Do you want to participate in a coach and mentor led intensive and immersive screenwriting course for five weeks.

 

Welcome to the Screenwriters’

Talent Campus: Total Immersion…

Dramatically elevating YOUR creative talent, professional development, career advancement and the expertise in the practical business of screenwriting…

It’s an eight day (intensive), then four weeks (at home and mentor led) experience that will change everything for you. Promise.


TALENT CAMPUS APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR SUBMISSION.

  • Dates: Fri 15 to Fri 22 Jan 2027
  • Location: Ealing Studios, London
  • Ticket Price: £1,497 (payment plans available to spread cost).
A group of adults pose and smile enthusiastically in a classroom, with some raising their hands. Banners for Final Draft and London Screenwriters’ Festival are visible in the background.
Talent Campus is an advanced screenwriters’ program from The London Screenwriters’ Festival.

Talent Campus, now in it’s 10th round and was setup in partnership with The London Screenwriters Festival.

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Listen to the most recent Talent Campus podcast

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Our Goals For You

We want you to get your work produced. To that end we have four clear objectives at the Talent Campus.

  1. To improve your professional and industry skills to help platform you as talent to watch.
  2. To refine your story and writing skills in the context of a commercial marketplace.
  3. To realign your project with commercial trends to increase the probability of getting optioned and produced.
  4. To provide exclusive opportunity To pitch your project to industry directly.
  5. To train specific industry skillsets, Script Supervision and reading, where screenwriting allied jobs can be accessed.

Talent Campus 10.0 Dates:

  • Application Deadline: Weds 30 Sept 2026
  • Talent Campus Pre Ignition:
    A series of Zoom sessions leading up to the main Talent Campus event. 
  • Talent Campus Ignition (phase 1):
    Fri 15 to Fri 22 Jan 2027
  • Talent Campus Momentum (phase 2)
    Sat 23 Jan to Sat 20 Feb 2027
  • Location:
    Ealing Studios, Ealing Green, London, W5 5EP
 

*NOTE: Dates may change due to speaker availability and venues. Once applicants are selected, the dates will be fixed.

Talent Campus 10.0 Cost:

  • Ticket Price: £1,497 (payment plans available to spread the cost). 
A group of people wearing red lanyards and ID badges stand together, smiling at the camera in an indoor setting. A man in a tan suit with a red tie stands in the center.

Screenwriter and creator of ‘Downton Abbey’, Julian Fellowes, at Talent Campus.

The Talent Campus will take writers who want to work on commercial screenplays and provide an immersive, challenging and powerful experience.

Your Outcomes

  • Improved knowledge and appreciation of the business of screenwriting.
  • Significantly ‘greater confidence’ in the room.
  • Developed ideas and projects (building on your new business acumen), increasing the likelihood of getting produced.
  • Improved confidence, relationship and pitching skills for screenwriters.
  • Improved screenwriting skills.
  • Developed skills in pitching, and projects ready to be pitched to execs in the real world.
  • New and outstanding peer groups that will continue beyond the Talent Campus.

Talent Campus 10.0 Breakdown

Phase One: Pre-Ignition (online)

I 20%

Phase Two: Talent Campus Ignition

Pre-Ignition… (the build up to Talent Campus 10.0)
A series of mentor and TC team designed assignments, tasks and challenges will start the process before it’s even begun. This is all remote from your desktop.

Ignition 70%

From Ealing Studios in West London, this is the intensive springboard period where massive shifts will cause you to take leaps and bounds in your career and writing.

