Col Spector, 8 Rules For Shooting A Documentary
2026-02-17 19:45 - 22:00 UTC | Sutton FilmMakers Club – Parochial Rooms, 42 The Broadway, Cheam, Surrey, SM3 8BL, United Kingdom
Session led by Col Spector

We’re delighted to welcome Col Spector to the club for a talk on something most of us only learn the hard way, how to shoot a documentary that actually turns into a film, not just a pile of interesting footage.

Col has worked across documentary, commercials and fiction, and he’s known for being both practical and refreshingly direct. This evening he’ll be sharing his “8 rules” for documentary making, the kind of rules that stop you drifting, keep you honest about what you’re trying to say, and give you a structure you can lean on when the shoot starts throwing surprises at you.

Col Spector set up documentary consultancy to help documentary filmmakers make emotionally engaging films that get seen and launch their careers. Using the principles/guidelines that he developed throughout his career as a documentary maker at the BBC, Col has worked with hundreds of early career directors helping them turn their ideas into films that have been commissioned and screened on the BBC, Netflix and many top tier film festivals. See some testimonials from filmmakers Col has helped and for more about how he can help you at www.thedocumentaryconsultant.com

This is not a technical talk about cameras, lenses, or kit. It’s about decisions, focus, and storytelling. The invisible stuff that makes the difference between a documentary that feels alive, and one that feels like it never quite gets going.

What You’ll Take Away

A clearer way to start, so you’re not “finding the film” three months into the edit

How to shape a documentary around an idea without strangling the real life out of it

Why a documentary needs tension, development, and a dramatic arc, even when it’s truthful

How to hold a critical point of view, without turning your film into a lecture

A simple framework you can use on your next project, whether it’s 5 minutes or 50

Col will introduce the rules, unpack the thinking behind them, and share examples of how they show up in the real world of shooting and editing. You’ll come away with plenty to try, and probably a couple of uncomfortable realisations too, in a good way.

There’ll be time for questions at the end, so if you’ve got a documentary idea you’ve been circling for ages, or you’ve started one and hit the familiar “do I actually have a film here?” moment, bring that with you.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 17 February 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

Acting And Auditioning Workshop With Sara Jordan
2026-03-03 19:45 - 22:00
Session led by Sara Jordan

Sara Jordan is running a practical, hands on acting and auditioning workshop for anyone who wants to feel more confident in auditions, and more grounded in their acting choices.

This is not a sit back and listen kind of evening. Expect plenty of exercises, short explorations, and supportive feedback as you work on what casting people and directors actually respond to, believable character, clear choices, and an actor who feels present rather than “performed”.

What We’ll Explore

Finding character and authenticity

You’ll work through simple, repeatable exercises that help you build a character with truth at the centre, not just a collection of mannerisms. The aim is to feel connected to what the character wants, what they fear, what they’re protecting, and then let that inner world shape everything else.

Building a character from the ground up

Sara will guide you through how movement and voice naturally grow out of character, rather than being added on top. You’ll explore posture, pace, gesture, rhythm, breath, and vocal tone, and how small physical choices can make a character feel specific without becoming forced or “put on”.

Understanding your casting type

This bit is often surprisingly useful. You’ll look at the kinds of roles you’re most realistically likely to be cast in right now, and how to lean into that strategically, without boxing yourself in forever. It’s about knowing where you fit in the casting landscape so you can show up with clearer choices and less second guessing.

How auditions really work

We’ll cover what directors tend to look for, what helps you stand out in a good way, and what quietly undermines an audition even when the acting is solid. You’ll also focus on how to present yourself well in the room, how to take direction, and how to keep your nerves from hijacking your performance.

Who It’s For

This workshop is suitable for beginners who want a practical starting point, and for more experienced actors who want to sharpen their audition technique and make their character choices feel more grounded and intentional.

If you’ve ever left an audition thinking “I could do it, but I didn’t show it”, this evening is basically for you.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 3rd March 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

Film In A Night Evening - One Concept, Told In Multiple Genres
2026-03-17 19:45 - 22:00
Session led by Adrian Dean

One Concept, Told In Multiple Genres

On 18 March, Adrian Dean is running a Film In A Night challenge built around a simple idea, one concept told in multiple genres. We’ll split into teams and be given a basic plot plus a genre to tackle it in.

Each group will then discuss and plan quickly before going off to shoot their idea, aiming to edit in camera so we can screen a finished film to the rest of the club at the end.

