Speakers 2020

Speakers are now appearing on this page and are being added daily.

The London Screenwriters’ Festival features around 100 professional speakers from all areas of the film and television business. Many have also agreed to intimate Script Chats after their respective sessions so that you can get face time with them. Although speakers are being added continuously, the vast majority will be confirmed late spring/early summer 2020. Get updates by signing up below.

“

My Script Lab with John Yorke changed the way I look at story and pitching forever."

Kristina Day, Screenwriter

Headliners

Lena Headey – Actress, Writer, Director

Credits include Game of Thrones, The Brothers Grimm, The Trap

Emmy-nominated Lena is best known for playing Queen Cersei in HBO’s Game of Thrones and is a multiple Golden Globes and Emmy nominee.

Mark Gatiss – Screenwriter, Producer, Actor

Credits include Sherlock, Doctor Who, Dracula

Mark is co-creator/writer of Sherlock and Dracula and has had a long and varied career on many critically acclaimed shows, both on and off camera.

Randall Wallace – Writer, Producer, Director

Credits include Braveheart, The Man in the Iron Mask, We Were Soldiers, Pearl Harbor

Oscar®-nominated Randall is behind some of the most successful films in cinematic history.

Scott Myers – Screenwriter, Producer, Educator

Credits include K-9 with Jim Belushi and Trojan War with Jennifer Love Hewitt

Scott is head honcho and scribe at Go Into The Story, official screenwriting blog for the Black List.

Steven Moffat – Screenwriter, Executive Producer

Credits include Dracula, Doctor Who, Sherlock

Steven was lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who as well as being co-creator, writer and executive producer of both Sherlock and Dracula.

“

Made a tonne of new friends, both delegates and speakers, and ended up with TEN SCRIPT REQUESTS!"

Rudolf Kremers, Screenwriter

Screenwriters

Barbara Machin – Screenwriter, Showrunner

Credits include Waking The Dead, The Bill

Barbara Machin is the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning screenwriter who created BBC One’s worldwide-selling hit series Waking The Dead.

Stuart Hazeldine – Screenwriter, Director

Credits include The Shack, Exam, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Knowing

Stuart wrote the TV movie Riverworld for the Sci-Fi Channel and directed The Shack, starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer.

Tony Jordan – Screenwriter, Producer

Credits include Hustle, Life On Mars, Holby Blue, Death in Paradise

Tony has created and written for some of Britain’s most iconic and successful TV series, including Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes and EastEnders.

Anoushka Warden – Screenwriter, Actress

Credits include My Mum's a Twat

Anoushka was selected for Channel 4's 2018 Screenwriting course. In 2019 her play, My Mum's a Twat, had a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Chris Lang – Screenwriter

Credits include The Tunnel, Unforgotten, Primeval, Amnesia

Chris is the writer of over 100 hours of prime time British drama. He also created and co-executive produced the award-winning Unforgotten.

Clive Frayne – Screenwriter, Script Editor, Author

Author of The Process of Screenwriting

Clive Frayne is an award-winning writer and filmmaker with thirty years' experience writing professionally.

Daniel Maier – Comedy & Narrative Screenwriter

Credits include A Touch of Cloth, Charlie Brooker's You Have Been Watching

A regular writer on Harry Hill's TV Burp, Daniel also co-wrote A Touch of Cloth with Charlie Brooker.

Danusia Samal – Actress, Writer, Singer

Credits include Ghost in the Shell, Out of Sorts

Danusia won the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award for her play Out of Sorts and took Busking It, a gig-theatre piece based on her own experiences, to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Debbie Horsfield – Screenwriter

Credits include Poldark; Sex, Chips & Rock 'n Roll; All The Small Things

Debbie is responsible for the BBC smash hit Poldark and is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright.

Emmanuel Oberg – Screenwriter, Author, Creative Consultant

Credits include Double Game; author of the Story-Type Method® series of books

Emmanuel has written for Warner Bros, Gold Circle, StudioCanal, Working Title and Film4.

Helen Black – Screenwriter

Credits include Clink, Gimme Shelter

Lawyer turned novelist turned award-winning screenwriter, Helen has original projects in development with BBC Studios, Endor Productions and Snowed In.

Helen Goldwyn – Writer, Producer, Director | Big Finish Productions

Credits include Doctor Who, Torchwood

Helen produced and co-wrote the WWII series ATA Girl and has written for Doctor Who, Torchwood, Star Cops, and The Tomorrow People.

