Post on 21-Mar-2018
www.LondonSWF.com September 2016 Draft 1
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Delegate Welcome Pack
2016
Version 1, May 19th 2016
The London Screenwriters’ Festival
is proudly sponsored by
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Welcome to the London
Screenwriters’ Festival 2016!
My name is Chris Jones, founder and
creative director of the festival. And, just
like you, I love storytelling and writing
screenplays.
The LSF has fast become the most exciting,
prestigious and largest event of its kind.
Over the three days of the festival you can
expect to gain a massive amount of
screenwriting knowledge, make powerful
new industry contacts and connect with a
whole new group of like-minded creatives.
This pack will help you get the most from the festival. I urge you to read it as
soon as you can if you want to get the most from your LSF experience.
My hope and belief is that the festival will change the way you look at your
writing, your career and hopefully your life too.
So - open your mind and heart and get ready for one hell of an adventure.
It’s going to be awesome! Promise.
Chris Jones
Creative Director
www.LondonSWF.com
Follow me on Twitter @LivingSpiritPix
PS – I recommend you print this document and read it over coffee, it will set
you up for an awesome LSF 2016!
PPS – There is a delegate area on the site where we share resources and
updates. You will have been sent a login already and you can login here
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/delegate-welcome
PPPS – You will need to copy and paste hyperlinks to open pages as they won’t
click through from a PDF.
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Plan for success at LSF 2016
To get the most from the festival, you need
to do some planning.
There is a TON of very cool stuff going on,
and we have found that many delegates
miss out because they didn’t read the
website, the emails or other messages we
send.
That’s why we created this booklet, to give
you the complete lowdown in advance.
We also suggest you print it out and read it – if you do this on a computer
screen, odds are you will skim it. And you don’t want to miss the good stuff do
you?!
1. Hit print.
2. Put on the kettle and make a cup of tea.
3. Switch off the phone.
4. Read the print aloud. It will take 15 minutes.
Chris Jones
Creative Director
London Screenwriters’ Festival
Online
We have an official Twitter hashtag for the
festival which is #LondonSWF. You can follow
us on Twitter @londonswf
(https://twitter.com/londonswf )
Join us on Facebook too at
https://www.facebook.com/londonswf - do drop
by and like the page, we use it for many
announcements of upcoming stuff.
We have a blog, too – check it out at
www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/blog
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Shape of the Festival
The festival runs for three days
from September 2nd to 4th (Friday
to Sunday).
The days start at 9.00am and end
around 7.30pm (with networking
drinks running later).
The venue is Regent’s University
(which used to be called Regent’s
College, but it’s the same building).
On the first day of the festival there will be a bottleneck as 1000 delegates turn
up to collect passes, so arrive early. We suggest no later than 8.30am on Friday
2nd September.
Each day, you can arrive early for breakfast (in the refectory), and stay late for
our parties (on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights). We recommend planning
for both.
Plan to be present as much as possible as you won’t want to be dragged away to
other events over the three days.
WiFi
Okay, so the good news is that we SHOULD have free WiFi throughout the entire
venue for the whole event. In past years this has been an issue but we have
new contractors at the venue, so fingers crossed! It is, in effect, it’s out of our
hands but we have been given promises. Your WiFi codes will be on the back of
your pass when you collect it at registration.
Bookstore
There will be a bookstore on site where you can
get signed books from our speakers so please
check the schedule for their allocated times. We
do now accept card payments but if you think
you need cash remember to bring enough with
you as the machine on site charges for
withdrawals.
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Getting There
The London
Screenwriters' Festival is
hosted by Regent's
University, in the heart of
London and within the
beautiful grounds of
Regent's Park.
Regent's University,
Inner Circle, Regent's
Park, London, NW1 4NS
Baker Street tube is the closest tube stop, around ten minutes walk to the
university. There is a Google map with directions here http://goo.gl/maps/n01dk
Exit Baker Street tube station, take the Marylebone Road exit and turn left. Walk
past Madame Tussauds, before taking the next left onto York Gate, which
continues onto York Bridge. Follow the road into Regent's Park and the main
entrance to Regent's University will be on your left-hand side. Total walking time
is approximately 10 minutes. Please note that Baker Street Underground Station
is not wheelchair accessible.
It’s not advised to travel to the venue by car as parking is expensive and
restricted.
Allow time to get lost on your way on the first day :)
When you arrive
Please bring a copy of the emailed receipt that
you received when you signed up. If you do
not have this, bring some ID instead. We want
to make sure that YOU get YOUR pass!
Do not lose your pass, replacements will cost £20.
We will also give you the most up-to-date schedule
and a map of the venue. There will also be a board
with all the speakers listed on it, to jog your
memory.
REMEMBER, ARRIVE EARLY!
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Map of the Venue: Regent’s University
Don’t panic! The Venue is smaller than it looks and you will quickly get your
bearings. It’s essentially a large quad with rooms on all four sides. At the back in
the private gardens will be the Final Draft Marquee. NOTE – This map WILL
change closer to the event as rooms lock in.
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Schedule of Events
The full schedule will go live some time in
mid August.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/sc
hedule
During the festival there are five separate
strands of events – this means that at any one
time five sessions are running concurrently.
We film many sessions to help you with the
choices you may face. We do not film all
sessions as some speakers decline this.
Some sessions will be much more popular than others and, where possible, we
will flag this up so that you can make your choices with the most information.
Between sessions there is always a half an hour break minimum, with a longer
one for lunch (around 90 minutes).
All sessions are one hour, with the exception of mid-morning double sessions
which can last between an hour and a half and two and a half hours, depending
on session and speaker(s).
Friday will be our most busy day and we recommend bringing a packed lunch if
you want to avoid waiting in line.
If you have applied for Pitching, Script Doctor Sessions, The Actors’ Table Read
or the Labs, or other small group / individual sessions, and if you are selected,
we will endeavour to schedule you so that none overlap. These include…
• The Advanced Script Development Labs
• The Actors’ Table Read
• The Pitchfest (takes place all Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
• Hollywood Pitching sessions will take place on the Friday and Saturday
evenings.
• The Script Doctors take place on Saturday and Sunday.
• The new Writers Room initiative
• The new Speed Networking initiative
• Meet the Experts
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As you can see there are a lot of possible conflicts but we will do our best to
make sure we avoid problems.
