The Writer/Producer Relationship: Independent Features
The Driskill Hotel, Victorian Balcony
Moderators: Roy Rutngamlug
Panelists: Jonathan Duffy, Hannah Fidell, Jason Headley, Kelly Williams

12:30pm – 1:45pm
*Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
Panelists: Sadie Bass, Drew Beebe, Greg Bernstein, Asmara Bhattacharya, Alisha Brophy, Luis Dantas, Owen Egerton, Mike Jones, Chris Mass, Scott Miles, Russell Leigh Sharman, Bill True, Emily Zulauf

2:45pm – 4:00pm      
Indie Film Track: Storytelling through Editing
The Driskill Hotel, Crystal Room presented by Simplecast
Moderators: Roy Rutngamlug
Panelists: Adam Bowers, Dan Bush, Stephen Kinigopoulos, Ann Lupo

2:45pm – 4:00pm
Second Rounders Roundtable: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Crail Hall
Panelists: Taylor Allen, Max Borenstein, Felicia D. Henderson, Brett-Patrick Jenkins, Adam Kolbrenner, Angela C. Lee, Andrew Logan, Jeff Lowell, Jill Risk, Amanda Jo Smith, Meta Valentic, Rebecca Windsor

7:00pm – 9:00pm
Shorts Program 11: Everything's Shorter in Texas 2
Galaxy Highland screen 9 (6700 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752)

  • Clean Break
    (USA, 12 min)
    Writer/Director: Isaac Burns
    Nancy goes to her friend to take her mind off a breakup, but his romantic overtures endanger their friendship.
  • My Friend Shokat
    (USA, 12 min) 
    Writer/Director: Bita Ghassemi
    All a young boy wants to do is save his family's goat, but between his sister's desires and their family’s financial troubles, Shokat may have to go.

October 28 • Sunday

11:30am – 12:45pm  
How to Take a Meeting
InterContinental Stephen F. Austin, Assembly Room
Moderators: Scott Richter
Panelists: Wes Brown, Felicia D. Henderson, Marc Manus

1:15pm – 2:30pm
The Spec Script
The Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
Moderators: Scott Myers
Panelists: Taylor Allen, David Iserson, Andrew Logan, David Rabinowitz

October 29 • Monday

2:45pm – 4:35pm
Shorts Program 2: Crossing Paths
Galaxy Highland screen 9 (6700 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752)

  • Tourist
    Writer/Director: Paavo Hanninen                   

October 30 • Tuesday

6:15pm – 8:15pm      
Shorts Program 10: Everything's Shorter in Texas 1
Rollins Theatre (701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704)

7:30pm – 9:00pm      
Vote for Me/Molly & Ann
Galaxy Highland screen 7 (6700 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752)
Special Documentary Presentation by Paul Stekler

  • Molly & Ann
    Writer: Paul Stekler
  • Vote for Me: Politics in America
    Directors: Louis Alvarez, Andy Kolker, and Paul Stekler

9:00pm – 11:00pm    
Shorts Program 11: Everything's Shorter in Texas 2
Rollins Theatre (701 W Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78704)

 


2018 Writing Competition

Finalists

Two of our MFA Screenwriters are 2018 Austin Film Festival script competition finalists:

  • AMC DRAMA TELEPLAY PILOT - "Double Time Dames" by Davia Carter
  • HORROR FEATURE SCREENPLAY – “Blood of Israel” by Davey Morrison

Second Rounders & SemiFinalists

  • Greenwood by Nathan Patton
  • The White Crow by Paula Rogers
  • Now, a Love Story by Dio Traverso
  • Hair of the Dog by Travis Maiuro
  • Mrs. Claus Kicks Some Ass by Zach Gonzalez-Landis
  • Daughters Lost to the Desert by A.M. Sanchez
  • Escher by Jason Kessler
  • If I Could Cry for You by Mexi Gremillion
  • American Made by Sam Tofsted
  • Chicago Overcoat by Abby Lamarre
  • Diabolical by Renier Murillo
  • Lone Wolf by Nouri Zarrugh
  • Eat Me by Alexander Pelham
  • Better Call Saul: “Ullfay Etalmay Acketjay” by Sam Tofsted
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya” by Sarah Grodsky

 

Elana Wakeman
Communications & Programs Coordinator