CHRISTOPHER VOGLER

Vogler is the author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, and one of Hollywood's top story consultants. Vogler attended University of Missouri School of Journalism and USC School of Cinema-Television. In his subsequent career as a story analyst, he worked for all the major Hollywood studios and received a story credit for his contributions to Disney's THE LION KING. As a development executive for Fox 2000, he worked on the development of COURAGE UNDER FIRE, ANNA AND THE KING, FIGHT CLUB and THE THIN RED LINE. He is currently focused on writing and producing, while continuing to consult for industry clients. Long interested in myths and their influence on modern storytelling, Vogler created a system for analyzing stories based on the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, while working at Disney. His influential memo on film story structure was soon required reading for Hollywood studio development executives. That memo formed the outline for Vogler's book, which has become a standard reference on structure for screenwriters and novelists.

GEORGE WALCZAK

Walczak is a faculty member at the AFI Conservatory and the lead writing instructor for AFI's Directing Workshop for Women. Holding an MFA in Screenwriting from AFI, Walczak was a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Award. He most recently wrote a screen adaptation of the French bestseller An African in Greenland.

ALEX SINGER

In his 40-year career as a film director, Singer has directed over 280 television shows and five features, and received numerous awards, including an Emmy and a Humanitas Prize. His credits include PROFILES IN COURAGE, THE FUGITIVE, THE BOLD ONES, POLICE STORY, LOU GRANT, CAGNEY AND LACY, HILL STREET BLUES, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE and VOYAGER. His teaching credits are also extensive, including a course in multimedia expression for engineering students at USC. Singer's interest in technology led to his work at MCA in the '90s on integrating established motion picture technologies with computer-mediated forms of entertainment and consulting on the development of virtual-reality-based entertainment. At USC's Integrated Media Systems Center, he held the title of Senior Research Scholar and is now on their Science Advisory Board. He is also on the Board of Advisors for the Institute for Creative Technologies, a joint US Army and USC effort to apply the cinema arts and advanced communication technology to improved training and planning for the military.

JOE PETRICCA

As senior vice-dean of AFI Conservatory, Petricca oversees administration of all educational programs at AFI, including the Conservatory, national workshops and special projects. He is director of the Catalyst Workshop and AFI's Directing Workshop for Women. He has participated on panels and juries for such diverse entities as the Slamdance Film Festival, Kinotovar Festival in Russia, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. His screenplay, HUMAN RESPONSE, was the first recipient of the Program for Screenwriters Award (now known as the Fadiman Award). Holding an MFA in Screenwriting from AFI and a BFA in Film Production from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Petricca also volunteers as a teacher of at-risk Los Angeles teenagers.

CHRIS SCHWARTZ

Schwartz is associate manager of AFI Conservatory administration and special projects. He provides administrative support and coordinates specific projects for the Dean's Office, working closely with Joe Petricca on AFI's major workshops and Sloan Foundation-funded programs. Before coming to AFI, Schwartz worked for producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall as an office manager and post-production coordinator. He is also a filmmaker; his short film, DINNER WITH KIP, won second place in Nintendo's Short Film contest and has aired frequently on cable channels worldwide.