Scratch Nights and Events

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT - AT YOUR PLACE!

 

S&CO SCRATCH NIGHTS

NEXT EVENT: JANUARY 2026, AT YOUR PLACE!

 

 

"The whole thing is a miracle of technology and collaborative talent. I really enjoy the range of work, so many twists and turns, such great story-telling and performances. Thanks for being so friendly and welcoming, and for all the really helpful and constructive comments. This event is one great thing that came about as a result of lockdown." - Nilgin Yusuf, Scriptwriter/Journalist

We know how much everyone enjoys our free S&Co Scratch Nights, because you tell us. We now host two each year, in late summer (September/October) and winter (January/February), giving us ample time to organise and judge the Scriptwriters & Co International Festival. 

OUR  SUMMER/AUTUMN 2025 PROMPT WAS:

'YESTERDAY', 'TODAY' or 'TOMORROW'

(or a combination of those three words)

It's always FREE to enter and attend. In return, we ask you, if you're active on social media, to post a comment and link to our FILM FREEWAY PAGE on your social media page (or one hosted by another scriptwriting group), and email us a screenshot or link along with your entry. If you don't use social media, please let us know how you will help spread the word about S&CO's festival. In this way, you'll help to support us by encouraging entries, helping us maintain our free events. Also, please ensure you've signed up for our newsletter to be eligible to win, and you'll also receive details of all our themes and events.

We welcome entries from playwrights and screenwriters anywhere in the world. This time, we were looking for 5-10 pages of stage, audio or screenplay (perfect for entering the Mini Script category in our festival. Just saying)!

Note that our readers only see your script, so do NOT add or attach a synopsis or any other information.

The submissions deadline was 12 noon (BST) on Thursday 18 September 2025.

How you interpret our prompts is entirely up to you, but there must be an obvious connection. All genres are welcomed. It might be comedy, tragedy, hi-concept or kitchen sink drama, as you wish.

The prize? A coveted Scriptwriters & Co laurel and the pleasure of seeing your script performed by our multi-talented, professional S&Co Actors, then discussed by Zanna Cardash and Alex Hollister as well as our supportive audience members. Our Scratch Nights, live on Zoom, allow you to hear your script or screenplay brought to life. It's the best way of finding out what sings in tune - and what's gone flat.

If your piece gets greenlit, we'll invite you to introduce it at the event. And after the performance, you can anticipate rapturous applause (of course!) followed by constructive, moderated debate in a safe environment. We're all on your side.

Each of us benefits from exposure to great new writing, and by formulating and listening to comments, critiques and suggestions. It helps us improve our own work. Writers and actors alike should treat it like a pitch or audition, because you never know who might be listening. You could get commissioned or cast.

Award-winning scriptwriters Zanna Cardash and Alex Hollister - the latter repped by Zero Gravity Management in LA - assess submissions very carefully, assisted by our team of trained readers/judges . Please don't be disheartened if yours isn't chosen, or leap to the conclusion that it isn't engaging or well-written. Decisions won't just be based on talent, but to offer the audience variety.

There's no charge to enter or attend, but you must subscribe to our newsletter (yes, we check!) and post about our festival online, and any contributions are appreciated, to help keep us running free contests. Even if you don't enter this time, our newletters let you know about themes and event dates in advance, so do sign up.  

PLEASE read the terms below. Sadly, every time, we have to disqualify scripts that don't comply.

We aim to acknowledge receipt of all entries within 24 hours, so if you haven't received a confirmation email, we haven't received your submission.  Winners are informed by email, then announced on social media and below. Please note: we don't send out rejections - who likes those?

THEMES, RULES & ELIGIBILITY

Your script must be: 

  • in English
  • relevant to the theme
  • formatted to industry standards, or so it's an easy read for us and our actors - the BBC offers some handy downloads
  • devoid of  watermarks (professionals don't do this and - trust us! - we have zero interest in stealing ideas or passing your work off as ours)
  • appropriate for the stated page count (which doesn't include the title page or, in plays, cast details), with no more than eight speaking characters
  • in PDF format, with its title and your name in the file name AND on the title page, such as: 'A Wondrous Work by Al Anon'.