NO AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING IS ALLOWED – WE FILM EVERYTHING PERMITTED BY SPEAKERS
Other Get-Togethers
There will also be drinks on Friday and Saturday nights, and very informal drinks on Sunday night (and off site).
Where to Eat
There is a refectory at the venue. We stagger
events to try and avoid long waits at lunch (which
helps a lot), but Friday will be hectic, so you might
want to grab some sandwiches from M&S at Baker
Street tube on the way in.
Remember – you are in for the long haul so
bring supplies with you!
There is also a terrific small café across the road from the University, on the
inner circle, called the Garden Café.
Thursday night launch event!
OFFICIAL DRINKS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE
FESTIVAL BEGINS
September 1st, 7.00pm, Regents University
Join us for a drink on Thursday night as we open
LSF 2016…
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The Network
LSFConnect.com is our private delegate
network where you can connect with other
screenwriters, producers and delegates
attending this year.
It’s also where we share all the past video
sessions – there are around 200 online now.
There are forums, groups and a chat room
where we congregate to discuss anything
related to the festival and screenwriting.
We recommend you create a profile BEFORE the festival, in fact as soon as
possible. The headshot you upload to the network will be used for the delegate
book.
There is a two-minute orientation video in the network when you log in – try and
watch it.
The network will get VERY busy in the run up to the festival, and for about a
month after the festival. It’s available year round and you can periodically log in
for inspiration or instruction from one of the past session videos.
As we edit session videos from this year, they will be uploaded into the network
(it takes around three months to complete them all).
If you missed your invite, drop us an email and Lisa Shelley will sign you up –
lisa@londonswf.com
Watch past videos at http://www.lsfconnect.com/page/video-archive
Read the forums at http://www.lsfconnect.com/forum
Meet other delegates at http://www.lsfconnect.com/profiles/members
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Access the Submissions, Booking
and Info Page
Submissions to ALL initiatives such as the Legal
Clinic and Pitchfest Booking are accessible via the
2016 Submissions, Booking and Info Page. All
additional delegate information is also available
via that page. Log in using the unique password
which you have been sent. If you do not have this
contact zsofia@londonswf.com
Get access here…
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.co
m/delegate-welcome/
Talent Directory
List your details in the talent directory for other
screenwriters, filmmakers, producers and agents.
The talent directory will be published and shared a few
days before the festival. We will send PDF copies to all
delegates, all speakers and all pitch execs attending the
festival.
You must add your details BEFORE 23rd August
2016 at 23:59. If you do not complete the form
YOU WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE TALENT
DIRECTORY.
Applications opened on 16th May 2016.
Once you have entered the data you cannot change it so take your time to get
it right. We will copy your photo from the delegate network (please ensure you
have a photo in the network).
NOTE: Some of the data you give us will be left out of the delegate book, but it
will be used by the festival to get a better picture of our delegates so that we
can apply for funding next year. This is data such as your age group, gender and
where you are from.
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Speakers, Pitch Execs and Cast
and Crew
In case you missed them on the site you can
check out the professionals attending…
Please note that these lists are
constantly updated so check them
regularly as some speakers will drop out
due to work commitments.
Speakers here:
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/speakers
Pitch execs, producers and agents here:
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/britpitch
Actors and Directors for the Table Read here:
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/actors-and-directors
Sessions list here:
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions
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The Great British PitchFest 2016
What is it? An opportunity to meet and chat
with influential agents and active producers.
The people who have the power to make
your projects happen.
If you are successful in booking, you have the
opportunity to pitch your project to agents,
producers or commissioners in ONE of our 90
minute, limited pitching sessions. This means
face-to-face time with the very people who could
launch your career, option your script or offer
insight into how to improve your pitching techniques. We will send out an email
with information regarding how to book a session so please keep an eagle eye
out!
NOTE – We have added an additional day of pitching on Thursday the 1st
September to help with numbers.
Who You Can Expect To Be Present
We are flying in top agents, producers and
executives from Hollywood studios who will be
joined by the cream of the British film industry,
as well as hungry and emerging producers
looking for new relationships.
You can find a full list of execs, producers and
agents here…
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/britp
itch
The Pitchfest Booking System goes live at midday (UK time) on Saturday
27th August 2016. The hottest sessions usually fill up within minutes of the
system going live, so be prepared.
You can see the system here but it’s NOT live until 27th August…
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/pitchfest-booking
Some notes to manage your expectations.
• The execs, producers and agents may shift around or even drop out.
• We will continue to add new execs, producers and agents in the run up to
the festival.
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• Sessions last 90 minutes and as a delegate you may choose JUST ONE.
• We try and have a ‘delegate-to-exec’ ratio of three-to-one in every
session. Please note this is dependent on their availability. We do our best
to make it even but it is not always possible.
• Thursday and Friday will be intense and busy, Saturday less so, Sunday
even less so.
• If this is your first pitching experience, consider Saturday or Sunday as
they will be less intense and you can get tips from other delegates.
Remember, you may only book ONE pitch session at the PitchFest and
the system to book your place goes live on Saturday 27th August 2016
at midday, UK time.
On the Day of Your Pitch
• Turn up ON TIME to your pitching session.
• There will be around 10-14 execs,
producers or agents present for you to
pitch to.
• There will be around 30 delegates pitching.
• The session lasts 90 minutes.
• Pitches rotate every five minutes, so make
those minutes matter.
• There will be a queue for each pitchee, so choose who you want to pitch
to and get in line.
• Once you have pitched, choose who you want to pitch next and get in line.
• Do the maths, you will get between 3 and 8 pitches depending on which
queues you join. Be tactical.
• Get there early to be first in line!
• After each session, if a pitchee wants to discuss your project further, it’s
up to you to get contact details and follow up. We will not supply their
contact details later – so please don’t ask!
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Hollywood Pitchfest via Skype
Get to pitch – face to face over Skype – with
Hollywood producers and execs. Sessions are 90
minutes and you should get around 7 or 8 pitches
in during that time. It’s the same rules as the
Great British Pitchfest, only it will take place over
Skype in the evenings of the festival.
