Here’s what going on at the Writers Guild of America West this month. One of the best ways to network is to hang with the working writers there, plus there’s a ton going on that can help all of us, including non-members, in so many ways. So, for your edification:
March 2019
Saturday 02
WGF: WGFestival 2019
Sat., 3/2. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 3/3. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study.
Tickets/Info: WGFoundation. WGFestival is a two-day writing conference presented by the Writers Guild Foundation in partnership with the Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowship Programs. Through keynote conversations, breakout sessions, and special events, our goal is to create an interactive and educational experience for emerging and working writers in film and TV. Visit wgfestival.org for schedule, ticketing, and speaker updates.
Monday 04
Meeting: Writers with Disabilities
7–9 p.m. – WGAW 2nd Floor, Room 2A
Info: (323) 782-4589. The Writers with Disabilities Committee is looking for ways to aid disabled writers in pursuing their careers in Hollywood and to encourage accurate portrayals of the disabled in film and television. Please come, shake hands and talk about expanding opportunities for all of us.
Tuesday 05
WGF: Fay Wray & Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir Book Signing & Reception
6:30-8:30 p.m. – SAG-AFTRA Foundation Screening Room
RSVP: WGFoundation. Join author and former WGAW President Victoria Riskin and the WGF for a special evening commemorating two Hollywood legends, actor Fay Wray and screenwriter Robert Riskin. A discussion between Riskin and screenwriter and former WGAW President Howard A. Rodman immediately follows the book signing and reception. Copies of Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir will be available for purchase at the event.
Tuesday 05
In Her Words: Spotlight on Women Writers in Film & TV – Launch Event with Barbra Streisand
7 p.m. Yentl screening; 9:15 p.m. Conversation with Barbra Streisand – ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 Sunset. Blvd., Hollywood
Info/Tickets: In Her Words. Use password WGAWIE for member discount. Kicking off a special screening series honoring the accomplishments of women film and TV writers to coincide with Women’s History Month in March, the WGAW is proud to present a screening of 1983’s acclaimed Yentl, followed by a rare, in-person conversation with the film’s legendary co-screenwriter/director/producer/star Barbra Streisand. Subsequent screenings at the Arclight will salute the powerful, authentic, and unique talents of women writers who’ve created memorable works while shattering industry barriers in the process. Presented by Women in Entertainment and WGAW, in conjunction with WGAW’s Publicity & Marketing Committee and WGAW’s Committee of Women Writers.
Thursday 07
This Changes Everything Screening & Panel Discussion
7 p.m. – Writers Guild Theater
Info: (323) 782-4589. RSVP: Changes The Inclusion and Equity Group invites you to “This Changes Everything Screening & Panel Discussion.” This new feature documentary by CreativeChoas vmg and New Pilot Films uncovers what is beneath one of the most confounding dilemmas in the entertainment industry—the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women behind and in front of the camera—showcases gender bias, and serves as a call to action for radical change towards an equitable industry and society. Panelists include: Geena Davis, Wendy Calhoun, Marg Helgenberger, Ligiah Villalobos, and Tom Donahue.
Tuesday 12
Meeting: Latino Writers Committee
7:30-9:30 p.m. – WGAW 1st Floor Room 1A
Info: (323) 782-4589. This committee actively represents the professional, creative, social and economic interests of Latino Guild members. Its mandate is to encourage Latino writers to become more active within the Guild; and to raise the profile and perception of Latino writers in the industry at large by creating forums that foster networking, collaboration, education, information exchange, employment opportunities and creative expression.
Wednesday 13
Meeting: Career Longevity Committee
7-9 p.m. – WGAW 4th Floor Boardroom
Info: (323) 782-4589. Formerly the Age Awareness Committee, the mission of the Career Longevity Committee is to assist writers of all ages in planning for long and successful careers by giving them the tools and knowledge to adapt to changes in the marketplace. WGAW members of all ages are encouraged to attend. Special guest: Frank Crim (director, 40 and Over Film Festival).
