1st Joint Communiqué

The Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) has published its first joint communiqué since the World Conference of Screenwriters in Athens last November. Together, we represent approximately 25,000 writers in 27 countries; together, we can best meet the challenges of our changing industry. We plan to circulate [...]

Busy Awards Weekend

This past weekend there were film awards handed out in four different countries: The Writers Guild of America Awards The BAFA Film Awards The IFTA Awards The Berlin Film Festival Awards Congratulations to all the screenwriters who won awards!

The European Screenwriters Manifesto

Launched in February 2007, the Screenwriters Manifesto is available to read in English, and other languages, on the website of the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe.  Signatures are regularly coming in. Show your support and sign the declaration of rights for screenwriters. Important If you signed the Manifesto between February 2009 and January 2010, we [...]

New Year New Look

We’re well into 2010 at this point, so it’s time to open up the windows on the Conference site, and change the linen. I’ve updated the site to different look, and the new banner is courtesy of the lovely Amélie Clement, who continues to work for the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe with dedication. There [...]

Joint Activity Programme – IAWG/FSE

The Board of the FSE and the PRG of the IAWG have discussed the strengthening working relationships between the two organisations, which have grown quickly following the solidarity campaigns of guilds around the world with their colleagues in the writers’ strike in the United States which ended in February 2008, and which will be further [...]

World Screenwriters Declaration

In the new digitised and globalised world, we screenwriters have today come together, in Athens Greece, to discuss our central role in the creation of the stories that are carried with such impact to the world’s myriad screens and to people’s minds and hearts. Stories influence our behaviour and shape our culture. They help us [...]

Cocktail farewell

Participants of the conference are invited to a Cocktail reception on the 10th floor of the Titania Hotel at 8pm. Enjoy a drink with your colleagues before you say goodbye.

This afternooon’s activities

Lunch ends at 2.30pm, and the next panel runs until 3.30pm. WRITERS RESPONSE I: Interventions on writers issues • Chuck Slocum, associate executive director of the WGA West will outline the American deal following the strike Robert Staats, managing director of VG Wort will examine the complex question of reciprocity and multi-territory licences • Cécile [...]

This morning’s agenda

The bus will leave at 9am in front of the Titania hotel. The first session will take place from 9.30am – 10.45am CONGLOMERATES AND OTHER PLAYERS I: Role of the multinational conglomerates in the digital future Will the multinational conglomerates continue to dominate production and distribution worldwide or will the telecoms, ISPs etc. step in [...]

Day one: overview

Day one of the conference is now over. It’s been a long day, with lively debates about the state of the film and television industries, the advent of new media, and prognostications about their future(s). At times people became passionate about the subject, which is a good reaction, because this is something in which we [...]

This afternoon’s session

After lunch, the first discussion will kick off at 2.30pm, and end at 3.30pm. FIRST DEBATE: Working with directors (the first of two debates on issues of particular interest to writers) Whose film is it anyway and what does it matter? • Stanislav Semerdjiev, FSE board member (chair) • Srdjan Koljevic, Peter Hedges, Scott Alexander, [...]

Conference is underway

Due to the traffic in Athens the conference is running approximately half an hour late. We’re only a hour into the event, and already many serious issues facing screenwriters across the globe are being delved into. Christina Kallas, president of the FSE, and Michael Winship, President of the WGA (East), introduced the event and welcomed [...]

Tomorrow morning’s schedule

Tomorrow the bus leaves the Titania Hotel at 8.45am for the conference venue. The first session will begin at 9.30am and run until 10.30am Opening session: GLOBAL CHALLENGE Welcoming speeches and opening of the conference • Representatives of the Greek Government and Government Agencies • Michael Winship, chair of IAWG/president of WGA East • Christina [...]

Participant profile: Francesco Ranieri Martinotti

On the eve of the conference it’s time to meet Italian film director Francesco Ranieri Martinotti. Francesco is a film director, an independent producer and recently the director of Festivals such as France Odeon in Florence. He started in the industry in the ‘90s and with his production company Iterfilm, and its films quickly won [...]

Tour schedule reminder

Just a reminder to participants of the World Conference of Screenwriters to meet outside the Titania Hotel today at 4.30pm sharp. Buses will take you to a short excursion at the Acropolis and the Parthenon, followed by a special tour and reception at the New Acropolis Museum. Further details are available on the social events [...]

In Greece

Participants of the World Conference of Screenwriters have begun congregating in Athens, Greece. Events kick off this evening with participants of the conference being treated to a special tour of the New Acropolis Museum, which cost $200 million and sits near the base of the Acropolis with a direct view of the Parthenon. Opened in [...]

Information on social events

If you check out the conference menu page you’ll see I’ve added a page on the social events that will be organised around the conference. There will be an exciting trip to and reception at the fantastic New Acropolis Museum on Thursday evening, and a farewell reception on the Saturday evening, where a cocktail or [...]

More conference information

There’s been a slight re-organisation of the main menu on the conference blog as more information is added for the benefit of our participants. There’s a new conference tab, which drops down a list of other pages of information on the following subjects: Contact – Food – Hotel – Registration – Travel – Venue. More [...]

Final agenda for the conference online

The final Agenda for the World Conference of Screenwriters has been released. It includes the programme of discussions, and the speakers assigned to them. You can read the Agenda on our site, download it, or download and/or embed it into your blogs from Scribd or .docstoc.

A note from Vicenzo Cerami

Unfortunately, Italian screenwriter Vicenzo Cerami will not be able to attend the conference. However, he has sent us a message about his experiences with screenwriting, along with some advice, and we hope you will find it inspiring. I’m a creature of the set. I discovered cinema with Pier Paolo Pasolini, working with him first as [...]