Speakers

NEW SPEAKERS TO BE ADDED IN SPRING 2017
The London Screenwriters’ Festival features around 150 professional speakers from all aspects of the film and television business. Many have also agreed to intimate Script Chat sessions after their respective events so that you can get face time with them. New speakers are added periodically with the vast majority being confirmed late spring / early summer 2017. Get updates by signing up below.

“

Everybody I pitched to was great. Even if my project wasn’t for them, they were happy to offer me advice.

Edward Davenport

Legend

Christopher Vogler – Hero's Journey Story Consultant

Credits include: The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers

Story consultant to the biggest names in Hollywood.

Jeb Stuart – Screenwriter

Credits include: Die Hard, The Fugitive

Jeb has been a motion picture and television screenwriter, director and producer for over 30 years and is considered one of the great action screenwriters in film history.

Nicholas Meyer – Screenwriter and Director

Credits: 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'

plus... 'Time After Time' and 'Star Trek: The Voyage Home'. And now Nicholas is writing the new Star Trek: Discovery. Seriously.

“

I had high expeditions of the festival and they were totally exceeded. I met great people and learnt a wealth of information. It was brilliant.

Ndidi Spencer, Screenwriter and Director

Headliners

Alison Owen – Producer

Credits include: Suffragette, Saving Mr Banks, Elizabeth

Alison is one of the UK’s leading film and television producers.

Iain Smith – Producer

Credits include: Wanted, The Fountain, The Fifth Element

Iain is an established and award winning international film producer with a credit list as long as your arm!

Paul Abbott – Screenwriter & Producer

Credits include: Shameless, State of Play, Cracker

A BAFTA award-winning TV writer, series creator and producer, Paul is one of the most UK's most revered writers working today.

Pilar Alessandra – Script Consultant and Educator

Credits include: The Coffee Break Screenwriter

Pilar's students and clients have written for Lost, Prison Break, Nip Tuck, House of Lies, CSI and Family Guy.

Scott Myers – Screenwriter, Producer and Educator

Screenwriter of 'K-9' with Jim Belushi and 'Trojan War' with Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Screenwriter and producer, head honcho at 'Go Into The Story' and Black List offical blog scribe.

“

Thank you for the INSPIRATION, thank you for the ENERGY! It was an awesome 3 days!

Susan Larsen, Screenwriter

Awards Host

Deborah Frances-White – Screenwriter & Comedian

Credits include: The Guilty Feminist

Deborah's hit podcast 'The Guilty Feminist' has had 18 million downloads in 18 months.

“

I Pitched at LSF 2013, and today's the day I sign my deal with Bryan Singer's Bad Hat Harry Prods!

David Hughes, Screenwriter

Screenwriters

Barbara Machin – Screenwriter

Credits include: Waking The Dead, The Bill

Barbara Machin is the BAFTA and EMMY award winning screenwriter who created BBC1’s worldwide selling hit series Waking The Dead.

Ashley Pharoah – Writer

Credits include: Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes

Ashley is a veteran TV writer who has created and written several long-running series for the BBC and ITV.

Andy Briggs – Screenwriter

He wrote on Judge Dredd, Freddy Vs Jason and Aquaman and has worked with Stan Lee, Robert Evans, Warner Bros. and Disney XD.

Roland Moore – Screenwriter

Credits include: Land Girls, Rastamouse, Smack the Pony

Roland created the award-winning returning drama series Land Girls for BBC1 and has written for a range of television series.

Rob Sprackling – Screenwriter & Director

Credits include: Gnomeo & Juliet, Mike Bassett and Mariah Mundi And The Midas Box

Rob has written for the biggest names in film including 'Gnomeo and Juliet' which grossed $200m for Disney!

Jed Mercurio – Screenwriter

Credits include: Line Of Duty, Cardiac Arrest

Jed's most recent credit, 'Line of Duty', is the most watched BBC2 drama series in the multichannel era.

Alex von Tunzelmann – Screenwriter

Credits include: Churchill, Medici: Masters of Florence

After an outstanding start with her biopic feature debut 'Churchill', Alex is definitely one to watch this year.

