LAURA DEGNAN
Laura Degnan is an emerging writer/director working in film and is represented by Julie Press at Kitson Press Associates. Laura has worked in development roles at Kudos Film and TV, RS Productions and the BBC.
In 2017/8 Laura was selected to participate in the Diverse Director initiative, led by the National Film and Television School and supported by Eon Productions and Channel 4. She has written and directed a number of short films and conceptual music videos that have screened at national and international film festivals.
Laura has been a mentor and lead filmmaker on BFI Academies and Channel 4 Random Acts schemes across the North. In 2018 she produced and edited a film for Channel 4’s First Acts scheme. She recently completed an artist in residence with Durham University, supported by the Leverhulme Trust.
Laura set up Writers’ Block North East in 2010 to support creative talent in the North East region. She is a director, mentor and workshop leader
JAMES HARRIS
James Harris is an author, filmmaker, performer and unreliable narrator.
In 2019 he won the Hachette Childrens' Novel prize at the Northern Writers' Awards. His first book The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory was published by Hachette in 2021, followed by Happytown Must Be Destroyed in 2022.
His first picture book, Help! We Need a Story, will be published by Little Tiger in 2024.
He is represented by Emily Talbot at United Agents.
Before all the books happened he wrote/made stuff for the BBC (Shooting Stars, Comedy Shuffle, Scallywagga, Fresh Animation On 3, Spacehopper, Teethgrinder, Parsons and Naylor's Pull Out Sections), Channel 4 (4mations), Dave (Totally Viral) and ITV (Cobravision).
He has been a mentor and workshop leader for the BBC, Into Film, Teesside University, Berwick Media and Arts Festival, Apples and Snakes, mima, Arc Stockton, Earthbeat Theatre, Film Club, The BFI, The Story Engine and MacNaughton McGregor.
James is a mentor and workshop leader for Writers' Block North East.
You can find him here:
OUR TEAM
Meet Laura and James, the Middlesbrough writers behind Writers' Block North East