This is a major Festival for screenwriters and playwrights worldwide, and will take place from 11.30am-10pm on Sunday 10 April 2022, in Bath, UK.

We'll have some fabulous guest speakers, and are thrilled and honoured to announce the first: John Hodge, BAFTA award-winning screenwriter of films including Trainspotting; T2 Trainspotting; A Life Less Ordinary; The Beach and Shallow Grave, and a playwright whose first piece for the stage, Collaborators, won the Olivier Award for Best New Play.

We also have an incredible venue. 'Komedia Bath' is a Grade II listed and wonderfully restored former Beau Nash cinema, slap bang in the centre of town. Known for its Roman Baths and Georgian architecture, ours is one of only a handful of entire cities to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and we're very proud to be based here.

In the Main Festival, there will be categories for Screen, Stage and Audio scripts of all shapes and sizes, with laurels and certificates for Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Finalists, and trophies for Main Festival category-winners.

We're also proud to announce industry-cracking 'route-to-production' prizes for the two winners of our S&CO/POSTERITY AWARDS.

WHO ARE WE?

SCRIPTWRITERS & CO (aka S&Co) is run by professional Script Consultants who have been writers all their working lives. We have thousands of subscribers, a vibrant Facebook presence and, in 2020 alone, received and judged more than 1,000 short script entries for our monthly competitions.

We know what we're doing. Evidence? The quality of work we select for our legendary S&Co Scratch Nights; the script notes we've offered winners in front of hundreds of audience members; and the client feedback you'll find on our website.

We've been knocked out by the high-quality pieces submitted to our other competitions, and by the overwhelming support we've had from established, emerging and new writers.

And we're not the only ones to be impressed. Jonathan Willis, the prolific film and theatre producer who heads up POSTERITY ENTERTAINMENT, has attended every S&Co event, and watched our progess with interest.

So (massive drum roll!) we were delighted when he approached us to join forces and offer two exceptional categories - and prizes.

OUR FESTIVAL'S IN A DANCE VENUE, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO!

This isn't a 'fur coat and no knickers' contest, with nothing but announcements. Being SCRIPTWRITERS & CO, we'll offer live entertainment, too!

S&CO ACTORS, who garner acclaim for their Zoom performances every month, will perform live, reading excerpts from work that impressed us most, from micros to pilots to features. We'll also have fabulous speakers, to be confirmed.

After winners are announced there will be a celebratory, let-your-hair-down party, though there's a cafe or upstairs gallery for networking or chatting scripts.

All in all, we're building an incredible event, with Komedia's fantastic bar open all day, great food available, and plenty of scope for meeting professionals in the performing arts, from all over the world.

Awards & Prizes

A MAIN FESTIVAL + TWO EXCEPTIONAL ROUTE-TO-PRODUCTION PRIZES

Our main competition offers short-form and full-length categories for screenwriters and playwrights.

Additionally, we offer 'bolt-on' options for WRITTEN FEEDBACK, a RECORDED READ by our professional S&CO ACTORS - or both. Select and check these out with your entry, or separately. You do NOT have to wait until 2022 to receive your feedback or arrange your table tead - as soon as we receive your order, we'll be in touch to see when suits you best.

S&CO/POSTERITY AWARDS

These are the jewels in our Festival's crown. SCRIPTWRITERS & CO and POSTERITY ENTERTAINMENT are collaborating to search for TWO outstanding scripts - one feature film, one full-length theatre play - whose winners will enjoy career-changing opportunities and international publicity.

S&Co's Suzanna Cardash (Artistic Director) and Alex Hollister (Lead Script Consultant) will work with Posterity and the two winning writers to develop their scripts, with a view to producing:

- One feature film with professional distribution
- One immersive theatre play with an A-list cast, to be staged in Bath, England.

CRITERIA: S&CO/POSTERITY FEATURE AWARD - SCREEN

We're looking for original, commercial, marketable concepts, so arthouse, idiosyncratic or 'worthy' stuff is unlikely to cut it here (though is welcomed in the main competition). American accents and vernacular are welcomed, since the US is Posterity's biggest audience. Realistically, we're unlikely to select anything too 'parochial', or that requires strong UK accents, and if it's British comedy you'll have to work extra-hard to impress. Keep a keen eye on the budget - aim for £100,000. The likely winner: the writer of a movie with a universal theme that harnesses the Zeitgeist and will sell all over the world.

CRITERIA: S&CO/POSTERITY AWARD - STAGE

The play that wins will be full-length, innovative, immersive, designed for the round, and must include an interval. We're anticipating a cast of 3 to 8 players and mix of genders, in a stage production that's likely to utilise multi-media and will definitely be original, distinctive, inventive and challenging. Explore, imagine and think outside the box to create an extraordinary and ground-breaking piece of theatre. Although aimed at a primarily adult audience, your cast may include children. Magic, illusions, projections, audio-scapes, aroma-scapes, more? Bring them on - inspire and excite us! 

GENERAL ENTRY INFORMATION

We will publish lists of all Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Finalists on our website and in social and other media. All Finalists will be invited to attend the Festival free of charge, where winners will be announced.

All S&CO/POSTERITY entries (excepting the winners) are also judged in their category in the main competition, so writers have two chances of winning a trophy.

Rules & Terms

CATEGORIES AND SUBMISSIONS

To ensure no unconscious bias, all scripts must be submitted ANONYMOUSLY, without writers' names or contact details on the cover/title page.

Aside from the title of your piece, your cover page should only show your mobile/cell phone number, and a logline if you wish.

By entering, you agree that we may add your name and email address to our mailing list, where you'll be kept in the loop about our monthly competitions, too. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Your script must be:

– In English

– 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 (we have zero interest in copying your work, and it will not be seen by anyone except our readers and judges)

– Appropriate for your category's character or page count (the latter doesn't include the title page, or a play's cast list)

– In PDF format, with ONLY its title in the file name.

