Andy Dillon
Lecturer & Deputy Course Leader
Andy Dillon is Deputy Course Leader of the online MA Comedy Writing and a Lecturer in Creative Writing (Screenwriting) at Falmouth University. He teaches and leads modules across comedy writing and screenwriting, working with writers as they develop original projects from early premise through to draft, rewrite and submission-ready scripts. As Deputy Course Leader, Andy supports the delivery and ongoing development of the MA, helping to shape a course experience that is academically rigorous, industry-aware, and grounded in the practical realities of making work in a competitive field. He is particularly interested in the relationship between craft and decision-making, how writers build premises that can sustain series, how character choices generate both story and tone, and how clarity at the concept stage makes everything that follows stronger.
Andy is currently completing a PhD in Film Studies at Falmouth University titled “Post-9/11 Representations of the Irish Pub in U.S. Crime Genre Film & Television.” His research examines how crime genre screen stories construct cultural space and identity, and how representations of place can operate as narrative pressure, shaping character behaviour, conflict, and community. He has presented on topics such as Screaming Green Murder: Screenwriting the Contemporary Irish Banshee at academic events at Falmouth University.
Alongside his academic role, Andy’s creative practice spans film, television, and radio writing, including commissioned screenwriting work. He was commissioned to co-write (with John Collee) The Storm Warning, a screenplay about the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race disaster, and he continues to develop original pilot scripts and audio work. He is also co-host of The Creative Force: A Star Wars discussion podcast, exploring storytelling, screen culture and the creative process through long-form discussion. Andy has organised industry engagement for students, including talks with professional screenwriters and creative practitioners, and he is a member of the Writers Guild of Ireland and the Screenwriter Research Network.
Qualifications
Qualifications
| Year | Qualification | Awarding body |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts Degree, English with Creative Writing | Queens University Belfast, UK | |
| Master of Arts Degree with Commendation, English with Creative Writing | Queens University Belfast, UK |
Research Interests
Research interests and expertise
Film and television studies, with particular expertise in space, place, and cultural representation on screen.
Practice-informed screen storytelling, connecting critical analysis to the practical craft decisions writers make
Research-led teaching in comedy writing and screenwriting, supporting writers to develop clear concepts, robust drafts, and purposeful rewrites.
Research topics
- Comedy
- Post-9/11
- Irish pub
- U.S. film and television
- Screen space and place
- Representation
- Cultural identity
- Community
- Genre conventions
- Narrative framing
Professional Engagement
Engagement with professional associations and societies
- Screenwriting Research Network
- Writers Guild of Ireland
- NAWE
- Irish Association for American Studies
