Q&A: Bringing Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends to Screen

Join us online via Zoom.us | Viewing details will be sent with your confirmation

In this event we are joined by Producers, Catherine Magee and Emma Norton, part of the award winning team behind BBC Three’s hit show Normal People, which was based on the novel by Sally Rooney. Now, they’re hoping to repeat their success, with Sally’s earlier book Conversations with Friends.

With Host Nicky Bentham, Catherine and Emma will be discussing their working relationship with Sally Rooney, Alice Birch and Lenny Abrahamson and how to turn successful novels into acclaimed TV drama series. Using examples from Normal People and touching on Conversations with Friends, they will share their thoughts on the development and writing process and reveal their tips and tricks for creating a successful show.

Catherine Magee is an award-winning independent producer specialising in television drama. She produced the 12-part TV series Normal People for BBC and Hulu, based on the acclaimed novel by Sally Rooney and directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald.

Recent credits include the landmark TV mini-series Resistance (2019) for Netflix and RTE, Rebellion (2016) for RTE and Sundance TV, Charlie (2015) for RTE; and Dark Lies the Island (2019), a feature film based on the stories of Irish writer Kevin Barry.

Emma Norton is a Producer/ Executive Producer at Element Pictures. Having joined Element Pictures in 2008, Emma has worked across the company’s TV and Film slate, initially as Development Executive and later as Head of Development. In 2017 she produced the feature film Rosie, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received widespread critical acclaim.

Most recently Emma exec produced the critically acclaimed Normal People, a 12 x 30-minute series for BBC and Hulu, based on Sally Rooney’s celebrated novel and produced The Souvenir: Part 2; the sequel to the critically acclaimed The Souvenir, directed by Joanna Hogg, due for release in 2021.

Nicky Bentham is the founder and a producer at London based Neon Films. Her most recent film, The Duke, stars Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren and was directed by Roger Michell. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2020 to five-star reviews. Nicky also recently completed post on the feature documentary WHO KILLED THE KLF? A co-production with Fulwell 73, the film will be released next year.

Between 2012 and 2015 Nicky acted as Executive Producer on the BFI’s short film scheme, delivering 17 films that went on to gain accolades at Cannes, the BIFAs and BAFTAs. Nicky is an active member of BAFTA and Women in Film & Television, she is the co-chair of PACT’s Film Policy Group and one of the founders of the campaigning organisation, Raising Films.

Event Schedule:

13:55: Please join the webinar

14:00-14:45: Host to lead discussion

14:45-15:00: Audience Q&A

How will the online event work?

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