Stop Waiting for Permission. Write and Produce your Proof of Concept Short!

Have you written a great feature or series, but struggle to get anyone to notice? 

Frustrated by gatekeepers and waiting for someone to validate your work?

It’s time to take your career into your own hands.

Today, you don’t need an executive to pluck your script out of the slushpile or a studio green-light to build momentum. Instead, you can create your own ultimate calling card.

In this Symposium, award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker, Merridith Allen, guides you step-by-step through making a proof-of-concept short film that will get you noticed ... and expand your options for either financing or representation.

You’ll learn:

* To understand the power of having a proof-of-concept script, listen to Imani Davis, founder of Proof Film Festival, who was a guest on Reckless Creatives Podcast.

I Finished My Script—Now What?

Congratulations on finishing the first draft! Now it’s time to take the vital steps that separate decent drafts from the ones that actually break through and take your career to the next level.

In "I Finished My Script—Now What?” Timothy Michael Cooper shares the insights earned during his decades-long career, teaching you how to interpret and incorporate feedback, find the true heart of the story, focus your rewrites,cut away characters and scenes that aren’t pulling their weight, and build strategic relationships to get your script into the right hands.

You’ll learn:

After this class, you’ll have all the tools to transform your script into its most compelling version, as well as a clear strategy to get your work seen by those who can actually move it forward.

One-on-One with Professional Screenwriter Corey Mandell

Corey Mandell has long been considered one of the best screenwriting instructors in the industry. Jeanne should know ... she's taken his classes.

She will chat with Corey, diving into essentials that every screenwriter needs to know, including what it takes to launch your career in the current marketplace. Plus, we'll sprinkle your questions into the conversation.

As always, our events are recorded for all who register, but if you want a shot at getting your question answered, please attend the live event!

About Corey:

Corey Mandell is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter who has written projects for Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, John Travolta, Warner Brothers, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Fox 2000, Fox Family, Working Title, Paramount, Live Planet, Beacon Films, Touchstone, Trilogy, Radiant, Kopelson Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures.

Corey is also a distinguished instructor at UCLA and teaches highly sought-after Zoom workshops offering cutting edge training to writers across the world.

Over 3,500 of his graduates have launched careers by selling spec scripts, getting staffed on top TV shows, writing hit movies, even winning Academy Awards.

A Book Proposal Coach’s Secrets To Selling Your Non-Fiction (or Fiction) Book

Beneficial for ANY writer working on a book project!

Non-fiction books are almost always sold to publishers “on proposal.” That means you get to show publishers what you plan to write, but don’t actually have to write it until you get a book deal. It's pretty awesome.

But there’s a catch.

Your proposal, which outlines your project for a publisher, has to be so good that editors fall in love with it and believe that readers will, too. In fact, writing a proposal will set you up for success even if you plan to self-publish.

The problem? Most writers have no idea how to create a winning proposal. They simply don’t think like business people which is exactly what's needed. And this is a problem for authors. 

But Amy Scher is going to change that. 

What's covered:

How a Book Becomes a Movie: What Authors and Screenwriters Need to Know

The filmmaking business is complex and baffles many—even those working in it. The reality is, there is no single way to get a film made. But there’s no question that Hollywood loves adapting intellectual property. The more authors and screenwriters understand the different adaptation paths, the better their odds of success.

One major hurdle is the overabundance of scammers looking to exploit an author's dream of getting their work published or produced—making them a perfect target. But the best way to protect yourself is to understand how the book-to-film process works and how to identify a scam when you see one.

As a screenwriter, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman has adapted other author’s work, including a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, and she’s also worked closely with authors, guiding them on how to navigate Hollywood. She’ll dive deep into the processes to help writers come to the negotiation table well-informed.

What we'll cover:

Who would benefit from this session?

Substack as a Writer's Swiss Army Knife: How to Build Your Email List & Beyond

If you're a writer, you've probably heard that you need an email list. You've probably also heard that you need to build an audience, grow your network, market your work, and still somehow find time to write.

What you may not realize is that an email list remains the most valuable asset a writer can build—and that growing one can actually be fun (seriously). Better yet, your newsletter can help you accomplish all those other goals, too.

In recent years, Substack has evolved from a simple newsletter platform into one of the most powerful tools available to writers. It can help you connect with readers, expand your network, promote your work, test ideas, generate new revenue streams, and build a sustainable creative career—all while maintaining direct ownership of your audience.

In this practical presentation, author, podcaster, and writing instructor Courtney Kocak will show you how to use Substack as a writer's Swiss Army knife, whether you're just getting started or looking to get more out of the platform.

By the end of this presentation, you'll understand what's possible, which strategies make the most sense for you, and exactly where to focus your energy. You'll leave with a clear plan for using Substack to support your writing goals and turning it into the hub of your creative ecosystem. You'll also receive take-home resources to help you put your plan into action.