Friday: 6.00 – 7.30pm
Saturday: 8.00 – 9.30pm
This is the second time we have run the Hollywood Pitchfest and anyone who
has used Skype will know there is a high chance of dropped and failed calls. So if
you decide to try and book this session, you must be prepared for things to go
wrong. Fingers crossed they won’t… This is one way we are making more slots
available for delegates at the festival. Please bring electronic versions of your
writing / sales material. Bring anything that you can have ready to email execs
who are interested in your project.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/hollywood-
pitchfest-via-skype
* Pitching Thursday (Evening) Note
We recommend STRONGLY that you also sign up for
Pitching Thursday (Evening) with Pilar Alessandra –
get pitching tips from the top guru on the planet.
Ask others in the network, she is simply AWESOME!
Sign up below.
This is not the same as The Great British Pitchfest.
This is a day of pitching expertise in order to help
you in your future career.
You can pick up your pass for LondonSWF, go to Pitching Thursday evening class
then join us for drinks after in the Final Draft Tent – the class is just £20.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/pitching-
thursday-londonswf-festival-one-day-week-workshop
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PitchFest Room Layout (Room A201)
The Pitchfest will take place on the top floor of the Acland Building in room A201
(opposite the Actor’s Table Read rooms). Queuing will take place outside the
room and leading down the stairs.
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The Actors’ Table Read
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.
If you submit a script to the process and you
are selected, you will attend a one hour session
where the director and the actors will work on
one sequence (between 3 and five pages) of
your script.
These are closed sessions and they run throughout all three days of the festival.
Submissions open on 6th June 2016 and close 15th July 2016. Successful
applicants will be announced on 18th August 2016.
You can submit your script here…
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/atr/
Other Stuff You Might Want to
Apply for
Throughout the festival there are a number
of focussed ‘opt-in’ sessions and
initiatives. You will need to apply for some and
deadlines may be fast approaching, so take
action now.
ALL BOOKINGS GO VIA THE BOOKINGS,
SUBMISSIONS AND INFO PAGE
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.c
om/delegate-welcome
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Advanced Mentoring Script Labs
Apply for our Advanced Mentoring Script
Labs where you receive three hours of
mentoring from an expert. All labs run for
three hours (Day and time TBC). If you get into
a lab, you will of course miss sessions on
Saturday morning, but most are filmed anyway
and made available later inside the network. If
you want to pitch at the PitchFest, that means
you will also need to avoid that Saturday
morning slot and choose one either later on
Saturday, or on the Thursday, Friday or Sunday.
The labs DO NOT run at the same time as the Actor’s Table Read, so no clash is
possible there.
More information on labs here:
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-
on/sessions/script-labs
Deadline: opens 4th July 2016, closes midnight 31st July.
The 2016 British
Screenwriters’ Awards
It was about time someone put the
originators and architects of great
storytelling front and centre. We rose to
that challenge in 2014 and launched the
British Screenwriters’ Awards.
This year at the London Screenwriters’
Festival we will run the third British
Screenwriters’ Awards, honouring outstanding writing from newcomers
and established screenwriters in both film and television. And again we
will be expanding categories this year too, championing even more great
screenwriting. Hosted by comedian Rhona Cameron, you can be sure it
will be a star-studded night to remember, so please come along on
Saturday 3rd September at 7.30pm!
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Script Surgery / Euroscript
Get one-to-one script feedback on your
screenplay from an experienced Script Doctor.
Euroscript have around 100 one hour slots
available on a first come, first served basis.
Firstly, you need to submit your script for
consideration: Booking opens on Monday 4th
July and closes on 12th August. Successful
applicants are announced on 16th August after
which they can book a slot with a reader.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/scr
ipt-surgery/
NOTE: Slots can go within the first few hours, so be ready to act. If you are
successful you will then need to upload your script or idea immediately after
booking your slot so be prepared or you will lose it.
We also operate a drop-in desk during 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.
www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/we-will-read-your-
script
Script Chat
It’s one thing sitting in an audience
listening to that producer, agent or
writer… it’s an entirely different thing
getting real face-to-face time with them.
That’s why we setup ‘Script Chats’ –
special, intimate and informal chats with
speakers that take place directly after their
sessions.
At the end of each session there is a half an
hour break where you can spend time chatting
to speakers in depth. And you are not limited to half an hour, these sessions
have often run on for an hour and a half. You do not need to book a place at the
Script Chat sessions, just turn up (be aware that sometimes it can get a little
busy). Please note that not all speakers will be available for Script Chats.
Sessions that will have a ‘Script Chat’ will be marked accordingly in the
schedule.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/script-chat-2/
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All getting too much?
Visit our resident masseuse in the Final Draft
marquee for a world class 15 minute, revitalising
head and shoulder massage.
Bookings can be taken at the Registration stand after
10:30 on Friday at the festival.
Running out of juice?
Throughout the Final Draft Marque on sponsor tables
you will see smartphone charging stations where you
can recharge your devices.
There are around 50 USB slots available, so hunt one
down and get your self back to 100%! You will need
your own device cable to recharge.
Don’t Dehydrate!
Bottled water can become expensive over the three
days, so plan to bring a bottle and refill at one of the
three filtered and chilled water fountains onsite. You
can see their locations on the venue plan.
Final Draft Genius Table
Got a Final Draft question you need answering? Need
a bit of help getting to grips with the features? The
lovely people from Final Draft will be at the festival
and you can drop in at any time to get some world
class expert help from them. Located in the main
Marquee.
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Sessions That Require Advanced Work
During the festival there are a number of sessions that require a bit of prep work
to get the most from them. The complete schedule will be going live in mid
August - http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/schedule
Script To Screen Sessions
We will be running a number of Script To
Screen sessions at the festival.
The idea is simple. We send you the shooting
script that was used on set, you read it, then
watch the film on DVD at home, then attend the
session where we deconstruct the journey of the
project from idea, script, shoot, edit and final
distribution.
All scripts can be downloaded via the
Submissions, Booking and Info Page.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/delegate-welcome/
Script To Screen LIVE
Our Script To Screen LIVE events are where we
play the film and discuss it with the writers on
stage, in real time. We suggest you print the
script and bring it with you for these AMAZING
sessions.
All scripts can be downloaded via the
Submissions, Booking and Info Page.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.c
om/delegate-welcome/
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The Pitch Factor
Feel the fear and do it anyway! Pitch in front of a
live audience and win CASH!
Put £5 in a hat and pitch your script in front of a panel of
industry professionals at our annual Pitch Factor, a
relaxed and friendly environment where delegates pitch
their project in two minutes or less. You do not need to
book for the Pitch Factor, just turn up.
