The Industry 101 series introduces topics that are foundational to understanding and launching television and film writing careers. Join Humanitas for free online workshops inspired by components of the New Voices Fellowship.

Since beginning the Industry 101 event series in 2022, we have had over 10,330 registrants with over 5,220 attending as guests across 22 events featuring a combined 112 speakers. Guests from Los Angeles County, states across the US, as well as Singapore, Chile, Bolivia, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the Philippines have joined.

Humanitas's Industry 101 event series is made possible with support from our series sponsor Sony Pictures Entertainment. American Sign Language interpretation services will be provided by Pro Bono ASL.

All Industry 101 events are free and open to the public on Zoom, unless otherwise noted. These one night only events are not recorded and will not be shared later, so join us for just one or all ten events–sign ups are live!

Representatives 101: “How do I get a manager?”
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 5-6:30 PM PT | Online

We get asked this question a lot. Our response: “How much time do you have?” If you have 90 minutes, join us for this practical conversation in which we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of engaging and working with literary managers.

Unions 101: The History and Future of the WGA
May 21, 2025 | 5-6:30 PM PT | Online

Everything you always wanted to know about unions but have never asked! Join us for this informational session for a brief history and current work of the Writers Guild of America, the role of committees, what unions do for writers throughout the course of their careers, when writers join, and more.

Legal 101: Spotlight on Intellectual Property
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 | 5-6:30 PM PT | Online

This practical session gets to the nitty-gritty details of intellectual property in screenwriting, with topics to include securing the rights to adapt a book, the rights you need to write the biopic of a contemporary or historical figure, public domain, cases of defamation, and more.

Pitching 101: The Windup and the Pitch: Film
October 2025 | 5-6:30 PM PT | Online

What is a pitch? Why do they call it that? How do they work? What’s the format? Why can’t they just read it and make a decision? And what does it mean when they ask you to “pitch your take” on a piece of material? What is a “bake off” and how does it relate to pitching? Do I need to make a “deck?”

This conversation will answer these questions and more, and will explore pitching, how to present a pitch, and, most crucially, how to prepare for one.

Writers Rooms 101: Role Call
November 2025 | 5-6:30 PM PT | Online

While the act of writing can often be a solitary one, working in a writers room is anything but. This informational conversation focuses on the roles of Writers PAs, Writers’ Assistants, and Script Coordinators, how they contribute to a well-functioning writers room, how to best prepare for one of these roles, and more.