Our Director of Education, Max Timm hosts a discussion with Shannan about her script consulting company, The Professional Pen, how she helps emerging and professional screenwriters and filmmakers develop their content for the screen taking them from idea to script to pitch to production. We'll be talking about everything from voice to plot and characters.

SHANNAN E. JOHNSON Shannan E. Johnson is a script consultant, former entertainment executive, and performing artist currently leaving her mark on the world! By day, she's CEO of the first black script consultant agency – THE PROFESSIONAL PEN where she develops screenwriters and helps them level up their storytelling skills through constructive criticism and a dose of realness. In her other life, Shannan hosts events & workshops, lends her expertise as a guest speaker, and creates content. Shannan is a former Development & Current Programming Executive at NBCU, a Performing Artist with Step Afrika! & Broadway Nat’l Tours. She has an MFA in Film from Florida State University and a BA in English and Journalism from Texas A&M University. For more info on Shannan: www.AWriterForYourWriter.com / Instagram @theprofessionalpen Facebook The Professional Pen / Twitter @ShannanEJohnson / YouTube Shannan E Johnson

EVENT SPONSORS:

PAGE TURNER SCREENPLAYS PAGE-TURNER: page–turn·er \?pj-?t?r-n?r\ n. A script so compelling or exciting that the reader is unable to put it down. And that’s exactly what the PAGE-TURNER Screenplay Competition is looking for. Regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or economic background, Page-Turner is focused on finding and supporting great original stories with a strong voice that grip the reader from the first page to the last. Whether the story you tell is a genre film or an indie pic, a network procedural or an edgy cable drama, we want to find the most compelling, unique, page-turning scripts out there. We are looking for scripts that we CAN’T put down. Send us your best. We look forward to supporting and helping you grow as a writer.

SCRIPTAPALOOZA From choosing our judges to creating opportunities, our top priority has always been the writer. We surround ourselves with reputable and successful companies, including the many producers, literary agents, and managers who read your scripts. Our past winners have won Emmys, been signed by agents, managers, had their scripts optioned, and even made into movies. But the most important prize of all is this: Scriptapalooza will promote, pitch, and push the Semifinalists and higher for a full year. No other competition in the world does that.

CREATIVE SCREENWRITING MAGAZINE is an educational online resource for screenwriters and filmmakers. We publish articles on the screenwriting craft, the business landscape, and comprehensive interviews with working screenwriters and creative executives. We were founded by Erik Bauer in 1994 and quickly grew into the premier screenwriting print magazine, publishing 25000 copies, 6 times a year. We are now are fully online and publish extensive articles several times a week from industry experts to help you on your path to becoming and sustaining a career as a working screenwriter.