Feedback For The Most Recent LSFAccelerate
Headliner // Matt Charman, Screenwriter
Matt’s Session: Script to Screen ‘Bridge of Spies’
Links… IMDb // LinkedIn
Matt Charman is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and award-winning British playwright, with three premieres at the National Theatre in London. His film Bridge of Spies (2015) was a Cold War thriller directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written with Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Tom Hanks, Alan Alda and Mark Rylance. The film earned Charman a BAFTA, Academy Award and WGA nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Charman’s current projects include his directorial debut, The Mothership, and a political thriller set in the midst of the Watergate scandal. Charman is working with established and emerging writers across a variety of TV and feature film scripts. He is producing these projects through his London-based production company, Binocular.
Headliner // Christopher Hampton, Screenwriter
Christopher’s Session: A Life in Movies and Other Writing Adventures (Interview)
Links… IMDb
Christopher Hampton wrote his first play When Did You Last See My Mother? at the age of 18 and has since penned, amongst others, Tales from Hollywood and All About Eve. He co-wrote the musical Sunset Boulevard and has translated plays by Ibsen, Molière and Chekhov, garnering four Tony, three Olivier, five Evening Standard and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle awards. Hampton’s many screenplays include Dangerous Liaisons and Atonement, and he has received recognition for his film and television work in the form of an Oscar, two BAFTAs, a Writers’ Guild of America Award, a Cannes Film Festival Special Jury Award and has been named Hollywood Screenwriter of the Year.
Mellie Buse, Writer, Producer, Script Editor and Consultant
Mellie’s Session: Writing Your Story Without Compromising Your Vision.
Links… IMDB // Website // LinkenIn // Twitter // Instagram
Mellie is a children’s and family content creator, producer, writer, script editor and creative consultant. Together with writing colleague Jan Page, she has produced five series of the top-rated shows Grandpa in My Pocket and Ha! Ha! Hairies!, garnering nine BAFTA nominations and a win. Mellie has also worked on many other shows, including The Hoobs (Head Writer and Show Runner for all 250 episodes) — another BAFTA win — and Angelina Ballerina (winner of the British Animation Award). Her shows have sold to well over 100 territories.
Simon Cox, Writer, Director
Simon’s Session: Never Give Up, NEVER SURRENDER!
Links… Website // Twitter
Simon has worked in the TV and film industry for over 30 years and has directed and edited numerous shows for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. He started as an editor with Film-Fair, cutting over 300 children’s programmes including The Wombles. In 1999, Simon wrote and directed the feature film Written in Blood, which has since sold all over the world, and recently completed his second film, a spectacular sci-fi feature Invasion Planet Earth — a passion project which has taken him nearly 20 years to complete. It is due to hit UK cinemas in December 2019.
Stephen Follows, Producer
Stephen’s Session: Genre Trauma
Links… Website // Twitter // IMDB
Stephen is an established data researcher in the film industry whose work has featured in The New York Times, The Times, The Guardian and Indiewire. He is a seasoned producer, trainer and thought-leader in how storytelling can be used to change hearts and minds. He has created UK-wide campaigns for major charities including Scope and Unicef, his online video work has been seen by over 35 million people and he regularly teaches storytelling to staff at institutions such as the BBC, The National Trust and Amnesty International.
Jon Gilbert, Screenwriter and Consultant
Jon’s Session: Acting is Reacting: The Myth of the Passive Protagonist
Links… LinkedIN// IMDB
Jon is a screenwriter and script consultant with over 15 years’ experience working in the UK and US film industries. His feature film The Zigzag Kid (Dir: Vincent Bal) — an adaptation of the novel by David Grossman, starring Isabella Rossellini — premiered at Toronto in 2012 before going on to win multiple awards, including the Young Audience Prize at the 2013 European Film Academy and the Golden Elephant for Best Screenplay at the 18th Indian Children’s Film Festival.
Jamie Glazebrook, Producer, Creative Director
Jamie’s Session: Peaky Blinders: Decrypting TV Success (Panel) Links… LinkedIN// IMDB // Website
Jamie has developed and produced television in the UK since the 90s — working for leading production companies including Talkback, Tiger Aspect and Hat Trick. His producer credits include The 11’O Clock Show, High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman, and Channel 4’s hit comedy The IT Crowd. Jamie has worked with Caryn Mandabach since 2007 where he is Executive Producer of Peaky Blinders, the fifth series of which recently aired to great acclaim and its largest audiences yet.
Karol Griffiths, Script Editor and Best-Selling Author
Karol’s Session: Your Screenwriting Journey Map — Saying Yes to Success and Defining What Success Means to You
Links… LinkedIN// IMDB // Website
After working at the coal face for Warner Brothers, Universal, Disney, Paramount and Fox Studios, as well as Amblin Entertainment, The Coen Brothers, Working Title, the BBC and ITV, Karol has a thing or two to say about stories. Her best-selling book The Art of Script Editing – A Practical Guide has helped thousands of writers and script editors improve their scripts.
Samantha Horley, Consultant and Instructor
Samantha’s Session: Will Your Story Hook Pierce Armour-Plated Cynicism?