Legal Surgery
Do you have legal issues you need a lawyer to help
you with? All delegates have the option to apply for
legal advice at our legal clinic, run by Blue Pencil
Media.
You can ask any question you like and their legal team
will do their best to answer your concerns. We are
running an application process for the limited slots over the festival. Apply
below.
Submissions are open on 27th June 2016
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/delegate-welcome/
Deadline is 9th August at 6:00pm
The Elevator Pitch
The idea is simple - the elevator doors open, you
step inside only to find yourself alone with a top
executive… You have 90 seconds to get them to
accept your business card!
This micro workshop, based on the popular myth of
writers meeting execs in elevators, is a great opportunity
to try out your fabulous 90-second pitch. You might get an invite to submit your
work, you might not… but you will certainly get an experience you won’t forget!
The session runs on a first come, first served basis and you will only find out
who is in the elevator when you step inside.
Feel the fear…. And do it anyway!
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Festival Week
In the run up to LSF we are running three ‘one day’ events. So you can make a
week of it!
Networking Tuesday, work the
room with confidence: Day 1
of Festival Week
Talent is great but relationships get you
hired. The ability to create powerful new
relationships in any given situation is one of
the primary factors in the success of your
career and that of any screenplay that you
write.
Yet ‘networking’ is an essential skill to master and arguably the biggest hurdle you must overcome in order to find the success your hard work deserves. That’s why we have created this one day workshop in the run up the London Screenwriters Festival called ‘Networking Tuesday’. We know how important it is and we are committed to you getting the most from the upcoming festival.
Date: Tuesday 30th August Time: 9.30am – 6pm Tickets: £48.50 http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/networking-tuesday-work-the-room-with-confidence-day-1-of-londonswf-festival-week
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Advanced Structure with
John Yorke: Day 2 of
Festival Week
The number one reason why great ideas, characters and stories fail at the final hurdle is poor structuring. In one day, shift your project from a great idea that is well executed into one that meets the needs of the film and television industry.
Date: Wednesday 31st August 2016
9:30am to 6:00pm Tickets: £48.50
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/advanced-structure-with-john-yorke-londonswf-wednesday-2
Writing the TV Pilot that Sells
with Jen Grisanti: Day 3 of
Festival Week
Jen Grisanti has developed a story system
that has led 40 of her clients to sell their
pilots. Five of them went to series. In this
outstanding one day masterclass, Jen will
share with you her system of story that has
proven so successful.
Date: Thursday 1st September 2016
Time: 9:30am to 5:45pm
Tickets: £99
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-
on/sessions/writing-the-tv-pilot-that-sells-with-jen-grisanti
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Pitching Thursday (Evening) With
Pilar Alessandra
Pitching Thursday is back! Our pre-festival, killer
pitch event fast-tracks you for the weekend of
pitching that lies ahead. Get fully ready for your
Pitchfest experience with Pilar.
“Absolutely inspiring and stimulating! It helps
even the shyest guy in the world to gain a
startling self-confidence in pitching. It’s also a
good exercise to test the real value of your
writing.”
Giordano Trischitta (Pitching Thursday 2012)
Date: Thursday 1st September 2016
Time: 6pm to 8:45pm
Tickets: £20.00
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-
on/sessions/pitching-thursday-londonswf-festival-one-day-week-
workshop
New Sessions To Come…
The Writers Room Experience (TBC)
Get locked in for a whole day at the festival with a showrunner (Thursday) and
create a whole episode of a TV show
Speed Networking (TBC)
Meet 30 new writers, producers and directors in our fun and easy Speed
Networking sessions.
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Accommodation for LondonSWF
(onsite)
we are now able to offer cut price AND on-
campus student accommodation courtesy of
Regent’s University Student halls.
Staying on campus is a sure fire way to not
only save valuable sheckles, but you’ll highly
increase your networking opportunities after
hours with over 200 other delegates after
everyone else has gone home.
Reid Hall at Regent’s University offers a selection of single, twin and triple rooms
at the following prices:
Single Room: £64.50 per person per night
Twin Room: £54.00 per person per night
Triple Room: £47.00 per person per night
To book or for more information, please contact shortcourses@regents.ac.uk
More information here… http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/stay-
onsite-at-londonswf-with-the-new-accomodation-offering-from-the-festival
Accommodation for LondonSWF
(offsite)
If you are coming from out of town, we only
recommend the local Travelodge and AirBnB.
Travel Lodge Euston
+44 (0)871 984 6332 1-11
Travelodge Marylebone
+44 (0)871 984 6311
www.LondonSWF.com September 2016 Draft 1
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Final Note From Chris Jones
Holy cow! You can see there is a TON of stuff to
do to get the most from the festival. It’s going to
be an intense three days, so plan for the
marathon.
Being prepared is the best way to get the most from
the festival, so get working on your pitches now.
At any given time there are five sessions running
along with other events like the PitchFest, Labs, Actor’s Table read etc., so there
is a LOT happening. We do film many sessions and those will be marked in the
schedule.
Above all, remember to relax and have fun. Talent is great, but
relationships get you hired. Making friends is often more valuable than
delivering killer pitches or getting business cards from heavy hitters.
Screenwriting is a lifelong pursuit and a creative marathon, not a 100 yard dash.
Good luck and I look forward to seeing you there!
Chris Jones
PS… IMPORTANT
Keep an eye out for emails from me that have a heading ### Important
message from the LSF Team ###
I will use the three hashtags ### to denote an important operational message,
so do please take the time to read them.
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How To Get The Most Out of
the Festival by Lucy V
So, you’re coming to LSF! Congrats.
This event is put on by writers FOR
writers. We want you to be able to
harness the expertise and
resources available and propel your
writing career forward in 2016.
Every year, delegates ask how to get the most out of LondonSWF, so we asked
blogger, script editor and networker extraordinaire Lucy V to give us her top 7
tips for grabbing LSF by the horns.… strap yourself in!
Plan Ahead
Make sure you study the schedule.
When deciding which sessions to watch
“live”, consider what’s going on at the
same time – remember, most sessions
are filmed, so it’s not “either/or” and
you needn’t miss out altogether.
