If anyone knows about writing for television it should be Lamar University graduate J.D. Feigelson, whose worked with directors including Wes Craven during his many years in Hollywood.

Feigelson, who has written screenplays for actors including Charles Durning, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kristy Swanson, Yasmine Bleeth, Haley Joel Osment, Sam Elliot , Louise Fletcher and James Brolin, will conducted a screenwriting workshop April 16 at Lamar as part of the annual Spindletop/Lamar University Film Festival. David Carren, who recently wrote “Mr. Hell,” a horror film shot in Houston this past summer, will also serve on the panel. Carren’s writing credits include such series as “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Stargate SG-1.” Carren’s writing credits also include “Buck Rogers,” “TekWar,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Murder She Wrote” and “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

The writers will discuss writing screenplays for television during their workshop at the festival. The film festival will include panels on acting, FX, directing and hours of independent film screenings.

Feigelson, the first individual inducted in the Southeast Texas Filmmaker Hall of Fame, got his start as a prop master at KJAC Channel 4 in Port Arthur. He was included into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Early in his career, Feigelson directed and produced the Civil War drama “One of the Missing,” which was shot in the Beaumont area with local talent. A mutual friend introduced Feigelson to author Ray Bradbury, who saw the film. Bradbury was so impressed by the work that he offered to mentor Feigelson in screenwriting. Bradbury hosted the premiere of “One of the Missing” when it appeared PBS.

The success of the film led Feigelson to Los Angles in 1981 and the production of “Dark Night of the Scarecrow,” his first commercial television network movie. It has since become a cult classic, appearing annually at Halloween.

His television credits for writing/producing include TNT’s “Red Water;” and NBC’s “The Lake.” Other credits include USA’s “Nightmare on the 13th Floor;” CBS’s three-hour movie “Sam Houston: The Legend of Texas;” “The Twilight Zone" series in 1985; the NBC pilot “The Covenant;” the CBS movie “Cry for the Strangers;” and the independent feature “The Windsplitter.” Feigelson wrote the original script for “Red Water” and served as executive producer on the project, starring Lou Diamond Phillips. The shark saga, set along the Louisiana/Texas Gulf Coast, was actually shot in South Africa. Despite its shooting location, the backdrop remains a convincing set for the action thriller. Feigelson continues restoring his 1979 civil war drama “One of the Missing,” which PBS plans to rebroadcast. PBS has not indicated when the project will air, but it will include an introduction by actor Charles Durning. The film starred local celebrity Gordon Baxter and was shot in Beaumont. About 10 percent of that film was cut from the original broadcast. Now, the director’s cut of the film will be shown to a television audience.

That cut was screened at the 2001 Spindletop/Lamar University Film Festival in Beaumont.

For information about the annual event call (409) 880-8490.