Friday 15
Call for Entries: Maison des Scénaristes (2019 Cannes Film Festival)
Submission deadline 11:59 p.m. (French time)
Info/Entries: WeFilmGood. The 8th Annual Maison des Scénaristes (aka International Screenwriters’ Pavilion) is offering 20-25 screenwriters a unique opportunity to pitch to French and international producers. Accommodations for the selected screenwriters will be available at a reasonable price at the “Villa des Scénaristes.”
Tuesday 19
Meeting: LGBTQ+ Writers Committee
7:30-9:30 p.m. – WGAW 4th Floor Boardroom
Info: (323) 782-4589. This committee seeks to represent the interests of its constituency as a resource, to provide cultural and educational opportunities and to nurture an understanding of how sexual orientation affects the lives of all writers seeking to portray gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people in their work, and create a greater awareness within the Guild of sexual orientation as a minority and to articulate instances of homophobia and/or discrimination within our industry. Special guests: Ashley Whitaker and Lauren Tuck (creative executives, Harpo Films).
Wednesday 20
Owning Your Power: Staying Resilient, Relevant, and Visible in Your Writing Career
7:30-9:30 p.m. – WGF Library
Info: (323) 782-4589. RSVP: YourPower. WGAW Members only. Space is limited. The Career Longevity Committee presents “Owning Your Power,” an interactive workshop led by Career Coach and Television Packaging Agent Jim Arnoff. Get the insider’s take on how to remain empowered, energized, and proactive no matter where you are in your writing career. Learn coaching tools to network with results, embrace change, and take charge of your career. Hear strategies to reinvent yourself, gain access to decision makers and make your writing projects more viable. Reception follows.
Saturday 23
WGF: Volunteer Opportunity with 826LA’s Scholarship Day
9-2 p.m. – Manual Arts High School
Info/RSVP: WGFoundation. 826LA‘s Scholarship Day is designed to help students make their academic dreams that much more attainable. You will work one-on-one with a student from the greater LA area and help them write polished essays for scholarship prompts. Students will each arrive with a folder of scholarships selected by their college counselors, as well as their personal statement responses to help guide the writing process. If you have not volunteered with 826LA before, you will need to obtain a Live Scan background check no later than 3/4 in order to participate. Contact Libbie Anderson for more info.
Monday 25
Meeting: Native American & Indigenous Writers Committee
7-9:30 p.m. – WGAW 2nd Floor, Room 2B
Info: (323) 782-4589. 7 p.m. “Happy Half Hour” (networking, snacks, and beverages), 7:30 p.m. meeting. This Committee represents the professional and creative interests of Native American & Indigenous writers. It works to mentor, encourage, empower, and increase the visibility and employment of writers of Native American & Indigenous heritage, and serves as a cultural and educational resource for all Guild member-writers seeking to portray Native American & Indigenous Peoples in their work.
Wednesday 27
Meeting: Writers Education Committee
7:30-9 p.m. – WGAW 4th Floor Boardroom
RSVP: WritersEd. Eligible members only. This WGAW committee brainstorms and develops events and programs, which provide WGA members with practical, inside knowledge, about how the industry works and how it is changing, emphasizing tips and tools to help writers succeed. We strive to provide “working knowledge for writers” and invite you to contribute your ideas.
Friday 29
WGF: Inside the Writers’ Room with Jane the Virgin
7:30-9 p.m. – Writers Guild Theater
Info/Tickets: WGFoundation. Before you dive into Jane the Virgin‘s fifth and final season, join showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman and the writers for a look inside the craft behind The CW series. Moderated by show star Jaime Camil. Check the WGF events site for more panelist announcements. This is the kickoff event for WGFestival 2019.
Saturday 30
WGF: WGFestival 2019
Sat., 3/30, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 3/31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study
Info/Tickets: WGFestival.org. WGFestival is a two-day writing conference presented by the Writers Guild Foundation in partnership with the Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowship Programs. Through keynote conversations, breakout sessions, and special events, our goal is to create an interactive and educational experience for emerging and working writers in film and TV. Visit WGFestival.org for schedule, ticketing, and speaker updates.
Events listed are current at time of publication. Dates and details are subject to change during the month. To see the live calendar, click here. (Member Login required for that, sorry.)