Elsa O’Toole
(BAFTA, Film Critics’ Circle)
(Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’ trained actor. Filmmaker. BBC TV researcher/producer. Film journalist & broadcaster. UKFC, now BFI New Cinema Fund’ script reader)
Elsa’s screenplay ‘Welcome to SAG‘ (BAME, LGBT, satire) selected for Cannes Film Festival’s Babylon European Development Initiative – fellow alumni include: Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil) & Umut Dag (Kuma).
Fox Searchlight syndicated writer & last journalist to interview Sir Dirk Bogarde – copy available BFI’s Reuben Library. Elsa moderated Cannes & London film press conferences.
As an actor Elsa collaborated with Ridley Scott, Gene Hackman, David Hare, Bill Nighy; shot ITV comedy The Geeks in Hollywood; seasons @ Royal National Theatre, West End, Glasgow Citizen’s Theatre, 40 TV dramas, films, adverts. Won Carleton Hobbs BBC Award.
She produced BBC TV’s EMMA Awards, 2nd Unit Director – Sam Jackson, engaging David Oyelowo, Halle Berry, Denzel Washington & Maya Angelou for live TX ceremony.
Elsa’s Covent Garden-based, BAME film/TV production co We Can Films script ‘Blasted’ was shortlisted by Film London & Screen West Midlands. She directed x7 videos for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, developed Serbian thriller ‘Foreigner’ with Mel Raido, produced ‘Clowning Around’ & was Assistant Director on music video ‘The Ghosts – Underrated’.
Elsa wrote/directed Blasted shot with BAME, able/disabled crew – ran Cannes Short Film Corner, nominated Best Foreign Short San Diego Black Film Festival, Best Actor UKIVFF 2016, Runner Up IWMFF, Best International Short Honorary UMFF, selected MIFF, BUFF, DOFIFF 2016 & PTFF (Canada), Clin d’Oeil & CineDeaf Rome Film Fest 2017. ‘Sagging TV series & drama ‘Car Woman’ completed 2019.
As broadcast journalist Elsa covered LLGFF/FLARE for 10 years, was senior writer/film editor on: Virgin Media, The Voice Newspaper, LWT’s Whose London, Ten Alps Publishing (now Zinc Media), Young Performer Mag & Southwark News. She contributed to: BAFTA Mag, BBC London, LBC, TV Times, Tartan Films, South London Press & Pride Mag.
2022 – Scriptwriting, (while recovering from COVID): ‘Everything is Possible’, a 3-way Transgender, Gay, romance-bromance – set in London, Wales & France circa 2009…
RANDOM FACTS:
British Fencing Association – Bronze & Silver. ITV’s The Price is Right – Elsa risked brain damage as a Hostess on x2 series, but survived. Just. Well barely…