Scottish Screenwriters Festival — Live Pitching for Scotland-Set Features
Deadline: Monday 17 August, 12pm
Event Date: 12–13 September 2026
Location: Voco Grand Central, Glasgow
What's on offer
Five selected finalists will pitch live at the Scottish Screenwriters Festival in front of an industry panel. Speakers scheduled to appear currently include: Scott Frank (The Queen's Gambit, Department Q), Lesley Paterson (All Quiet on the Western Front), Douglas Mackinnon, Ashley Storrie, Steven Cree, David Hayman, Jamie Roy and many more.
Finalists will receive a 45-minute pitching masterclass ahead of the live session, plus an online pitch prep session before the festival.
All five finalists will receive SMASHPro membership and a Celtx subscription with a chance to be featured in the ‘Celtx Spotlight’.
The winning project will also receive a table read on Sunday 13 September with prestigious actors attending the festival.
What they are looking for
Feature film projects set in Scotland.
Scripted, animation and documentary features are all eligible.
All genres are welcome.
Projects should be ready to submit a logline, synopsis, pitch deck and first 10 pages. A full script is optional.
Who can apply
Open to writers and writing teams at any career stage.
A festival ticket is required to enter, and proof of purchase must be uploaded with the submission.
If applying as a team, each team member must hold a festival ticket.
What you need to include in your SMASH Pitch
Your SMASH Snapshot must include at minimum:
Cover Image
Logline
Format; Genre; Setting; Runtime
Brief Biog of key creatives
Synopsis with all major plot points — set up; inciting incident; rising conflict; mid story twist; crisis; climax and resolution.
Visual references
Cast ideas (that would work with your budget)
Comparables (recent TV or Film at your budget level that capture a similar feeling or energy)
First 10 pages of your script (full script optional)
Proof of purchase of Festival Tickets uploaded to ‘Other Documents’ section.
Any projects submitted without this information will not be accepted.
How to Apply
Create your FREE SMASH Pitch at app.mysmash.media.
Build your Snapshot with the required elements above.
Upload your proof of festival ticket purchase in the ‘Other Docs’ section.
Hit 'Share Project' and select Scottish Screenwriters Festival from the Call Out page.
Submit before Monday 17 August, 12pm.
Protect your IP
At SMASH, protecting your creative work is at the heart of everything we do. Every project uploaded to the platform is automatically timestamped and securely stored, giving you a verifiable digital record of ownership. Your pitch is only shared when you choose, and with the people you choose — ensuring your ideas remain yours, always. We call it Pitch Protection, and it's how we make sure creators can share their work with confidence, knowing their IP is safe and traceable.
Key Dates
Submission Deadline: Monday 17 August, 12pm
Shortlist Announced: 31 August
Pitch Workshop: Monday 7 September, 7pm (mandatory for shortlisted participants)
Live Pitch: Saturday 12 September, voco Grand Central, Glasgow
Important Notes
It's FREE to create and submit a SMASH Pitch.
Selected participants must attend the online pitch prep session and live festival pitching session.
Entry is only open to festival ticket holders, and proof of purchase is required at submission.
Questions? Contact: cupid@mysmash.media
About Scottish Screenwriters Festival
Scottish Screenwriters Festival 2026 returns to Glasgow on 12–13 September with this year's theme: Strong Ground.
Bringing together some of the Scotland's most inspiring writers, filmmakers and creatives, the festival is dedicated to helping storytellers develop their craft, build meaningful industry connections and navigate a rapidly changing screen landscape.
Confirmed guests include Scott Frank (The Queen's Gambit, Department Q), Lesley Paterson (All Quiet on the Western Front), Douglas Mackinnon, Ashley Storrie, Steven Cree, David Hayman, Jamie Roy and many more.
Alongside two days of talks, panels and networking, delegates can take part in our live pitching competition, delivered in partnership with MySmash Media, offering writers the opportunity to pitch their projects in front of industry professionals and receive valuable feedback.
Whether you're taking your first steps into the industry or looking to take your career to the next level, the Scottish Screenwriters Festival is where Scotland's storytelling community comes together.
About My SMASH Media
SMASH is the pitch builder and pitch protector for creators. It helps you build a professional, shareable pitch deck that can be discovered by industry decision-makers. SMASH is free for creators. Upgrade to SMASHPro for SMASHCupid support & advanced tools to make your pitch perfect.