Henry Fitzherbert – Screenwriter

Credits include Slaughterhouse Rulez, Born a King

Henry co-wrote Slaughterhouse Rulez starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Michael Sheen and penned the historical epic Born a King.

Henry Naylor – Playwright, Screenwriter

Credits include Spitting Image, Echoes

Henry is an award-winning UK playwright and the Fringe's unofficial star writer in residence. In 2016, he joined J.K. Rowling in having written one of the 10 Best Plays Of The Year according to The Times.

Janet van Eeden – Screenwriter, Educator

Janet is a screenwriter and Head of Post Graduate Studies at AFDA, Durban’s Film, Television and Performance School, which is one of the top film schools in Africa.

Jeff Pope – Screenwriter, Producer

Credits include Stan & Ollie; Philomena; Dirty, Filthy Love; A Confession

Jeff Pope is an Oscar® and Golden Globe-winning British film and TV writer and producer, known for his scripts for Philomena and Stan & Ollie.

Jessica Ruston – Screenwriter

Credits include Harlots, Young Wallander

Jessica is developing both original and adaptation projects with companies such as Dancing Ledge, Monumental Television, Big Light, and 42 UK/US for both terrestial broadcast and streaming.

Lisa McMullin – Screenwriter

Credits include EastEnders, Doctors

Lisa writes continuing drama series for television and also writes Big Finish audio dramas, including Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Time War.

Lucy Watkins – Screenwriter

Credits include Merlin, Atlantis, Sugar Rush

Lucy has written many hours of prime time drama. She first learnt her trade as a Music Supervisor and Script Editor at Carnival Films on 56 episodes of Channel 4’s award-winning teen show As If.

Marnie Dickens – Screenwriter

Credits include Thirteen, Gold Digger

Marnie is the creator and writer of drama Thirteen that aired on BBC Three iPlayer, BBC Two and BBC America, starring Jodie Comer (Killing Eve). Her latest original drama series is Gold Digger.

Matt Fitton – Writer, Script Editor | Big Finish Productions

Credits include Doctor Who, The Omega Factor

Matt writes audio drama for Big Finish's Doctor Who range, including the continuing adventures of Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor.

Michal Aviram – Screenwriter

Credits include Fauda, Project Orpheus

Michal Aviram is an award-winning Israeli screenwriter. She has created and written on hit shows for numerous platforms, including Netflix, Amazon and Israeli broadcaster, Keshet.

Pat Higgins – Writer, Director

Credits include TrashHouse, Hellbride, KillerKiller

After writing and directing three internationally distributed micro-budget horrors, Pat wrote the award-winning mockumentary, The Devil’s Music.

Philip Lawrence – Screenwriter

Credits include EastEnders, Casualty

Philip was awarded the C21 Drama Script Prize with his black comedy drama Euthanasia in Suburbia and currently writes for EastEnders and Casualty.

Romi Aboulafia – Actress, Writer, Producer

Credits include The Debt, Harmon

Israeli actress Romi has worked with directors such as John Madden and Anthony Minghella and actors such as Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren.

Sebastian Magiera – Screenwriter

Sebastian entered the Finish Line Competition in 2018 and won the Grand Prize, which secured him a manager in LA. He is currently developing TV projects with several producers and working on his own feature and television screenplays.

“

Great speakers; great venue; smart, sensible and provocative programming – it should be an essential event in every screenwriter’s calendar."

John Yorke, Former Head Ch4 Drama/BBC Drama

People Who Get Stuff Made

Julian Friedmann – Film, TV & Literary Agent

Staunch supporter of emerging talent

Julian has years of experience as a literary agent. He is also the founder of ScriptWriter magazine and author of How To Make Money Scriptwriting.

Gub Neal – Producer

Credits include Prime Suspect, Queer As Folk, Cracker, The Fall

Gub is an award-winning producer who headed up the drama departments at both Channel 4 and Granada, and won an Emmy for Prime Suspect.

Alexandra Arlango – Founder of The Brit List, Head of Development | Caryn Mandabach Productions

Credits include The Duchess, Alien Autopsy

Alexandra has co-produced Oscar-winning films and has run The Brit List for the last 12 years.

Catherine Williams – Screenwriter

Credits include New Teletubbies, Topsy and Tim, Waffle the Wonder Dog, Chip and Potato

Catherine has over 15 years’ experience as series co-creator, writer, head writer and script editor on many BAFTA-winning children’s shows.