JUDGING METHODOLOGIES

Our readers are hired for eclectic tastes, excellent noses for a superb script and clear, objective judgement, whatever the genre or subject matter. We interview and train our reading team, so they know exactly what to look for.

S&Co's judging principles are straightforward and will take concept, plot, story arc, pace and tone, characters, stakes, heart and logic into consideration, as well sheer enjoyability.

All Festival submissions will be judged in the same way:

– Every entry will be read and evaluated by two readers, to decide which pieces will progress to the Quarter-Finals.

– Fresh eyes will read and grade Quarter-Finalists' scripts to decide which will progress to the Semi-Finals. Additionally, S&CO/POSTERITY Quarter-Finalists will be be asked to send us a logline, synopsis, and one-page pitch of their work, which the S&Co team will analyse and discuss with Posterity.

– All scripts in the Semi-Finals will be read from start to finish by at least two readers, including Suzanna Cardash or Alex Hollister. S&CO/POSTERITY Semi-Finalists will be interviewed online by Suzanna Cardash and Alex Hollister.

– The same principles will apply until we have 4-6 Finalists in each category of the Festival, whose scripts will be read by and judged by Suzanna Cardash AND Alex Hollister.

– We will present S&CO/POSTERITY finalists' scripts for stage and screen to Posterity Entertainment. There will be two winners - one for stage, one for screen - and ultimate responsibility for deciding who receives these awards will lie with producer Jonathan Willis.

- All S&CO/POSTERITY entries (excepting the winners) are also judged in their category in the main competition, so writers have two chances of winning a trophy. However, once winners of the two S&CO/POSTERITY Awards have been selected by S&Co and Posterity Entertainment, their entries will automatically become ineligible for consideration in the same categories in the main competition. Hence, each individual (or team of two writers) can only win ONE prize for a Feature Film Screenplay or Full-Length Theatre Play.

RULES, REGULATIONS & ELIGIBILITY

– By entering you confirm that you are over 18, have read and accept our rules and requirements, have copyright of the work you submit and are happy for us to add your name to our mailing list (you may unsubscribe at any time).

– There will be eight winners in the Main Festival, plus two S&CO/POSTERITY winners.

– Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Finalists will receive S&Co laurels as PDFs. All Winners will receive certificates, while the Winners of categories with 31+ pages will also receive S&Co trophies (and Winners who do not attend the Festival may have their trophies posted to them at their own expense).

– Multiple entries are allowed from each writer (or team of  up to two writers), so you may enter more than one script in any category, upon payment of the appropriate fee in each case. We cannot offer discounts for multiple submissions.

– Entries must be entirely original, free of plagiarism and not based, in whole or part, on another writer’s work (unless the underlying material is in the public domain).

– Judges' decisions are final and we will not engage in any discussions about them, or be required to explain or justify them.

– While S&CO/POSTERITY Awards will be announced and trophies awarded, production is not guaranteed until Posterity Entertainment is satisfied that scripts are to the required standard and contracts are issued and signed.

– We cannot be held responsible for scripts entered in the wrong category, so check that you meet the criteria, and take care to select the right one and pay the correct entry fee. No refunds or partial refunds will be offered after submission in any circumstances, and neither will you will be allowed to submit revised pages or scripts without re-entering.

– All qualified submissions will be given equal opportunity and decisions will be based on the script alone. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or disability. 

– It is the writer's responsibility to register copyright if they wish to, and by entering you confirm that you understand that the organisers or other writers may already have had, or be working on, similar ideas for storylines and scripts. S&Co cannot and will not be considered liable for the production, now or in the future, of any such scripts, films or plays that bear a simililarity to work you submit.

– S&Co reserves the right, at any time, without notice and without limiting any and all other rights we may have under these Rules & Regulations, at law or in equity, to remove and delete any festival entry that does not meet our terms, without offering any refund. This may also apply to any content we consider libellous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or sexually, racially, culturally or ethnically offensive, harassing, intimidating, threatening, hateful, discriminatory or abusive.

– By submitting your script, you allow S&Co and Posterity Entertainment to use your title and logline, as well as your name and image, for promotional purposes, on social media, on our websites and elsewhere, if you are placed.

– Should we receive a limited number of high-standard submissions in any particular category, we reserve the right to withdraw it and/or move your submission/s to another, to ensure fair competition.

– We accept scripts that have been entered in other competitions, and/or have been read, broadcast or performed in amateur performances or online, but not those that have been professionally produced. We reserve the right to disqualify scripts that have breached this stipulation.

– Entering does not guarantee that your work will be placed. Neither does it secure you admission to the live Festival on 10 April 2022. Finalists will enjoy free entry but will travel to Bath at their own expense, and any guests will need to buy a ticket to the event. These will be priced at £40 for the full day. Food and drinks will be available at reasonable prices.

– You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Scriptwriters & Co (S&Co), Posterity Entertainment and our management, employees, judges, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates etcetera from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to legal fees, and costs of the court) that may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, the screening or publishing of recordings or stills of performances at the Festival, and so forth.

– SCRIPTWRITERS & CO retains copyright of all the information on this page and, while we are happy for you to spread news about the SCRIPTWRITERS & CO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL and prizes, we retain copyright on all the words herein, and you are not entitled to copy, paste or otherwise use or repeat our words without our express permission.

**Please don't ask for a fee waiver. SCRIPTWRITERS & CO supports thousands of people by offering free scriptwriting competitions, Zoom events and script feedback. We need to charge for festival entries to continue to run free S&Co Scratch nights, and to pay ourselves, our readers and actors.**

Thank you for being part of our incredible journey!