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Screenwriting Essentials: Improving the Read

July 29, 2026
Professional screenwriter Tom Vaughan (Winchester, starring Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren) shares critical advice to elevate your writing to a more pro level.

Book Pipeline

Book Pipeline connects writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry through competitions and workshops, providing hands-on support to bridge the gap between emerging authors and the industry since 2014.

Script Pipeline

Script Pipeline connects writers with producers, agents, and managers, facilitating over $8 million in sales through competitions and ongoing industry support, helping launch major films and secure high-profile representation since 1999.

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Film Pipeline connects filmmakers and writers with agencies and executives, focusing on diverse storytelling and playing an active role in developing and promoting projects, reviewing thousands of submissions annually since its launch in 2018.

Mistakes Comedy Writers Make and How to Fix Them

Scheduled

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Time

1 pm EDT / 10 am PDT

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Subject

Screenwriting

Topic

Craft

Comedy writers make a lot of mistakes. Like, they start writing before their lives are messed up just enough to begin. Or not using comedy writing for what it’s really intended—revenge. Or … heaven forbid, they start dating comedians.

This isn’t about that. We can talk about that over beer afterwards.

This session’s about the craft. The biggest mistakes in comedy scripts and how YOU can avoid them. For new and seasoned writers.

Some of the mistakes we’ll talk about…

1. Underdeveloped storyworld: Weak storyworld = weak jokes. We’ll learn to build a solid world that’ll cradle your characters, theme, and storylines.

2. Not character-led: Ignore your characters at your peril. We’ll go through the evil ways you can squeeze out all the juicy goodness and belly laughs from them.

3. They stop before it gets funny—Ouch. Yeah, this one hurts. But it’s true. We'll help you make your scripts one-jillion* percent funnier.

Want to know more? And hear the rest of the list? Come to the session.

You'll be able to avoid the mistakes that drive competition readers, development producers, script editors, and directors batshit crazy. And you'll make your writing a lot stronger. 

*One jillion is not a guarantee. 

Questions about registration? Check our handy FAQ page.

Events are recorded and emailed to all who register.

*NOTE: If you want the recording sent to you, do not check off the box in the Zoom Events registration process that restricts us from obtaining your email address and do not unsubscribe from Symposium emails.

Confirmation emails come from Zoom Events—search your inbox for noreply-zoomevents@zoom.us—not Pipeline Media Group.

Host

Amanda Graham
Amanda Graham has written 23 eps of BBC tv and edited scripts and ghostwritten pitch decks for 92 film and tv development projects including for the BBC and Channel 4 and the Zero Gravity Group. She has two of her own projects with Olivia Colman and Ed Sinclair's indie South of the River, one with Colman and Tristram Shapeero […]

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Upcoming Events

Screenwriting Essentials: Improving the Read

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Professional screenwriter Tom Vaughan (Winchester, starring Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren) shares critical advice to elevate your writing to a more pro level.

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Symposium, presented by Pipeline Artists, is a year-round virtual conference empowering creatives with honest, no-nonsense guidance across the arts. Through seminars, industry panels, and Town Hall discussions on screenwriting, filmmaking, publishing, and career-building, Symposium offers grounded advice from working professionals to help you forge your own unique path.

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