The first Screenwriters' Festival in association with Filmfour
Peter Carlton
FilmFour’s Peter Carlton
FilmFour were proud to have been the headline sponsors of the inaugural Screenwriters’ Festival which took a bold step of encouraging writers away from their desks and pitching them into discussion with each other. We look forward to building on this year’s success and establish an international debate.
Peter Carlton
Senior Comissioning Editor - Film4
Bill Nicholson
Bill Nicholson, telling it like it is.
"I felt like a long lost traveller who was wandering starving in the wilderness and stumbles upon a fertile oasis populated by people miraculously speaking his own language. We screenwriters need such nourishment."
Bill Nicholson
Writer ‘Gladiator’, ‘The Golden Age’
Olivia Hetreed
Oliva Hetreed chatting with other writers
"There’s a lot of talk about Development Hell but last week in Cheltenham was the opposite. The first Screenwriting Festival was a chance to listen to great practitioners sharing their secrets with their peers and most enjoyable for me - to spend time with other writers comparing notes, techniques, projects and horror stories. There was a great laid-back, supportive, creative atmosphere. If there’s a development heaven it might look like this."
Olivia Hetreed
Writer ‘The Girl with a Pearl Earring’
David Pearson
David Pearson
"This festival has shown that there is a need and an appetite for a welcoming, open forum for screenwriting and that with the support of the industry and writers we can build on this in 2007. We welcome the new offers of sponsorship we have already had, and are happy to discuss inquires, and hope that we can expand the Festival and incorporate the suggestions and encouragement that delegates have given us for sessions, networking opportunities and services,. The fact that several writers have reported to us that the festival gave them the help and impetus to move them and their projects onto success really makes me proud of the Festival."
David Pearson
Festival Director
Quotes:
Here is some of the feedback we’ve had from Guest Speakers and Delegates alike…
Guest Speakers
"It was a fantastic Festival in a fantastic setting, with a great, friendly and well organised team; making welcome opportunities for screenwriters to meet and discuss important issues with other writers and producers. We were deeply impressed."
David Thompson(Head of BBC Film)
"Please thank everyone involved with organising the Festival. I really enjoyed it."
Mark Duffield(Director)
"Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for looking after us so well last week and for putting on such a great new festival! Huge congratulations to you and everyone involved. It was an absolute pleasure from beginning to end."
Nick Ostler(Writer)
"Thanks for organizing everything. It didn't feel like a first year at all. I found it very interesting."
Guy Jenkin(Writer)
"It was a very open, positive and professional festival, and it was therefore possible to have a better quality of conversation with both speakers and attendees than is often achievable in London."
Natalie Wreyford(UK Film Council)
"Thanks for a superbly co-ordinated event with some fantastic guests (especially Guillermo del Toro and Scott/Roeg). I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Festival and will definitely return next year (studio deals notwithstanding ;-)"
Nic Ransome(Journalist)
"Just a quick note to say thank you for looking after me so well last week. You all should be rightly proud of your efforts. I had a great time and felt very lucky to be part of the event. Please pass on my thanks and congratulations to David and all of the team."
Justin Trefgarne(Writer/Director)
"Let me say how much I enjoyed the Festival last week. It was packed with goodies and I wish I could have stayed till the end."
Paul Hoggart(Journalist)
"Thank you for a great day at the Screenwriters’ Festival. I thought the atmosphere was truly great - relaxed and informal but absolutely stimulating. And of course you pulled off the weather situation brilliantly."
Angeli MacFarlane(Script Editor)
"Thanks to you and David for inviting me to down to speak at the Festival. I really enjoyed my time there, and was very glad of the opportunity to speak in front of so many people. Seemed like the whole thing went really well, and it was very well organised."
Sean Steele(NRG)
"Wanted to say how much I enjoyed my 2 days at the first Screenwriters Conference. Please pass on my congratulations and thanks to David and the team."
Simon Van Der Borgh(Writer)
Delegates
"I really enjoyed the Screenwriters’ Day, it gave me the kick I needed to finish my work. Which I have done now, and been taken on by an agency in the USA."
Annette Williamson
"Congratulations on a fantastic event. Really good."
Rowena Goldman
"Many thanks to you and all the team behind the Screenwriters' Festival. I found it incredibly useful and look forward to next year."
Stephen Dunleavy
"I just wanted to send a quick email saying congratulations on the New Writers Day. I'm very new to the whole world of screenwriting and I found the day invaluable. I hope the rest of the festival went well, and I hope there are plans for one next year."
Dave Maguire
"I just wanted to thank you for all your efforts on the screenwriter's festival. I had a lovely time and really appreciate all your hard work."
Mary Albanese
"Just to say thank you very much again for the festival. It was great. I did in the end attend the whole festival as I realised that the professional festival was of more use to me than the new writer's day."
Caroline Bannock
"Firstly, can I say how much I enjoyed the New Writer's Day, thank you for all your effort’s. Hopefully I'll be back in the future as a full delegate."
James Kick
"Thanks for a great day."
Ricky Kane
Some Other Quotes
"A good first year. Need to go and write now."
"Very good. All very useful information. No weak sessions."
"Thank you for an informative and at times inspiring day"
"Great day - well organised and inspiring."
