Dr John Finnegan
Senior Lecturer
Alongside his academic role, John is the founder and Creative Director of OutWrd, a platform dedicated to championing new screemwriters writers and exploring innovative pathways for story development, audio storytelling and emerging screen technologies. This practical industry engagement informs his teaching and gives students direct insight into the changing landscape of storytelling and content creation.
John joined Falmouth University in 2016 and has since taught, mentored and supported a wide range of emerging writers at undergraduate and postgraduate level. His research interests include screenwriting craft, industry strategy, adaptation, project development and the future of storytelling in an evolving media landscape.
Qualifications
Qualifications
| Year | Qualification | Awarding body |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | PhD in Screenwriting | Bangor University |
| 2015 | Associate Fellow | Higher Education Academy |
| 2012 | MA Screenwriting | Bournemouth University |
| 2007 | Diploma in Advanced Film Making | St. John's Central College, Ireland |
| 2006 | Diploma in Film and Video Production | St. John's Central College, Ireland |
Research Interests
Research interests and expertise
My research interests sit at the intersection of screenwriting practice, creative pedagogy and the changing structures of the contemporary screen industries. I am particularly interested in how writers develop original projects for film, television and emerging formats, and in the ways storytelling craft can adapt to new audience behaviours, technologies and distribution models.
My expertise includes screenwriting craft, story structure, character development, adaptation, pitching, project packaging and pathways to market for new writers. I also have a strong interest in practice based research, where creative work itself becomes a form of enquiry, and in how universities can better prepare writers for the professional realities of the industry.
Research topics
Screenwriting, Story Development, Screen Industries, Creative Writing, Practice Based Research, Spectatorship Studies
Research Outputs
Publications and research outputs
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Cortese, Michela
Finnegan, John and The Script Department Ltd., (2019), The Dead Cry Out, Cornwall -
Finnegan, John and Mac Coille, Oisin
(2016), Still Life, Galway, Ireland
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Finnegan, John
Cortese, Michela, (2019), The Script Department, Cornwall, Item availability may be restricted.
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Ensslin, Astrid, Balteiro, Isabel, Finnegan, John and Bloomsbury
(2019), Bad language and Bro-up Cooperation in Co-sit gaming, In: Approaches to Videogame Discourse Lexis, Interaction, Textuality, Bloomsbury, UK, ISBN: 9781501338465
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Finnegan, John
Lees, Belinda, (2024), Rethinking screenwriting credits and the unproduced screenplay: Innovative approaches to accreditation using the script reading as an output, In: Journal of Screenwriting, Intellect, UK, ISSN: 1759-7145 -
Finnegan, John
(2017), Beyond the page: Crowdsourcing as a case study for digital screenwriting techniques, In: New Cinemas: Journal of Contemporary Film, Intellect, UK, 15 (2), pp. 209-228, ISSN: 14742756, Item availability may be restricted. -
Finnegan, John
(2016), The screenplay and the spectator: Exploring audience identification in narrative structure, In: Journal of Screenwriting, Intellect, United Kingdom, 7 (3), pp. 319-331, ISSN: 17597137
Teaching
Areas of teaching
- Screenwriting
Courses taught
- MA Writing for Script & Screen MA
Business Engagement
Business start ups
I am the founder and Creative Director of OutWrd, an independent storytelling platform focused on championing emerging writers and exploring new pathways for script development, audio storytelling and audience engagement. The company complements my academic work by connecting higher education with contemporary industry practice, creating opportunities for writers to develop projects in a professional context and engage with changing trends in the screen industries.
Professional Engagement
Independent professional practice
Alongside my academic role, I maintain an active independent professional practice through the development of original screen projects, industry collaborations and creative consultancy. My work includes story development, script editing and supporting emerging writers in shaping projects for film, television, games and emerging media markets.
I also continue to lead OutWrd, with a focus on new writing, audio storytelling and contemporary approaches to script development and presentation. This ongoing practice keeps me engaged with current industry trends, evolving production models and new technologies, which directly informs my teaching and research.
My wider professional practice centres on connecting creative talent with practical pathways to market, while continuing to develop original work across multiple formats.
Social, community and cultural engagement
My public and community engagement work is focused on supporting new voices and widening access to opportunities within screenwriting and the creative industries. Through OutWrd’s Development Labs, I work with emerging writers and members of the wider public to help develop original projects through workshops, mentoring, feedback sessions and collaborative story development processes.
I have also delivered public talks, open lectures and industry facing sessions centred on screenwriting craft, career development and routes into the creative industries. These activities are designed to demystify the industry and make professional knowledge more accessible to those who may not traditionally have access to it.
More broadly, my engagement work is driven by a commitment to nurturing talent, encouraging diverse perspectives and creating inclusive spaces where new storytellers can grow in confidence and develop their creative voice.
Engagement with professional associations and societies
Over the past three years, my engagement with professional associations and industry networks has focused on maintaining active links between higher education, screenwriting practice and the wider creative industries. This has included collaboration and dialogue with the Screenwriting Research Network and London Screenwriters' Festival, alongside ongoing relationships with writers, producers, performers and educators.
As part of ongoing research and professional practice, I have also engaged with contemporary industry voices and companies including Christopher McQuarrie, known for the The Usual Suspects and the Mission: Impossible franchise, and Watermelon Pictures, distributors of The Voice of Hind Rajab. These engagements have contributed to my understanding of current production models, screenwriting processes, audience strategy and the evolving international marketplace.
I have used these networks and interactions to inform curriculum design, career guidance and external opportunities for students and graduates. More broadly, my professional engagement is centred on supporting new voices and ensuring that teaching and research remain responsive to developments across film, television, games and related media sectors.
