YOUNG SCREENWRITERS' CONFERENCE

What is it?

The Young Screenwriters’ Conference is a day long event made possible through local collaborators that offers students grade 8-12 the chance to learn and work with industry professionals on film related things. Students will experience hands-on learning in scriptwriting and other media fields such as documentaries, and virtual reality.

Project Write, the Shenandoah Valley Writing Project, SU’s Department of Media and Communication, and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema are teaming up to bring a day of screenwriting and production workshops to the area for the FIFTH year!

This year’s conference will be held:

Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in-person at Shenandoah University

Includes the keynote speaker’s presentation and writing workshop, breakout sessions, and lunch in SU’s Dining Hall. Also, includes attendance at Virginia Emerging Filmmakers’ Festival, and a showing and discussion led by our keynote presenter at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – Winchester.

What's The Cost?

Registration cost is $25 for students. Advisers can attend for FREE.

Special Circumstances:

Why Screenwriting?

Video is everywhere
Media literacy is a must
What better way to understand the genre than to immersing in the writing and production?
Project-based learning lends itself to film production
Many schools are adding film programs and the conference is designed to complement them

2024 Keynote Speaker: Blayne Weaver

“Square Pegs … or… Can You Add An Elephant? – How Challenges Can Set A Writer Free”

Often in the professional screenwriting world, one is presented with challenges that seem restrictive but may actually be empowering to the artist. Blayne will discuss creative approaches to overcoming these challenges accompanied by clips from his films, including those shot in Winchester, Cupid for Christmas, Santa Girl, and the soon-to-be released Miss Valentine. He will work with the young writers to take their film ideas and transform the obstacles into assets.

Blayne Weaver most recently wrote the films Pretty Stoned for MTV, the Netflix hit American Pie: Girl Rules for Universal Studios, and the horror film GetAWAY for The Film Studio at Shenandoah (which he also directed). He wrote, directed and starred in the award-winning thriller Cut to the Chase (with Lance Henriksen) and the acclaimed romantic comedy 6 Month Rule (with Martin Starr, Natalie Morales and John Michael Higgins). He also wrote and directed Weather Girl (with Mark Harmon, Jon Cryer and Jane Lynch) and Outside Sales. He wrote Honey 2 for Universal Studios and co-wrote and acted in Manic (starring Don Cheadle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Blayne has worked extensively as an actor, appearing in multiple films and TV shows. He can most recently be seen in the show Wolf Pack on Paramount Plus (opposite Sarah Michelle Geller). He also does the voice of Peter Pan for Disney Animation and has done so since the animated feature Return to Neverland.

He continues to work with The Film Studio at Shenandoah in the Winchester area having directed Santa Girl (starring Barry Bostwick and Jennifer Stone), Cupid for Christmas (starring Richard Kind) and the soon to be released Miss Valentine (starring Paris Berlec and Marilu Henner).

Check out our exclusive interview with Blayne on YouTube!