Screenwriting and filmmaking are ways of thinking about both ourselves and our relationship to others, as well as to the world we inhabit. It is a very human activity to reflect upon our actions and the consequences, the choices we constantly face, what is important or of value, how we deal with failure or the unexpected. Stories give shape to our hopes and fears, our dreams and nightmares or they can reframe the trivial details of our lives, encouraging us to look at them afresh. 
 
Screenwriting is a very particular kind of writing informed by the language of cinema, which uses images and sounds, time, sequences, dialogue, music to express thoughts that cannot be expressed any other way. Drawing on his wide experience as a storyteller, filmmaker and teacher with a background in sociology and philosophy, local author Brian Dunnigan will introduce his new book SCREENWRITING IS FILMMAKING – exploring the theoretical and historical context of writing for the screen – with reference to specific films and screenplays. 
 
The talk will include practical tips on screenwriting and useful insights for film buffs, and there will also be time for questions. The former Head Of Screenwriting at the London Film School, Brian is an award-winning filmmaker who created and ran the highly-rated MA Screenwriting (MAS) programme at LFS for more than a decade. Tickets are £5 to include a glass of wine or cordial, bookable online or in shop. 7pm.