Dean Conway was selected at the age of sixteen from applicants across the U.K to participate in a BFI Scriptwriting Residential programme in Newcastle upon Tyne. Here he was guided by successful freelance film writers in addition to script editors from Channel 4. Following this, Dean was chosen as a writer for Northern Ireland Screen's New Shorts Focus development scheme in 2020 for six months. During this time Dean had the opportunity to work with a script editor on evolving short film scripts from treatment to final draft.
In 2021 Dean was selected as one of the '21 Artists for the 21st Century' by the Northern Ireland Office for their prestigious mentor programme, a scheme which supported a diverse range of creative talent across a plethora of art forms.. Here he was mentored by BAFTA and Oscar-winning filmmakers Ross White and Tom Berkeley (‘An Irish Goodbye’) and received funding for his first short film as a director - SHEA AND HANNAH.
SHEA AND HANNAH screened in competition at Belfast Film Festival and Foyle Film Festival in 2022. Dean then wrote, directed and edited his second funded short film - DOUBLE VODKA AND BLACKCURRANT - which was supported by Northern Ireland Screen/BFI Network. The slice-of-life piece premiered at Belfast Film Festival in November 2023 and was selected as the Northern Ireland finalist for the BIFA qualifying BFI Future Film Festival 2024. This resulted in the film having screenings in London at the BFI Southbank and the Nerve Centre in Derry. Dean was also nominated for the 'Best Writer' award by the festival.
After the success of his short films, Dean's television pilot script RAT FACE placed in the top 1% out of 4,643 submissions for BBC Writers Open Call 2024 which led to him being selected for BBC Voices 2025. Over the course of six months, Dean had the opportunity to develop an original series idea during the esteemed development programme.
Most recently, Dean completed his debut feature film - CONVERSATIONS IN BED - which premiered at the 38th Galway Film Fleadh in July 2026. With cinematography by fellow Irish writer/director Dominic Curran, the chamber piece is the first ever improvised feature film from Northern Ireland and stars Jonny Grogan, Grace McMahon and Skye McClenaghan. The film has been featured in publications such as Screen Daily, Hot Press Magazine, JOE, and Belfast Telegraph. Dean wrote, directed, edited and produced the project independently.
While continuing to produce CONVERSATIONS IN BED as it releases into the world Dean is simultaneously writing his second feature film NO BOTHER - which draws from his own experience of losing a parent.