This presentation will cover:

Multidimensional Comp Titles

Has anything ever felt as baffling as finding Comp Titles! Planning and writing your book is hard enough, and then you need to identify books to compare to yours... or that will compete with yours... or both? (You wonder, what does "comp" even mean, right?) If you've found yourself in this too-familiar, bewildered situation, this Symposium session will bring calm to your chaos and offer clear guidance not only on what comp titles are, but also how to find the best ones to showcase the best parts of your book.

Caroline Malloy's dynamic presentation is designed to help you weed through overwhelming possibilities to hone in on the books that will make yours shine. Her comp title secret: it's not about working to show what you know about other books; it's about getting the books to work for you. Comp titles, ultimately, prove your book is a deep, thoughtful, pleasurable, multidimensional read.

Over the course of our time together, we'll cover:

Author Platform Essentials for Writers Who'd Rather Be Writing

Building an author platform can feel overwhelming. Writers are often told they need a newsletter, social media presence, podcast appearances, events, a personal brand, and a marketing plan—often before they've even finished their manuscript.

The good news? Building a platform doesn't have to be complicated, time-intensive, or soul-crushing.

In this practical seminar, author and podcaster Courtney Kocak will help you cut through the noise and focus on the platform-building activities that actually matter. Rather than trying to do everything, you'll learn how to identify the handful of activities that best align with your strengths, goals, and bandwidth.

Think of this as Author Platform Essentials: the easy, effective, paint-by-numbers version of platform building. A clear, actionable roadmap for creating visibility, community, and career momentum—and ultimately selling books—that still leaves plenty of time for what you actually love: writing.

By the end of this presentation, you'll have a better understanding of the platform-building options available to writers today, which activities deliver the greatest return on investment, and how to create a sustainable strategy you can begin implementing right away.

This presentation will cover:

What attendees have said ...

Tons of information including an inspiring number of ways to use my brand and connect it in various ways to your platform. Courtney was really personable and easy to listen to!

The information was robust, applicable, and thorough. Excellent session, as usual! I think Courtney was very professional and a clear expert in her field. I learned more than I even expected and feel motivated to tackle social media and marketing myself, rather than dreading it like usual.

Gave me a thorough understanding of author platforms and how to create and shape an integrated personal brand so that it reflects the most up-to-date social media, podcasting and Substack newsletter trends.

The energy of the speaker and her professionalism in how she unpacked a very layered marketing plan across multiple platforms.

Finding Your Niche: Buck Trends to Build a Career with Purpose

Most filmmakers are told to “stay open”: to write anything, direct anything, be everything. But in today’s industry, that approach often leads to a pile of scripts with nowhere to go.

In this Pipeline Symposium, writer/director Zach Bandler challenges the myth of the generalist filmmaker and makes the case for something far more effective: finding your niche. Drawing from his own shift into storytelling at the intersection of healthcare, empathy, and neuroscience, Zach will share how this evolution led to partnerships with medical institutions, an artist residency, and new pathways for funding and distribution outside traditional industry channels.

Zach will offer a practical framework for identifying the thematic lane you’re uniquely positioned to explore, and connecting that work to communities, institutions, and ecosystems that are actively seeking those stories.

Attendees will learn how to move beyond chasing traditional industry pathways and instead build a personal storytelling identity that attracts collaborators, funding, and audiences.

Because the goal isn’t to do everything. It’s to do something that only you can do, and build a career around it. 

What attendees have said ...

"Substantive recommendations and specific advice.  Very helpful, thanks so much!"

"I like Zach's approach and perspectives on establishing one's creative identity. It's helpful to me right now in solidifying mine."

Commercially-Driven Decisions: Being Intentional with Story Choices

The Commercially Driven Choices session by Court Stevens reveals what separates stories that are simply well-written from those that truly connect and sell. This dynamic session unpacks the strategic decisions writers must make to increase reader engagement—focusing on transformation, satisfaction, opposition, scope, and consumability as the core drivers of commercial storytelling. By understanding how scope shapes audience reach and how emotional relatability fuels momentum, attendees will learn how to intentionally design stories that resonate on a larger scale.

Through clear frameworks and memorable examples, this session equips writers to move beyond instinct and into purposeful craft. Attendees will gain insight into aligning character wants and needs, building meaningful opposition, and creating stories that feel both deeply human and widely accessible. The result: writing that not only matters—but moves the commercial sales needle.

Takeaways for Attendees:

What attendees have said ...

"Extremely thorough presentation—Court is a great teacher."

"Phenomenal presentation. Concise, logical, clear and informative. Concepts not just relevant to market but also artistic impact.  Thank you!"

"She was organized, intentional, and talked clearly and was just the best I've heard on the subject."

"It exceeded my expectations. Thought provoking. Though it's difficult to analyze my own manuscript I need to consider what categories could attract a larger audience using the information presented. It would be nice if an agent could then finally connect with my work."