Conor Dowling on Breaking into Screenwriting & Filmmaking in Ireland (Emerging Screenwriter)

Conor spent most of his youth in Ireland gigging in rock bands, working in a video store and reading too many Stephen King novels. Eventually, he knew he had to course correct and follow his dreams. Conor is a writer, filmmaker and award winning podcaster from Dublin with a masters in film production from Staffordshire University. Conor writes about misfits, monsters and broken hearts, and his writing is infused with folklore, horror and comedy. After writing episodes of the popular animation series STORIES FROM BACKWOODS, Conor was hired to develop an adult animated series with Irish animation production company Ink and Light and recently optioned an original live action feature screenplay. Conor's screenplay DARA MCCOOL received screenplay development funding from Screen Ireland in 2022 and received a bursary for Stowe Story Labs in Vermont. This animated script went on to be awarded second round development funding in 2024. Conor was a screenwriting mentee of BAFTA winning writer Will Collins (Wolfwalkers) for a yearlong mentorship in 2022. Conor's numerous independent short films and spec scripts have placed in competitions and festivals worldwide (Save The Cat, Big Break, Stage 32 Animation, Straight 8). Author of two Irish Arts Council funded novel manuscripts MONUMENTAL and THE OUTER CIRCLE, the second of which was shortlisted in the Irish Writer's Centre Novel Fair 2020. Conor has directed factual entertainment and documentary and kids TV for RTE & RTE Jnr and is a skilled camera operator, stills photographer and editor for film and TV and online video productions. His directorial feature film debut mockumentary THE LIGHT OF DAY screened at the Galway Film Fleadh and the IFI Horrorthon. Creator and host of horror podcast The Hidden Station, and Fad Camp on the Headstuff Podcast Network which was nominated for Irish Podcast awards in 2022 & won best entertainment in 2023. In his spare time you can find Conor traveling Europe & America, learning a new musical instrument, taking selfies with other people's dogs and cats, or tinkering with dusty old analogue cameras.