Bill Armstrong – Screenwriter

Credits include: Doctors, The Indian Doctor

After a successful career as a stage and film actor, Bill transitioned into writing in 2003, began work on Doctors in 2006 and has now become a core writer on the show.

Charlotte Josephine – Writer & Actress

Credits include: Blush, Bitch Boxer, Blue

Bitch Boxer writer Charlotte recently won the inaugural BBC Screenplay First Award and is currently developing a script with BBC Films.

Chris Lang – Screenwriter

Credits include: Torn, Amnesia, A Mother's Son

Chris is the writer of over 100 hours of prime time British drama including the award winning 'Unforgotten'.

Danny Brocklehurst – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Five, Ordinary Lies, Shameless, Clocking Off

Danny is a BAFTA and International Emmy winning screenwriter who has written on some of the biggest UK dramas of recent years.

Emma Reeves – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Worst Witch, The Dumping Ground

Emma is a versatile and experienced writer working across adult and children's TV drama and the stage.

Gregory Burke – Screenwriter & Playwright

Credits include: '71, One Night In Emergency

An award winning and prominent Playwright and Screenwriter, Gregory's most recent work is the hard hitting '71 starring Jack O'Connell.

Jonathan Ruffle – Writer & Producer

Credits include: Tommies, Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Jonathan created, writes and produces the a four-and-a-half year real-time drama - Tommies which airs on BBC Radio this autumn.

Michael Hirst – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Tudors, Vikings, Elizabeth

A master of Period Drama, Michael has been a screenwriter for both film and television drama for over thirty years.

Neil McKay – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Moorside, See No Evil, Mo

Neil's most recent drama 'The Moorside', about the abduction of Shannon Matthews in Dewsbury in 2008 was broadcast on BBC to widespread critical acclaim earlier this year.

Paul Mayhew-Archer – Screenwriter & Producer

Credits include: The Vicar of Dibley, Miranda

Paul has worked for 35 years in Radio and TV as a comedy writer, producer, script editor and commissioning editor.

Paul Mendelson – Screenwriter

Credits include: My Hero, Losing It

Paul is best known for his work on 'My Hero', 'May to December' and 'Neighbours from Hell'.

Richard Kurti – Screenwriter

Credits include: Wolfblood, Primeval

Richard and his writing partner Bev Doyle broke into the business by writing and selling a spec script, Newton's Law, which led to 14 further movie commissions.

Richard Warlow – Screenwriter & Showrunner

Credits include: Ripper Street, Mistresses

Richard is the Lead Writer, Creator and Executive Producer on all five series of 'Ripper Street'.

Rob Morgan – Game Writer

Credits include: Fallen London, Imago

Rob is a game writer, narrative designer and voice director.

Robert Festinger – Screenwriter

Credits include: Hampstead, In the Bedroom

Rob is an American writer living in London. His work on In The Bedroom won him an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay.

Tobi Wilson – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Amazing World of Gumball, Dangermouse

Comedy writer Tobi is currently a Senior Writer on Cartoon Network's children's animated series The Amazing World of Gumball, now in it's 6th series.

Tom Kerevan – Screenwriter - Producer/Founder of Cannibal Films

Credits include: Tear Me Apart

Tom's feature debut 'Tear Me Apart' premiered at the Austin Film Festival and he is currently working on his second feature ‘Gun’.

Vinay Patel – Screenwriter & Playwright

Credits include: Murdered By My Father

BAFTA Breakthrough Brit, Screenwriter and Playwright Vinay is currently under commission to the Bush Theatre, as well as developing projects for the BBC and the BFI.

“

The festival has created a grounded, rounded, richly valuable experience for writers like myself

Lee Stone, Writer

People who get stuff made

Tony Garnett – Producer

Credits include: Kes, Beautiful Thing, This Life

Tony has had a prestigious and varied career as an actor, script editor, screenwriter, director and producer.

Julian Friedmann – Film, TV and literary agent

Agent and great supporter of emerging talent.

Julian has years of experience as a literary agent and was the founder of ScriptWriter magazine.

