Updates and News
Summer Film and TV Super Networking Event At Ealing Studios: August 15th, 4pm to 8:30pm
Join us for a bring-your-own-drink networking event at Ealing Studios on August 15th, 4pm to 8:30pm
Hide the Exposition, Trust the Reader: Megan Halpern’s Top Ten for Scripts That Actually Get Read
Blacklist SVP Megan Halpern shares her top ten craft red flags and green flags at LSF 2026: hide exposition, cut parentheticals, write active characters.
It Starts Long Before the one ‘Yes’!
Confessions of a first-time The London Screenwriters’ Festival delegate!
The Magnificent Seven Rules You Need For Your Second Draft
After 17 LondonSWFs and a dozen features as a director, here are the 7 notes I now give every script before it leaves my
Vertical Drama: How Emerging Screenwriters Can Break In
While film and TV contract, vertical drama is exploding. Director Dan Löwenstein on how emerging screenwriters can break in, with just 8 pages.
Why I booked next year before I even left by Helen Tompson
Last year, I partnered with Chris Jones to add to the official LSF podcast. It’s now up and running, and it’s opened doors I didn’t even know were there. So I came back this year already knowing just being at LSF could change things. What I didn’t expect was quite how much when at the closing ceremony I put my money where my mouth is!
Speakers and Pitchfest Execs Feedback 2026
‘I had an absolute ball at the festival this year. From the army of red-shirts to the positive, friendly vibes in the greenroom, and everything else in between, it was a real buzz to mingle with enthusiastic writers, pitching their best ideas, to such an interesting and wide variety of professionals. I met so many interesting people, had great conversations, and came away feeling excited and ignited about the writing industry. Thanks for having me!’ Eleanor Greene // Producer
Feedback 2026
‘Incredible experience fantastic vibe and people speakers. Super interesting sessions!’ Carolin Farber / Screenwriter, Five Stars!
4 Minutes of Horror at LondonSWF by Suzy Miller
An email flew in from London Screenwriters’ Festival, calling out for maximum four minute horror audio scripts. To be recorded live with actors and mixed during the session with the legend that is Dirk Maggs.
Yesterday I heard nearly 60 pitches at the London Screenwriters Festival by Eleanor Greene
Setting aside the constrained nature of the sessions, (each writer has either 5 minutes or 45 seconds to pitch, depending on which session they attend) here are some things I noticed.
Whoooaa! The Emergent Heroine At LondonSWF All The Way From Australia by Kimberly Lipschus
A whirlwind five days presenting London Screenwriters’ Festival, immersed to the chin in the waters of all things screen story thanks to Chris Jones and his league of incredible team members (Lisa, Amy, Judith, I’m looking at you!) and radiant volunteers. Here’s a distillation of my learnings:
Stop Waiting for a ‘Yes’, Make It Yourself by Rebecca Colby
Screenwriter Rebecca Colby shares three practical takeaways from a mentoring session with Pat Higgins at the 2026 London Screenwriters’ Festival, covering win-win collaborations, writing to your resources, and smart location strategies to get your script off the ground.
From Cold Reads to Creative Breakthroughs: Lessons from Directing 10 Actors Table Reads at LondonSWF by Gabriel Oliver
Directing table reads is about balancing instinct, clarity, collaboration, and adaptability, creating a space where actors, writers, and experimentation bring the script to life.
Buckle Up For The Screenwriting Deal Of The Decade: Scott Myers Online
Scott Myers is in the top three speakers we have EVER had at LondonSWF. People come out of his sessions buzzing, inspired, informed, and ready to take their screenplay up to the next level. Immediately. So the question is, do YOU want to Get The Edge with Scott Myers, for your script, for your career?
PitchFest Ask Me Anything With Chris and Lisa
It’s getting close and we have a LOT of questions coming in, so we are doing our Pitchfest online Zoom chat. It will be recorded if you can’t make it.
Congratulations To The Writers Selected for the 2026 Actors Table Reads at the London Screenwriters Festvial
Woop woop! Congratualtions to the writers selected for the Actors Table Reads. You should have had an email abotu this from Lucia by now, and if not can you drop an email to me about it? It’s a huge logistical feat so do bear with us.
Announcing The Selected Writers For The 2026 Advanced Mentoring Labs
Congratualtions to the selected writers for the 2026 Advanced Mentoring Labs. They are…
My Screenplay Coming Alive At The Actors Table Read at the London Screenwriters Festival
As screenwriters, we often hear our characters perfectly in our heads, but what happens when real actors bring those words to life? At the London Screenwriters Festival table reads, one challenging scene from a romantic comedy revealed surprising insights about character, motivation, and the power of collaboration.
Annual Pre Production Meeting For LondonSWF
Every year, about four to six weeks before the festival, we hold a production meeting for the whole team. This year it was a mix of in-person at the studios in Ealing and on Zoom. And what a riot we had.
