Aside from the many great things to see and do in LA, there are always a handful of people to coalesce with. In the course of an evening it's possible to accumulate a fist full of business cards and have closed your fingers around a plethora of hands.

LA2DAY was welcomed inside the Writers Guild Foundation. The foundation has witnessed great change in the industry over the past eighteen months. The guild has been hit by the writers strike, the shifting landscape of TV, and the recession.

All have affected the industry drastically. During the strike, the Foundation was instrumental in establishing the "Industry Support Fund." It set out to aid those touched by the writers strike, not just the writers. The fund aided ancillary workers too, aiming to keep alive the heartbeat of this beautiful city and its talented array of moviemakers that reside here.

The office of the foundation was a bricolage of Post-Its and pen etchings. The walls were adorned with the musings of the great and the legendary. The cognizant staff (the majority of who volunteer) were a bright eyed crowd. Sunkissed by the California rays, all eager to help the one hundred or so guests settle into their seats before the evening's talk: "Writers On Genre".

As we made our way to the talk, I spoke briefly with Angela Kirgo, the Executive Director of the foundation. She spoke about the energy of the WGF and the benefits for young writers. The foundation was established in 1966 and has been pivotal in helping writers through various initiatives. Angela guided me towards the library like a proud mother displaying her children's artwork.

The library is named after the great Billy Wilder. The plaque of donations by the door is full of names that are distinguished. There is a wealth in what the foundation has to offer. It's evident from the memorabilia that is peppered throughout the building, that it is knowledge. The library is brimming with scripts that have been recognized by the industry. It has an abundance of material all available to the public.

The room for the Writers On Genre Q&A was washed in a sea of neutral beige and sandy browns. Eager writers and fans watched on as the event stuttered to begin with and eventually found its feet once the writers warmed to the moment. Each one was imbued with the deep wells of experience you expect from the writers in Hollywood. The moderator was FX Feeney, a man with the presence of mind to allow the multifarious dialogues to spit out and meander as conversation do. He too chimed in when the moment presented itself, but rarely enough for a man who boasts a resume that includes journalist, scriptwriter, author, film historian and WGA Foundation volunteer.

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Scriptwriting duo to the Narnia movies) were open and even had words of wisdom for those that chose to hang around post-Q&A. The pair are a fecund to ideas, a class act in a city that sometimes panders to pretenders. William Wisher (Co-Scriptwriter to Terminator) hit home runs like a pro slugger. But by far the most chatty was John August (Scriptwriter of Corpse Bride & Big Fish), who was not shy about his love of collaborating with Tim Burton, claiming "I hope we can work together until we die."
He, along with the others, welcomed the discussion from a few giddy fans who smooched the writers' ears.

Among the many initiatives the foundation operates, one stands above the rest. Adam Huss spoke loquaciously about High School Writers Workshops. This scheme is designed to aid young writers through their school programs. Utilizing the time allocated for English class as a means to provoke them to write. Adam called it "an uncensored outlet for creativity." Coordination for the project is run through the foundation and as I understand many schools are trying to get involved in the project.

The benefit of the Writers Guild Foundation is in essence its ability to aid those that seek it. The library is open to the public and atleast twenty-five events are scheduled for the year. All inexpensive opportunities to sit in with some of Hollywood's top talent.

Angela was in the throes of preparing for the evening's events. But even in her limited time, she had words for writers. These words were echoed by the writers on the panel that night and on previous occasions;

"Firstly," she smirked with the devilment of a bold teenager, "go to as many writers events as possible."

"Two," she said, with that smirk sinking and the veracity of her sentiments shining through, "read as many scripts as you get your hands on."

Coincidentally, both activities can be done in the Foundation's HQ. But mild jesting aside, she concluded that "all writers give this advice, so it's nothing new," before making her entrance to introduce the writers on offer that night.

Post-Q&A, a skosh of coffee and cookies made the reticulation of hand-to-hand social networking a bit more pleasant. LA2DAY clasped hands with many writers that night, learning a great deal in the process. And that is, if you came to Hollywood to talk about movies go to a coffee shop. If your interested in becoming a scriptwriter, honing your natural talent, cultivating a voice suffused with the talents of William Goldmans then reap the many awards awaiting you in the WGA Foundation's initiatives. And though the writers may not have mentioned him directly, they all warmly embraced that teaching of Aristotle's Poetics (and why wouldn't they) - it's the bible to great drama. A copy is available in the WGA Foundation library.

They are offering you their hand, it would be rude not to accept it.

THE DETAILS:

The foundation is coordinating numerous programs during the summer and into the fall. Information is available from their website and the library is listed below.

The Writers Guild Foundation
7000 W. Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

http://www.wgfoundation.org/

Story By Terry Winders