No pressure, just a fun, practical evening of filmmaking with friends, and a great way to see how much genre comes from choices, not budget.

See our other events here

Film In A Night Evening – One Concept, Told In Multiple Genres

In a film in a night challenge the teams that finish strong usually do one thing early, they commit. Not to perfection, just to a clear direction.

Start with three quick agreements:

Genre Promise, what do you want the audience to feel most, amused, tense, unsettled, warm, suspicious

Genre Signal, pick one obvious “tell” you can lean on all the way through, sound, lighting, performance style, pacing, camera movement

Final Beat, decide what the last moment is meant to land like, so you’re always shooting towards something

Then keep the rest ruthlessly simple.

Time Saving Tips That Actually Work On The Night

Planning can drift into a mini writers room if you let it, so for a film in a night challenge give yourselves a few constraints and stick to them.

Limit locations

One location is ideal, two at most. Moving between places eats time, and it’s where continuity and sound start falling apart.

Keep the shot list small

Aim for around 6 to 10 shots. If you’re listing 20, you’re probably trying to cover uncertainty rather than telling the story. One strong wide and a couple of close ups will do a lot of heavy lifting.

Assign “owners” even if roles overlap

Someone watches sound, someone watches framing, someone watches continuity. People can double up, but it helps if each area has a name attached to it.

Rehearse the blocking once

A quick walk through of where people stand, where they move, and where the camera is, saves more time than repeating takes later.

If you get stuck, go more obvious

Film In A Night is not the moment for subtle genre. Make the genre clearer than you think it needs to be, especially in the first 20 to 30 seconds.

What Editing In Camera Means

Editing in camera means you’re assembling the film as you shoot, rather than collecting lots of coverage and building it later. In practical terms, you film only what you intend to use, and where possible you shoot shots in the order you want them to appear.

It’s a great approach for this kind of challenge because it keeps things moving, and it stops the evening turning into a long laptop session.

You might also want to read how to get it right colour wise in camera

How To Get Editing In Camera Right

Shoot in sequence where you can

If your story beat order is A then B then C, try to film in that order. It reduces confusion and makes the “assembled” version feel natural.

Give every shot a clean start and finish

Hit record, hold for a second, let the action happen, hold for a second at the end. Those little handles make it much easier to stitch together quickly.

Cut on actions, not on words

People turning, standing, picking something up, reacting, these are natural cut points. Cutting mid line can work, but only if you’re doing it deliberately.

Fewer takes, but one safety take

Do not chase perfection, but if a take felt messy, do one more while you’re there. “We’ll fix it later” is how Film In A Night projects die.

Prioritise sound

Clear dialogue makes a film feel finished. Get close enough to the actors, do a quick listen back before you move on, and avoid noisy corners if you can.

At The End Of The Night

We’ll bring the films back together and watch them as a group. Same basic plot, different genres, different choices, and a lot of laughs, plus you’ll probably pick up a few tricks just from seeing how other teams tackled the same starting point.

The Basics Of Film Editing
2026-04-07 19:45 - 22:00
Session led by Peter Leverick

If you’ve ever sat in front of a timeline and thought, “I know what I want this scene to do, but it’s not landing”, this evening is for you. We’re keeping it simple and practical, a night focused on the basics of film editing and the core decisions that make a sequence feel clear, natural, and emotionally right.

We’ll work through the three questions that sit underneath almost every edit:

When to cut

Sometimes the cut is obvious. Sometimes it’s a tiny moment you can’t quite describe, but you can feel it. We’ll explore the cues that tell you it’s time to move on, pace, performance, energy, eye movement, and even breathing.

Why to cut

Cuts aren’t just there to shorten things. They shape meaning. They control what the audience notices, what they miss, what they expect, and how they feel. We’ll look at the most common reasons for cutting, to tighten rhythm, to hide problems, to heighten emotion, to build tension, to reveal information at exactly the right time.

What to cut to

This is where the basics of film editing starts to feel like storytelling rather than assembling shots. We’ll look at how choosing the next shot can change the mood of a scene, and how different choices can make the same material feel funny, unsettling, calm, or urgent.