Each day tackles a specific discipline, with an emphasis on industry 

  • Day One (15th Jan)
    Career Ignition. Let’s get a firm grip on what we want to achieve and understand where the industry is at, as well as where it is heading and beyond.
  • Day Two (16th Jan)
    Story Pitch and Refining Ideas with John Yorke for TV / longform projects. Deepening understanding of industry culture, pitching and what makes one project get to set, where others fail. Understanding commerciality while maintaining authenticity, voice and theme.    
  • Day Three (17th Jan)
    Story Pitch and Refining Ideas with Sam Horley for feature projects. Where the rubber hits the road, in sales, distribution and pitching in the marketplace.
  • Day Four (18th Jan)
    Development day with mentors. Working in small groups to elevate your exisiting project and design new ones based on the the previous three days. 
  • Day Five (19th Jan)
    Project Momentum day with mentors and start of mentoring process. Focusing in on strongest ideas to get pitch ready. 
  • Day Six… (20th Jan)
    Networking training day and final preps for and attendance of the Crucible Party where everything we have learned is put into practice in the real world.
  • Day Seven… (21st Jan)
    Survival on the marathon. Working when not writing, by mastering Script Reading and Script Supervision on set. 
  • Day Eight (22nd Jan)
    Strategies for continued success beyond Talent Campus. 

Phase Three: Talent Campus Momentum

Momentum 100%

The writing and development period, (Sat 23 Jan to Sat 20 Feb 2027) Working from home and mentor led. Building on the acceleration of the ignition phase, and over the four weeks following , you will participate in regular online meetups, coaching directly from your team coach, and targeted mentoring. This is where your new writing and career muscles will be built.

Beyond...

We all need to re-enter the real world at some point.

However, the bonds that are built and the community support that evolves throughout the Talent Campus is so strong, that the experience will last a lifetime.

Each Talent Campus gets a specific WhatsApp group for their specific cohort.

We can confirm that chatter, help, support and encouragement is as vibrant today in their respective WhatsApp groups as it was when they passed through their Talent Campus experience, often many years ago.

Talent Campus 10.0 Speakers:

Please note, some speakers may not appear as they are busy professionals. However, any speakers who are unable to attend will be covered with another fabulous speaker.

* Mentors and Coaches for Talent Campus 10.0 to be announced soon

John Yorke // Consultant, Course Director (Into The Story), Narrative Expert

Credits include Wolf Hall, Shameless, Life On Mars, EastEnders.
John is author of Into the Woods and a drama producer, consultant and lecturer on all forms of storytelling. He also executive produced Wolf Hall. Read Full Bio HERE.

Eleanor Greene // Executive Producer, Drama, Wall to Wall

Credits include The Windermere Children, Man in Room 301 and Party Animals.
Powerhouse of knowledge, Eleanor has been shepherding TV projects for two decades and is a champion of the screenwriter. Read Full Bio HERE.

Jean Kitson // Agent, Kitson Press Associates

Founder: Kitson Press Associates.
Jean Kitson is an agent representing film, TV, theatre and radio writers and particular interest in both mainstream drama and children’s media. Read Full Bio HERE.

Woman in a black dress holding an Emmy Award on a rooftop at night, with the New York City skyline and Empire State Building in the background.Rachel Paterson // EMMY Winner 2025, Screenwriter and TC1.0 Alum

Credits include Domina, Fallen and Casualty.
Astonishingly candid and eloquent, Rachel will deliver unrivaled insight into the adventure that lies just ahead of you. Being a TC 1.0 alum means you can follow in her footsteps. Read Full Bio HERE.

Lucy V Hay // Script Editor, Author, Bang2Write

Lucy V Hay, aka Bang2write, is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers.
Lucy is the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts. She has also been a script reader for over 15 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. Read Full Bio HERE.

Bob Schultz // Writer, Producer and Instructor

Credits include Below Zero, LondonSWF staffer.
With a career that spans over two decades, Bob Schultz has carved out a substantial niche in the realm of screenwriting and independent film production. Read Full Bio HERE.

Chris Jones // LSF Founder, Filmmaker, Author

Credits include the Oscar®-shortlisted Gone Fishing; author of the Guerilla Handbooks, Mission Impossible 7 and 8 (Splinter unit).
Chris has spent his life making movies, writing books and helping others make their movies. Read Full Bio HERE.