Also make sure you've:

  • subscribed to our mailing list
  • Spread the word about S&CO on social media or other means
  • proof-read your work so it's free of spelling errors and typos
  • stated, on the title page, whether your piece is for stage, TV, film, radio or other medium, and if it's an excerpt
  • not submitted more than one piece
  • not included a synopsis or any notes - our readers only receive the script.

Terms: You must subscribe to our newletter to be eligible to enter and/or attend, since this is where we provide key information and the Zoom link to the event. Maximum of one entry per person. Monologues and excerpts are accepted, but we still expect a clear story arc. Writers must be over 18. Copyright of all work submitted remains the writer's. Entries received after the deadline or with inappropriate page counts will not be read. Failure to follow the rules may result in disqualification. We accept scripts that have been produced or have won other awards. By submitting your work you agree to be present at the appropriate scratch night on Zoom if your script is chosen. Entry to each online event is limited to the first 100 people who join us. By entering or attending S&Co events you acknowledge that we have the right to publish recordings of winning scripts performed by S&CO Actors on our YouTube page, as well as images of attendees, or feedback received, in or on our website, emails or other publicity materials. Successful scriptwriters will be informed by email a few days before the contest, and must respond within 24 hours, or their 'slot' may be offered to someone else. We do not send rejection emails, so if you don't hear from us by 19 September, your submission was not successful. Good luck!

 SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED!

(If your computer or device doesn't like the yellow link above, send your script to submissions@scriptwritersandco.com)

Sign up for your link to be eligible to win, and to know about our events!

Performances of most previous winners' scripts are on YouTube!

 

THE S&CO ACTORS COMPANY

MATT NATION - ROSIE CLOSS - AL BRUNKER - HOLLY BODIMEADE - DAVID COLE - REBECCA PARR - ALEX STABLER - JACQS GRAHAM - MICHAEL BRAND - LAURA CORRADI - DAVID BECK - LILY MARYON - RYAN SETT - JOHANNA THEA - RUPI LAL - RHIANNON SKERRITT - CANDICE CLARKE - KAI PARTENIE - RHYS OWEN - ELIZABETH HAMMOND - STEPHEN DRENNEN - PAUL UHLER - KAREN BARTHOLOMEW - DAVID VERREY - JONATHAN HANSLER - EMELYE MOULTON - SAM THORP - SAVANNAH BETTS - CAROLLE U - KAI PARTENIE - MARISSA McCALLAM - ZANNA CARDASH

 

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2025 S&CO WINNERS, CAST AND PROGRAMME

 

 

THE SCRIPTWRITERS & CO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

We've been delighted, excited and immensely proud to partner with the producers of the world's finest, industry standard scriptwriting software, FINAL DRAFT, and hope this continues in 2026. We welcome script entries from shorts to full-length features and plays , from screenwriters and playwrights, and offer trophies as well as two non-guaranteed but potentially route-to-production prizes. 

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. 


 

Our guest speaker in 2025 was ASHLEY PHAROAH, below, best-known for the BBC's 'Life on Mars', plus follow-up 'Ashes to Ashes' and ITV's 'Wild at Heart'. 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.  In 2024, we were joined by screenwriter, playwright and novelist Stephen Volk as guest speaker; in 2023, screenwriter/playwright JOHN HODGE and screenwriting guru LUCY V HAY (aka leader of BANG2WRITE), and DOMINIC MORGAN (aka SCRIPTFELLA) kicked things off in 2022 .

The next festival will take place at THE RONDO THEATRE in Bath, UK, on 12 April 2026.

S&CO CHATS

We had a blast with Joey Tuccio on pitching to Hollywood, and Savannah Morgan on preparing yourself for a pitch! So much useful industry information and energy. Next chat to be announced soon!