What’s more, some of the VERY popular
sessions (especially those with
headliners) will be packed out. In contrast, some smaller sessions may bring
more value to you “in the flesh” because less people will be there, meaning you
may get some individual attention from the speaker/s, especially via Q&As.
In addition, consider the value of networking within small groups when others
are in sessions. I’ve lost count of the number of people who’ve told me, “If I’d
gone to see X, I’d never have met Y and now we’re working together on a
project!” More on networking, next.
Networking
Lots of writers worry about
approaching people at events, or
believe erroneously that their
fellow writers are not useful to
them.
Remember, everyone is in the same
boat. Do not huddle together with the
people you know, or sit on your own.
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Try and mingle wherever possible. If you’re not sure how to start conversations,
here are 10 easy questions to break the ice:
1. What are you working on at the moment? 2. Have you travelled far / what’s your hotel like? 3. Who are you hoping to meet during the festival? 4. Which sessions did you see today / which did you get the most out of? 5. What do you want to get out of the festival? 6. Do you have any pitching tips? 7. What genres are your favourites? 8. Do you prefer movies, or television? 9. Who’s your favourite actor? 10.What do you think of transmedia/multiple platform writing?
Your writer colleagues are your greatest allies – never forget this. Don’t ignore
everyone in the hope of catching Joe Eszterhas at the bar, or harangue your
colleagues into hearing your practice pitch either.
The more conversations you have, the more likely you will be remembered for
the RIGHT reasons… For example: I went to a party, years and years ago. I was
writing a horror screenplay and whilst networking, told my logline to about 5
people. By the end of the night, a young producer (whose path I had NOT
crossed that night), came over to me and said:
“I hear you have a horror screenplay?”
That horror feature lead to one of my first paid writing assignments. Now, let’s
rewind and imagine I’d said to other writers, “Oh this and that” when they’d
asked what I was working on. That’s right: that producer, who’d been going
round asking who had horror scripts, would never have been told by those
writers that I had one. Talk about a no-brainer.
Business Cards
Have some. Do not even THINK
of attending LondonSWF without
any.
Lots of people ask what should go on
their business cards. I recommend a
minimal approach: Name, Job Title,
mobile number, website, email
address.
Social media handles/links to CVs, showreels etc are optional. I always include
my Twitter.
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Avoid funky fonts, overly flashy or shiny cards – remember people will have
trouble remembering who is who, so will probably want to write reminders on
the back of cards, so make sure there is a blank bit where they can do this.
DO NOT have those itty bitty cards, oversized ones or round ones or whatever.
These get lost far too easily.
IN AN EMERGENCY: if you have no business cards or run out during the festival,
whip out your phone and ask the person in front of you who they are on Twitter.
Follow them immediately. Create a list of people you meet at LondonSWF this
way. Not on Twitter? SIGN UP NOW.
Pitching
Let’s face it: for a lot of LSF
delegates, it’s all about the
pitching. And why not: LSF opens
up a plethora of potential
opportunities for writers, all in one
place. What’s not to like about
that!
So, a few things to remember
when pitching, especially in the
pitchfest:
� Make sure you’ve got your thoughts together.
� Sit down. Smile. Shake your pitchee’s hand if it’s offered.
� DON’T PANIC. No one expects you to be perfect.
� Introduce yourself. Tell them: 1) what you’re pitching 2) what genre it is 3) what the audience is 4) the logline [NOTE: If you trip over your words,
take a deep breath. Start again.]
� Don’t babble. If the pitchee does not seem interested, don’t try and force it. Ask them if they’d like to hear another logline. If they say yes, rinse and repeat the steps above.
� If you don’t have another logline, don’t sit there like a lemon. Ask your pitchee something. Have a conversation. I find a great icebreaker is, “What would you like to see more of in the slush pile?” Make a mental note of any recurring themes, genres, or characters etc that crop up if you ask more than one industry pro this question.
And another thing, lieutenant: Give one pagers to your pitchees only if they
ASK for them and never, ever foist an entire script on them – or anything else
like USB sticks, CDs or photos/props and especially gifts, even if you mean
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well: it can get really weird. If you have something you want to give someone –
my Bang2writers have brought me chocolate in previous festivals for example –
give it them in the refectory or similar, not a pitching situation!
Also, make sure you know your logline INSIDE OUT and can deliver it
CONVERSATIONALLY and deliver it to all who ask, whether you’re pitching it
formally or not. Remember, a logline is a short description of the plot of your
story. Whatever you do, do NOT confuse a logline with a tagline, which is
the strapline on the front of a poster or DVD box, ie. “In Space No One Can Hear
You Scream.”
Taking Meetings
Want to meet someone specific at
LondonSWF? The advice is simple:
Email him/her before the festival
and arrange IN ADVANCE.
This advice applies whether it’s a fellow
tweeter or an industry pro, btw. What’s
the worst that can happen? S/he says
no, too busy. You’ve lost nothing.
If that person emails back and says yes, they’d be delighted to accept your
invitation for coffee, be sure to pick a SPECIFIC TIME AND DATE. I’ve lost count
of the number of times writers have said, “Let’s have coffee at LSF!” and I’ve
said yes, only to not see them ONCE, despite sitting in communal areas for ages
(as I always do). FYI - If you don’t make an appointment with me, that’s fine –
tweet me at @Bang2write, and I’ll try and make it to se you. DON’T email, DM
or PM me please, these don’t always come through in time.
If you’re not on Twitter, check out the tweet board. I and other speakers will be
using the #LondonSWF hashtag too and mentioning where we are at various
intervals, which will flash up on screen.
Getting there and back
Leave your hotel in plenty of time. Each
day of the festival starts around 9am,
so be sure to arrive before this; lots of
LSF delegates like to have breakfast or
coffee together in the refectory around
8am. Each day finishes around 7.30pm
officially, though there’s opportunity to
network in the bar ‘til late into the
night.
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Some delegates have to leave earlier than others on the Sunday (especially
those with childcare duties, like me), but if you can try and stay for Chris Jones’
closing speech which is usually around 6pm and lasts half an hour, it’s a great,
positive way to round off the event.
And last but by no
means least…
So if there is a session you are
DESPERATE to see firsthand, make
sure you get there as early as
possible.
