John Hodge was born in 1964 in Glasgow. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, but started writing in 1991. Hodge has become an award-winning screenwriter and dramatist, most noted for his adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting (1996) into the script for the film of the same title. His first play Collaborators won the 2012 Olivier Award for Best New Play. His other films include Shallow Grave (1994), A Life Less Ordinary (1997), The Beach (2000), The Final Curtain (2002), and the short film Alien Love Triangle (2002).

Irvine Welsh was born in 1958 in Leith. He is a Scottish novelist, playwright and short story writer, recognised for his novel Trainspotting, which was later made into a critically acclaimed film of the same name. Welsh's work is characterised by raw Scots dialect, and brutal depiction of Edinburgh life. He has also written plays and screenplays, and directed several short films. Other novels include: Marabou stork nightmares (1995); Filth (1998); and, Porno (2002). His short story collections include: The acid house (1994); and, Ecstasy: three tales of chemical romance (1996).

John Hodge completed the first draft of the script for the film of the book Trainspotting in December 1994. The final shooting script was signed off in May 1995. Hodge's screenplay was nominated for an Oscar but lost out on the day to Sling Blade by Billy Bob Thornton.