Get Direction Today

The final line-up of the Give Me Direction screenwriting conference, which starts this evening, has been announced. The even is organised by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) in partnership with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (JDIFF) focusing on the how and why of writing for the screen. Both the Huston School of Film & Digital Media and the IADT are also sponsoring panels at the conference.

Confirmed international and Irish guests for the event include Hollywood legend Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), Paul Fraser (A Room for Romeo Brass, Somers Town), Eran Kolirin (The Bands Visit), Jim Sheridan (In The Name of the Father, Get Rich or Die Trying), Conor McPherson (The Eclipse), Damien ODonnell (East is East, Heartlands), Tanya Seghatchian (UK Film Council), Pat McCabe (The Butcher Boy, Breakfast on Pluto), Roddy Doyle (When Brendan Met Trudy), Kirsten Sheridan (In America) and Mark ORowe (Boy A, Intermission). Actors Michael McElhatton (Whistlerblower, Spin the Bottle) and Eileen Walsh (Eden) will also take part in a showcase of new Irish cinema, reading scenes from Memorabilia written by Kevin Barry and currently in development with the IFB.

GIVE ME DIRECTION will champion great and original writing for the screen, and is an opportunity to deepen the IFBs engagement in addressing industry concerns. The conference will follow an informal, mixed format of sessions, screenings and interviews: plus a preview screening and rehearsed read-through.

The event will include a public interview with Shane Black, plus a wide-range of informal discussions and sessions. Amongst them we have DONT GET WEIRD ON ME: a debate on the limitations and realities of arthouse and commercial cinema; LIVE LONG & PROSPER: a hard headed discussion on making a living as a scriptwriter: GRAB EM BY THE THROAT: a focus on how to get the best out of your collaborators; and MONGRELS: a conversation on what it takes to move between formats as a writer with input from a range of writers with a background working in of theatre, film, and TV.

A full list of the schedule is available on the web site.

Tickets for the event are sold out.