Be sociable. Live tweeting is a
thing and we encourage delegates
to use the #LondonSWF hashtag
and share their new found knowledge and insights from the event itself in real
time. But do make sure your mobiles are on silent so if they ring, it doesn’t
disrupt anything. Equally, those on either side of live tweeters? Don’t accuse
them of not listening, or typing too loudly! ;)
Do note volunteers and LSF staff will come in and out of sessions as we try and
ensure the smooth running of the event for you behind the scenes. This will be
done with the least amount of disruption possible, so please bear with us, thank
you.
It can be very tempting to have a few jars as Dutch Courage, but try not to get
drunk at the festival. You’ll probably be OK and not offend anyone, spew on
anybody or make anyone think you’re odd, but is it worth the risk?
Remember, it’s a small pond. Try not slag anyone off. You never know who
knows who. This includes various TV programmes, movies, etc. It’s just not
worth it. No one says you have to tell lies about how much you loved a piece of
work if you didn’t, but be positive or risk looking like an amateur.
Concluding
Decide what you want … and go get it,
tiger! Just remember your loglines, your
business cards and don’t be a div. It’s
all about making connections and
forging those all-important
relationships. Good luck!
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Pitching your screenplay and
movie with Signe Olynyk
How to pitch your movie or screenplay,
by the gal who has run Pitchfest for a
decade!
Like many writers, pitching is something that
hasn’t always come easy to me. As someone
who has had to overcome tremendous shyness
and learn how to pitch in order to get my
movies made, there are a few things I have
learned that might help others to do the same.
Pitching is a necessary evil. You must pitch if you want your project to be
produced. The only sure-fire way to make sure your script never gets made is
to never tell anyone about it. But there is hope – you are probably much better
at pitching than you think. Never pitched before? Think again. When you go to
a job interview, you are pitching. When you convince your friends to see the
latest Bollywood film when everyone wants to see ‘Avengers’, you are pitching.
When your kids plead for another hour past bedtime to play X-Box… Well,
okay. They are pitching you. But you get my point – most of us pitch every
single day without realizing it.
A successful pitch must be much more than simply convincing or selling
someone on something. The best pitches are conversational – as if you are
telling your friends about a great movie you just saw. Conversational means
there is an exchange by both parties – sometimes the person you are pitching
has questions, or they are engrossed with your pitch and respond with their
body language. If you are doing it right, they are engaged and listening to
every exciting word you are sharing, and the communication between you and
the person you are pitching is filled with give and take. You give by telling about
your character’s overall goal, they take by leaning in. You tell them how your
character overcomes their obstacles. They gasp. They ask a question. You give
an answer. A great pitch is like a dance – but you are the one leading and
reacting as your partner responds to you. Give and take, back and forth.
Actually, that sounds like something else. But you get my point. You are
hosting the meeting, and as such, you control the information that is shared. As
the conversation continues, you lead it back to what needs to be conveyed.
One of the biggest mistakes writers make when they are pitching for the first
time is that they tell too much information. Shot by shot, scene by scene – this
is what causes grey hair to grow, and executive eyelids to droop. But how do
you know what is too much? Too little?
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As my producing partner, the fabulous Mr. Bob Schultz sometimes laments, ‘If I
could tell it to you in 90 seconds, why would I have told it to you in 90 pages’?
Bob is referring to a logline, which is often described as the one sentence, ‘tv
guide’ version of a story. A pitch does not need to be short, but it does need to
be succinct. You need to be extremely selective about the finding the true heart
of your story, and it is much more difficult to do than one might think. It means
stripping away all the hard work you’ve put into your script, and reduce it down
to the bare bones in order to pitch it effectively. We don’t need to know your
character’s backstory. We don’t need to know who you imagine casting as the
lead. All we need are the bones.
And what are the bones? Let’s plot out the skeleton of your pitch.
Title
First, tell me the title of your script. Easy enough,
right? Well, not so fast. Here’s what I’m thinking
about as a producer when you tell me your title
and begin the bones of your pitch…
I am wondering if your title starts with an A, B, C,
or maybe a number. Or is there another title for
your concept that would? People often rent their
films through VOD, Netflix or Red Box these days,
and they generally start at the first letter of the
alphabet and make their way through the movie selections, starting with the ‘A’
titles and working their way down (or starting at ‘Z’ and working up. Rebels, I
know). Distributors also prefer titles with one or two words as they tend to lend
themselves more easily to foreign sales and generally translate more easily into
other languages. Is it a title that captures the theme of your film (ie ‘Alive’,
‘Misery’, ‘United 93’)? Is it a title that is high concept, meaning you
immediately understand what the movie is going to be about, just by hearing
the name (ie ‘Bad Teacher’, ‘Buried’, ‘Contagion’)? Although it isn’t always easy
to create unique titles that fulfill theme, distribution preferences, and still
capture a strong sense of your story, you increase the chance of success for
your screenplay if you do.
Genre
Identify the genre of your film. Is it a comedy?
Horror? Rom-Com or Historical Drama? An
Executive wants to know what genre you are
pitching because it establishes the mood for the
rest of the pitch, and sets up what they can
expect of your story. If you launch right into
your pitch about a woman giving birth to a
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zombie baby, we need to know whether that script is a comedy or a horror so we
know how to react as you pitch it. If it is a true life story about your zombie
baby, I’m so sorry to hear it. Are the rights available?
Here’s my producer brain again, mulling over what I am listening for and
thinking about as you pitch. The most successful domestic films are not always
the most successful internationally. For the terms of this article, ‘domestic’
refers to North America, and ‘foreign’ refers to everywhere else. Comedies
generally need to have A-list talent to perform well at the box office, and it is
difficult for a company to take a chance with a new writer on a multi-million
dollar movie. Comedy (including Romantic Comedies & what I call ‘Jerk
Comedies’) is also very subjective, and what is funny in North America may be
offensive, or simply not translate well into other cultures or languages
internationally. Action films are still the most successful genres at the box
office, domestically and abroad. However, this genre also tends to be more
expensive to produce, because there are so many setups required (number of
shots) to successfully achieve many of the sequences audiences expect, and
also, because recognizable or A-list cast must generally be attached (translate:
bigger budget).
