Co-sponsored by The Department of Communication Arts, and the International Screenwriters’ Association, the first annual Wisconsin Screenwriters’ Symposium is a convening of area storytellers, aspiring screenwriters, and film students for a series of workshops, panels, and career development events. Events include a panel on breaking into the business, an elevator pitch event, and a Screenwriting 101 workshop.

Panelists
Angie Gaffney – Angie Gaffney (she/her) is a film producer and entrepreneur in Chicago. She is fiercely dedicated to the art and business of independent storytelling, and has extensive experience in creative development, financing, and production. Her projects have screened at Sundance, SXSW, Cinequest, SeriesFest, Nashville, SCAD, and more. Recent films include Desire Lines by director Jules Rosskam, Single Car Crashes by director Brittani Ward, and the upcoming film Adult Children from writer Annika Marks. Angie is a member of the Producers Guild of America (PGA).

Michael Graf – Emmy Award winning commercial director, turned screenwriter, Michael Graf, was known in advertising for his “actor first, artful storytelling” style of directing. Likewise, his character-centric, story-driven style of writing has been making waves with recently optioned screenplay, The Last Indian War and Picket Charlie and Throwing Hammers, winning awards and top honors at festivals and screenplay competitions around the world. Graf, named a Top 25 Screenwriter To Watch by the International Screenwriters Association, is currently the Writer In Residence at the University of Wisconsin’s Institute For Discovery.

Max Timm – Professional writer, producer and script consultant, Timm is also the Director of Education for the International Screenwriter’s Association. He also runs a personal coaching and development service, The Story Farm, which aims to develop writers and their material much like a studio executive or literary manager would, walking a writer through the drafting and rewriting process.