We’ll also look at how the basics of film editing shift depending on genre, because genre is basically a set of audience expectations, and editing is one of the quickest ways to meet those expectations, or deliberately play against them. We’ll talk through a few common genres and the sort of cutting style they tend to lean on:

Comedy, timing, reaction shots, and how a fraction of a second can make a joke work, or kill it

Horror, controlling what the audience sees, when they see it, and how cutting can create dread before anything even happens

Drama, staying with performance, letting moments breathe, and knowing when not to cut

Suspense, tightening the rope slowly, using pace and withholding information to keep the audience leaning forward

Peter Leverick will also focus on one of the most useful skills an editor develops, knowing whether the cut feels right. Often the editor’s first clue is simply that something feels off. It might be a timing issue, too early, too late, not held long enough, or it might be something else entirely, a mismatch in energy, a performance beat that’s been cut away, or a moment that needs a different shot to make the scene make sense emotionally. Peter will share ways to spot what’s actually wrong, so you’re not just nudging clips around at random.

We’ll also cover a couple of common cut types that editors use all the time, including J cuts and L cuts, and why you might use them. They’re simple techniques, but they’re surprisingly powerful for smoothing transitions, pulling the audience into the next moment, and making scenes feel more natural without the edit drawing attention to itself.

This is a hands on learning night in the sense that it’s all about real decision making, the sort of stuff you can immediately apply to your own projects, whether you’re editing on a phone, a laptop, or a full editing suite. If you’re new to editing, it’ll give you a foundation. If you’ve edited a bit already, it’ll help you understand why some sequences work and others don’t, even when the footage is decent.

Come along and sharpen up your instincts, get clearer on the basics of film editing, and leave with a few practical ideas you can try the very next time you sit down to edit.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 7th April 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

Video Editing Basics, A Hands On Practical Workshop
2026-04-21 19:45 - 22:00
Following our previous meeting, where we ran out of time to get into the practical editing, this follow on session is all about learning by doing. Members will work with a set of simple clips, with experienced members on hand to help, guide and answer questions as they go.

If you want to get started with editing but feel more confused than confident once you open the software, this workshop is a good place to begin.

This is a fully practical, hands session

This is a fully practical, hands on follow on session where members will be learning by actually editing. It is not a lecture and it is not a software demo that you simply sit and watch. The whole evening is built around getting stuck in, trying things out, and learning the basics with support from experienced members as you go.

We will provide a set of simple clips for everyone to work with during the workshop, so there is no need to bring your own footage. The aim is to help you get comfortable with the core editing process, bringing clips in, placing them on a timeline, trimming them down, putting them in order, and turning raw material into a short finished sequence.

If you want to bring your own laptop, your editing software must be installed before you arrive. We will not have time to install software during the workshop, and internet access at the club is limited, so please make sure everything is set up in advance. If you do not already have editing software, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve is available as a free download and is an excellent place to start.

We will also have a small number of editing suites available for members who do not have a laptop to bring. These will be offered on a first come, first served basis, as numbers are limited.

This workshop is aimed at complete beginners, as well as anyone who has tried editing before but still feels unsure about the basics. The focus is on doing, not theory, so by the end of the evening you should have a much clearer feel for how editing works and more confidence about taking footage and shaping it into something watchable.

What To Bring

Your laptop, if you want to edit on your own machine

Editing software already installed before the session

A mouse, if you have one, as it usually makes editing easier

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 21st April 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

Shot Composition and Framing, Making the Audience Feel Something
2026-05-05 19:45 - 22:15
Session led by Owain Dain & Peter Leverick

How you frame a shot can completely change the way an audience feels about a scene. The same action can seem tense, dramatic, awkward, powerful, or uncertain, simply because of where the camera is placed and how the subject is composed within the frame.

This practical and interactive evening will explore how shot composition and framing affect meaning, mood, and the audience’s emotional response to what they are seeing.

A Practical Session On Visual Storytelling

This session will look at how filmmakers use framing to shape what the audience thinks and feels. We will experiment with simple examples such as making a scene feel dramatic, making one person look powerful, making someone appear confused, or making a character seem uncomfortable or exposed. Peter will also talk about some of the psychology behind these choices and why certain framings create particular reactions.

This will not be a dry theory session. The evening is designed to be hands on and discussion based, with members looking at framing choices in practice and exploring how small changes in camera position, lens choice, headroom, distance, and angle can alter the emotional meaning of a shot.

We will also break up the practical work with selected clips and examples from well known directors, looking at how they use composition to guide attention, suggest relationships, create pressure, or reveal something about a character without saying it directly.