Links… IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn // Instagram
After 20 years in international film sales, marketing, development and production for PolyGram, Summit and as MD of The Salt Company, Samantha now offers ‘creative notes from a commercial perspective’. She works with established BAFTA and Oscar-winning producers as well as first-time writers and filmmakers on projects at every stage. She is an assessor for The New Zealand Film Commission and has served on the BAFTA Cymru committee.
Philip Hughes, Screenwriter and Educator
Philip’s Session: The Game is Afoot… (Jointly with Ted Wilkes)
Links… IMDb
Philip has developed over 20 feature scripts including Thunderpants (Pathé, 2002) and I Want Candy (Ealing Studios 2007), five episodes of the BBC’s popular children’s TV series The Queen’s Nose, as well as documentaries and web films. He has also co-written a number of scripts with director Peter Hewitt (Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, The Borrowers, Garfield) for production companies in Europe and the US and is an experienced script editor. He is currently Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Screenwriting and Producing degree and the MA Writing for Screen and Stage programme at Regent’s University, London.
Chris Jones, Filmmaker, Writer and LondonSWF Founder
Chris’ Session: Meet YOUR Nemesis
Links… Website // IMDb // Facebook // Twitter // Blog // LinkedIn
Best-selling author of the Guerilla Film Makers Handbook series, founder of both TEDxEaling and LondonSWF, Oscar-shortlisted film director, Producers Guild of America Best Film award winner and dad to a boy whose middle name is Lightspeed.
Robyn Larkin, Story Image Designer
Robyn’s Session: The Final Battle… How YOUR Work Needs to Survive and Thrive When It Meets the Industry and the Public
Links… Website // LinkedIn
Co-founder and Creative Director of London-based design studio What is Bobo, specialising in design for the film and entertainment industry.
Philip Lawrence, Screenwriter
Philip’s Session: How I Broke into Five Million Homes
Links… Agent // IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn
Philip had always wanted to write for TV but LSF 2014 gave him the courage to go for it. He went on to scoop the C21 Drama Script Prize with his black comedy drama Euthanasia in Suburbia and currently writes for EastEnders and Casualty. He is the optimist behind the ‘Monday Mini Wins’ thread on Facebook’s Bang2Write forum.
Marc Lorber, SVP for International Coproductions and Acquisitions, Lionsgate UK TV
Marc’s Session: Writing for Netflix, the Beeb and Other Broadcasters in 2019 (Panel)
Links… IMDb // LinkedIn
Marc is an exceptionally experienced international multi-genre creative content and programming executive, as well as an Emmy-nominated producer. He is skilled in conception, acquisition, development, sales, strategic partnerships, co-productions and direct physical production and management/financial oversight of both scripted and unscripted projects, formats and originals across the US, UK, Canada, Australia and much of the non-English speaking world. Current series include BBC2’s Motherland, BBC1’s The Goes Wrong Show and Viaplay’s Cold Courage.
Ceri Meyrick, Executive Producer and Head of Development for BBC Studios
Ceri’s Session: Writing for Netflix, the Beeb and Other Broadcasters in 2019 (Panel)
Links… IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn
As Executive Producer and Head of Development for BBC Studios Birmingham Drama, Ceri has developed and produced series such as Shakespeare & Hathaway, The Coroner and Father Brown. She has also produced Holby City, Eastenders and Silent Witness. Prior to that, Ceri ran the BBC Writers’ Academy with John Yorke, which trained writers for the BBC Continuing Dramas, and has produced a generation of successful series writers and show runners.
Dominic Morgan, Screenwriter, Content Creator, Script Consultant
Dominic’s Session: Building A SMART Career in Screenwriting in 2019… The NEW rules
Links… IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn // YouTube
Dominic AKA Scriptfella (YouTube) has written for 30+ studios and production companies, including Universal Studios, Working Title, Bold Films, Scott Free, the BBC and ITV. Among his recent produced credits are the award-winning motion picture An Act of Defiance (2017) and the not-so-award-winning Hard Target 2 (2016).
Steve November, Managing Director of Further South Productions
Steve’s Session: Writing for Netflix, the Beeb and Other Broadcasters in 2019 (Panel)
Links… IMDb // LinkedIn
As Creative Director of Lionsgate UK TV and, more recently, Managing Director of Further South Productions, Steve has a wealth of experience developing drama for domestic and international markets. Prior to joining Lionsgate, Steve was Director of Drama Commissioning at ITV, where he commissioned and oversaw shows including Cold Feet, Liar, The Durells, Unforgotten, Marcella, Little Boy Blue, Broadchurch (series 2 and 3) and Downton Abbey (series 4 to 6) and was series and exec producer of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Rachel Paterson, Screenwriter
Rachel’s Session: 50 First Dates… What I Learned in the First Six Months of My Professional Screenwriting Career
Links… Website // IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn
Having signed with Independent Talent in 2017, Rachel started writing for Casualty in 2018 and has just finished her fifth episode as a core writer. She has several original projects in development, and is attached as an episode writer to various others. Prior to screenwriting, Rachel worked all over the world in production and international development. Rachel is represented by Jago Irwin @ITG_Ltd.
