The WGAW is committed to inform writers of new and exciting New Media workshops and conferences. The WGAW encourages writers to attend the AFI DigiFest 2009.

I will be there and hope to see some of you too!

.WHAT: AFI DigiFest 2009

WHEN: Wednesday, November 4th & Thursday, November 5th

WHERE: Mann Chinese Theater, Hollywood CA

COST: Free of Charge. You must register.

REGISTER: http://www.afi.com/education/dcl/

DAY ONE – November 4

10 am – 5 pm

DAY ONE of AFI DigiFest showcases cutting-edge digital media prototypes incubated in the AFI Digital Content Lab during the previous year. For eleven years, the Lab has convened teams of industry experts who brainstorm solutions to cross-platform challenges. This year’s projects illustrate the ever-widening spectrum of development and distribution options open to today’s creators while optimizing for the consumers’ eagerness to view and interact with content across a variety of screens.

This year, featured projects include:

• a social network and proposed marketing plan for INTERVIEW PROJECT PRESENTED BY DAVIDLYNCH.COM;

• a proposed online strategy for engaging youth in a series of relevant environmental action challenges for the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation;

• a mobile application that provide an interactive past-to-future timeline for an innovative ITVS cross-platform micro-series;

• an interactive mentoring environment for One Economy that encourages students from low-income families to learn more about science as a career;

• a MOBILE STORY MAKER session with longtime filmmaker L.M. Kit Carson, who shot the deeply moving micro-series AFRICA DIARY using a Nokia mobile phone as camera. The series will soon air on the Sundance Channel.

Cocktail party and poolside screening of select short films at the historic Roosevelt Hotel to follow.

DAY TWO – November 5

10 am – 5 pm

DAY TWO of AFI DigiFest offers a curated look at the most innovative digital media productions released during the past year. An eye-opening window onto the emerging digital media landscape, the productions highlighted during AFI DigiFest are consistently dynamic, aggressively cross-platform, and always inventive.

Among the invited presenters this year are:

• DISTRICT 9, a behind-the scenes look at games and an augmented reality application created by production house Trigger;

• LIVE MUSIC, a 3D animation pieced together from contributions by thousands of animators from around the world, masterminded by Mass Animation’s Yair Landau, former vice-chair of Sony Pictures;

• URBAN WOLF, a surveillance camera-based micro-series drama by Parisian director Laurent Touil Tartour;

• MANOBI, an innovative mobile phone application that has helped raise the standard of living for Senegalese farmers and fishermen;

• FIRST THINGS LAST, a dynamic and visual storytelling application for the iPhone created by ScrollMotion;

• ESCAPE FROM CITY 17, a stunning meld of machinima and live action created by the multi-talented Purchase Brothers for less than $500;

• NAKED SKY ENTERTAINMENT, a surprising look at what our collective augmented reality may well look like a year from now;

• MR. HULOT’S HOLIDAY, a restoration of Jacques Tati’s 1953 whimsical tale presented by Thomson/Technicolor;

• and more!

Cocktail party in celebration of Planet Illogica in the historic Roosevelt Hotel Ballroom (home to the first Academy Awards).

Register: http://www.afi.com/education/dcl/