The chance to relax in the beautiful surroundings of the Manor by the Lake

Many networking and meeting opportunities either out in the gardens...

....or at the many parties throughout the festival

Take part in smaller, more intimate discussions

Listen to engaging, informative and entertaining sessions, panels and debates

Are able to get involved with the sessions with Q&A's and discussions with guest speakers

Even the opportunity to get a little Salsa dancing in

Getting The Best Out Of The Screenwriters' Festival

A primer by Caroline Ferguson on why you should make the investment to attend, what to expect and how to make the most of them. The full version of this article appeared in July 2007's issue of ScriptWriter Magazine.

It's difficult to capture the atmosphere of a screenwriting conference on the page. Saying that a good festival - and the social shenanigans that go with it - is instructive, eye-opening, career enhancing, motivating and great fun somehow doesn’t capture the sheer... fizz of the thing.

There are at least five good reasons, apart from fun, why a produced or aspiring screenwriter should attend an event like the Screenwriters' Festival at Cheltenham:

• 1. To find out what kind of stories film-makers are looking for now.
• 2. To meet established film-makers, writers, agents and managers.
• 3. To improve your writing through workshops and observation.
• 4. To network with peers.
• 5. For pure motivation.

This International Screenwriters’ Festival (SWF) took place from 26th to the 30th June 2006 and from the 3rd to 6th July 2007. Visit the website, www.screenwritersfestival.com, for the photographs, reviews and quotes from both festivals’ speakers and events.

The importance of homework

I can't stress enough that the benefit (and therefore the return on your fairly substantial investment) that you'll get from a screenwriting conference will be directly proportional to the amount of groundwork you do in advance.

• Google the speakers and familiarise yourself with their biographies and their work.
• Get yourself noticed by asking intelligent questions during the Q&A.
• If you're a newbie make sure you understand the industry vocabulary.
• If you can’t afford the entry pass, think about contacting the organisers to offer your services as a volunteer next year.

The 'N' word

Networking is a black art that writers must not only endure but master. Talent and graft are important but effective networking is the real key to a screenwriting career. Also, human nature suggests that film-makers are more likely to employ a writer they've engaged with on a personal level, rather than someone who is simply a name on a screenplay.

The single most important fact to remember about marketing yourself is... it's not about you. Dale Carnegie nailed it when he said: ‘You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.' So now you know: It's not about you.

Build yourself a networking strategy. Start by deciding what you want to achieve and map out a series of small steps that include initial research (who do you want to speak to? How will you reach them? What is their history?), followed by a confident approach and a swift follow-up.

Here are some networking tips. Most are common sense:

• Print up cards with your contact details - nothing too flashy but try to make them at least a little bit memorable.
• Stand tall and dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
• Memories can blur in such a relentless environment so take notes about the participants and the main details of each conversation.
• Initiate conversation - it could be as simple as, 'Great workshop, wasn't it’ or, 'Well done on winning the Palme d'Or'. Starting with a question often works.
• Small conversations lead to bigger ones. Chat about anything from the weather to their favourite films. Aim to create a relaxed mood and establish common ground.
• Make each person feel important but only if you can do it sincerely. Use body language to reassure them: nod and smile in the right places.
• Be articulate. You're a writer, you work with language. Use it well.
• Don’t criticise or moan about how terrible your last agent/option/writing partner was. You'll come across as a whinger.
• Swap cards. If they don't have one, make a note of their details and promise not to give them to all and sundry.
• Thank them for their time; they gave it to you for nothing.
• Don't overlook your fellow delegates in the rush to reach the pros. The person who chatted to you in the sandwich queue could be a budding producer. That student who pinned your ears back about her short could be collecting director's awards in a few years.
• Make use of the time before and after sessions to chat to the people around you. When you see them again you'll already have a connection.
• If you're alone and uncomfortable seek out someone else in a similar position; you might be the only person they've spoken to all day.
• Try not to hang out with your mates the whole time. Introduce them to other people and have them do the same for you. Hunting in packs can be useful if you're shy.
• Take advantage of film screenings - they offer plenty of chances to network.

Advice for dealing with pros

• Relax. Treat industry professionals with respect and try to make them feel comfortable without drooling on them.
• If you see someone you desperately want to talk to but they're engaged in conversation, don't interrupt. Check out the body language for clues regarding the intensity of the conversation.
• Stop dwelling on your own anxiety or lack of status and start imagining how to make the other person relate to you on a personal level.
• Listen more than you speak. The pros know more than you do. Pay attention to what they're saying instead of thinking about what you’re going to say next.
• Be sympathetic to the fact that they’re under siege from hundreds of delegates. Giving them a bit of breathing space and a chance to have a laugh can work in your favour.
• Be wary of confusing politeness with interest. Don't pitch your project unless they ask what you’re working on.
• Don’t be so busy transmitting that you miss key signals coming your way.
• Don’t bullshit; you WILL be found out. There’s nothing wrong with admitting you’re still learning.

Pitching your work

A conference is not a marketplace. Unless you sign up for specific pitching events you may not have a chance to promote your work at all. Go with the mindset that you're there to learn and make new contacts; any opportunities to pitch are a bonus.

There's a right time and a wrong time to pitch. There are few sights more depressing than an industry pro's eyes glazing over, or unsolicited scripts stuffed down the back of the sofa in the speaker's lounge.

So when is the right time? You'll know it when it comes. When you’re impressing an industry pro with your gleaming wit and insight and you hear those magic words, 'So, what are you working on?' then go for it!

In conclusion...

Signing-up for SWF’08 will start soon, you should take advantage of the opportunities the Festival offers. It will be stimulating, inclusive, educational, stuffed with networking and damned good fun.

It doesn't matter whether you're a newbie or someone who’s well on the way, going to a screenwriting conference will make you feel like 'a proper writer'. You'll meet people, learn a great deal and come away refreshed and full of renewed energy for writing. And if you're a professional writer, the expenses will be tax deductible! What more excuse do you need?

Find out about pitching, preparing, pacing and much more by reading the full version of this article in ScriptWriter Magazine.

Caroline Ferguson is an almost-produced screenwriter, marketing specialist and business copywriter who will shortly undergo therapy for her conference addiction.

For more information about the International Screenwriters' Festival, visit www.screenwritersfestival.com

© ScriptWriter 2007