Pixar Animation Studios, Oliver Stone, William Goldman, Neil Labute and WGA/w President Patric Verrone Headline SCREENWRITING EXPO 5

Pixar Animation Studios, Oliver Stone, William Goldman, Neil Labute and WGA/w President Patric Verrone Headline SCREENWRITING EXPO 5

World's Largest Annual Screenwriting Conference Adds an Extra 'Career Day;' Moves to LAX Hotels for October 19-22 Event

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the biggest and most respected names in filmmaking will share their wisdom with the largest gathering of screenwriters in the world, when SCREENWRITING EXPO 5 takes place for four full days, Thursday, October 19 - Sunday, October 22. To accommodate its ever-growing attendance (nearly 4,000 registrants last year from all over the world), for 2006 the Expo adds another full day of programming, and moves to a new home at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and Renaissance Montura hotels adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

This year's Expo has perhaps its most star-laden lineup yet, including a full day of programs by Pixar Animation Studios' key creative personnel. Pixar has so famously and successfully re-defined the art of cinematic storytelling, and the Expo is honored to host writer/directors Andrew Stanton (A Bug's Life, Toy Story, Finding Nemo) and Brad Bird (The Incredibles, 2007's Ratatouille) as featured speakers, along with key creative personnel Mark Andrews, Kiel Murray and Michael Arndt conducting consecutive programs all day long, Saturday, October 21.

Michael Arndt is coming off this summer's much buzzed about Little Miss Sunshine, and will also appear Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 & 21, presenting his own separate program, "Endings: The Good, The Bad & The Insanely Great."

Also headlining this year's Expo will be one of the most provocative filmmakers of our time, three-time Academy Award(R) winner Oliver Stone (Platoon, Born on the 4th of July, JFK). Stone's Expo appearance on Friday, October 20 will center on both his past work and his just released, World Trade Center, starring Nicolas Cage. Also on Friday, October 20, provocative auteur Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, this fall's The Wicker Man) makes his first-ever Expo appearance.

Returning to this year's conference is Expo favorite and two-time Academy Award(R) winner William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men), source of perhaps the most quoted line about Hollywood: "Nobody knows anything." Goldman is inarguably the most candid person in the business, and always entertains and enlightens with his acute and painfully funny observations on Hollywood and writing for the screen. The legendary screenwriter and novelist will make two appearances this year, on Sunday, October 22 at 10 am and 2 pm.

This year, given the seismic sea change occurring in today's entertainment landscape, and how content is received, the Expo has added a special day of programs entitled, "Taking Back Your Career," to deal with those changes, and how they affect Hollywood's artists -- be they directors, actors or producers, as well as screenwriters. Patric Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America/west is the day's Guest of Honor keynote speaker on Thursday, October 19. Other featured speakers include: WGA/w assistant executive director Chuck Slocum, who will analyze where today's industry dollars are spent, renowned entertainment attorney Peter Dekom, who will discuss new technologies and what they mean to the industry, screenwriter Shane Salerno (Armageddon) will discuss structuring your career, screenwriter Simon Kinberg (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) will discuss pitching, Nielsen Media Research's Ray Yinger will discuss how today's television ratings can affect tomorrow's network decisions, Harrison Group Vice Chairman Dr. Jim Taylor, one of the country's most respected marketing consultants will discuss how writers and filmmakers can anticipate, pinpoint and exploit various social trends. Also appearing are Sally Hogshead, the preeminent expert on building and maintaining a career, and author of "Radical Careering," producer, renowned "Pitch King" Bob Kosberg (12 Monkeys), and many others.

Supplementing the headlining Guests of Honor are dozens of the most highly acclaimed screenwriters, directors, producers, consultants, and teachers in all of filmmaking, including Lee Aronsohn (Two and a Half Men), David Ayer (Training Day), Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Identity), Coleman Hough (Bubble), Ronald D. Moore (Star Trek: Generations), Jeffrey Arch (Sleepless in Seattle), John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, War Games), Jim Kouf (Rush Hour), Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), Billy Ray (Shattered Glass), Ron Shusett (Total Recall), Ed Solomon (Men in Black), Stephen Susco (The Grudge), Leigh Whannel (Saw), Richard Walter (Chmn., UCLA Screenwriting Dept.), Tim Minear (Angel) and many others. Panels will cover everything from the horror genre, comedy, television, directing, producing, and crafting the masterpiece.

Returning again this year is the annual Screenwriting Expo Screenwriting Competition, and the very popular Creative Screenwriting Open, an on-site writing tournament whose winning scene is selected by the audience at the Expo's closing ceremonies after a live performance of the finalist's scripts. Over $150,000 in cash, prizes and production deals will be awarded for both competitions at the Expo.

Also returning is Expo Pitch Meetings, where attendees pitch their scripts, stories and concepts to executives from over 60 prominent production companies, studios, agencies and management firms. In the past several options have been made to writers pitching, including one outright purchase made on the spot.

Admission for all four days is $74.95, inflation-proofed from last year. Updated speakers, information, registration forms or purchases can be confirmed at www.screenwritingexpo.com, or by calling 1-800-727-6978. Checks and credit cards are accepted.

Source: Promise Technologies, Inc.

CONTACT: Kenneth Droz Public Relations, +1-323-469-9252, kddroz@aol.com,
for Promise Technologies, Inc.

Web site: http://www.screenwritingexpo.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Requests for advance artwork, photos, interviews of speakers, or press credentials for the event should be forwarded to Kenneth Droz Public Relations at kddroz@aol.com or 323.469.9252.

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