Testimonials
I’ve known and worked with Claire for nearly 13 years. Claire began working for me as a reader when I was Head of Development at Red Rooster Film and TV. Claire was outstanding even then in her reader’s reports: Incredibly fluid and accurate synopses - and she was not afraid to give informative and considered opinions on the viability of a project.
Since that time I have worked as Head of Development for various companies including Ecosse Films and Impossible Pictures and as Senior Development Executive at the UKFC. In those roles I have frequently relied on Claire’s insight, her abilities as a researcher, script editor and development producer and most significantly as an excellent sounding board.
Claire has also acted as a Head of Development and knows her way round TV commissioning as well as the world of film. She is conscientious, creative, thorough, hard working and imaginative. She can identify potential projects, develop the scripts and has now begun to produce her own projects. I can’t recommended her highly enough and wish I had a cloned Claire to keep in my pocket.
I have worked with Claire on a recent feature film project with 2 writers - and the skill and guidance she brought to the project was an immense help. Claire doesn’t frighten writers, she has found the perfect mix of careful, but thorough insight whilst maintaining a honed respect for the writers she's dealing with - a great help and comfort to producers.
Claire has worked with me as both a Producer and script editor since 2003. The high level of dedication and professionalism that she brings to her work is always impressive. Her ability to find insights and a unique perspective that will not only challenge me but help coax any project on which we collaborate into its fullest expression, remains an invaluable part of our working relationship.
I first met Claire Ingham whilst taking part in a Screen Adaptation course in Birmingham in June 2008 organised by SCRIPT. Claire was running the two-day course, at the end of which each participant was sent away to work on a draft outline treatment for an adaptation they wished to turn into a full-blown screenplay.
In my case the text I adapted was a ghost story by Elizabeth Gaskell, titled The Old Nurse’s Story. From the beginning Claire was very encouraging and supportive of my efforts, suggesting I apply for funding from Screen West Midlands to turn the treatment into a full-length screenplay – now called The Disinherited.
When selected, I asked Claire to work with me. The process has now been going on for over a year and throughout that period I have found Claire to be quite simply the best script editor I have ever worked with, both as a writer and when I was a script editor myself at the BBC, working on ‘Casualty’ and a number of other projects. She has always been helpful and suggestive without ever being prescriptive. She gives copious notes at every stage of the process, usually very quickly, and is unafraid to be critical in a constructive fashion without ever being in the least bit destructive.
I feel that my knowledge of the skills needed to produce a screenplay has been enhanced enormously by working with Claire. Not only is she a fabulous Script Editor but as a working Producer she brings those skills to the fore as well, making me more keenly aware than ever that first and foremost a screenplay is a commercial project. This has forced me to think through the consequences of my decision making at each and every stage of the process with a view to how these will affect the goal of finally getting the film made and screened – something I think writers can very easily lose sight of when that point still seems a very long way down the line.
I feel very fortunate to have hired Claire Ingham as script editor for the film I'm currently working on – an adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s The Wish List. Claire came very highly recommended and after working with her for the past year I can see why. Claire is fantastic and very easy to work with. Thoughtful, enthusiastic and insightful Claire asks lots of (very useful) questions and works very hard with the writer in her quest to help make the script the best it can be - without damaging the writers ego or creative zeal.
From a producers point of view Claire is a joy to work with being both smart and collaborative. I fully intend Claire to be my first port of call whenever I'm looking for a script editor in the future.
As Managing Director of SCRIPT I commissioned Red Room Films several times to devise and deliver writers’ workshops, events and long development programmes. Particularly successful were Small Screen Visions and Big Screen Visions, two selective, eight month-long development programmes supported by funding from Screen West Midlands. Both were designed for writers from other media, writing their first ‘calling card’ film and TV screenplays.
Red Room Films Producer, Claire Ingham, devised these schemes, budgeted, scheduled and project-managed them and delivered workshops throughout, with the support of carefully selected script mentors.
Each initiative was designed to mirror a professional development experience, with the addition of masterclasses, ‘cinema dates’ and industry panel events. As a result, all ten selected writers have now furthered their professional writing careers, gained agents, had feature scripts commissioned, or have seen their short scripts produced.
I would whole-heartedly recommend Red Room Films as a company capable of delivering high quality, value for money screenwriting training, workshops and development support – and feel that writers benefit enormously from Claire’s contacts, creative skills and experience.
