20th May 2009

Extra Tickets on Sale for Screenwriting Conference 'Give Me Direction'

Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) in partnership with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (JDIFF) are delighted to announce that due to popular demand, a number of extra tickets are now on sale for the upcoming script writing conference GIVE ME DIRECTION.

GIVE ME DIRECTION is a new screenwriting conference focusing on the how and why of writing for the screen. Attended by a mix of Irish and international guests, GIVE ME DIRECTION will champion great and original writing for the screen, and is an opportunity to deepen the IFB’s 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.

Confirmed guests to date include Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), Shane Meadows and Paul Fraser (A Room for Romeo Brass, Somers Town), Eran Kolirin (The Band’s Visit), Conor McPherson, Neil Jordan, Pat McCabe, Roddy Doyle, Kirsten Sheridan and Mark O’Rowe. The full line up of panelists will be announced shortly.

The cost of the conference is €40 and can be purchased from www.jdiff.com only. The structure of the conference is as follows:

THURSDAY 4TH JUNE
Location: Light House Cinema, Smithfield, Dublin 7

16.45 REGISTRATION for Give Me Direction conference delegates

17.30-19.00
MY ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN-TRADE Public Interview with Shane Black
Followed by a screening of KISS-KISS BANG BANG (Shane Black)

FRIDAY 5TH JUNE
Location: Shelbourne Hotel, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2

9.30 Sharp: INTRODUCTION Simon Perry, IFB Chief Executive

10.00-11.30
DON’T GET WEIRD ON ME
The arthouse versus commercial cinema debate: in search of some middle ground, we discuss the respective limitations and realities.

11.30 – 11.45: Teabreak

11.45 – 12.45
LIVE LONG & PROSPER
A hard-headed discussion on the realities of the screenwriting life…

12.45 – 14.00 Lunch Break

14.00-15.15
NEW, NEW, NEW WRITING SHOWCASE
Rehearsed reading of scenes from MEMORABILIA by Kevin Barry.

15.15 - 16.00
GRAB ‘EM BY THE THROAT
Writer-director team Shane Meadows and Paul Fraser discuss how to get the best, and the worst, out of your creative collaborators.

16.00 Teabreak

16.15-17.30
HYPHENS
The freedoms and restrictions of writing screenplays: with contributions from our very best hyphenates.

18.30 – 20.00
PREVIEW SCREENING: THE ECLIPSE directed by Conor McPherson and written by Conor McPherson & Billy Roche
Location: Light House Cinema

Please note lunch is not provided as part of the conference.