Feedback for the 2026 Online Screenwriters Festival
‘Real people kept it real, no Hollywood intimidation, no filler, and real information. Loved it.’ Susan Holgate / Screenwriter
Behind The Scenes at the Online London Screenwriters Festival
I asked our team, Heather and Max, to make a BTS video the experience and here’s the result, capturing some of the energy, madness, fun and exhilaration of the two days. If you want to know about the next one, the best thing you can do is sign up to our email list and you will be carpet bombed with emails about it!
Get Your Four Page Twisted50 Screenplay Recorded As An Audio Drama At LondonSWF
OK, we are running a last minute competition. At the London Screenwriters Festival this year, Audio Drama LEGEND Dirk Maggs is returning to deliver a session on Audio Drama. But we have a twist! And a Twisted twist at that.
Meet Catherine Hardwicke… In 2006 After Her Indie Hit ‘Thirteen’
In 2006, we interviewed Catherine Hardwicke for the Guerilla Filmmakers Handbook, before ‘Twilight’ and after her indie hit ’13’. I am thrilled she is joining us for this years featival and as she was then, and is now, her eccentric, indie spirited and inspirational energy will infect us all!
Ask Us Anything About The London Screenwriters Festival
Next Monday night (March 9th) at 8pm, join Chris Jones, LondonSWF Founder for an Ask Me Anything about the London Screenwriters Festival on Zoom.
Dos and Don’ts when developing your new comedy by Simon Nicholls
Writing a great sitcom isn’t just about landing jokes – it’s about crafting compelling characters, meaningful stakes and a clear point of view that keeps audiences invested. In this guide, award-winning producer Simon Nicholls shares essential dos and don’ts to help new comedy writers hit the ground running and avoid the most common pitfalls when developing a new show.
What Streaming 12 Hours a Day at a Festival Really Looks Like
Streaming four rooms simultaneously at the London Screenwriters Festival means 12 hours a day of live output across three days, and the real work happens before anyone hits “Go Live.” From stress-testing four parallel StreamYard feeds to building redundancy on a budget, here’s what large-scale event streaming actually looks like behind the scenes.
Your Characters are the Key: Unexpected Lessons in Worldbuilding with Genre Legends Frank Spotnitz and Peter Harness
In this recap of the LSF panel “Bending Our Reality: Creating Compelling Alternate Worlds,” Alison Weaverdyck shares key insights from Frank Spotnitz (X-Files, Man in the High Castle) and Peter Harness (Constellation, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell) on why connecting your audience to characters matters more than the intricacies of your world — and how to hook the 95% who aren’t super-fans.
Putting Your Script to Work by Dr John Finnegan
Stop waiting for your script to be produced and start using it as a tool to build momentum, visibility, and a career right now.
Every Writer Should Make a Film: Lessons from No Money, No Problem with Fenella Greenfeld
At last year’s LSF, Fenella Greenfeld broke down how she made her feature 2.0 Lucy for under £40K — and why writers should stop waiting for permission and start making films.
Why I Started ‘The Screenwriters’ Slate UK’ and How It Can Help You Advance Your Career
Frustrated by the lack of consistent access to producers, execs, and agents, Cera created The Screenwriters’ Slate UK—a membership platform connecting writers directly with industry professionals through a searchable database, jobs board, competitions, and events. Designed to foster trusted relationships and create real career opportunities, the platform aims to bridge the gap between screenwriters and the wider UK film and TV industry.
Your Script: Good to Great, A Professional Screenwriters Approach to Breaking Story with Scott Myers
When: Thursday, April 9th 10:00 to 17:00 // Where: Regents University // How much: £47.99 //
How to turn great ideas into producible pitches, treatments and screenplays at scale and speed.
Get The Edge with Scott Myers: How To Write YOUR Screenplay So That Industry Players WANT IT
When: March 28th 10:00am // Online // £27.99
What makes industry gatekeepers stop skimming and start reading? Find out.
The Emergent Heroine: Elevate YOUR Screenplay in this Intensive One Day Workshop
When: Wednesday, April 8th 10:00 to 17:00 // Where: Regents University AND streamed online (available for one year) // How much: £47.99 //
Defy the Blueprint, Explore Hidden Patterns & Transform Your Screenplay into the Story You Were Meant to Write.
The Heart of Your Script: Mastering Your Middle Act
The title of the 2025 London Screenwriting session was actually “The Heart of Your Script: Mastering Your Middle Act”, but the “dark forest” metaphor was so useful and dominant during this talk by Ted Wilkes and Phillip Hughes that I thought it deserved a chance to shine in the recap.
Writing for the Vertical Age: Why Short Scripts Matter More Than Ever
Vertical storytelling is changing how stories are told, and mastering short, focused screenwriting is now the key skill for writers who want to stay relevant.
LSFReplay: 10 AMAZING and FREE Screenwriting Masterclasses To Help Elevate YOUR Writing and Career
LSFReplay offers ten free screenwriting masterclasses from the London Screenwriters’ Festival, every Tuesday online at 8pm UK time.