This session should be useful for directors, camera operators, editors, and anyone who wants to become more visually intentional in the way they shoot. It is also ideal for newer members who want to understand why some images feel strong and cinematic, while others feel flat or unclear.

What To Expect

Interactive discussion and practical framing exercises

Examples of how framing changes emotion and meaning

Selected clips showing how well known directors use composition

A clearer understanding of the psychology behind visual choices

You do not need to bring any equipment for this one, just your interest in filmmaking and a willingness to get involved.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 5th May 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

WeMakeFilms International Film Festival
2026-05-19 19:45 - 22:15
Hosted by Sutton Filmmakers

Session led by Paul Howard

🎬 Celebrating Creativity and Ingenuity in Indie Filmmaking

We’re thrilled to announce that the WeMakeFilms International Film Festival will be hosted by Sutton FilmMakers on Tuesday, 19th May 2026, in Cheam, Surrey. This event is dedicated to showcasing exceptional films created with limited budgets, celebrating the artistry, passion, and resourcefulness of indie filmmakers from around the globe.

About the Festival

WeMakeFilms champions the creativity and ingenuity of indie filmmakers working with modest resources. Our festival levels the playing field by focusing on films with lower production budgets, ensuring great storytelling and innovation take centre stage.

The festival features four categories:

🎥 Production Value Under £500/$600🎥 Production Value Under £1,500/$1,800🎥 Production Value Under £5,000/$6,000🎨 Animations Only

What to Expect on the Night

📽️ Finalists’ Screenings

We’ll be showcasing the three finalists from each category, giving the audience a chance to enjoy a diverse selection of creative and innovative films.

🏆 Audience Awards

The audience will have the exciting opportunity to vote for their favourite films, determining the winners of the Audience Awards for each category.

🎖️ Category Awards

We’ll also announce the Best Film and Audience Awards awards in each category, recognising outstanding achievements in indie filmmaking.

Why Attend?

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

Experience a celebration of creativity and resourcefulness in filmmaking.

Discover powerful stories and unique perspectives from talented indie filmmakers.

Be part of an audience that directly influences the festival awards.

Connect with fellow film enthusiasts and filmmakers.

Event Details

📅 Date: Tuesday, 19th May 2026🕢 Time: 7:45 pm – 10:00 pm

This promises to be an inspiring and entertaining evening for anyone who loves the art of storytelling and independent filmmaking.

Mark your calendar, and join us as we celebrate the filmmakers who bring incredible stories to life with creativity, passion, and ingenuity.

We look forward to seeing you in person at the film festival!

To see future events go to our events section.

Casting Night – Auditions
2026-06-02 19:45 - 22:15
We have some exciting news to share: not one, not two, but four club films and club assisted films that are now casting as part of the pre-production! And guess what? We need YOU, the talented and charismatic individuals, to bring these stories to life. This is your golden opportunity to audition for captivating roles and become an integral part of our filmmaking family.

Calling all budding actors! Join us for our highly anticipated Open Auditions Casting Night. Whether you’re a seasoned thespian or new to the stage, we welcome all who are eager to showcase their talents. It’s your chance to shine and show us your acting chops.

We are currently casting for 20 roles across 4 short films.

For the lead roles we are looking for a good screen actors. For the supporting roles and extras all levels of experience welcome.

Sutton Filmmakers is a filmmaking community looking to connect and empower local talent.

We’re currently accepting self-tapes and encourage everyone to audition. Even if you’re not cast in this round, your audition will be considered for future projects in the anthology.

We’re looking for a diverse range of actors for several upcoming short films and scripts.

Details and to read the scripts simple click on the film title.

Title: The Offline Action Group (mockumentary, comedy):

MARTIN BELL: 50s, male – self-appointed chair, articulate, well-meaning, quietly enjoys being in charge

JANET PRICE: 60s, female – precise, procedural, dry, believes minutes and structure prevent chaos

GARY TOWNSEND: 40s, male – local tech person, awkward, sincere, still not ruling out a router issue

KELLY MARSH: 30s, female – former online wellness coach, warm, earnest, emotionally fluent

EILEEN PARKER: 70s, female – practical, calm, observant, quietly authoritative, gets things done

OLDER MAN: 60s-70s, male – worried about getting his wife’s prescription, plain-spoken and grounded

YOUNG MUM: 20s-40s, female – trying to contact her daughter, anxious but practical

DRY RESIDENT: 40s-70s, any gender – sceptical, amused, fair, gives the audience’s dry view of the meeting

