Toby Wagstaff

Writer, Film & TV

Toby Wagstaff earned a first-class honors degree in Philosophy and Modern Languages from Oxford University. During his studies, he spent an immersive year in Rome at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre, where he studied the history of art and the history of cinema - the latter of which would come to heavily influence the early part of his career path. 

Launching a Film Career in London

Upon graduating from Oxford, Toby began his film career in London. Interning at several independent production companies - where his responsibilities ranged from script coverage and analysis to logistical coordination for film productions - gave him the chance to experience the whole production line of filmmaking from development through to shooting, post-production, marketing and distribution. 

Hands-On Experience

Early in his career, Toby was fortunate enough to have experience on set shooting in both the UK and Italy, developing practical skills, understanding the major responsibilities of production, and serving as translator and coordinator between Italian and English-speaking crewmembers. He also had an apprenticeship in the editing room, where he learned about the art of cutting and assembly, as well as the related fields of sound mixing and color grading.

Development and Literary Management

Toby later moved across the Atlantic to the US, where he took a job as Creative Executive at an independent production company which was in the process of expanding from financing and co-production into developing and producing its own original slate of films. After helping to guide its first project all the way through from script development to theatrical release, Toby narrowed his focus to working closely with screenwriters at the script stage. He joined a boutique literary management agency known for finding and nurturing young talent, and helped expand its client roster and dramatically boost the number of its active projects.

The Leap into Screenwriting

With a solid foundation in managing and developing scripts, Toby transitioned to becoming a full-time screenwriter himself. His first breakthrough was selling an action-sci fi spec script to Summit Entertainment. This success allowed him to pitch and sell original screenplays across various genres, including thriller, historical drama, romantic comedy and sci fi. Despite this variety of subject matter, his preference for crafting high-concept narratives populated by grounded, recognizable characters is a consistent theme throughout his work.