Why the Austin Film Festival Is #1 for Screenwriters (and Could Texas Be #1 for Film Production?)

In this episode, No Film School founder Ryan Koo sits down with contributor and fellow Austinite Jordan Aldridge to recap the highlights and insights from the 32nd annual Austin Film Festival. Known as "The Writers Festival," AFF has emerged as a critical space for screenwriters, writer-directors, and filmmakers to connect, learn, and showcase their work. Ryan and Jordan discuss how the festival nurtures emerging talent, supports the craft of screenwriting, and uniquely prioritizes writers. They also dig into the implications of Texas's new film incentive, SB 22, and what it means for the future of production in the Lone Star State.

In this episode, No Film School’s Ryan Koo and Jordan Aldridge discuss...

• Why the Austin Film Festival is considered the top screenwriting festival

• The unique setup of AFF with its focus on panels and Q&As over red carpets

• Highlights from panels with Michael Arndt, Celine Song, Christine Vachon, and Rian Johnson

• Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker's brutally honest take on breaking in

• The inspiring breakout story of writer Austin Kolodny and Dead Man’s Wire

• The economics of the film industry and why 90–97% of films don’t make money

• True stories as a strong route into the industry for aspiring screenwriters

• Texas's new $1.5 billion film incentive and how it could change U.S. production hubs

• Concerns about creative censorship tied to discretionary state grants

• The continued power of writing on spec, especially in genre like horror and action

Memorable Quotes:

• "The artist is not the beggar for the producer's attention.”

• "I'm willing to bet the next two years of my life that that's a great ending."

• "There are a lot of us knocking at the door... We may do it for free for years."

• "You could get a coursework over a weekend at the Austin Film Festival."

Resources:

• Michael Arndt's Video Lectures

• Previous AFF Roundtable Episode (with GG Hawkins)

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