Sophie Willan chats about character development and her career Journey
Starts at
09 Oct 2020 18:00
Location
Online
Scratch Me presents: From Reel Life to Real Life; an online in conversation event with stand-up and sitcom star Sophie Willan. Join us from 6pm on Friday, 9 October for the first event in a series all about character development.
Sophie will be chatting about the inspiration behind her comedy creations and how exploring autobiography can lead to authentic, original - and funny - character development. She'll chart the origins of her personas, how they've moved across disciplines and platforms, and the challenges of character longevity.
Our host for the evening is North East-based actor and comedian - and star of Hub-funded short Me and My Friends - Sammy Dobson.
Every event in our Scratch Me programme is free to attend. Sessions are held via Zoom webinar - you don't need a live webcam or microphone to participate, just a reliable internet connection.
There will be the opportunity to ask Sophie questions during the session. You can use Zoom's Q&A feature to ask a question on the day or submit queries in advance to: bfinetwork@filmhubnorth.org.uk.
This event will feature a BSL interpreter.
Sophie Willan
Brutally honest and gloriously talented, Sophie Willan’s work takes inspiration from her unusual life experiences, making for a razor sharp and totally authentic comic voice.
In 2015, Sophie's refreshing comic style saw her crowned Magners New Comedy Act. She later secured funding of over £100k to produce the multi-platform literary project Stories of Care, creating and curating short stories written by fellow care leavers.
In 2016, she took her debut stand up show, On Record - based on her experiences of growing up in and out of the care system - to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show enjoyed a sell out run and critical acclaim, and was followed by a nationwide tour in 2017 and a commission to adapt the show into a BBC Radio 4 series.
In 2020, Sophie’s sitcom, Alma’s Not Normal was commissioned by BBC Two following a successful pilot. The Mirror called it ‘Phoenix Nights meets Fleabag, guided by the spirit of Victoria Wood;’ The Times said, ‘Willan’s writing is skilled and clearly very personal…uplifting and strangely enchanting.’ Sophie is currently writing the full series for release in 2021.
Scratch Me is a Film Hub North and BFI NETWORK project delivered in partnership with Screen Yorkshire and SIGN (Screen Industries Growth Network).
