Give Me Direction TOMORROW

The full line has been announced for GIVE ME DIRECTION, a new screenwriting conference organised by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) in partnership with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival (JDIFF) focusing on the how and why of writing for the screen.

Confirmed international and Irish guests for the event include Hollywood legend Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), Paul Fraser (A Room for Romeo Brass, Somers Town), Eran Kolirin (The Band's Visit), Jim Sheridan (In The Name of the Father, Get Rich or Die Trying), Conor McPherson (The Eclipse), Damien O’Donnell (East is East, Heartlands), Tanya Seghatchian (UK Film Council), Pat McCabe (The Butcher Boy, Breakfast on Pluto), Roddy Doyle (When Brendan Met Trudy), Kirsten Sheridan (In America) and Mark O'Rowe (Boy A, Intermission). Actors Michael McElhatton (Whistlerblower, Spin the Bottle) and Eileen Walsh (Eden) will also take part in a showcase of new Irish cinema, reading scenes from Memorabilia written by Kevin Barry and currently in development with the IFB.

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.

The event will include a public interview with Shane Black, plus a wide-range of informal discussions and sessions. Amongst them we have DON’T GET WEIRD ON ME: a debate on the limitations and realities of arthouse and commercial cinema; LIVE LONG & PROSPER: a hard headed discussion on making a living as a scriptwriter: GRAB ‘EM BY THE THROAT: a focus on how to get the best out of your collaborators; and MONGRELS: a conversation on what it takes to move between formats as a writer with input from a range of writers with a background working in of theatre, film, and TV.

The running order for the event is as follows:

THURSDAY 4TH JUNE

VENUE: Light House Cinema, Smithfield, Dublin 7

From 17.00: Registration

17.30-19.00 MY ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN-TRADE

A public Interview with Shane Black by Grainne Humphries, Festival Director, Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

Introduction by Alan Maher, IFB Production Executive

19:00 – 21:00 Screening: KISS-KISS BANG BANG (Shane Black)

FRIDAY 5TH JUNE 2009

VENUE: The Shelbourne Hotel, 27 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2

9.30: Welcome Tea/Coffee

9.45: Conference begins with an Introduction from 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. Sponsored by IADT, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology

Chair: Simon Perry
Panelists: Eran Kolirin, Mark O’Rowe, Shane Black, Damien O’Donnell

11.30 – 11.45 Tea Break

11.45 – 12.45 LIVE LONG & PROSPER

A hard-headed discussion on the realities of the screenwriting life: the practicalities of selling ideas

Chair: Ed Guiney
Panelists: Charlotte Kelly, Tanya Seghatchian, Kirsten Sheridan, Tony Marchant

12.45 – 13.00 Lunch Break

14:00 - NEW, NEW, NEW WRITING SHOWCASE

Rehearsed reading of scenes from MEMORABILIA by Kevin Barry to be introduced by Andrew Meehan

15.15- 16.00 - UNTITLED RODDY DOYLE, CONOR MCPHERSON & ROB WALPOLE CONVERSATION

A three-way discussion on how to get the best out of your creative collaborators.

16.00 – 16.15 Tea Break

16.15 – 17.30 - MONGRELS

The freedoms and restrictions of writing screenplays: with contributions from some well-known hyphenates.

Chair: Lance Daly
Panelists: Paul Fraser, Pat McCabe, Roddy Doyle, Jim Sheridan

18.30 – 20.15 THE ECLIPSE - Special preview screening

Introduced by Conor McPherson & Billy Roche
Venue – Light House Cinema