Screenwriting Festival Offers Insights from Television Industry Professionals

The University's Screenwriting Festival will see writers behind some of the most popular UK TV shows talk about their experiences, alongside a chance to get your own TV script ideas reviewed by experts in the industry.

Students will also bring fellow students" scripts to life in live performances and show the process behind it through workshops.

"It's an insight into the business by industry professionals but also into the work that is being created by students here in Worcester," said Sarah Evans, Course Leader for Screenwriting.

The free event, which runs on Saturday, April 14, from 12pm to 10pm, took place for the first time two years ago, but is now being opened up more widely to the public.

Students will start the day by delivering a selection of live script readings and performance workshops in the atrium of the library between 12pm and 2pm.

From 5.30pm onwards, the Studio will host live public performances and screenings. Through a collaboration between the Screenwriting course and the Film and Theatre Department, Drama students will be performing original dramatic monologues produced by current Screenwriting students.

The festival features an industry professionals" panel event, from 2pm to 4pm. They will be discussing their work, their experiences and their path into the screenwriting industry, alongside answering questions. In addition, they will be giving feedback on pitches for television dramas that people can put in a post-box anonymously.

The panel includes screenwriter Elliot Hope, who has written for programmes including BBC series Holby City, Moving On and Candy Cabs, and experienced television scriptwriter and producer Samantha Doland-de Vaux, who has written and produced Channel 4 show Hollyoaks and currently writes for ITV drama Emmerdale. Joining them is Mog McIntyre, who has done script editing on the BBC's Eastenders and later for BBC in-house drama development and has edited on shows for CBBC, Disney and Netflix. Rich Matthews, a writer/producer at Hereford-based production company, Rural Media Productions, will be speaking of his experiences in the industry and, in particular, can talk about pitching ideas to producers both at home and in Hollywood.

There will also be the chance to network with these industry professionals during the day.

For people who may be thinking about a change of career and going into the television and film industry, lecturers from Worcester will be on hand to speak to them.

Ms Evans said: "It's a chance to meet industry professionals and find out about what happens behind the scenes, how it works and what it might be like to be a writer in the television industry. And if anyone has an idea that has been burning away for years they have got the chance to get a pain free response.

"For anyone in the creative arts, to actually see their work come to life is really important. Throughout the Screenwriting course we try to create as many opportunities as possible for students to get work produced because we don't want them completing the course only having had their work on paper. Pieces are written to be performed and filmed, so this event benefits our writers, but also the Drama students working on contemporary material. It's invaluable experience, giving them a feel for the production process " from taking an initial idea, to having it edited, to seeing it performed."