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.

“

From the welcome at the door, to meeting my peers, talking with the experts and networking it was a brilliant three days. Can't wait for next year.

Barry Lewis, Screenwriter

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.

“

LSF is an espresso hit of craft and creativity... I defy anyone to leave not buzzing and charged up

Paul Draper, Screenwriter

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 such an AWESOME festival, it was truly incredible and has really reignited that drive and desire to make it in the film industry.

David Jacobson, LSF Superhero Volunteer

Screenwriters

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.

Tony Jordan – Writer and producer

Credits include: Hustle, Life On Mars, Holby Blue

He’s written for and created some of the most iconic and successful British TV series, including Life on Mars and East Enders.

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.

Colette Kane – Playwright & Screenwriter

Credits include: Moving On, Broken

Seasoned playwright Colette broke into screenwriting in 2012 when she was commissioned to write an Episode of Jimmy McGovern's Moving On for BBC ONE

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

“

Absolute value for money. Plan what you're going to attend in advance and go for it.

Sarah Turner, Screenwriter

People who get stuff made

Yvonne Grace – Television Drama Producer/Script Editor/Writer

Credits include: Eastenders, Holby City

Yvonne has worked in script editing, story development and production for the BBC, Granada, Channel 4 and ITV.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“

Thank you for this unforgettable time and life-changing experience. It was magical!

Valeriya Ordinartseva, Screenwriter

Directors

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'.

“

You really have managed to pull off the impossible – a festival that is so much fun to attend for delegates and speakers alike

Sascha Hecks, Producer

Actors

Naomi Cooper-Davis – Actor & Comedian

Credits include: Little Britain, Peep Show, Marcella

Naomi Cooper-Davis is an actor, improviser and comedian and a regular on the improv circuit with her group 'The Petting Zoo'.

“

An outstanding and extremely well-run Lab and my writing has benefited enormously from it. Can't thank you guys enough.

Eben Skilleter, 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.

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.

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.

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.

David Mansell – Producer & Script Editor

Credits include: Doctor Who, Torchwood, Casualty

David is an accomplished Script Editor and Producer who has worked on many of the UK's most popular continuing drama series.

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.

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.

Michael Wiese – Publisher

Publishing Credits include: The Writer's Journey, Save the Cat!

Michael Wiese is the world’s top publisher of over 200 film books (plus 40 more on consciousness) including The Writer’s Journey and Save the Cat.

Paul Testar – Script Editor

Credits include: Tripped, Endeavour

Paul is a script editor for leading drama company Mammoth Screen.

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.

“

I pitched my script to an agent at the festival and five months later, after a rewrite using what I learned at the LSF, I've just been signed by that agent!