From script to screen – creative writing for Film and TV

What makes a script engaging and stand out? In this session, two experienced screenwriters share advice and tips.

Panellists

• Col Spector, Screenwriter and Director
• Nick Reed, Writer and Director

Panellist Biographies

Col Spector - Screenwriter/Director

Col is an award-winning writer/director who started in non-fiction at the BBC and now works primarily in fiction: writing and directing feature films for the cinema. He also runs his own documentary consultancy business.

Col started at the BBC directing various short comedy dramas series. He then went on to direct a number of highly distinctive, critically acclaimed documentaries for Channel 4 and BBC. These include: Just Enough Distance, Trouble At The House, Puccini Cappuccini, The Real Alan Clark, and The Lost Supper.

Commercials he directed out of Ridley Scott Associates include Mars, AOL, Lea & Perrins and Snickers.

He then wrote and directed the comedy short New Year’s Eve (starring Stephen Mangan & Keira Knightley) which won several prizes before being included in the feature compilation Stories of Lost Souls.

His first feature as writer/director Someone Else (starring Stephen Mangan) was released in the UK in 2007 by Soda Pictures. It won various prizes including Variety Critics’ Choice at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. It has been shown several times on BBC2 and was distributed by the IFC and Sundance Channel in the US.

Col’s second feature as writer/director, the relationship comedy Honeymooner (starring Gerard Kearns) was released in the UK by Soda Pictures and broadcast on BBC 1. He’s currently in post-production on the dramedy feature Marriage Material (starring Al Weaver).

More about Col Spector's films: www.imdb.com/name/nm2980191/. More about Col's documentary consultancy: www.thedocumentaryconsultant.com.

Nick Reed - Writer/Director

Nick Reed is an award-winning writer and director. He trained and worked as an actor then moved into writing and directing.

Nick’s short films have screened in prestigious festivals and his first short Hic – with Ewen Macintosh and Tom Hollander – also sold to both HBO and Canal +.

His devised piece ‘After 8’ – with Neil Dudgeon, Pooky Quesnel and Lorraine Ashbourne – won Best Drama at New York City Shorts Festival and ‘Star Wars Directed By Ken Loach’ has received over 1M views across YouTube and Facebook – as did virals he made with Jan Ravens as Theresa May – which also appeared on the front pages of Chortle, The British Comedy Guide, The Poke and won the Jury Select Award at Shortcom.

The short black comedy ‘Just Saying’ starring Ewen Macintosh and Carrie Cohen won multiple awards and his new short, Crumbs, starring Julia Cranney and Dan Ryan is now being entered for festivals.

Nick has written for TV, including Doctors and Eastenders. His play Lifecoach, which he directed with Phil Jupitus in the lead role, was nominated for Best New Comedy and his farce Never Mind The Botox also received a nomination for Best New Play.

Nick has written computer games and corporate events – including two of the Harry Potter book launches which took place at the Albert Hall and Edinburgh Castle and which he also directed.

Nick also teaches screen acting and is Head Of Media at Drama Studio London.

Find out more about Nick: www.nickreed.net.