Alumna, Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant and Award-Winning Screenwriter, Ava, has launched the Harrodian's first Screenwriting Club!
My name is Ava and I am a former pupil of the Harrodian, where I attended school for nine years. I believe that the Harrodian was the gateway to my passion for creativity and storytelling as I spent much of my childhood in the school's Music, Drama and English departments.
Once I completed high school in the U.S., I studied my Undergraduate Degree in English. For my Master's Degree, I studied 'Film Studies - Screenwriting' at Trinity College Dublin. During my Postgraduate studies, I wrote a short film titled 'Six For Gold', and my professor encouraged me to submit my script for the consideration of a national competition in Ireland. Following his recommendation, I submitted my screenplay and I was thrilled to be selected as one of the five nominees for the 'Film Script of the Year' category, which was sponsored by Screen Ireland. In April 2024, I attended the Irish National Student Media (Smedia) Awards ceremony at the Mansion House in Dublin, and I was honoured to be selected as the winner of the 'Film Script of the Year' Award! (see below)
I remember the exact moment I decided that I wanted to become a screenwriter. I was in the cinema, watching Little Women (2019), and I was inspired by the scene in which Jo March is writing her book in the candlelit attic, surrounded by sheets of paper. As soon as I went home, I started writing and I haven't stopped since!
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Following the completion of my Master's degree, I decided to return to London to pursue a career in the film industry. In September, I joined the Harrodian Pre-Prep team as a PP1 Teaching Assistant. Currently, I am also collaborating with the Harrodian Film and Media Departments to assist with screenwriting coursework. In addition to preparing for the upcoming annual Harrodian Film Festival, this term, I have started an after-school Screenwriting Club for both Seniors and Sixth Form students.
The club is free to join and offered to:
- Seniors on Wednesdays between 4:10pm-4:40pm
- Sixth Form on Thursdays between 4:10pm-4:40pm.
All are welcome to discover the medium of writing for the screen!
We also have an exciting new category to be awarded as part of the Film Festival on Wednesday 19th March: a cash prize will be offered for the 'Best Screenplay'. I am very excited to be shortlisting the top five screenplay entries for this category and presenting the award alongside Mr. Andy Woodward, who is selecting the winning script!
Please get in touch with Mr Cullis and/or Mr Grey Parkinson to find out more information.