TEENAGER: 14-19, any gender – blunt, dry, unimpressed by adult language

PHARMACY WOMAN: 30s-70s, female – practical resident with a useful pharmacy connection

GENERAL RESIDENTS: adult, any gender – background and small speaking roles, ordinary local meeting attendees

OFF-SCREEN INTERVIEWER: adult, any gender – calm documentary interviewer, voice role

Title: The Fear Nobody Understands (short, public service, docustyle film):

ANNA: late 30s, female, capable and outwardly composed, quietly living with toilet anxiety

MARK: late 30s to mid 40s, male, Anna’s partner, kind, patient and trying to understand

FRIEND: 30s to 50s, any gender, well-meaning but misunderstands the problem

COLLEAGUE: 30s to 50s, any gender, casual and practical, does not realise the impact of what they say

FAMILY MEMBER: 50s to 70s, any gender, kind and reassuring, but still solving the wrong problem

MEETING LEADER: 30s to 60s, any gender, professional and neutral, leads a small meeting

EXTRAS / BACKGROUND ROLES: adults, any age and gender, meeting attendees, queue members, park/picnic companions or ordinary public background as required

Title: David shoots his shot (short, comedy film):

A young employee confesses his love for his boss via a work zoom meeting.

David – young professional, 18-25 age range. (Any race).

Hayley – middle aged or older. (Any race) object of David’s desire.

Other colleagues on call (Various ages)

Title: Preppers (short, drama):

An apocalypse prepper does what he can to keep his daughter and estranged wife safe.

This is a dramatic story about a man trying to get the family he is currently separated from to join him in his underground bunker before the apocalypse.

Marcus – 40- 55 age range. (Any race)

Casting night could be your night.

Imagine the thrill of delivering heartfelt monologues, nailing comedic timing, or embodying characters that captivate audiences. This is your chance to make your mark in the world of cinema. Who knows? You might just become the talk of the town!

But wait, there’s even more excitement in store on our casting night. Even if acting isn’t your calling, we invite you to be part of the magic. Witness the auditions unfold and cheer on the auditionees as they bring characters to life. It promises to be an evening filled with laughter, drama, and unforgettable moments.

So mark your calendars, prepare your best audition pieces, and get ready for a night of auditions that will leave you inspired and entertained. Whether you’re seeking stardom or simply want to immerse yourself in the world of filmmaking, this film club night is not to be missed.

Remember, the stage is set, the lights are dimmed, and the spotlight awaits. Join us on the 2nd of June 26 and let’s make cinematic dreams come true!

Non-members welcome

Apply for an audition slot here

Your name

Your email

Your Phone No

Your playing/acting age

For the Film "The Offline Action Group" select the role/s you are interested in:

Martin BellJanet PriceGary TownsendKelly MarshEileen ParkerOlder ManYoung MumDry ResidentTeenagerPharmacy WomanGeneral ResidentsAudience / Resident ExtrasOff-Screen InterviewerAny role

For the Film "The Fear Nobody Understands" select the role/s you are interested in:

AnnaMarkFriendColleagueFamily MemberVoiceMeeting LeaderMeeting AttendeeQueue MemberPicnic CompanionBackground RoleSunneyAny role

For the Film "David Shoots His Shot" select the role/s you are interested in:

DavidHaleyOther colleagues on call (various ages)

For the Film "Preppers" select the role/s you are interested in:

Marcus

Tell us a bit about you and give us a brief resume of previous acting experience, if any, optional

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Documentary Inspiration Night
2026-06-16 19:45 - 22:15
Session led by Tom McDaniel

For this meeting, we’re inviting members to bring along a short documentary, or a scene from a longer documentary, that they think really works.

It might be something powerful, revealing, moving, beautifully observed, or simply a piece that captures the spirit of documentary particularly well. The aim is to get us into the documentary mindset by watching and discussing work that has made an impression on us.

An Evening Of Documentary Inspiration

Each member who brings something can briefly introduce their choice, explain why they picked it, and say what they think filmmakers can learn from it. That could be about story, character, access, tension, structure, editing, camera work, or simply the feeling the film creates. The idea is not just to say what we liked, but to explore why it works.

This will be a relaxed but focused evening, giving us the chance to share inspiration, discover documentaries we may not have come across before, and build a stronger feel for what makes factual filmmaking effective. By looking at a range of different styles and approaches, we should come away with fresh ideas for our own work.

