First Impressions: Debut Features by Irish Screenwriters

Abstract

Emerging writers often lament the difficulty in getting a first feature film into production; and, indeed, it can be a mammoth task. The writer first needs an original idea that will excite development executives, producers and funding bodies. The treatment and/or script must be crafted in such a way that it stands head and shoulders above the rest. The project needs to attach a director who, ideally, shares the writer’s vision. As well as having creative strengths, the writer must exhibit tenacity and industry know-how. Networking and peer support are crucial to understanding the field and, hence, maximising the possibility of success. We often ask ourselves, what is it about that writer or that project that made the difference. Is there anything we could have done differently to stack the odds in our favour? Hopefully, this chapter will go some way to answering those questions.