Hello all. I’m Leilani, one of the festival delegates and I shall be live blogging and tweeting (from @momentsoffilm on twitter) this weekend to share my experiences of the very first London Screenwriters Festival with everyone who reads and shares these posts.
Just a bit about me first. I’m a professional actor and in my spare time I’ve been screenwriting now since 2005 (though consider myself still young in the craft). For a number of years I have been a member of The Writers’ Building, a network of screenwriters headquartered in Los Angeles and I also co-run and administrate UK collaborative filmmaking group OTTfilms where I write, direct and produce short films. My first micro-short film in 2006 Death of the Dinosaurs was nominated for a British Independent Film Award so my focus as a writer is how writing transforms onto screen and becomes realised into film. This will be my approach to the London Screenwriters Festival and I hope what I learn will prove to be informative and give everyone a flavour of the festival as I experience it for the first time as a novice writer. I shall try and keep my meanderings entertaining and not to bore you to sobs. (No promises!)
So, it’s the eve of the festival and never quite having lost my Girl Guide’s principle of ‘Be Prepared’ I’ve spent this evening sorting out my laptop ready to blog efficiently from the London Screenwriters Festival tomorrow and throughout the weekend, I’ve been going over the new schedule to make sure I’ve got myself sorted and familiarised with everything that’s happening and I’ve assembled a little pile of business cards to put in my bag (with replenishment piles at the ready to refill for Sat & Sun). I’ve checked my transport route, got my GPS ready, checked over my schedule, packed up my camera and all that’s left is to stuff everything into a bag and head off tomorrow.
Despite being this prepared I still really don’t know what to expect from the festival over the next three days or in what ways I’m going to find it helps my screenwriting or indeed maybe influences the directions I go with my work, but, what I am very prepared for is turning up with an open mind, an enthusiastic heart and being ready to soak up every single thing the festival and all it’s people have to offer me. I know how hard everyone organising the festival has been working to make the event an amazing experience for us all. I’d like to say to all the organisers and speakers a big thanks in advance of the festival, I’m sure that they are anxious everything runs smoothly and I’m confident in their abilities to ensure that’s the case and that this will be a really beneficial weekend for the delegates (no pressure guys!).
So here’s to a fun and fact filled long exciting weekend ahead, meeting people learning things, sharing things, and socialising.. well it’s not called a festival for nothing you know!
Bring it on!
Leilani Holmes
Leilani is an actor, screenwriter and filmmaker and has been blogging for the London Screenwriters’ Festival since it’s inception in 2010.
