Edward Toby Wagstaff

Edward Toby Wagstaff is a writer, editor, and script consultant focusing on the entertainment industry and conversational AI. He was born in the United Kingdom and graduated with a first-class honors degree in Philosophy and Modern Languages (Italian) from the University of Oxford. He currently resides in the United States.

He spent a year at Oxford in Rome, where he studied at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre. While there, he delved into the history of cinema and art. In addition to his academic pursuits, he volunteered as a teaching assistant in the English department. Edward Wagstaff directed a production of The Importance of Being Earnest with a group of Italian students. This experience also allowed him to work as a part-time English tutor and foster his passion for photography, capturing the beauty of Rome and its surroundings.

After completing his studies, he moved to London to begin his career in the film industry. He worked at Studio 8 Productions and Peace Arch Films, where he contributed by writing script coverage, handling travel logistics, and creating promotional materials for international film markets. Toby also gained post-production experience while interning for the BBC series Monarch of the Glen, where he learned valuable skills in film editing, sound mixing, and color correction.

In 2004, he worked on the feature film Shadows in the Sun, which was filmed in Tuscany and London. In this project, he played several roles, including assistant to the producers, translator for the Italian crew, and an on-screen double for the leading actor.

Later that year, Wagstaff moved to Los Angeles to work as a Creative Executive at Fierce Entertainment. He helped with the production of the film War, starring Jet Li and Jason Statham, and was instrumental in expanding the company’s client base. He also transitioned to a literary management agency, where he worked closely with writers to develop and pitch screenplays.

In 2008, he moved into full-time screenwriting, with his first spec script, Arena, optioned by Summit Entertainment. Over the next several years, he continued to write and sell original screenplays, including The Day I Die, Break My Bones, and Powerhouse and also worked on assignments like Shrapnel and There Goes the Bride.

In 2023, following the WGA writers' strike, Edward began exploring conversational AI. He started working with a large tech company, providing writing, editing, and training for their conversational AI model.