Screenwriting : AFM 2019 reflections by Dave Begley

My first AFM and I'll say mixed results for me. Mixed in the sense that I only learned about the existence of AFM last month and I didn't really have the time to schedule more meetings with the right people for my "Frankenstein, Part II." That being said, my sense of AFM is that is mostly geared to the selling and distribution of American independent films to the rest of the world.

I had one great meeting with Ramo Law and I had connected with that firm via Stage 32. I also had some chance and last minute meetings that might turn into something.

My Ramo Law meeting inspired me to write a limerick.

We met at the bar

at the Casa del Mar

I'm the man from Nebraska

With the super great pitch

Buy my script

And we'll all be rich.

One guy asked me at Loews if I was an actor. LOL. No, I'm a lawyer from Omaha. Omaha that had one inch of snow while I was gone. Omaha that has better and cheaper seafood than Santa Monica. No lie!

I overheard one guy say that he had just read the best script he'd read in 50 years. My thought? He hasn't read my "Frankenstein, Part II."

The class taught by Steven Wolfson from UCLA only renewed my confidence in my script's structure. I also learned from Pilar Alessandra who has the On the Page podcast.

I did attend a screening for "Arkansas" with Vince Vaughn. I think it will do well. The movie that we saw didn't have the color finished and that makes a real difference. I will go see the final cut when it comes out to compare.

I know AFM isn't a film festival, but I thought more movies would be screened. But what do I know? First time at AFM for DDB.