David Farr is an Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has two screenplays currently in production, including Hanna, directed by Joe Wright for Focus Features. He also has written regularly for the television series Spooks. He was formerly Artistic Director of the Lyric Theatre.
Cameron Fraser is a producer and writer. Cameron is currently working on a number of feature film and television projects. With Neil Jack he wrote, produced and directed two half-hour animations for BBC Scotland, Haunted Hogmanay and the sequel Glendogie Bogey. They have recently developed an animated feature script, drama series and a children’s series for BBC Scotland.
Olivia Hetreed wrote the screenplay for the internationally acclaimed and BAFTA-nominated Girl with a Pearl Earring starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth, and her adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, is currently in pre-production to be directed by Andrea Arnold.
Neil Jack wrote and directed animated film The Tree Officer, which won two Scottish BAFTAs for Best New Screenplay and Best Animation. He set up Ko Lik Films in 2004 with producer Cameron Fraser. He co-wrote and directed two half-hour animations for BBC Scotland, with a third feature-length script featuring the same characters recently commissioned.
Mike Lesslie is a playwright and screenwriter; he has developed feature scripts for companies such as Pathé Films, Film4, and Blueprint Pictures and he has written plays for the Royal National Theatre amongst others. His original screenplay War Reporting for Cowards for Film4 and the UK Film Council was included on the Variety Brit List of 2008.
Nathan Parker wrote EIFF’s Michael Powell Award and BAFTA winner Moon, which was directed by Duncan Jones. He is now based in Los Angeles, and wrote Blitz for Lionsgate staring Jason Statham, due for release in 2011
Jon Ronson is a screenwriter, journalist, author and broadcaster working with Channel 4, the Guardian and Radio 4. He is the author of the non-fiction bestsellers The Men Who Stare at Goats, which was adapted into a hit film starring George Clooney, as well as Them: Adventures with Extremists, which is also being adapted for screen. Jon is now developing his own screenplays, including co-writing with Goats’ adaptor Peter Straughan. As writer and presenter, Jon has made a number of films for Channel 4 including The Secret Rulers of the World and Tottenham Ayatollah.
Jack Thorne is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning playwright for stage and radio, who won the Best Newcomer award at 2009 London Film Festival for his first feature screenplay, Scouting Book for Boys. He is now adapting Nick Hornby’s novel A Long Way Down for the screen, and has written for hit shows Skins and Shameless.
Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey commented: "We are delighted to be part of the inaugural The Story Works, and it has been a privilege to have assembled this dream team of masterclass speakers to work with the A-list writers of tomorrow."