Jeremy Howe – Drama Commissioning Editor | Radio 4

Credits include: The Archers, Bloomsday

Jeremy is responsible for commissioning over 300 titles a year for Radio 4.

Gub Neal – Producer

Credits include: Prime Suspect, Cracker, Queer As Folk

Gub is an award-winning producer who has headed up the Drama departments at both Channel 4 and Granada.

David Nicholas Wilkinson – Producer

Credits Include: The First Film, How To Change The World

David has been involved in the production/ distribution of over 100 British feature films with budgets from £20,000 to $16 million.

Andee Ryder – Producer

Credits include: Alleycats, McQueen

Producer Andee's debut feature Alleycats is distributed internationally by a Major International Studio in over 20 countries.

Angus Lamont – Producer

Credits include: '71, The Girl With All the Gifts

'71 Producer Angus has been an active participant in the Scottish and UK independent film production community for more than 25 years.

Cheryl Taylor – Controller | CBBC

Credits include: The Dog Ate My Homework, Hetty Feather

Cheryl is the Controller of CBBC, and is responsible for over 4,000 hours of programming a year.

Jeff Norton – Writer-Producer & Author

Credits include: MetaWars, Trucktown, Princess Ponies

Jeff is a writer-producer, and author of the award-winning thriller series MetaWars.

John Yorke – MD Angel Station

Credits include: Wolf Hall, Shameless, Life On Mars

John Yorke is Managing Director of Angel Station where he works as a drama producer, consultant and lecturer on all forms of storytelling.

Julia McKenzie – Head of BBC Radio Comedy

Credits include: The Jason Byrne Show, French & Saunders

Julia produces comedies for Radio 2.

Martin Alltimes – CEO/Founder | The Imaginati Studio

Martin and Imaginati Studios are currently focused on creating games based on 'The Planet of Apes' franchise on console and PC.

Matt Cowan – Director

An award-winning TV producer and former journalist, Matt is the Director of MediaWorks.London, a tech focused consultancy and content agency based in Soho.

Michael Ryan – Founder | GFM Films

Credits include: The English Patient, What's Eating Gilbert Grape

In 2000 Michael partnered with Guy Collins. Between them they have financed, sold and produced over 200 films.

Nik Powell – Producer and Director of National Film and Television School

Credits include: The Crying Game, Mona Lisa

Virgin co-founder turned Producer, Nik is the man behind some of the most successful and acclaimed British films of all time.

Robyn Slovo – Producer

Credits include: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Former exec at BBC Films and head of film at Company Pictures, Robyn is now an independent producer.

Rory Aitken – Producer

Credits include: Welcome to the Punch, Shifty, The Autopsy of Jane Doe

Rory Aitken is a producer and founding partner of Management and Production Company 42.

Ruth Caleb – Producer

Credits include: Last Resort, Tomorrow La Scala, A Poet in New York

Ruth is a multi-award winning producer. She was awarded the O.B.E. in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to Drama.

Ruth Kenley-Letts – Producer

Credits include: It's a Wonderful Life

Ruth runs JK Rowling’s Bronte Film and TV and won both an Oscar and BAFTA for 'It's a Wonderful Life' directed by Peter Capaldi

Samantha Horley – Producer

Credits include: Grabbers, Miss You Already

Samantha is a prolific Producer, freelance script and development consultant and a lecturer who creates and runs training courses for emerging filmmakers.

Will Gould – Producer

Credits include: Peaky Blinders, Ripper Street

Will is currently the Joint Managing Director of Tiger Aspect Productions, internationally recognised as one of the UK’s most successful indie TV production companies.

“

A whirlwind where for three days, the outside world simply ceased to be

Emmanuel Casey, Writer

Directors

Jonathan Newman – Writer & Director

Credits include: Swinging With The Finkels, Foster, Maria Mundi and the Midas Box

Jonathan most recently directed the $25m movie Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box.

Ian Bonhôte – Director & Producer

Credits include: Alleycats, McQueen

Ian Bonhôte is an award-winning film Director and Producer. His first feature Alleycats was distributed in 20 countries.

