2026 Writing for Hollywood Summit
ONE-DAY WRITING FOR HOLLYWOOD SUMMIT
Friday, February 13, 2026
9:30 am - 4:45 pm
Included with main conference registration or stand-alone for $249.
The Writing For Hollywood track’s goal is to provide writers with professional insight about the craft of writing screenplays and what’s involved with establishing (and maintaining) a career in screenwriting. Seasoned industry veterans will be offering up their advice and guidance to help writers learn the basics of telling a story via TV or the silver screen.
This year's panels include:
What Does Hollywood Want?
9:30 am - 10:30 am
The eternal question with no specific answer. Panelists will discuss potential ways to develop your ideas, pursuing a career in the industry, and some pitfalls to avoid.
- Chris Mancini
- Barri Evins
- Dianna Ippolito
- James Moorer
Story & Structure
10:45 am - 11:45 am
How does a screenplay tell its story? What’s an inciting incident? What does the end of the first act mean for your protagonist? Panelists will discuss the building blocks of a screenplay and how to best use them.
- Ally May
- David Avallone
- Dianna Ippolito
- James Moorer
I wrote a script. Now what?
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
You’ve typed “FADE OUT”. What next? Contests? Professional feedback? Query letters? Film it yourself? There are lots of options for screenwriters to consider.
- Barri Evans
- Chris Mancini
- James Moorer
- Ally May
First Page review
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
How do you tell a story visually? What should and shouldn’t be on the page? Panelists will critique and comment on several examples of a script’s first page.
- Barri Evans
- Ally May
- David Avallone
- Dianna Ippolito
Screenwriting 101
The basic building blocks of what’s involved with writing a screenplay; from proper formatting to plot points to your protagonist’s journey, plus a little bit more.
- Paul Zeidman