The London Screenwriters’ Festival is an annual three day conference for screenwriters.
In 2021, the LSF will be held at Regent's University
The London Screenwriters’ Festival is an annual three day conference for screenwriters.
In 2021, the LSF will be held at Regent's University London, in Regent's Park, from the
10th to 12th of April.
When:10th to 12th of April. (with party on 9th)
Where: Regent’s University London, Regent’s Park, NW1 4NS
How much: £348
www.LondonSWF.com
For the three days, over 1,000 screenwriters, filmmakers, producers, practitioners, actors and executives congregate to share ideas, build powerful relationships, hear pitches and get a creative shot in the arm.
Most delegates report massive breakthroughs in their understanding of the business and craft, as well as huge acceleration toward their career goals. However, perhaps the most vital part of the festival is the inspiration and sense of belonging you will experience when you attend. Year on year, delegates report that the community at the festival is one of the main reasons they return.
The Main Events
During the three days of the festival there are around 130 structured seminars, lessons and workshops. e have filmed most sessions from the last eight years and you get access to that online archive right away. That's litteraly hundreds of sessions.
There are five separate strands so that at any one moment, you can choose from up to five different sessions.
You do not need to book a place for any of these sessions, they are all on a first come, first seated basis. Occasionally, some sessions are so popular, seating will run out. We will try and give you advance warning about these sessions so you can get there early if you want to attend.
Between sessions there are half hour breaks, with a 90 minute break for lunch. Onsite, there is breakfast, lunch and dinner available, plus drinks, tea and barista coffee. The breaks are a great opportunity to network with delegates and speakers.
In the evenings (Friday and Saturday of the festival) we host networking drinks which most delegates and many speakers attend. It’s a chance to unwind, consolidate old relationships and create new relationships.
Additionally, on the Thursday night before the official opening of the festival, there is a networking party where you can pick up your pass early. Over half the delegates usually attend this Thursday event.
The Speakers
Every year we have around 150 industry professionals who come and speak. In the past we have played host the worlds biggest screenwriters, producers, agents and directors.
These industry experts have included…
• Christopher McQuarrie (Writer – Usual Suspects, Valkyrie, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation)
• Stephen Frears (Director & Writer –The Grifters, The Queen, High Fidelity, Philomena)
• Jim Uhls (Writer – Fight Club, The Destroyer, Jumper)
• Peter Iliff (Director & Writer – Point Break, Patriot Games, Varsity Blues)
• Nick Hornby (Writer – About a Boy, Brooklyn, An Education, Fever Pitch, High Fidelity)
• Charles Dance (Actor – Game of Thrones, The Imitation Game, Gosford Park)
• Julian Fellowes (Writer – Downton Abbey, The Young Victoria, Gosford Park)
• Carl Gottlieb (Writer – Jaws)
• Nicole Perlman (Writer – Guardians of the Galaxy)
• Duncan Heath (Agent)
• Joel Schumacher (Director & Writer – The Lost Boys, The Client, Falling Down)
• Ted Tally (Writer – Silence Of The Lambs, Red Dragon, The Juror)
• Lynda La Plante (Writer – Prime Suspect, Above Suspicion)
• Phil Redmond (Creator of Brookside, Grange Hill and Hollyoaks)
• William Nicholson (Writer – Gladiator, Les Miserables, Shadowlands)
• Charlie Brooker (Writer – Black Mirror, A Touch Of Cloth)
• Joe Eszterhas (Writer – Basic Instinct, Jagged Edge)
• Mike Leigh (Director & Writer – Secrets & Lies, Naked, Life Is Sweet)
• David Hare (Writer – The Reader, The Hours)
• Dan Mazer (Writer – Borat, Ali G)
• Lisa Albert (Writer & Producer – Mad Men)
• Olivia Williams (Actor – The Sixth Sense, An Education)
Over 700 industry professionals have now presented at the LSF including execs and producers from the broadcasters, Hollywood studios, UK productions (large and small and everything in between).
Alongside the industry professionals, world class screenwriting tutors and practitioners from the UK and Hollywood also attend, providing what are often the most widely attended sessions of the festival. They have included…
• Linda Aronson (non linear expert)
• Karl Iglesias (Screenwriter & Educator)
• Christopher Vogler (Heroes Journey expert)
• Linda Pogieter (Negotiation expert)
• Luke Ryan (Producing expert and active producer)
• Kate Leys (Script expert and also active script editor)
Additional Events
During the festival there are also separate events that are included as part of your ticket. You must apply for each of these events ahead of the festival and the process for application differs slightly for each.
THE ADVANCED MENTORING SCRIPT LABS
The objective of the Labs is to assist writers who have a fully developed screenplay in a specific genre, to move their work to the next level. There are six three hour Labs at the festival, covering a variety of disciplines and topics. Within each Lab there is space for up to six writers. Each year the labs are different.
Past Labs have included ‘Writing For Disney with Finding Nemo writer Dave Reynolds, Writing The Hollywood Thriller with Basic Instinct writer Joe Eszterhas and Writing For Channel Four with former Channel Four Commissioner Gub Neal.
THE ACTORS TABLE READS
The actors table read is an opportunity for you to get your screenplay worked on by professional actors and a director. This has proven to be our most successful initiative to date with 99.8% positive feedback from the 200 people involved last year. Previous Actors Table Read delegates have been fortunate enough to have their scripts workshopped and directed by the likes of Hollywood heavy hitters Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, Falling Down) and Peter Iliff (Point Break, Patriot Games).
If you submit a script to the process and you are selected, you will attend a one hour session where you, the director and the actors will work on one sequence (between 3 and 5 pages) of your script.
SCRIPT CHATS
After each session, speakers are invited to meet delegates in round table sessions that we call ‘Script Chats’. These informal and intimate chats can often run for an hour or more. It’s our way of giving direct access to specific experts so that if you want to, you can take the conversation to the next level. We have found that even the biggest names are happy to spend time coaching and sharing in Script Chats.
THE SCRIPT SURGERY
Submit a two page outline and the first ten pages of your script and we will offer expert feedback in a fifty minute one on one session. We also operate a drop in desk over the three days of the festival. So if you want to just rock up with your script, get some feedback or ask for career advice, head over to the Script Surgery and book yourself a slot in one of the drop in sessions.
THE LEGAL CLINIC
Do you have legal issues you need a lawyer to help you with? All delegates at the festival have the option to apply for the legal clinic. You can ask any question you like and their legal team will do their best to answer your concerns.
MEET THE EXPERTS
Get 45 minutes with seasoned film producers, distributors and executives. Have your project grilled by a team of heavyweights. Meet The Experts is not for the feint hearted and you can be certain of a very tough conversation. Think Dragons Den but for writers concepts and projects.
SCRIPT TO SCREEN - LIVE!
Read the script, watch the film or TV show, then meet the writers, filmmakers, producers at the festival. This is a rare opportunity to get access to the script that was taken to set, then follow it through the journey of production, examining changes which can be discussed during the session at the festival. In the past we have run Script to Screens with Jim Uhls and 'Fight Club', Peter Iliff and 'Point Break', Joe Eazterhas and ‘Basic Instinct’, Ted Tally and ‘Silence Of The Lambs’, Dave Reynolds and ‘Finding Nemo’ and Carl Gottlieb with ‘Jaws’.
When:10th to 12th of April. (with party on 9th)
Where: Regent’s University London, Regent’s Park, NW1 4NS
How much: £348
www.LondonSWF.com
Sign up now at http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/tickets/
Buckle up, it's going to be life changing!
Love Team LSFx
- Course Type:
- short