Martha Fiennes – Director and Screenwriter

Credits include: Onegin, Chromophobia

Award winning, visionary director of sumptuous Russian period piece 'Onegin' and the powerful and contemporary 'Chromophobia'.

“

How nice to be able to ask questions and have a conversation in a non-stressful environment.

Carolyn Cameron, Screenwriter

People who know stuff

Lucy V Hay – Script editor | Bang2write

Bionic blogger, script editor and the voice of new writers!

Legendary for her enthusiasm and knowledge which she shares with her community at Bang2Write. Core member of the LSF team.

Linda Aronson – Practitioner and screenwriter

Author of: The 21st-Century Screenplay

Linda Aronson returns to dazzle LSF delegates with her game changing explanations of how to construct non-linear and multiple storyline films.

Hayley McKenzie – Script Editor

Credits include: Hollyoaks, Casualty, Blue Murder

Hayley McKenzie is an experienced Script Editor in UK television and feature films and the founder of Script Angel.

Chris Jones – Filmmaker and author

Credits include: Oscars shortlisted Gone Fishing, the Guerilla Handbooks and a bunch of feature films

Chris has spent his life making movies, writing books and helping others make their movies.

Eddie Hamilton A.C.E. – Editor

Eddie has over twenty features under his belt, including 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation' and ’Kingsman: The Secret Service’.

Stephen Follows – Writer and producer

Credits include: Baseline, Sign Language

Stephen Follows is an award-winning writer and producer.

Jean Kitson – Agent - Kitson Press Associates

Founder: Kitson Press Associates

Jean Kitson is an agent representing film, TV, theatre and radio writers and directors.

Anne Edyvean – Head of BBC Writersroom

Credits include: The Break, Holby City, Casualty

Anne is the head of the BBC Writersroom, which finds and develops new writers (and some directors), and champions them across television, radio and on-line.

Charlotte Essex – Script Editor

Writer: Doctors, Script Editor: EastEnders, The Runaway

Charlotte has extensive script editing experience in development and production.

Chris Hewitt – News Editor | Empire Magazine

Chris Hewitt is the News Editor at the always OUTSTANDING Empire Magazine.

Farah Abushwesha – Producer & Founder of Rocliffe

Credits include: Irreplaceable You, The Last Photograph

Farah is a BAFTA nominated producer, best selling author and founder of the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writers Competition.

Karol Griffiths – Script Editor & Supervisor

Credits include: How I Met Your Mother, Friends

Karol Griffiths is a successful script editor and development consultant with over twenty years of experience.

Kira-Anne Pelican – Script Consultant and Researcher

Kira-Anne is an independent script consultant, a PhD researcher in Screenwriting, and visiting tutor at the Met Film School, London.

Loretta Preece – Producer, Story Producer & Script Editor

Loretta has been personally responsible for storylining over 2000 episodes of mainstream British television.

Lucy Raffety – Producer & Script Editor

Credits include: Casualty, Eastenders

Lucy instigated a Writers’ Room system at Casualty which now commissions the majority of its writers in that way.

Manuel Puro – Casting Director

Credits include: Moon, The Machine, Scar Tissue

Manuel has worked with industry heavy hitters including Guillermo del Toro, Richard Attenborough and Nic Roeg, Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn.

Mark Davis – Editor

Credits include: Taboo, Unforgotten, Sherlock, Peaky Blinders

Mark is an experienced short-form director with a successful background in cutting long-form drama for BBC, ITV and Channel Four.

Roxanne Harvey – Producer

Credits include: Casualty, The Bill, Bad Girls

Roxanne has worked as the Story Producer on Casualty for the past seven years and has also produced several episodes.

Shelly Mellott – Vice President of Sales & Marketing | Final Draft

Shelly is vice president at Final Draft overseeing the Big Break Contest, social media, events, and customer relations for the company.

Zina Wegrzynski – Script & Development Editor | Kindle Entertainment

Zina started off working in production working on shows such as Critical (Sky) before moving into the creative side of TV.

“

This course is teaching me skills and mindsets that no other screenwriting course ever has, even though they are as critical to success as writing talent