Speaker TBC // Talent Campus Guest Speaker

Speaker to be confirmed in due course.

Speaker TBC // Talent Campus Guest Speaker

Speaker to be confirmed in due course.

How to Apply

Application Deadline: Currently Open

Talent Campus 10.0 is by application only. Application does not mean you will be offered a place, nor does it obligate you to attend. If you are offered a place we will get in touch to discuss your plans and outcomes.

As the application requires answers to several questions (as well as an uploading of supporting documents), we advise you to look through the application thoroughly before the deadline.

You will need ready for upload

  • First 10 pages of a feature film or TV script (this does not have to be from a finished script) (doc, docx, pdf only)
  • One page synopsis from the same feature film or TV script (doc, docx, pdf only)
  • 400 words on why you need to join the Talent Campus (doc, docx, pdf only)

Past Talent Campus Speakers and Trainers Have Included…

A woman with long straight hair and bangs smiles while standing with one hand on her hip, wearing a dark jacket over a top and layered necklaces.

Catherine Hardwicke // Writer and Director

Credits include Twilight and Thirteen.

Catherine Hardwicke is an acclaimed director, writer and production designer, best known for Thirteen and the blockbuster Twilight. Her credits also include Lords of Dogtown, Mafia Mamma, Prisoner’s Daughter, Under the Bridge and Cabinet of Curiosities.

A man with gray hair and a beard speaks into a microphone. He wears a dark jacket and is seated indoors with a blurred background.

Charlie Brooker // Writer and Producer

Credits include Black Mirror, Dead Set, Screenwipe, Newswipe and A Touch of Cloth.

Charlie Brooker is the award-winning creator of Black Mirror, known for his darkly comic take on technology and modern life.

Bald man in a dark suit and red polka dot tie speaks while gesturing with his hands, seated on stage against a dark background.

Julian Fellowes // Writer and Director

Credits include Downton Abbey and Gosford Park.

Julian Fellowes is an Oscar-winning writer, actor, director and producer, best known for creating Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age. His credits also include Gosford Park, The Young Victoria, Belgravia and the stage musicals Mary Poppins and School of Rock.

A woman with short dark hair smiles slightly, looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a simple top and minimal makeup.

Jean Kitson // Agent, Kitson Press Associates

Founder: Kitson Press Associates.

Jean Kitson is an agent representing film, TV, theatre and radio writers and particular interest in both mainstream drama and children’s media.

Bald man with a beard, wearing a dark jacket and white shirt, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression against a brown background.

Gareth Ellis-Unwin // Producer

Credits include The King’s Speech, Kajaki. The True Story.

Gareth produced The King’s Speech and walked away with an Oscar, a BAFTA and countless other awards. 
A middle-aged person with gray hair and light skin, wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt, smiling slightly, and looking at the camera. The background is plain white.

Iain Smith // Producer

Credits include: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Fountain, The Fifth Element.

Iain is an established and award winning international film producer with a credit list as long as your arm!
A woman with curly dark brown hair smiles directly at the camera. She is wearing a striped top and is outdoors with a blurred natural background.

Barbara Machin // Screenwriter and Showrunner

Credits include Waking The Dead, The Bill.

Barbara Machin is the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning screenwriter who created BBC One’s worldwide-selling hit series Waking The Dead.
A man with glasses sits in a red chair, gesturing with his hands while speaking. A glass bottle and notebook are on the table in front of him.

Gub Neal // Producer

Credits include Prime Suspect, Queer As Folk, Cracker, The Fall.

Gub is an award-winning producer who headed up the drama departments at both Channel 4 and Granada, and won an Emmy for Prime Suspect.
Monochrome close-up of a woman with long dark hair, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. She is wearing makeup, and a brick wall is faintly visible in the background.

Nicola Larder // Exec Producer | Buccaneer Media

Credits include: Marcella, The Tunnel, Dracula.

