255 | From Finalist to Staffed: How Austin Film Festival Helped Us Break In (ft. Sylvia Batey Alcalá & Mac Smullen)

This week, we’re spotlighting two incredible TV writers whose journeys were meaningfully shaped by the Austin Film Festival.

Sylvia Batey Alcalá (A MAN ON THE INSIDE, PRIMO) and Mac Smullen (SOUVENIR, ALASKA) share how AFF helped get their names out there — building momentum, sparking connections, and opening doors that had long felt closed.

But a festival isn’t the finish line — it’s the starting gate. Sylvia and Mac walk us through the real (and rewarding) work it takes after recognition: rewriting, building reps, pitching, and staying ready for the moment when things start to move.

It’s a candid, thoughtful, and energizing conversation about what breaking in looks like today — and how festivals like AFF can help writers get in the game.