What questions would you ask the screenwriter of “Top Gun”?

This Saturday, October 8, the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts is hosting its 5th annual Courier 12 Screenwriting Conference.

Panels include:

Project development
1 p.m.
Brian Banks, executive in charge of production at Nickelodeon; and Samantha Olsson Shear, head of development at Feature Film, discuss project development in the entertainment industry. Screenwriter and DePaul faculty member Chris Parrish will moderate.

Strategies for emerging writers
2:30 p.m.
DePaul University professor Anna Maria Hozian will discuss strategies for emerging writers and feature a panel with Thor: Ragnarok screenwriter Stephany Folsom, script coordinator Zach Cannon, and Marc Manus from Zero Gravity Management.

Writing for diversity in Hollywood
4 p.m.
Brad Riddell, a DePaul faculty member, will discuss diversity issues in Hollywood with “Friday Night Lights” producer Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and “Law and Order: SVU” screenwriter Kam Miller, author of the new TV-writing book, “The Hero Succeeds.”

Screenwriting for blockbuster Hollywood films
5:30 p.m.
Screenwriter Jack Epps Jr., known for films including Top Gun and Legal Eagles, and writer and producer Steven E. de Souza, who wrote Die Hard and 48 Hrs.” will discuss writing blockbuster Hollywood films with screenwriter and DePaul University faculty member Scott Myers.

The conference will take place Saturday, Oct. 8, 1–7:00PM in DePaul’s Daley Building, 247 S. State St., Chicago, 60604. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

I know a lot of you won’t be able to attend, however that doesn’t mean you can’t be represented there. How? If you have a question you would like me to ask Jack Epps, Jr. about the classic action movie Top Gun, which Jack co-wrote, head to comments and upload your query. I’ll pick one or perhaps even more of the submitted questions and pose it during the session I’m moderating and mention you by name!

The event will be broadcast live on YouTube here.

For a Chicago Tribute article on the conference, go here.

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