I’ve been popping in and out of the world of Chris Jones and Living Spirit since 1997 when we shot Urban Ghost story at Ealing studios. It was a brilliant shoot and I am still friends with many of the people I met on that shoot – 17 years later.
So I was delighted when Chris asked me to be a guest speaker at the London Screenwriters’ Festival. I’d already guest’d at the inaugural festival and the comedy writers festival, so knew how much fun it’d be. I was asked to be one of the Pitchfest producers, specifically looking for indie film scripts, and proceeded to meet a dozen or more writers in a very short space of time – each one pitching me their film and TV ideas.
I met Laura Spooner at this session, and her film sounded pretty cool. We met up with the rest of her writing team at the Curzon cinema shortly after, and spent a whole half day developing the screenplay. Meanwhile my debut feature film DEATH came out and Laura was at the BAFTA premiere. (Turning up at things, is a very important part of film making!) and it was my turn to pitch something to Laura: my second film ‘The Search for Simon’.
Laura agreed to be script editor and we worked closely with her on completing the script – and shooting the movie. Which has gone on to win Best Movie twice (Monaco and Boston film festivals) and perhaps more importantly BEST SCREENPLAY at the Portsmouth international film festival! So thanks Chris!
Laura is now working in the script department full time at Hollyoaks, and Laura will be collaborating on our Third Feature film shooting this Autumn.
You can see The Search for Simon in the cinema on Tuesday HERE.
Gooch
Buy on DVD HERE
Posted by a member of the London Screenwriters’ Festival team.
