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Ideas Lab : Welcome Trust & EIFF launch partnership to inspire Scottish Screenwirters

Posted By : Mukesh    At 09-04-2015 16:30:17

Tags : Ideas Lab    Welcome Trust & EIFF    Scottish Screenwirters    

Edinburgh Wednesday 8 April 2015; Edinburgh International Film Festival is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Wellcome Trust and the Beltane Public Engagement Network to deliver an exciting new initiative for established screenwriters.

The Wellcome Trust Ideas Lab will be a rare opportunity for talented, distinctive screenwriters and writer/directors to develop story ideas by immersing themselves in the world of biomedical research during the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) in June 2015.

Building on the success of the Screenwriting Fellowship run by the Wellcome Trust in partnership with BFI and Film4, Ideas Lab is a workshop at which Scottish-born or based writers and directors will be able to connect and collaborate with experts, be inspired by the latest scientific developments and explore future film ideas. Ideas Lab will cover some of the major topics in contemporary life science, including sex, death, memory and love, and will expose participants to the cutting edge research that is analysing our minds, changing our bodies and shaping our world.

Mark Adams, the new EIFF Artistic Director said: “This new partnership offers a wonderful opportunity for screenwriters and we look forward to seeing the results. It will be a fantastic environment to explore new thoughts and concepts as well as discussing story ideas.”

Simon Chaplin, Director of Culture & Society at the Wellcome Trust, said: “Ideas – whether for a film or in the lab – can be sparked by many things, but we think they truly thrive when there is time to explore and experiment. Ideas Lab is a rare chance to provide writers and directors with the opportunity to take that time, to make connections with researchers and to be inspired. We are thrilled to be working with the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Beltane Public Engagement Network to develop this exciting film initiative – a first for the Wellcome Trust in Scotland.”

Ideas Lab will run between 18th and 19th June 2015. The workshop will include:

• Opportunities to meet scientists and researchers and explore their work
• Explorations of how collaborations and conversations with researchers can inspire stories in film
• A chance to go behind the scenes at a cutting-edge science laboratory
• Opportunities to discuss and develop story ideas
• A chance to discuss film ideas with the Wellcome Trust and explore potential development funding

Established writers and directors who are interested in taking part should contact the organisers at  with ‘Wellcome Trust Ideas Lab’ in the subject heading before 24th April 2015. In addition there will be a small number of places available for producers or agents to nominate talented Scottish born or based writers to take part in this special programme.

Ideas Lab is managed by Holly Daniel, Industry & Talent Development Manager at EIFF and Meroë Candy, from the Wellcome Trust.                                               

The 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival takes place from 17-28 June 2015.

Delegate registration for this year’s industry programme opens on Wednesday 08 April.

Full details can be found at www.edfilmfest.org.uk/industry