Nicola Larder joined team Buccaneer by pitching ‘Marcella’ to Tony Wood as an 8 part series penned by Scandi-noir writer, Hans Rosenfeldt.
A man with a beard and short hair is holding a microphone and appears to be speaking. He is wearing a red lanyard and a black shirt.

Jed Mercurio // Screenwriter and Producer

Credits include: Line of Duty and Bodyguard.

Jed Mercurio is one of the few UK script-writers to work as an American-style showrunner. His most recent credit, Line of Duty, is the most watched BBC2 drama series in the multichannel era.

Feedback from the previous Talent Campus…

Smiling woman in white shirt sitting outside at a café with a lively atmosphere, holding a piece of paper.
‘Just want to say that Talent Campus was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Yes, there was a lot to take in, at times I thought my head would burst, but I still look back and take in many aspects of that intense period with pure pleasure and of course getting to see and hear in person the masters themselves… Best wishes to you all.’
Joy Williams, Talent Campus 4
Email sent July 2024

‘I was floored by how approachable and genuinely helpful all the guest speakers were’.
Barbara Skubic – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘I came to the Talent Campus a fearful, nervous Screenwriter and came out a fearless warrior!’
Maurice C Kenney – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘Talent Campus showed me how to not just be another writer, but BE a writer! The speakers were amazing, how Talent Campus got them is beyond me’.
Luke Graves – Screenwriter & Filmmaker // 500 Stars (out of 5)

‘Being surrounded by the support and love of this group is something I will never forget as long as I live’.
Monique Amado – Screenwriter, Actor, Director // 10 Stars (out of 5)

‘Talent Campus has given me the confidence to keep writing and a much better understanding of the industry’.
Dara Colwell – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘Out of the Talent Campus, I now have an appointment with an expert Producer!’
Cathy Kostova – Writer, Director // 5 Stars

‘I got to meet people who feel the way I do about writing – it was like they were reading my mind!’
Rick Limentani – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘I am a different person’
James Pemberton – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘My fear has gone south! Now my life will go in the opposite direction’
Rachel Hanks – Screenwriter // 10 Stars (out of 5)

‘The opportunity to connect with industry professionals, hold Gareth Unwin’s Oscar and walk on broken glass – the day doesn’t get any better than that! I will have no fear! And I have already got peers to connect with’
Jane Helliwell – Screenwriter // 5 Stars!

‘I leave the Talent Campus an emotional volcano of confidence!’
Sunny King – Filmmaker // 5 Stars

‘I just got a new tribe!’
Jens Nelsson – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘At Talent Campus your pitch will improve beyond your imagination’.
James Pemberton – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘Talent Campus has been a writer’s therapy that has elevated me to the dizzy heights of awesomeness!’
Panayiota Panteli – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘Talent Campus has taught me that if you crush the fear, the road ahead opens wide’
Jonah Jones – Screenwriter, Director // 5 Stars

‘From the Talent Campus I now have much more confidence pitching; plus a wider group of readers to improve the quality of my work’
Rick Limentani – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

‘I came to the Talent Campus with a problem, was challenged and left with a solution’
Barbara Skubic – Screenwriter // 5 Stars

More Feedback from past Talent Campus Delegates

Don’t take our word for it, listen to what delegates said from last year…

‘Aside from the incredible guest speakers that were at Talent Campus, the bond and intimacy that was created within the group of screenwriter, in such a short amount of time, was one of the most important aspects of this program to me. You will not only hear significant voices from the film industry and learn from them, but will be coached by Chris on your mindset and limiting beliefs (implemented in surprising ways!) so that by the time you’re through the 4 days, you will know that nothing is impossible for you and that you are capable of more than you dared to think. And because you will now have a tribe of people in your life who get it and 100% support you, any time you start to falter, they will be there to remind you of what you’re capable of and that you CAN do the things you’re afraid to do. You will get far more than you expected from this program. For me, it will remain one of the highlights of my entire life and I cannot praise Chris and the LSF team highly enough for how much of themselves they give and how much they are willing to invest in other writers and filmmakers.’
Monique Amado, Screenwriter

