I waded through the heat in downtown Austin, unfamiliar with where I was going. I was lost. My shirt felt like a wet towel, my windpipe grew sore, and my guide was a GPS set for driving instead of walking. Despite it all, I was determined to make it on time to a panel for the 2024 Austin Film Festival, determined to get to see the current show-runner of one of my favorite animated tv shows: the Simpsons. When I finally arrived at Stephen F. Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel Capital Ballroom, I was so relieved.
It was a bonus when I recognized another attendee-screenwriter, Bonnie Gross. Imagine my surprise when she opened the panel by announcing the screening of her film, LADY PARTS. I had hoped to meet her for a selfie and this was going to be my moment to meet two of the people on my short list to grab a selfie with.
On The Simpsons: A Conversation With Matt Selman was such a great panel to attend. Selman is the current executive producer/show-runner on the Simpsons and he talked about how he got where he is today and what it’s like working on the show in his position.
The panel was entirely conversational. Matt Selman and the moderator, Harrison Gleaser, gave us a lot of insight into Matt’s career and thought processes for the Simpsons. No clips from the show were provided to the audience, but they weren’t needed. I liked learning about Selman’s four pillars of success, which is something he came up with based on his experiences as a writer for TV. The pillars go as follows: writing skills, hard work, luck, and finally: privilege, which he described as having the right connections, education, a bit of a name for yourself, etc.
Another thing I liked learning from him was a trick to get ideas. He said that whenever anything funny happens in your life, you should write it down. You can then use it for material in your writing.
The panel ended with a brief Q&A. I wasn’t able to get any notes on it since I ended up spending the whole time trying to think of a question and then getting one in mind only to forget it immediately thereafter. However, I do remember a lady in the audience telling him her kids liked the show and asked if he could give them a shoutout, which he did!
I was fortunate enough to get a photo with him just before he left to catch his flight. I rushed to get the selfie because I didn’t want to be the reason he was late for his plane, so the photo came out a little blurry. Regardless, it was such an awesome moment for me because I got to meet someone who works on one of my favorite shows.
All and all it was a great panel, very insightful and interesting and as a huge fan of the Simpsons myself, a great opportunity.
Madelyn, Filmmaker Mixer Correspondent