Story Engine: Scene Of The Crime

We are delighted to announce that the full programme for this year’s event has now been published. Joining our sparkling lineup of previously announced guests will be Eva Svenstedt Ward and Antonia Pyk from Swedish powerhouse Yellow Bird, the company behind Wallander and Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy. Having worked extensively as a script editor and dramaturg on the adaptation of all the Millennium books for both television and the cinema, Eva is now working with dramatist Antonia on a mammoth six-feature film adaptation of Liza Marklund’s crime novels.

Elsewhere in the programme we have a tantalising face-to-face between Mike Hodges and novelist David Peace, whose Red Riding Quartet lies squarely in the shadow of Hodges’ Get Carter, screenwriter Tony Grisoni on turning Peace’s four complex novels into three films for Channel 4, novelist Denise Mina on how she has consistently created great crime stories, the BBC’s John Yorke on the commissioner’s perspective, and a sneak-peek at ITV’s up-coming crime drama Vera, with novelist Ann Cleeves and screenwriter Paul Rutman. 

By taking a sharp focus on the creation of crime fiction, we’ll explore how the creative choices available to the writer – character, setting, structure, tone – can be greatly enhanced by a better understanding of genre. In addition, we’ll be looking at the intricate relationship between the crime novel and its adaptation for screens large and small and ask: what  can filmmakers learn from the work and working methods of crime novelists?

The event is aimed at all those engaged in creating fiction for the screen, be they screenwriters, producers, or directors. But I am absolutely sure, that given the mouth-watering line-up we have, novelists and fans of crime fiction in general will find Scene Of The Crime a treasure trove of knowledge and experience. 

We have two simple aims: to celebrate the work of our talented guests, and help you, our audience, gain a better understanding of the art, craft, and business of creating engaging stories for the screen. 

Come and join us. 

Ian Fenton

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A cornerstone of this year’s event - the starting point really - is a series of events and screenings initiated by those loons over at the Tyneside Cinema to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the UK release of Get Carter. With bus tours, musical remixes, art exhibitions, and film retrospectives, it promises to be a truly unique film experience. 

We are delighted to be part of the whole shebang, and look forward to welcoming writer and director Mike Hodges to the Story Engine on the 11th of March and 12th of March. 

For more info on the season scoot over to Tyneside Cinema.

The Story Engine is a collaboration between filmmaker Ian Fenton and New Writing North, in partnership Northern Film & Media and the Tyneside Cinema.