After three years, FilAm Creative returned to its old stomping grounds at Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California in Historic Filipinotown LA with FilAm Creative Director of Career Development (Screenwriting) Joel Handler, an industry gatekeeper and a judge at the biggest screenwriting competition in the world. He arrived to meet with attendees to help demystify competitions and industry gatekeeping at our first in-person event — FAC Screenwriters Workshop.
An Executive for Porter+Craig Films, a judge for the biggest screenplay platforms in the industry, a screener for Aspen Festival, and worked in Literary Management at KMR Talent, he went over important strategies to make screenplays get past industry gatekeepers and competitions in this exciting workshop such as his insights in demystifying screenplay competitions and coverage, the importance of proper formatting and structure, learn about the judging criteria for the biggest screenwriting competitions, just to name a few.
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
Assisted him was our 2023 FilAm Creative Director of Screenwriting Andrew Bushwitz (writer, CBS’ The Late Late Show w/ James Corden) who answered questions (i.e. sketch comedy) and participated in our 1st page sessions.
(Photos by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
The Screenwriters Workshop was packed. Filled with screenwriters from the aspired to the established. Even FAC members since 2017 Vince Cruz (whose Ringermasters pilot which was worked on at our 2019 workshop, “Writing the Half-Hour Pilot” taught by comedy writer Thomas Reyes of Fox Entertainment’s The Great North and Paramount Network’s American Woman went on to a table read for The New Normal Reading Series in 2019) and Kaitlyn Fajilan (who is the headwriter of Mikhail Red’s upcoming series, Dreamwalker announced earlier this year).
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong)
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong)
The FAC Screenwriters Workshop began with an introduction from our 2023 Executive Director Mark LaBella. He informed our event participants what our non-profit was all about and welcomed the 2023 Executive Board and announced our upcoming events for the year such as our March 28 Karaoke Kings & Queens Fundraiser (Angel Quinsay), our FilAm Creative Film Festival (Anthea Neri Best) and our FilAm Creative Live Events (Lyndon Apostol and Jeff Francisco).
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
Other 2023 FilAm Creative Executive Board present were our Director of Fundraising Rovyn Bautista, our Historian Walter Tabayoyong, our returning Director of Social Media Edwin Santos (2015-2018) and our Director of Culinary Arts Marvin Aritrangco who provided food, drinks and snacks for workshop attendees.
(Photo by Edwin Santos for FilAm Creative Twitter)
(Photo by Walter Tabayoyong, FilAm Creative)
After lunch was the first 2 pages table reads with screenwriters and actors. Along with analysis and critique. Each attendee was encouraged to bring the first page of their pieces to be read in class with an actual industry gatekeeper. It was a great way to teach hands-on skills because it offered participants a chance to try out new methods and fail in a safe situation – before applying them in the real world. Nothing is guaranteed but hard work will. Here are a few of the participants who took part of the session.
“Beyond honored to speak at this year’s FilAm Creative Screenwriter Workshop. So many wonderful pages read from an emerging class of diverse screenwriters. Thank you FilAm Creative for inviting me to speak on all things screenwriting! Thank you Mark LaBella and Anthea Neri Best for having me. Thank you Andrew Bushwitz for the support. And oh… the chicharron by Chef Marvin Aritrangco.” said Joel Handler.
At the top of the workshop, Mark LaBella announced that all attendees will also join a special three-week virtual screenwriters workshop from our 2023 FilAm Creative Advisor Screenwriting Michael Gemballa (Supervising Producer of CBS’ S.W.A.T.) which began last Wednesday.
An incredible first week of our bonus virtual screenwriting workshop.
100% of tickets sold will go to FilAm Creative to help fund future workshops and events. All involved are donating their time and hard work to support FAC and the creative community.
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Summary by Edwin A. Santos
Monday, March 6, 2023
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: Edwin A. Santos |
FilAm Creative 