{"id":1172313,"date":"2024-04-23T09:57:16","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T16:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/?p=1172313"},"modified":"2024-04-23T09:57:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T16:57:27","slug":"austin-film-festival-screenwriters-to-watch-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/austin-film-festival-screenwriters-to-watch-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"The\u00a0Austin Film Festival’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since its inception in 1994, the Austin Film Festival has been dedicated to honoring the art and skill of screenwriting as the core of storytelling. Writers not only construct the worlds we immerse ourselves in, but also sculpt the characters we adore and unveil unexpected plot twists \u2014 yet frequently remain overlooked by the broader industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with MovieMaker<\/em>, AFF is delighted to present its 2024 list of 25 Screenwriters to Watch. These rising stars have exhibited prowess through AFF\u2019s script and film competitions, its writers conference, and its film festival, joining the ranks of previous honorees like Tracy Oliver, VJ Boyd, and Glen Powell (who you can read about on in MovieMaker<\/em>‘s Spring issue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the imaginative writers or writing teams behind your next favorite feature film or series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chikodili Agwuna<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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AFF Panelist \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the importance of mental health in the writing process: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to be unhealthy to create. When I started writing in general, so much of my best work came from a deep depression. For a while I rejected the idea of therapy because I was afraid if I got healthy, I\u2019d lose what made me a good writer and comedian. But therapy actually helped me tap into those feelings more easily, and my writing and standup is better for it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna Baumgarten<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Disfluency <\/em>– 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sabrina Brennan <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Band of Mothers<\/em> \u2013 2018<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On dreams coming true:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was outside Frank\u2019s Pizza with my dad when I got the text; the kind of text that\u2019s so exciting to get, but a small part of you kinda wishes it was a phone call instead? For the drama of it all? Anyway, the text was to tell me I got staffed on a show for Disney+! All that matters is that it was a dream come true (convenient because dreams are like Disney\u2019s whole thing).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adeline Colangelo  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: The Break-Up Nurse<\/em> – 2012<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeremy Curl  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: The Highest Brasil <\/em>\u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On making words count:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring an expedition in a very remote part of Africa, my camels ran off, leaving me without water, food, or supplies. I was dangerously ill, passing in and out of consciousness. To add to the problem, a pride of lions had been following me for a few days. I crawled under a bush, thirsty, tired, covered in vomit \u2014 and wondered if I was found, whether anyone would re-use my clothes. I decided to write a note to the person that might find me. I thought that these would be my last words, so they better be good. I approach any writing I do in the same way now. Make it count.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colby Day  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Lead\/Follow \u2013 2022\/AFF Panelist 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On what he\u2019s<\/em> working on now:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m working on what will be my feature directorial debut \u2013  it\u2019s about late-night comedy, late-stage capitalism, and why we even bother making art when it feels like the world is on fire. Also, there\u2019s a singing robot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NJ Draine  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: The Housing Situation on Neptune<\/em> \u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On trust in one\u2019s writing:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrust the process. Always trust the process. I uncover most of what makes my story in the writing and not the planning. But it\u2019s hard to jump in not knowing all the details. It takes a lot of surrendering\/trusting that it will reveal itself in time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also Read:<\/strong> 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2024, Including Austin Film Festival<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eduardo Esp\u00edndola  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Unfinished Business From Beyond<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On timing in one\u2019s career:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor me\u2014 getting the right time for each project has been the hardest of challenges. We\u2019re all rushing so much to tend to the ever-growing ways in which capitalism commodifies what we do. I\u2019m learning to allow my art to be by leaning into leisure, joy, and rest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jessica Mena Esteves <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: A Glass Darkly<\/em>\/AFF Panelist 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melanie Abrams Fierstein <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Projects: PREtirement & High Crimes<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On trusting your vision:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving a background in politics, I was taught to always have on my media face, be prepared with a perfect answer to every question, and write with the voters in mind. But with screenwriting \u2013 both the art and the business \u2013 I\u2019ve learned that being authentic is the most important thing. The nature of this business requires you to spend a lot of creative time with other people. You won\u2019t be able to give your peers and your projects what they need if you aren\u2019t being true to your own personality and vision, and won\u2019t attract the best team for you if you aren\u2019t being yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Wild Eyed and Wicked<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On quality in writing:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been writing screenplays for well over a decade. Plenty were a mess. Most were okay, which is worse than being a mess. A passionate disaster is better than mediocrity every day of the week. It\u2019s been in the past couple of years that I\u2019ve really found myself as a writer and become confident in my taste and following my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick Gambino <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: The F*ck-It List<\/em> \u2013 2022 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On what is next:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeeing many of the projects I have in the works take their next step toward being made. The truth is, a lot of things don\u2019t get made, but as long as we keep laying those bricks, we give ourselves a fighting chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam Henderson  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Projects: Break & The Walls<\/em> \u2013 2022 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On patience:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPatience will get you everything you want. It\u2019s okay if the thing you\u2019re making doesn\u2019t get made the way you planned it, as long as the finished product is better than what you expected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Hicks  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Heck <\/em>\u2013 2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On lessons learned:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cScheduling time to write is easier than finding time to write. Don\u2019t worry if it\u2019s bad. Bad and finished will always be better than perfect and unfinished. A bad script can be fixed. An unfinished one never leaves your draft folder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louisa Hill  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Loz Angelez<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On challenges when writing characters:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI seek to approach each writing challenge with both rigorous research and internal searching. If I\u2019m writing a character or situation that\u2019s unfamiliar to me, I draw from my own lived experiences to empathize with the character\u2019s humanity and then turn to research to enliven the specifics of their reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Kambe Holland <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Egghead & Twinkie<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On being true to oneself on the page:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a conversation in Egghead & Twinkie<\/em> where Twinkie talks about being mixed-race. It was one of the most important scenes to me personally, which is what made it so tricky. I was worried that it might feel too serious or out of left field since the rest of the movie is basically a silly-goofy road-trip romp. In the end, the solution was to just be truthful, to myself and to the character of Twinkie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kimberly Manky <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Debra<\/em> \u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On important lessons:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCelebrate all of the little wins along the way. This career path can be hard when you don\u2019t see immediate results, but make sure to acknowledge your achievements. Finishing a draft or placing in a competition are victories. I keep a bottle of champagne in my fridge, ready to pop when I get some good news. I think seeing it in there when I grab milk for my morning coffee might help manifest something!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrea Camacho McCracken and Nora Alameddin <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: In Wonderland <\/em>\u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

W.A.W. Parker <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: The Baron<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ant\u00f3nio Sequeira<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Autumn <\/em>\u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On looking outside when writing:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGet out of the computer, before writing. And go outside. Live life. Watch people. Observe behaviors. Soak it all in. For a long time when I was young, I would be writing every day, but I didn\u2019t have enough life experience to write anything that mattered. My stories were dull and unoriginal. So, don\u2019t rush. Life is a marathon. Take the time to soak it all in and then put that into your story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mac Smullen <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Souvenir, Alaska<\/em> \u2013 2022 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cristin Stephens <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Black Magic <\/em>\u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sam Thor <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Starpower<\/em> \u2013 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On looking within<\/em> when writing:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe more I looked inward, addressed my own issues, and allowed myself to be open to different points of view, the more my writing grew to encapsulate all of that knowledge. Looking back, there\u2019s plenty of moments in my life that were messy, dramatic, stupid, that helped my development as a person and without them, my writing would have remained naive. With each life lesson learned and each script written, we grow, and that growth is necessary for a career like this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E\u2019an Verdugo and Caleb Davis <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Restorage<\/em> \u2013 2023 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myung Joh (MJ) Wesner  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Project: Gray Matter<\/em> \u2013 2018\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liked This List of the Austin Film Festival Screenwriters to Watch in 2024?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Check out the honorees\u2019 full interviews at austinfilmfestival.com\/sw2w2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos courtesy of AFF<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Since its inception in 1994, the Austin Film Festival has been dedicated to honoring the art and skill of screenwriting […]","protected":false},"author":1143,"featured_media":1172357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"disable_comments":false,"tpd_featured_posts_arr":"","hide_featured_img_single_post":false,"msn_featured_video":[],"_msn_custom_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[41495,4516],"tags":[],"feeds":[],"class_list":["post-1172313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-festivals","category-screenwriting"],"primary_category":{"term_id":41495,"name":"Film Festivals","slug":"film-festivals","taxonomy":"category","url":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/category\/film-festivals\/"},"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428,height=241,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-SW2W-Slider-1024-x-576-px.png","fimg_url_thumb":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428,height=241,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-SW2W-Slider-1024-x-576-px.png","featured_img_medium":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788,height=444,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-SW2W-Slider-1024-x-576-px.png","author_name":"Austin Film Festival and MM Editors","author_avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2bd79be65dd60cf793fc2774c02648bf?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_link":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/author\/austin-film-festival-and-mm-editors\/","post_categories":["Film Festivals"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The\u00a0Austin Film Festival’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2024","url":"http:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/austin-film-festival-screenwriters-to-watch-2024\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/austin-film-festival-screenwriters-to-watch-2024\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428,height=241,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-SW2W-Slider-1024-x-576-px.png","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1024,height=576,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2024-SW2W-Slider-1024-x-576-px.png"},"articleSection":"Film Festivals","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Austin Film Festival and MM Editors"}],"creator":["Austin Film Festival and MM Editors"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"MovieMaker Magazine","logo":"https:\/\/www.moviemaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mm_site_logo-2.svg"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2024-04-23T16:57:16Z","datePublished":"2024-04-23T16:57:16Z","dateModified":"2024-04-23T16:57:27Z"},"rendered":"