The Talent Campus exclusive sessions have also been absolutely incredible – John Yorke, Kate Leys, Lucy Hay, Chris Jones, Julian Friedman, Pilar Alessandra – all giving us their insights and advice on our individual projects. Plus special sessions with Chris McQuarrie and Carl Gottlieb. I’m not aware of a screenwriting course where you can get that kind of intensive input from such an experienced bunch of people, who are currently active and working in the business.
Rachel Paterson

I’ve made massive progress with my story thanks to the highly supportive personnel and framework of TC both collectively and also within our smaller group. When I complete my first draft I reckon it’ll be in the region of 12 weeks quicker than had I been writing it independently of the program. The calibre of industry professionals I’ve had access to is quite simply incredible.
Mark MacNicol

The highlights have been being taken seriously and getting script requests though Pitchfest, and developing a supportive, inspiring peer group.
Poz Watson

Really great course with lots of knowledge learnt and experience gained. The mentoring outside of the Talent campus sessions has been the most rewarding, and its great to have a mentor as well as be in a smaller group of writers to chat to and get feedback from about our specific projects.
Gary Thomas

I have gone from writing alone, to writing with the strong support of a peer group of fellow writers. From using only my own judgment, to now working with professional script editors and producers who are assessing the quality of my work and helping me decide which projects to pursue in terms of their place in the market.
David Hitchcox

I’m learning and developing so much. It’s been especially valuable in helping me develop my networking and pitching skills. I really enjoyed meeting execs and pitching and felt so much more relaxed than I’d ever imagined I would. I feel more confident in networking and pitching situations and I’m looking forward to more.
Nick Fogg

Although I was certain that Talent Campus was going to be brilliant, I wasn’t at all sure it was going to develop me where I most needed help – networking and pitching. To my delight, those have been two core areas of focus of the course so far and I feel that I have made a great leap in both my networking and my pitching in such a short time period. This resulted in a much-needed boost in my confidence.  
KT Parker

I am sure I will continue to feel the positive effects and profit from the relationships and contacts made long after this inspiring program has ended.
Halida Abbaro

I have learned heaps professionally: all the varied training sessions were in-depth and expertly delivered. Being mentored by a working producer has been invaluable. The support our group has given each other (and not least, were given by the organisers) has made the whole experience a pure joy.  
Kristina Day

The very best thing that I have gotten out of the Talent Campus so far is the opportunity to really get to know several of the other Campers, especially the ones in my mentor group. My mentor, Karol, has been phenomenal! I see us keeping a relationship going for years to come. Our group has grown pretty tight and I hope that we maintain our connection and collaborative energy long after the close.
Amy Amani

It was a wonderfully, enriching experience where I have further developed my knowledge of the craft, but also I have made twenty-odd new friends who I’m confident will remain friends for life now.
Sarah Cassidy

The Talent Campus has pushed me further, faster, than almost any other experience I’ve had in my screenwriting career to date. So as a way to fast track a career, I have to say this is unparalleled.  
Liz Holiday

And finally Dee Chilton…

It has been a shot in the arm of creative energy, giving me more confidence in my abilities and understanding. It has taken me to a higher level and reinvigorated me as both a writer and as a human being. It has challenged me to set the bar higher for myself and be even better. It has released more of the authentic me to come out to play, helped me to let go my feelings of inferiority and improved my self-belief no end.

It has driven home the fact that, as well as striving for excellence in our writing, interaction with the right people is crucial to our own development. It is a unique and invaluable opportunity and I am honoured and to have been selected to take part along with my fellow talented creatives. I know for sure it will pay massive dividends for us all in the future.

My ambition now is to replay the faith shown in me by Team LSF, by taking everything I have learned and putting it to best use to make progress in the industry. It would be a massive disappointment to me if Talent Campus was not funded in 2016 and beyond, allowing other talented emerging writers the same opportunity.  
Dee Chilton