To help the evening run smoothly, it would be best if any clips are short and ready to play. A scene of around two to five minutes is ideal, enough to give us something real to discuss without losing the pace of the session.

This should be a useful evening for anyone interested in documentary, whether you already make factual films or are simply curious about what gives documentary its particular power when it is done well.

What To Bring

A short documentary, or a short scene from a longer documentary

A clip that is ready to play, ideally kept to around two to five minutes

A few thoughts on why you chose it and what filmmakers can learn from it

You are also very welcome to come along without bringing a clip, and simply enjoy the viewing and discussion.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 16th June 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:15 pm

A Practical Evening Of Interview Technique
2026-07-07 19:45 - 22:15
Session led by Paul Howard

Interviewing someone well is harder than it looks. A good interview is not just about having a list of questions, it is about listening properly, asking clearly, spotting what matters, and knowing when to follow something interesting a bit further.

This practical club evening will give members the chance to improve their interview technique by putting it into practice with Peter Leverick in the hot seat.

A Practical Evening Of Interview Technique

Members will have the chance to ask Peter questions about the club, its history, the challenges of keeping it going, and the experiences that have shaped it over the years. Peter will then give feedback afterwards, helping members think about what worked, what could have been stronger, and how to get more from an interview.

This will be a hands on and interactive evening rather than a lecture. The aim is to help members become more confident interviewers by seeing how different kinds of questions produce different kinds of answers. Some questions open up stories, some reveal personality, and some simply fall flat. Learning to tell the difference is a big part of becoming a better filmmaker.

There should also be a lively element to the evening, as Peter has every intention of being a slightly awkward and mischievous interviewee at times, which in itself should make for a useful learning experience. Real interviews do not always go smoothly, and part of the skill is learning how to stay calm, adapt, and keep the conversation moving in a productive direction.

This session should be useful for anyone interested in documentary, factual filmmaking, or simply getting better at drawing out stronger answers from contributors. Whether you have interviewed people before or never done it at all, it should be an enjoyable way to practise and learn.

What To Expect

A practical interview session with Peter Leverick

The chance to ask questions and see how different approaches work

Feedback on interview technique and question style

A useful evening for documentary and factual filmmakers

You do not need to bring anything special for this session, just your curiosity and a willingness to get involved.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 7th July 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:15 pm

An Evening with Paul Kerensa on Story, Character and Comedy
2026-08-04 19:45 - 22:15
Session led by Paul Kerensa

On 4 August, Sutton FilmMakers welcomes writer, comedian and broadcaster Paul Kerensa for an evening exploring story, structure, character and comedy.

Paul has written on more than 100 episodes of Not Going Out, as well as Miranda, Top Gear, TFI Friday, The Royal Variety Performance, Andy and the Band, and a wide range of radio comedy and drama for the BBC.

This session will look at what makes stories work, how structure can help you shape stronger scripts, how to build characters and relationships that feel alive, and how comedy can be created through character, dialogue and visual ideas.

Paul will explore major storytelling theories including the Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, the Hegelian Dialectic and John Yorke’s Into the Woods, alongside his own practical approach based on real writing experience.

What The Evening Will Cover

What makes a story work

How to build structure without becoming trapped by formula

Story theories including the Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat, Hegelian Dialectic and Into the Woods

Creating stronger characters and relationships

Writing comedy through character, dialogue and visual humour

Live Q&A on writing, comedy and the industry

There will also be time for questions on any part of his writing career, including sitcom, sketch shows, writing for radio and television, and developing your own voice as a writer.

A Little More About Paul Kerensa

Paul has also taught screenwriting at the University of Winchester, for BBC Writersroom and for London Screenwriters Festival, so this should be a particularly useful evening for anyone wanting practical, usable guidance rather than vague theory.

As well as his writing work, he is an experienced broadcaster, performer and author, with more than 3,000 stand-up gigs to his name, including The Comedy Store, the Montreal Comedy Festival and twelve Edinburgh Fringe solo shows.

Whether you are already writing scripts, thinking about starting, or simply curious about how stories, characters and comedy are shaped, this promises to be an entertaining and valuable evening.

Come ready to learn, laugh and leave inspired. You can find out more about Paul Kerensa here.

Non-members welcome for the evening (first two nights free as our guests) Here is how to find us

Date: Tuesday 4th August 2026Time: 7:45 pm – 10:15 pm
