Times are changing.
Rapidly.
Streamers are declining, Hollywood is melting down, new platforms are arising, mind bending creativity tools that are as exciting as they are terrifying are appearing every day.
And yet… we still love, create and consume stories BECAUSE that is who we are.
I have always believed that creativity isn’t taught, it’s caught. It may be innate.
Either way, I am as infected, as are you are.
For me, the only antidote is the creating and sharing of stories. The process, the result, the reaction from audiences, and the opportunities that follow.
To not do this actually makes me fell unwell.
And as we live in the real world, it also means we need to earn money and create a career as we do so.
The question on my mind now, as I begin to build the London Screenwriters’ Festival 2024, is this… ‘How can we survive and thrive as professional screenwriters and strorytellers in what feels like an ever evolving industry?’
And believe it or not, the last full scale London Screenwriters’ Festival on stage was in 2018! I KNOW!
If you are like me, you will have stories in you that you NEED to tell.
Stories that you know audiences will LOVE.
Stories that just need that little extra… whether that’s a craft issue, connections to producers or talent, or even an adjustment to fit new storytelling patterns.
You know that your story DESERVES to be seen. If that’s the case, then LondonSWF 2024 should be your destination for Spring next year.
And I have just been through this process myself. This weekend The Enfield Poltergeist, a four part docuseries (on which I was a co Exec Producer), has been released on AppleTV+.
I began my journey with this story in the mid nineties when I produced a feature film loosely based on it. Then we nearly got it greenlit in Hollywood as a big budget feature. And finally, I became involved in this new, and I must admit, moving and authentic retelling, for AppleTV+.
Key to my success has always been the three pillars on which I built the festival back in 2010.
Experience, Inspiration and Connections.
It’s what helped me deliver last year when I was directing splinter unit on Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning. And of course, it was key again this year with The Enfield Poltergeist.
So join me in April next year, when I take the stage to kick of three days of a deep dive into successful screenwriting in 2024.
Learn form those who have just done it themselves as they share their experiences with you.
Get inspired to keep going and make it to the summit.
And make powerful connections with others on the journey as well as people who could actively help you get your work repped, optioned and produced.
Make no mistake, now is not the time to look to the past. Now is the time to not just explore the future, but to lean into it and to define your own destiny.
So appropriately, midnight on Halloween, the LondonSWF Early Bird will end. It’s currently £349 or £47.99 for eight months and you can get your pass here…
https://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/tickets/
When you sign up, your adventure will begin, as you will have committed to being ready for April 5th.
BOOM!
That will immediately give you focus and energy. Now the clock is ticking and THAT is exciting!
You will also get access to LSFConnect.com with over 1,000 hours of past sessions from every single London Screenwriters’ Festival, so you have access to a huge database of knowledge and experience.
Choose. Come or don’t come. But choose, as procrastination is the creative killer.
Buckle up as I look forward to engaging hyper-drive with you on April 5th, 9am in Tuke Hall… It will be emotional, elevating and unbelievably thrilling!
See you there!
Chris Jones
Filmmaker, Author and Firewalk Instructor
My IMDb www.IMDb.com
My Twitter @LivingSpiritPix
My Facebook www.Facebook.com
What am I doing now?
Directing splinter unit on Mission: Impossible 8
Exec producing The Enfield Poltergeist
Sign up to my mailing list for updates on events,
books and free film making tools
No comments yet.