Enter the small screen writers’ room at SCAD TVfest: Screenwriting

From the venue:

Since the emergence of television as a dominant medium for entertainment in the 1950s, the writers’ room has been its heartbeat, scripting comedy, drama, late-night, and sketch shows for the delight of viewers around the globe. SCADFILM is partnering with the Writers Guild Foundation, which preserves and promotes the history and craft of writing for the small screen, for a day of events focused on the past, present, and future of TV screenwriting. With rising writers’ room scribes in mind, SCAD TVfest: Screenwriting includes workshops and a special exhibition of storied scripts from the WGF archives.

12:30 p.m.
Writers Guild Foundation Presents: TV Format Fundamentals
SCADshow, Stage 2

Broadcast. Streaming. Sitcoms. Limited series. With so many different production studios, networks, and show types today, it can be a challenge for budding writers to know how to format their pilot or spec scripts. Join Writers Guild Foundation librarian Lauren O’Connor for an insightful workshop on the fascinating history and conventions of television script formatting. Using rare examples from the WGF Library’s collection, O’Connor will discuss the unique formatting specifications of multicamera and single-camera sitcoms, animation, episodic dramas, and serialized and limited series. O’Connor will also explore how to format series scripts with commercial breaks as well as how to format scripts without them.

2 p.m.
WGF Library Pop-up
FORTY FIVE, Second Floor Lobby

The Writers Guild Foundation Library is home to nearly 50,000 produced film and television scripts. Located in Los Angeles and bound by copyright restrictions, the WGF Library seldom gets to share its collections on the East Coast. Visit FORTY FIVE’s second floor lobby from 2–5 p.m. to view these treasured scripts. The WGF will also share invaluable resources to help prospective writers maneuver through their writing and TV career. SCAD students can also visit the library pop-up during special opening hours from 6–8 p.m. Thursday, April 18.

4:30 p.m.
Business and Marketing for Screenwriting
SCADshow

Success in television writing goes beyond just crafting compelling stories: it is also about building collaboration, professionalism, and respect within the writers’ room. In today’s competitive landscape, knowing how to showcase your unique talents is paramount. Gain invaluable insights into the unwritten rules and etiquette that govern this creative space and learn proven strategies to effectively market yourself as a TV writer, whether you are networking, pitching, or navigating the intricate web of industry connections.

Presenter: Briana Belser, screenwriter, Grey’s Anatomy, Ginny & Georgia

Additional events to be announced.

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