Kira-Anne Pelican, PhD, Writer, Researcher and Script Consultant
Kira-Anne’s Session: Why We Tell Stories
Links… Website // Twitter // LinkedIn
Kira-Anne is a writer, researcher and script consultant with 25 years of experience working in the British and American film and TV industries. Her research focuses on how psychological tools may be used to develop screen characters in order to increase audience engagement. She is the author of The Science of Writing Characters: Using Psychology to Create Compelling Fictional Characters (forthcoming from Bloombsury in 2020). She also teaches workshops in screenwriting.
Ashley Pharaoh, Filmmaker, Writer
Ashley’s Session: Writing YOUR Voice, and WHY It’s Essential for Success Today
Links… Website // IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn
Creator of Where the Heart Is, Paradise Heights, Down to Earth, Life Support, and Anchor Me. Co-creator of Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes to Ashes. Writer of adaptations such as Tom Brown’s Schooldays (starring Stephen Fry and Alex Pettyfer), Under the Greenwood Tree (starring Keeley Hawes) and Moonfleet (starring Ray Winstone). Winner of two International Emmys and a BAFTA. Currently working on a reimagining of Around the World in 80 Days, to film in 2020, starring David Tennant.
Kate Phillips, Actress, Peaky Blinders
Kate’s Session: Peaky Blinders: Decrypting TV Success (Panel)
Links… IMDb
Screen International Star of Tomorrow Kate Phillips is a British actress best known for her role as Linda Shelby in BBC’s Peaky Blinders. She has also appeared in Wolf Hall, The Crown, and The Alienist with Luke Evans and Dakota Fanning, and starred opposite Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgård in James Kent’s The Aftermath and opposite Domhnall Gleeson and Ruth Wilson in Lenny Abrahamson’s The Little Stranger. Kate can currently be seen as Princess Mary in the highly anticipated Downton Abbey feature film, has just wrapped on Julian Fellowes’ The English Game for Netflix, and is now shooting as Miss Scarlet in A&E’s Miss Scarlet and The Duke.
Cera Rose Pickering, Writer and Actress
Cera’s Session: Screenwriting: It’s not Brain Surgery… Wait, What?
Links… Website // IMDb // Facebook // Twitter // Blog // LinkedIn // Instagram
Cera has been a prolific writer since she was a young child and prides herself on being the only kid crazy enough to attempt writing “an epic wartime romance” during her primary school creative writing class. She still writes epic romances, but now she’s able to do so on a far more epic scale, having just completed her first novel Blink!, a YA time-travel romance that she and her agent are on the cusp of publishing.
David Pope, Screenwriter and Script Consultant
David’s Session: Unspoken Truths: Strategies for Sourcing and Elevating Subtext
Links… Website // IMDb // LinkedIn
David has designed and delivered project and talent development for Cannes Cinefondation, British Council, MEDIA, Estonian Film Institute, BBC, BAFTA, Irish Film Board, National Theatre and BFI amongst many others. He is the annual consultant/moderator for The Rotterdam Lab at CineMart and co founder of Stowe Story Labs. David has delivered script consultancy services for projects all over the world, working with BAFTA and Academy Award-nominated producers and screenwriters.
Bob Schultz, Screenwriter, Instructor
Bob’s Session: Facing Down Your Inner Saboteur
Links… IMDb // Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn
With more than 15 years and ten countries under his belt as a screenwriter, independent producer, and instructor, Bob brings a worldwide perspective to every event. Whether it’s his latest project in production (a nine-issue limited series comic book), or the next one (a thriller twist on a standard comedy subgenre), he believes that writing from your heart is the only way to truly succeed as a screenwriter.
Ted Wilkes, Screenwriter and Educator
Ted’s Session: The Game is Afoot… (Jointly with Philip Hughes) Links… Twitter // LinkedIn // Youtube
Ted Wilkes is a writer and lecturer from London. Currently, he teaches Screenwriting and Digital Media at Regent’s University, London. You can find some of his lectures available as video essays on his YouTube channel Sight Unsound. His own work has been showcased at film festivals around the world and he is currently developing a TV series with producer Nick Agha.
Catherine Williams, Screenwriter
Catherine’s Session: Interrogating your Integrity
Links… Website // IMDb // Facebook // LinkedIn
Catherine has had a busy couple of years. As well as single-handedly writing two series of the Bafta-nominated New Teletubbies she also co-created and was Head Writer for Waffle the Wonder Dog (CBeebies, Series 2 currently in production) and Chip & Potato (streaming on Netflix in 2019). Her schtick is immersive, emotionally engaging, funny storytelling for young children: love and laughter.
John Yorke, Producer
John’s Session: Ronald Reagan, Jaws and the Cycle of Grief
Links… Website // IMDb // Twitter // LinkedIn
John Yorke is the UK’s foremost expert on story structure. His long and distinguished career in TV drama has given him the tools to identify the underlying shape common to all successful narratives, and his bestselling book Into The Woods explains why stories are key to all successful communication, from ads to political speeches.
