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.

“

I have sold my zombie comedy script Euston We Have a Problem! to Hammer as a result of pitching at the festival

Darrin Grimwood, Screenwriter

Legend

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 managed to get 7 execs to take my one-pager, several of who were really excited about my new feature!

Cera Rose Pickering, Screenwriter/Actress

Headliners

Charles Dance – Actor

Credits include: Gosford Park, Game of Thrones

In 2004, Dance made his debut as a writer and director with the international hit 'Ladies in Lavender', starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith.

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!

Karl Iglesias – Screenwriter

Author of: Writing For Emotional Impact

Karl is a screenwriter and sought-after script doctor and consultant, specializing in the reader’s emotional response to the page.

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.

“

I’ve had a B-L-A-S-T over these past four days as a delegate. What a slick and shiny and stimulating Festival

Mark Wilson, Screenwriter and Media Consultant

Screenwriters

Dan Mazer – Screenwriter & Director

Credits include: Borat, Bruno, The Dictator, Dirty Grandpa

In 2007, Dan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for co-writing Borat.

Ashley Pharaoh – 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.

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.

Allan Cubitt – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Fall

Allan is the creator and Showrunner of the BBC's critically acclaimed smash hit 'The Fall' starring Gillian Anderson.

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.

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.

Kim Revill – Screenwriter & Showrunner

Credits include: Red Rock, Eastenders

Kim is the showrunner for the Red Rock team and now taking it forward into a new and even more exciting third series.

Lucinda Coxon – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Danish Girl, The Crimson Petal and the White

Lucinda is an award-winning writer for film, television, and stage.

Ol Parker – Screenwriter & Director

Credits include: Imagine Me & You, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,

After making his start on Grange Hill, Ol's career path has led him all the way to the BAFTA nominated 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'.

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'.

Rob Morgan – Game Writer

Credits include: Fallen London, Imago

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

Toby Whithouse – Screenwriter

Credits include: Being Human, The Game, Torchwood

Toby is the Writer/Creator of Being Human and BBC's stylish hit new show The Game.

Tom Kerevan – Screenwriter - Producer/Founder of Cannibal Films

Credits include: Tear Me Apart

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

“

I had a blast… Brilliantly run, great events, it’s the best one I’ve been to…

Robert Popper - 'Peep Show', 'The IT Crowd', 'South Park'

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.

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.

Stephen Follows – Writer and producer

Credits include: Baseline, Sign Language

Stephen Follows is an award-winning writer and producer.

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.

Andrew Macdonald – Producer

Credits include: Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later...

Co-Founder of DNA Films, best known for his collaborations with John Hodge and Danny Boyle.

Gail Hackston – Screenwriter & Director

Credits include: 50 Kisses, Cancer Hair

Gail's short Cancer Hair won 'Best Fiction' and 'Best of Fest' at the Isle of Man Film Festival and won IMDb New Filmmaker of the Year at Bath Film Festival.

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.

Matt Tiller – Head of Development | Comedy Central

Matt develops shows for Comedy Central UK working across existing hits like Drunk History and bringing new projects through with comic talent and producers.

Philippa Tsang – Development Executive | Film4

Philippa worked for three years as an Acquisition Executive at Hanway Films before she joined Film4

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 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.

“

The best festival I’ve attended, EVER!

Marcus Aishant, screenwriter

Directors

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'.

“

Joe Eszterhas is reading my script!

Dee Chilton, Screenwriter, @DeeChilton

Actors

Anna Chancellor – Actor

Credits include: Downton Abbey

Anna is one of the UK’s most recognisable character actors, perhaps best known for her stand-out performance in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

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'.

“

One of the best hours of my life – the Actors Table Read at LSF

Terry Comer, 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.

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.

Jean Kitson – Agent - Kitson Press Associates

Founder: Kitson Press Associates

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

Abigail Gonda – Development Producer | BBC Writersroom

Abigail sources new writing talent and nurtures writers across a wide range of mediums; including TV, film & radio

Chris Hewitt – News Editor | Empire Magazine

Chris joins us at the LSF for a very special 'In Conversation' session with Point Break Screenwriter Peter Iliff.

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.

David Pope – Filmmaker & Educator

David is a feature filmmaker, consultant and trainer. He is a regular tutor at London Film Academy.

Emily Perry – Production & Development Co-ordinator | Cuba Pictures

Credits include: Suffragette

Emily started at Ruby Films working as a PA for Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits. She is now working at Cuba Pictures supporting Dixie Linder and Nick Marston.

Karol Griffiths – Script Editor & Supervisor

Credits include: How I Met Your Mother, Friends

Karol has been Lynda La Plante's script and copy editor for the past 3 years and has Edited and Supervised many prime-time TV shows and films.

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.

Ludo Smolski – Development Consultant

Credits include: Filth, Leave To Remain

Ludo is a development consultant and script editor, and is a co-Tutor of the National Film & Television School's Postgraduate Diploma in Script Development.