986. A Screenwriter to Watch
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In this episode of On The Page, host Pilar Alessandra welcomes award-winning Irish screenwriter Conor Dowling, a rising talent named one of the top 25 screenwriters to watch in 2025 by the International Screenwriters Association (ISA). Dowling shares his journey from writing a spec script for a competition to securing development funding from Screen Ireland for his animated feature Dara McCool, which has since advanced through pitch decks and concept art. He discusses the realities of animation production—highlighting creative freedom in development versus technical constraints in production—and reveals how his work on animated projects like the adult fantasy pilot Test Site and the kids’ series Stories from Backwoods shaped his craft. Dowling also reflects on his intense 10-day scriptwriting sprint for Tubi’s War of the Worlds remake, drawing key lessons in time management, feedback navigation, and resilience under pressure. Beyond screenwriting, he discusses his hit comedy podcast Fad Camp and his new podcast Read My Pilot, which dissects the DNA of successful TV pilots, emphasizing the importance of authorial voice and thematic clarity. The episode closes with Dowling’s advice to writers: stay visible, hustle relentlessly, and leverage platforms like ISA to gain recognition and open doors.
Development funding from Screen Ireland works like a repayable loan tied to production budgets, enabling writers to grow their careers with real industry support.
Animation offers creative freedom in development but faces hard constraints in production—especially around character count and prop design—requiring writers to justify why a story needs animation.
A successful pilot sets up unique, one-time elements and delivers a self-contained 'mini-episode' that reveals the show’s core identity.
Authenticity in voice matters: readers often Google a writer’s photo early in a pilot, signaling that the story’s voice must feel real and personal.
The most valuable lesson from a high-pressure script deadline? You can write 10 pages a day if you push yourself—procrastination fades under urgency.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction & Guest Welcome
Pilar Alessandra introduces the episode and welcomes Conor Dowling, a rising Irish screenwriter named one of the top 25 to watch in 2025 by the ISA.
Conor’s Career Journey & Early Breaks
Dowling recounts his early days in Irish film, his first meeting with Pilar in Dublin, and how writing his spec script Darren McCool led to mentorship and a path into development funding.
The Dara McCool Journey & Screen Ireland Funding
“Every new step of the journey feels like the very beginning, if that makes sense. You know, because there's always so much more to do.”
Animation vs. Live Action: Production Realities
“If it's two people talking in a room, why not just go shoot that live action style? If it's two people floating through space, that might be better suited to animation.”
The Test Site Assignment & Networking Success
“They were showing me all of this really well-realized artwork. Characters in different situations. They didn’t have a word written anywhere.”
“When I got on the top 25, I put a nice email together... one of the people who replied was the person who is now my agent.”
“If it's two people talking in a room, why not just go shoot that live action style? If it's two people floating through space, that might be better suited to animation.”
“They were showing me all of this really well-realized artwork. Characters in different situations. They didn’t have a word written anywhere.”
Host
Guest
Conor Dowling
person
Pilar Alessandra
person
On The Page
media
Screen Ireland
organization
International Screenwriters Association
organization
Fad Camp
media
Stowe Story Labs
organization
Dara McCool
media
Tubi
organization
Read My Pilot
media
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