As I listen to your pitch, I am thinking about whether this is a genre I can raise
enough money for, is it something I can attract cast to, is it unique enough from
every other horror movie out there, and will it sell internationally? Having a
sense of what is important to an exec is important because it can help the
person pitching to identify the reasons why their script may not be an exact fit
for a particular company. You might think an indie producer is kookoo-bananas
for not optioning your big budget studio extravaganza that is a brilliant script (it
really is!), but factors such as ‘can I raise enough money at this point in my
career’ are massive factors that are often beyond your control. My hope is that
by sharing some of this information, you will better understand why an exec
can’t always come on board your project – even if the script is outstanding. It is
often a matter of just finding the right match, and sometimes, well, that just
requires luck and perseverance. Happenstance.
But, I digress. I can write more about some of these issues another time. Let’s
get back to the bones of pitching.
Protagonist
Now that we know the title and genre, we want to
know ‘who is the main character’? Through
whose eyes are we experiencing this story? It
needs to be someone who we can relate to, and
we need to care enough about them and their
goal to want to go on this 90-ish minute journey
with them. As an audience, we want to
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experience their growth, and see them evolve. Our favorite movies start with a
character who has a certain behavior or world point of view, and through the
challenges they face in pursuit of their goal, they evolve to become a different
person. By the end of the story, your protagonist’s behavior and world point of
view has changed. For better or worse. Experiencing that character growth
allows audiences to escape and live vicariously through the characters. That
ability to escape and be enlightened to a new character perspective is largely
how movies enrich all our lives, and why we go to movies in the first place.
Goal
Once I know the title of your screenplay, the genre,
and who the protagonist is, I will want to know what
that character wants. What physical, tangible goal are
they pursuing? Save the planet from the speeding
meteorite? Get the characters off the bus before it
explodes? Find the groom before the wedding? Come
up with one more cliché goal before I finish this
article? Although an emotional goal can be a
consequence of this pursuit, the goal must be an
actual, physical one. The goal for your main character is not to ‘fall in love’, but
it might be to ‘save the swamp’. Falling in love is often the emotional
consequence. Sigh. We should all save more swamps. Plus, lizards are
awesome.
Obstacles
Okay, now that we know the character’s goal, we need
to know what the increasingly difficult obstacles are
that stand in the way of him, her, or it reaching that
goal. The best screenplays always involve a strong
opponent, whether that nemesis is another character
or monster, a force of nature, or an establishment.
The shark in ‘Jaws’. Jigsaw in the ‘Saw’ movies.
Number Six in the ‘Battlestar Galactica’ tv series. The
demon in the ‘Paranormal Activity’ movies. Darth Vader is all of these things – a
character, a monster, a force of nature, and he represents an establishment.
Villains with their own goals and obstacles that conflict with the goals and
obstacles of your protagonist are often more relatable and interesting than
characters of extreme degrees. The mustache twirling villains and wicked
witches of the past are made more human by putting their needs in direct
conflict with your hero character. One of my favorite writing exercises is to
reverse the roles of my main character and their antagonist, and tell the story
from the other character’s point of view. If you’ve seen the broadway version of
‘Wicked’, you will know how successful that exercise can be. To me, ‘shades of
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grey’ are always more interesting than characters who are pure evil, or pure
goodness. Although I enjoy hearing Snow White sing.
Making sure the stakes your character faces are serious enough is often where
many screenplays (and pitches) fail. A brilliant script consultant I like to work
with on all my projects is Mr. Robert Southhill (robert.southhill@gmail.com). He
often calls these types of scripts a BOSH. Bunch Of ‘Stuff’ Happens. It’s when
one thing after another simply happens to your protagonist, instead of the
character striving towards a specific goal, struggling, and overcoming the
obstacles that are in the way. Your goal has to be a real, physical, tangible goal
that has such dire consequences for your character that we must root for them,
and care enough to go on this journey with them. By making the stakes high
enough for the character, you raise the dramatic impact of each obstacle.
Making sure that the obstacles in your character’s way are increasingly serious is
a way to deepen our commitment to the character and root for their success. If
your character’s goal is to drive from Canada to Los Angeles, who cares? But if
2,500 angry writers will tie her to a stake and roast her at a bbq if she doesn’t
get there and make sure she puts on a great conference for them, then the
stakes are significantly higher. What are the obstacles in the way? 2,700
miles? Construction? Hordes of cattle all over the highway in Montana? Not
good enough. The stakes need to be serious enough that it becomes a ‘do or
die’ effort. Trust me, it is.
Pitching In general
Like a great movie trailer, the pitch should
have a beginning, middle, and an end –
without giving everything away. In the
beginning, you tell who it is about and what
they want. The middle of your pitch is
where you tell what gets in the way of your
protagonist reaching that goal, and what
they did to overcome it. The ending is
where you tell the lesson learned, not just the lesson for the character – but the
lesson that your audience walks away with, enriched for the experience of
having seen your film.
Every pitch is a little bit different. All pitches need to have to have the bones
that I already described, but they also need to be tailored to whoever you are
pitching. If you are pitching an actor, you want to spend more time focusing on
the character. What their character arc is. How they change through the course
of your story. You will want to spend extra time focusing on the juicy bits that
make the role a character an actor would want to play. If you are pitching an
agent, you may also want to pitch yourself and your ability to take on writing
assignments, to write fast, and the connections you already have. If you have
optioned a property and are pitching an investor or studio exec, you are going to
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expand your pitch to address casting and foreign sales, and budget details.
You’d want to get into who your key crew are, what’s your schedule, your
budget, and financial plan. You have to know who you are pitching so that you
can adjust your pitch to reflect what they are looking for, and target those needs
in your pitch. All pitches should have the bones of your story, and be expanded
upon to be able to address the other needs of whoever you are pitching.
The core. The bones. The skeleton. It all means the same thing. You need to
know who your protagonist is. What they want. What obstacles are in the way
of that goal, and what is the lesson learned.
If you are still nervous about pitching and need more advice, the two best pitch
coaches I know are Bob Schultz (bob@pitchfest.com – Bob runs the Great
American PitchFest with me, and is also my producing partner) and the awesome
Pilar Alessandra from www.onthepage.tv. Pilar is a pitch and script consultant,
and an exceptional teacher who leads ‘Pitching Thursday’ at the LSF. She has
one of those ‘fill in the blank’ type of templates that essentially does the work for
you. Writers simply fill in the blanks and immediately start pitching. It’s that
easy.
