By Rajan Sabanathan
I asked screenwriter Rajan Sabanathan, a first time LSFer, to share his top tips, insights and takeaways from the festival. Bullet points incoming! Part one of two.
Festival Highlights:
- The Scott Myers’ workshop to kick off the festival and the quality of the parallel sessions across the 3 days, with a huge variety of interesting and valuable topics, and formats.
- The LSF community I have discovered, and new writing friends I have made; I am already arranging zoom calls and coffees with many of them.
- The energy, motivation, and hope brought to the festival by the attendees, film execs, and organisers. I will take these forwards into my writing and day-to-day life.
- The Pitchfest and 60 second pitch to John Yorke in front of 150 or so festival attendees; and the positive connections and opportunities they have led to.
The unexpected moments:
- Brain storming one of my story premises with Scott Myers.
- An actual ad hoc elevator pitch with a film exec before the Pitchfest session.
- Exploring writing short comedy sketches for a video channel.
- A volunteer offering help with table reads.
- A LSF presenter requesting we connect further, to explore my non-writing background for new story ideas.
- In conclusion, I would definitely recommend LSF to those considering attending either for the first time or coming back.
Top Tips:
- Speak to everyone, EVERYONE: the security guards, reception, catering, volunteers, the presenters. You never know what doors those conversations will open, or at the very least, you might just brighten someone’s day a little.
- Have fun, be yourself, and if things don’t go well at first, try again – I pitched twice to the same film exec in Pitchfest, which made him laugh and appreciate my tenacity if nothing else (and he offered to read my script).
- If you want to be successful, you have to hustle. Push yourself and introduce yourself to peers and film execs a like (they are human just like us)
- Don’t be afraid – the LSF is a very supportive and inclusive community.
- In conclusion, if you jump in with both feet, fully commit and immerse yourself in the 3-days, you will walk away with unimaginable treasures.
Part two coming tomorrow.
Screenwriter based in Warfield, Berkshire, inspired by character driven stories that deal with universal themes.
