Focus is on New Media at the Willamette Writers Conference

By Mary Andonian

As this year’s film coordinator for the Willamette Writers Conference, my goal is to bring in new managers and producers, perennial favorites from years’ past, and crossover “hybrids” who accept both book and film pitches. The new trend in Hollywood is to find projects that contain “storyworlds,” worlds that can transcend platforms: movies, television, books, gaming applications, tablet/phone apps, merchandise, and internet content. Portland is the perfect place to find these worlds! Not only do we house a vibrant graphics novel industry, the Northwest contains more writers/authors per capita than anywhere else in America!

Genres these managers and producers are looking for include: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror/Supernatural, Mystery, Sci-fi, Romance, Television, Spiritual, and Thriller. These are just the basics! Consider all of the blends and subgenres these categories offer and you’re bound to find someone from LA who will want to learn more about your script/project at the conference.

Here’s the complete list of Who’s Who this year: ADAM BLUM –Producer, Panay Films; TAI DUNCAN –Producer, Zero Gravity Management; DANNIE FESTA –Producer and Manager, Festa Entertainment; KIM GUIDONE –Independent Producer; ANDY HORWITZ –Producer, Atlas Entertainment; SETH JARET –CEO, Content Engine; SCOTT KROOPF –Producer, Evergreen Studios; MIKE KUCIAK –Producer and Manager, Samurai MK; MARC MANUS –Manager and Producer, Manus Entertainment; KAILEY MARSH –Manger and Producer, Kailey Marsh Management and Production (and founder of the annual BLOOD LIST); LUKE RYAN – CEO, The Alchemists; PATRICK SANTA –Director of Development, John Glenn Entertainment-Universal Studios; MITCH SOLOMON –Manager and Producer, Magnet Management; ERIC WILLIAMS – Founding Partner and Manager, Zero Gravity Management.

More about the WW Conference

************************************

Mary Andonian is the 2014 film coordinator and former board member for Willamette Writers. In past years she was the program chair and lit coordinator for the Willamette Writers Conference. She’s the author of the teen book, Bitsy’s Labyrinth, which she later adapted into a screenplay. She is at work on her fourth screenplay, a thriller, called GAMBLING. www.maryandonian.com