Francesca Moody – Theatre Producer | Francesca Moody Productions

Credits include Fleabag, Baby Reindeer

Francesca is best known as the original producer of the multi-award winning and Olivier-nominated Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Jane Steventon – Development Executive, Producer

Credits include Tracy Beaker, Casualty, Susan Hill's Ghost Story

Jane has worked in adult and children's scripted drama at Disney, CBBC, BBC and Lime Pictures.

Joanna Strevens – Executive Producer | Carnival Films

Credits include The Tunnel, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

Jo began as a BBC Script Editor and went on to develop drama for Hat Trick, Kudos and Carnival.

Karen Thrussell – Executive Producer | Mammoth Screen

Credits include Poldark, Ordeal by Innocence

Karen is an accomplished executive producer who has spent the last six years overseeing Poldark and the Agatha Christies for Mammoth Screen.

Paul Gilbert – Commissioning Executive | Sky Drama

Credits include Bulletproof, Tin Star, Humans

Paul execs a range of shows such as Bulletproof, Tin Star, Strike Back and new Sky One sci-fi series Intergalactic starring Savannah Steyn (The Tunnel).

Richard Lingard – Course Leader, AD/Location Management | The NFTS

Credits include Strange, The Escapist

Richard began as a runner for Ridley Scott and went on to First AD at Channel 4. He has worked with notable directors such as Stephen Poliakoff.

Samantha Horley – Writer, Script Consultant, Lecturer

Credits include Executive Producer on Grabbers, Miss You Already

Sam has 20 years' experience in international film sales, development, production and marketing.

Steve November – MD | Further South Productions

Credits include Coronation Street, Emmerdale

Steve has experience developing drama on acclaimed shows such as Downton Abbey, Broadchurch and The Durrells.

Sue Vertue – Producer & Board Director | Hartswood Films

Credits include Dracula, Sherlock, Mr Bean

Sue was the series producer for the multi-award-winning hit drama Sherlock and recently executive producer on the acclaimed miniseries Dracula.

“

Amazing seminars, world-class speakers, uber-friendly delegates, and everywhere energy, energy and generosity."

Matthew Curlewis, Writer

Directors

Jonathan Newman – Writer, Director

Credits include The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box, Foster

Jonathan Newman recently directed the $25m movie The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box.

Anthony Byrne – Director

Credits include Peaky Blinders, Ripper Street, Mr Selfridge

Anthony has directed many critically acclaimed dramas including last season's Peaky Blinders and is set to direct the coming season of the hit show.

John Stevenson – Director

Credits include Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Madagascar

John has over 40 years' experience in film development, earning an Academy Award nomination as director on Kung Fu Panda.

“

Packed full of help. Fun and life changing! I’ll be back there next year!

Ann McGauran, Writer

Actors

Angus Macfadyen – Actor, Writer, Director

Credits include Braveheart, Robert the Bruce

Angus is best known as Robert the Bruce in Braveheart and has appeared alongside such stars as Charlie Hunnam and Jessica Chastain.

Anthony Joblin – Actor, Development Executive | Renaissance Films

Credits include Meet the Nativity, Pre Drinks

As well as being an actor and casting director, Anthony develops award-winning global features for Renaissance Films.

Betty Denville – Actress

Credits include White House Farm, Endeavour, Seed of Chucky

Betty is the youngest of 14 generations of actors in her family. She has worked on stage and on screen both in film and in TV from a young age.

Christian Brassington – Actor

Credits include Poldark, Life in Squares, Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Christian is an English actor, best known as the odious vicar Ossie Whitworth in the BBC hit period drama, Poldark.

Heida Reed – Actress

Credits include Poldark, Death in Paradise, Silent Witness

Icelandic actress Heida won the hearts of audiences worldwide as the ever-dignified Elizabeth in the fraught Poldark love triangle.

James Cosmo MBE – Actor

Credits include Braveheart, Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials

James is best known and loved for his roles as Campbell in Braveheart, Jeor Mormont in Game of Thrones and Angus MacLeod in Highlander.

Tom York – Actor

Credits include Poldark, Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders

Tom is best known for his role as Sam Carne, brother to Demelza Poldark (Eleanor Tomlinson), in the award-winning BBC period drama Poldark.

“

Perfect festival for any screenwriter, new or old; once you’ve been once, you’ll want to keep coming back."

Daniel Williamson, Screenwriter

People Who Know Stuff

Lucy V Hay – Script Editor | Bang2write

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

Lucy is legendary for her enthusiasm and the knowledge she shares with her Bang2Write community and is a core member of the LSF team.

