Delegate Guidebook

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MAXIMISE YOUR FESTIVAL By Lucy V Hay 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. 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. 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? 38
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 Jim Uhls 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 led 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 nobrainer. 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. 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. 39
Page 3 and 4: WELCOME To the London Screenwriters
Page 5 and 6: GETTING THERE The London Screenwrit
Page 7 and 8: SCHEDULE OF EVENTS During the festi
Page 9 and 10: 2:00pm 2.30pm 3:00pm 3.30pm 4:00pm
Page 15 and 16: SPEAKERS LEGENDS CHRISTOPHER VOGLER
Page 17 and 18: GREGORY BURKE screenwriter, playwri
Page 19 and 20: STEPHEN VOLK screenwriter, playwrig
Page 21 and 22: JULIA MCKENZIE head of bbc radio co
Page 23 and 24: AHD KAMEL actor, screenwriter, dire
Page 25 and 26: LUCY RAFFETY producer & script edit
Page 27 and 28: ADDITIONAL SESSIONS Please note tha
Page 29 and 30: meet, and social convention dictate
Page 31 and 32: Outstanding Newcomer for British Te
Page 33 and 34: SCRIPT TO SCREEN Die Hard Watch the
Page 35 and 36: Some notes to manage your expectati
Page 37: A FINAL WORD... Holy cow! You can s
Page 41 and 42: chocolate in previous festivals, fo
Page 43 and 44: NETWORKING: A BLUFFER’S GUIDE By
Page 45 and 46: can all see it in others, but so ra
Page 47 and 48: PITCHFEST: 20 EASY STEPS by Bob Sch
Page 49 and 50: craft. Have an idea of other projec
Page 51 and 52: ask the motivation for the change a
Page 53 and 54: • In the process of rewriting wit
Page 55 and 56: all, but rather in making certain t
Page 57 and 58: From November 9th - 12th, Robert Mc
Page 59 and 60: of Style” (Note for readers: an A
Page 61 and 62: THE LONDON BREAKFAST CLUB The Break
Page 63 and 64: perseverance pays off. How Shorts b
Page 65 and 66: GET £40 OFF WITH CODE LSF17 WRITIN
Page 67 and 68: TWISTED50 VOL.1 Get A Little Bit Tw

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