Watch previous WFTV online webinars here
FEBRUARY 2023 events
Nolly: In Conversation with Writer Russell T Davies and Executive Producer Nicola Shindler
Speakers:
Nicola Shindler | Executive Producer, Quay Street Productions
Russell T Davies | Writer
Rhianna Dhillon | Film & TV Critic
Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning actor Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown, Enola Holmes 1 and 2, The King’s Speech, Harry Potter, Burton and Taylor) stars as Noele (or Nolly to her friends) who was a legend in her own lifetime.
As flame-haired widow Meg Richardson in the long-running soap opera Crossroads, she was one of the most famous people in Britain. Then in 1981, at the height of the show’s success and the peak of Nolly’s fame, she was axed without ceremony, without warning and with no explanation. With the boss’s words “all good things must come to an end” ringing in her ears, Noele Gordon found herself thrown out of the show that was her life for over 18 years.
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Watch back this conversation with two of the key creatives behind the new series, writer Russell T Davies and executive producer Nicola Shindler.
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The first commission for Quay Street Productions, Russell and Nicola discussed the making of the series, sharing insight to the research and development process and working with on-screen talent Helena Bonham Carter to bring the iconic figure of Nolly to screen, as well as the resonance the story has for audiences today.
Back to Basics: Introduction to Copyright in Film & TV with CMS
Speakers:
Anna Colless | Media Associate in the Commercial team, CMS
Rebekah Hayes | Partner in the Commercial team & Head of the Production Finance Practice, CMS
WFTV invited our members to a part two of two legal webinar sessions, hosted by international law firm CMS. Hear Media Associate Anna Colless, along with her colleague in the CMS Commercial team, Rebekah Hayes, as they discussed the basics of copyrighting within film and TV.
This second session of the two will cover questions such as: What is copyright? What types of work are protected? What does it not protect? Why does it matter a production context? What copyright works might need to be cleared for inclusion in a film/TV show? What about fair dealing? What copyright might exist in relation to a film/TV show? Who owns it? What is assignment vs. licensing? What are collecting societies? What in particular should a writer/producer/etc think about/expect when it comes to copyright?
Directing Documentaries: In Conversation with Felicity Morris and Rowan Deacon
Speakers:
Felicity Morris | BAFTA and Emmy nominated filmmaker
Rowan Deacon | Award-winning documentary filmmaker
A research report released by We Are Doc Women in 2021 found that in factual television women are still underrepresented at Director level.
In this event WFTV is putting the spotlight on Directors working in factual and will be joined by the female Directors behind two of Netflix’s recent documentaries, Tinder Swindler and Jimmy Savile: a British Horror Story.
Watch back our conversation with filmmakers Felicity Morris (Tinder Swindler) and Rowan Deacon (Jimmy Savile: a British Horror Story). They discussed their journeys in the industry and careers so far as well as sharing behind the scenes insight to the making of their documentaries from idea to screen; how they approached the subjects and crafting the narrative to challenges they faced in production and what they learnt along the way.
Tinder Swindler and Jimmy Savile: a British Horror Story are available to watch on Netflix.
Meet the Commissioner (Scripted): Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content for Sky, UK and ROI
Speakers:
Lucy Murphy | Director of Kids Content for Sky in the UK and ROI.
Catherine Williams | Screenwriter, script/story editor, content creator and development producer
For WFTV’s February Meet the Commissioner (Scripted), we were joined by Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content for Sky in the UK and ROI.
From February 2023, Sky Kids will launch a shiny new linear channel dedicated to entertaining and inspiring children (age 1-7), showcasing Sky Originals and big names that kids love. This new ad-free, 24-hour channel aims to help parents juggle daily routines with programming built to complement different blocks of their busy day.
Lucy discussed her plans for the new Sky Kids channel, her thoughts on what makes a great show and sharing insights on how to get a project commissioned with Catherine Williams, screenwriter, script/story editor, content creator and development producer.
Lucy’s recent commissions include Pip & Posy, the BAFTA-winning news show FYI and a drama series for older children Jacqueline Wilson’s Little Darlings.
Writers’ Group: In Conversation with Kayleigh Llewellyn, WFTV ScreenSkills Writing Award 2022 Winner
Speakers:
Kayleigh Llewellyn | Screenwriter
Christina Pickworth, | Agent, Imagine Talent
For February’s Writers’ Group we were joined by screenwriter and the 2022 WFTV ScreenSkills Writing Award winner, Kayleigh Llewellyn.
In conversation with Agent Christina Pickworth, Kayleigh shared her journey into the industry and career so far and creating her critically acclaimed series In My Skin, offering behind the scenes insight to the making of the series from idea to screen. Kayleigh also discussed writing for other drama series such as Killing Eve and Chloe.