Pitching can be terrifying, especially if it is your first time. But before I sign off,
I want you to take a hard look at yourself. You wrote this brilliant script. You’ve
worked hard to master your craft. And now you’re ready to bring it into the
world. Be proud of that. And confident. You have accomplished something
amazing, so remember that with every pitch meeting you go into. Now, you just
need practice.
Signe Olynyk
www.Pitchfest.com
A Screenwriters Guide to
Networking
Talent is great, but relationships
get you hired.
It’s not about collecting business cards
and convincing yourself that those
cards equal a relationship – it’s about
REALLY connecting with other people
in a meaningful way.
That’s why we network. To make new friends within our professional sphere.
So the real secret to networking is to just hang out like you would with friends,
But move around the group(s) more systematically. You are looking for people
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with whom you ‘chime’ (click?), with shared values and vision, people who YOU
can help, and lastly, people who can help you too.
The best thing about networking at the London Screenwriters’ Festival is that
you are already amongst friends. So don’t be shy.
Networking Events
These events work because we all agree to
get together in one space at the same time
with an implicit agreement that it’s OK to
just walk up and start talking. Booze, a
darkened room and a bit of music makes it
easier.
Don’t be afraid
The most important thing to remember is
that the person you are approaching is as
nervous as you. They have insecurities too. In fact, the real irony is that they
will probably be thankful that you came to them, and secretly wish that they
were as good at networking as you! Yes I get it, you don’t want to do it. None of
us really enjoy it. But films don’t get made in a vacuum and we all need friends.
So take the plunge. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Look people in the eye and shake hands confidently
When approaching, make eye contact, smile, introduce yourself, shake hands
(not limply) and speak up. When someone shakes hands with that ‘limp’
handshake, you are sending a very direct message – I don’t want to touch you.
If you mumble when talking, you are simply projecting: What I am saying is not
worth listening to. There are plenty other people in the room, why would anyone
waste time with someone who won’t shake your hand or speak up? Get out of
your comfort zone and COMMUNICATE with confidence and clarity.
Ask a question to start the relationship
An easy way in is to ask a question… ‘How are you feeling?’, ‘Did you see that
last session?’, ‘How did you get on in your pitches?’ Keep opening questions
lighter, more personal and conversational. There will be time after you have
made friends to ask about how to send them a script.
Ask questions and listen
Don’t launch into how cool you are and how amazing your script is. Doing this
could just get you into the competitive cycle of mine is better than yours, and
that’s NOT a good way to make powerful new friends and allies. Ask questions.
Interesting questions. Even personal questions. Be genuine in your conversation
and listen. You’d be amazed how much more likeable most of us become if we
just keep our mouths shut for more of the time. When you have something
genuinely relevant, illuminating or valuable, of course get involved. Remember,
experienced people talk about the industry all the time and most of us can’t
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compete on that level, we just don’t have the knowledge, peer group and
relationships. But talking about ‘the kids’, assuming you both have children, IS
somewhere that you will both share expertise, opinion and rapport.
Don’t Stay In One Place
Every conversation has a natural life – when that’s over, move on. Don’t linger
awkwardly. It’s totally fine to say ‘It was great to meet, and there are so many
others I want to meet here too, so I am going say goodbye for now…’ Shake
hands, smile and move on. And if someone says that to you, don’t get upset. It’s
part of the unwritten agreement we make with each other at these professional
events and parties.
Your need to be ‘right’…
The need to be ‘right’ is toxic - we can all see it in others, but so rarely in
ourselves. Being ‘right’ will shut down conversations, even when you are in fact,
‘right’! So give it up and choose to listen instead. I found out a long time ago
that ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ are opinions and not facts.
Compliment honestly, but don’t go overboard
Everyone likes to be complimented, so offer compliments. But don’t go
overboard, you will come across as a bit desperate. Equally, don’t be
disingenuous; we can all spot a bullshitter. And no-one wants to be friends with
a desperate bullshitter.
Be with that person
When you are with a person, BE with that person. There is a temptation to look
over shoulders, eyeing up the next person to network with, but try to avoid it.
Listen, connect and communicate. Ninety percent of people cannot or do not do
this.
Be a facilitator
Think like a producer and introduce others who you know could benefit from the
relationship. Facilitating success in others will always pay you dividends in the
long run. It also helps you move around the room with great agility.
Be credible
You may not know everything about the business and that’s OK. Being credible
is about learning and applying that knowledge. It’s about humility and courage.
It’s not just about connections and credits. And we all have something to offer.
Bottom line, do not bullshit the bullshitters. Anyone with experience has heard
every line before, so don’t try and appear more important than you really are.
You are you, and you have a huge amount to offer. Don’t sell yourself short by
pretending to be someone you are not.
Give and take cards (and follow up)
Take business cards and exchange them – but understand that most will end up
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in the bin. You don’t want to leave with 300 business cards from people you
met, you want to leave empowered with FIVE new and meaningful relationships.
Understand What People Want (and that’s you too)
We are all human animals and basically want the same thing. When we enter a
new relationship (networking) we will ask… What can this person do for me? Can
they entertain me? Can they help me get done what I want to get done? Do I
feel at home and attracted to them? Can I get some kind of intimacy? It’s what
they are looking for. It’s what you are looking for too. Don’t take it personally if
people don’t respond to your overtures – not everyone likes the same kind of
music, Star Trek quotes, arthouse movies, strong cheese etc… Networking is not
right or wrong, it’s just about people connecting. Often we are a tad insecure
and a little tipsy too. If you don’t find what you are looking for, smile and move
on with effortless grace. There are plenty more people to meet.
Don’t take it too seriously
Smile and make friends. It’s not a competition. Successful and powerful
networking is just about are chatting, meeting new friends and having you fun.
If someone is rude, they are probably insecure, bluffing it, tired and just
generally being human. Let it go.
Finally, remember we are all in this game together.
The industry grows the more we collaborate and help each other. Offer help and
you will receive it. Be humble and you will be rewarded with genuine
relationships. Be bold and courageous and you will find success.
See you at the bar!
Chris Jones
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Principal Sponsors
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Regent’s University and the School of Drama, Film
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Screenwriting course accepting no more than 12
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Robert McKee appears in London annually for his
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ScreenCraft is an LA based screenwriting
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42
Partners
London’s leading provider of practical filmmaking
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The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union
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The Great American PitchFest is an annual event and
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Philip Shelley Script consultancy covers reading,
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Festival Formula strategises film festival submissions
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