Hayley McKenzie – Founder & CEO | Script Angel

Script Angel’s team of BAFTA-winning script editors help writers to elevate their scripts, develop their voice and advance their screenwriting career.

Ellin Stein – Script Editor, Educator

Author of That's Not Funny, That's Sick

Ellin teaches screenwriting on the MA Script Writing programme at Goldsmiths and has worked in development for numerous production companies in the US and UK.

Dr Raj Persaud – Consultant Psychiatrist, Broadcaster and Author

Credits include Staying Sane: How To Make Your Mind Work For You

Eminent psychiatrist Dr Raj offers fascinating insights into the mechanics of characters.

Chris Jones – LSF Director & Founder, Filmmaker, Author

Credits include the Oscar®-shortlisted Gone Fishing; author of the Guerilla Handbooks

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

David Baboulene, PhD – Narrative Theorist, Story Consultant

Credits include Story Theory

David's research into narrative theory has demonstrated how the power of every story lies in the way it resonates with the human mind.

David Pope – Script Consultant, Screenwriter

David has delivered script consultancy services for projects all over the world, including films that have been candidates for Academy Awards.

Harriet Bratt – International Speaker, Trainer

Harriet Bratt is an international speaker, trainer, fire walk instructor and WARRIOR. Her mission is to empower people globally to Unleash their Warrior within... and Master their Life.

Jay Harley – Screenwriting Coach

Jay is a proud member of the Script Angel family. They have formerly worked in TV, radio and film within the genres of factual, drama and comedy and have been a script editor for ten years. They are also proudly trans and queer.

Joey Tuccio – CEO | Roadmap Writers

Roadmap Writers aims to bridge the gap between fresh, talented voices and the industry execs who can make things happen.

Karol Griffiths – Script Editor, Supervisor

Credits include How I Met Your Mother, Friends; author of The Art of Script Editing

Karol Griffiths is a successful script editor, best-selling author and development consultant with over twenty years' experience in film and TV.

Kira-Anne Pelican, PhD – Writer, Researcher, Script Consultant

Author of The Science of Writing Characters (available soon from Bloomsbury)

Kira-Anne has 25 years of experience working in the British and American film and TV industries.

Linda Haysman – Costume Designer

Credits include The Black Prince, Hetty Feather

Linda has worked as a costume designer in film and TV for many years on everything from period dramas to hit comedies and feature films.

Michael Brooks, PhD – TV Consultant, Author, Quantum Physicist

Co-author of Hollywood Wants to Kill You: The Peculiar Science of Death in the Movies

Michael's latest broadcast role is as science adviser to YouTube’s The Edge of Science.

Nic Ransome – Script Editor, Screenwriter

Credits include Holby City, Shrooms

Nic has written for Holby City and Freefonix and has developed TV for Silver Pictures Television, Starz, Artists Studio and Bentley Productions.

Philip Hughes – Screenwriter, Educator

Writing credits include Thunderpants, I Want Candy, The Queen's Nose

Phil is Course Leader for BA(Hons) Film & Screen degree at Regent’s University, London and is an experienced script editor for film and TV.

Pilar Alessandra – Script Consultant, Educator

Author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter

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

Rick Edwards – Screenwriter, Presenter, Author

Co-author of Hollywood Wants to Kill You: The Peculiar Science of Death in the Movies

Rick has written three books, and his debut feature film script is due to start shooting in March 2020.

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

Shelly manages the professional and educational sales divisions, develops initiatives that drive sales across all retail channels, and manages marketing, events and customer relations at Final Draft.

Ted Wilkes – Screenwriter, Educator

Co-author of The Beginning, The Middle & The End (available soon)

Ted teaches Screenwriting and Digital Media at Regent's University and is currently developing a TV series with producer Nick Agha.

“

A shot in the arm that keeps your screenwriting juices pumped for the next twelve months."

Tracy England, Screenwriter

Moderators

What an utterly amazing event. Had so much fun and learned a lot. Was completely worth coming from Cologne, Germany."

Speakers are now appearing on this page and are being added daily.

Kristina Day, Screenwriter

Headliners

Rudolf Kremers, Screenwriter

Screenwriters

John Yorke, Former Head Ch4 Drama/BBC Drama

People Who Get Stuff Made

Matthew Curlewis, Writer

Directors

Ann McGauran, Writer

Actors

Daniel Williamson, Screenwriter

People Who Know Stuff

Tracy England, Screenwriter

Moderators

Christina Gruber, Screenwriter

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