LILLE & PARIS, FRANCE – March 12, 2018 – With registration open and a number of key executives already onboard, Ms. Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania (April 27 to May 5), today announced a top-notch list of award-winning writers and creators who will be participating in the upcoming European Project and Talent Forum (May 2 to 4) in Lille, France. In addition, and on the heels of the recent announcement regarding the Series Mania Writers Campus, a week-long intensive writing workshop for 20 emerging TV drama writers throughout Europe, Ms. Herszberg unveiled the company’s newest initiative entitled Enter The Writers Room’, three days of sessions for delegates to join or observe a simulation of a writers’ room in action. Enter The Writers' Room is in association with Serial Eyes.
“Series Mania’s European Project and Talent Forum is the place in Europe to connect the creative international community with TV series executives. There are no good series without a good script; therefore, Series Mania is the place where business meets creativity. We look forward to welcoming these amazing writers and creators to Lille,” commented Ms. Herszberg. In discussing Enter The Writer’s Room, Ms. Herszberg added, “Supporting new talent is essential and we are delighted to offer this great opportunity to emerging TV writers.”
Confirmed speakers who will share their stories, offer insight, and give guidance for new talent today are Hagai Levi (In Treatment – HBO and The Affair - Showtime), Tony Grisoni (The City and the City – BBC2), Bryan Elsley (Kiss Me First – Channel 4 UK and Netflix), Fanny Herrero (Call My Agent! – France 2 - Netflix).
Next up will be detailed case studies from today’s successful series. These include Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World - Netflix) and Álex Pina (La Casa de Papel - Netflix). Additional panelists and speakers will be announced shortly.
As part of Enter The Writers' Room, Series Mania delegates will be able to join or observe a simulation of a writers’ room in action during the three days of the Forum. Participants will experience what it is like to work in an actual writer’s room which will include plotting or carding a finished short film based on well-known universal stories. At the end of the day, there will be a finished story on index cards ready to pitch.
ABOUT SERIES MANIA
Created by Laurence Herszberg in 2010, the Series Mania Festival brings the best international TV series on the big screen and offers its audience (over 50,000 spectators in 2017 with 1,200 industry professionals) the unique opportunity to meet and learn from renowned show-runners, directors and television talent. Series Mania has developed into a unique event with wide recognition, entirely dedicated TV series, and aimed at both the general public and industry professionals. For this ninth edition, the Festival is moving to the charming northern French city of Lille (Hauts-de-France) where it will once again organize a competition featuring world premieres judged by a prestigious international jury.
ABOUTEUROPEAN PROJECT AND TALENT FORUM
Launched in 2013, the European Project and Talent Forum (formerly the Co-Production Forum), the industry arm of the Series Mania Festival has become the place to be for all those involved in the creation of TV series around the world. The Forum has seen many projects become a series, including: Liar, Tabula Rasa, Stella Blomkvist, Keeping Faith, Banking District with many others currently in production or in advanced development. In 2017, over 1,200 accredited professionals from 35 countries attended the Forum.
