About Scriptwriters & Co

“I’M FIRST AND FOREMOST INTERESTED IN THE STORY, THE CHARACTERS” - DAVID LEAN

 

WELCOME!

Scriptwriters & Co (aka S&Co) is for playwrights, screenwriters, script readers, actors, filmmakers and/or theatrical producers. Actually, it's for anyone who studies or works in the performing arts, at any stage of your career and wherever you live. We were proud finalists in the prestigious Creative Bath Awards  and Bath Life Awards in 2020 and 2021 (and then stopped entering)!

 

There's so much creative talent in the world, yet few places unite us: stage, audio, screen and more. We offer a community where theatre, audio, film and TV people can network and support one another, online or in person, in a collaborative, constructive, positive environment.

The group kicked off in Bath, in the south west of England, and that's still our hub. But location no longer matters.  Wherever you live, you're welcome to enter our competitions because while our live gatherings - when they resume - will feature networking in person, we'll keep our scratch nights online. We'll continue to beam our online SCRATCH NIGHTS to your computer so you can watch winning scripts, performed by our company of auditioned S&CO ACTORS,  in your home.

Moreover, we host a major scriptwriting competition and event each summer: the SCRIPTWRITERS & CO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL. Submissions for the 2026 contest are now open, and the awards ceremony will take place at THE RONDO THEATRE in Bath, UK, from 11am-6pm on Sunday 12 April 2026. And we're immensely proud to be sponsored by the producers of the world's finest, industry standard scriptwriting software, FINAL DRAFT.

The winners will win a trophy, and they and runners-up in all categories will also receive a copy of FD13.

Our guest speaker in April 2026 will be Justine Hart, Co-Director of The Script Factory, who offers training, development and events programmes to support emerging screenwriters. She loves nothing more than helping writers get to grips with the screenwriting craft tools that will enable them to share their own unique voice with the world. With over 20+ years' experience in the film industry, she's had the privilege of creating training and development schemes with industry partners that include the UK Film Council, Creative Skillset, BAFTA, BFI, Screen Australia, Film Distributors Association; plus, she devised the curriculum for and taught the first Post Graduate Diploma in Script Development at NFTS. Alongside running The Script Factory, Justine is the Development Consultant for The Pitch Film Fund and 'scribbles away' on her own writing projects. 

ASHLEY PHAROAH, best-known for the BBC's 'Life on Mars', plus follow-up 'Ashes to Ashes' and ITV's 'Wild at Heart', was our guest in 2025. He also created ITV’s 'Down to Earth' and 'Where the Heart Is', adapted Tom Brown’s Schooldays for a TV movie, and has written for EastEnders, Casualty, Hustle and Silent Witness - among others. Phew! In short, Ashley is one of the UK’s leading TV writers, and we can hardly wait for his industry insights.

We were honoured to have horror and paranormal screenwriter/playwright/novelist STEPHEN VOLK as our speaker in 2024; screenwriter and playwright JOHN HODGE and screenwriting analyst DOMINIC MORGAN (aka SCRIPTFELLA) as guest speakers in 2023; and LUCY V HAY in 2022.

Our vibrant FACEBOOK page is buzzing with info and support. Think of S&Co as your go-to creative community, and feel free to share questions or information on anything from loglines, plots and venues to auditions, scriptwriting competitions and film festivals. Who knows what links you may forge to progress your career?

Head honcho Zanna Cardash and wingman Alex Hollister hope to get to know you at online Scriptwriters & Co events. We have members from across the UK as well as continental Europe, the US, India, Africa and Australasia. Next: Antarctica!

Please SIGN UP now to join our growing community, and make sure you find out about our events.

Until we meet in person or on screen, keep writing, acting, directing, shooting, producing and posting online... whatever!