Scream Queens | Horror voices in the South West are so strong

Scream Queens gathered a group of genre-focused filmmakers for a dive into a horror. Led by Jess Bartlett and Jennifer Matthews, it was a celebration of creativity, connection and the real scope of storytelling that horror can allow. Jess tells us what Scream Queens was all about, and how it developed

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Scream Queens is a script development lab for 6 women and non-binary creatives from the South West – how’s it going and why did you start it?

As two female producers who run genre production companies, Jen (Cariad Productions) and I (Terror Arcade) noticed a gap in development support in the UK, especially for short genre films. This lab was born out of our shared desire to champion and support new female-identifying/non binary voices – shining a spotlight on the South West, where so many talented genre filmmakers are thriving.

The inaugural lab was a 4-week dive into horror writing and ran from late October to late November 2025. The goal was to help writers take a seed of an idea and develop it into a short film script, which our entire cohort achieved. The weekly sessions encouraged peer feedback on each other’s scripts and gave the writers access to trailblazing industry speakers like Prano Bailey Bond and Rose Glass which was invaluable.

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We’re thrilled with how the lab went considering it was our first ever one – thank you to our industry supporters (including BFI Network in the South West, The Bottle Yard Studios, Killer Shorts), our extremely talented cohort and all of the applicants – please keep an eye on our socials for future opportunities. [@TerrorArcade / @CariadProductions]

What’s the plan for the completed scripts?

Our writers/filmmakers are excitedly keen to get their scripts made into shorts – some of which they’d like to use as proof-of-concepts which is really encouraging for us. One of Jen and I’s goals was to give our cohort the confidence to develop their stories into feature-length scripts, so we’re really pleased!

Scream Queens was announced at the Women in Genre event at Encounters Film Festival

You were at the Masters of Horror dinner, how healthy is horror in the South West and the UK, and how important is it to build a network of creatives?

Horror voices in South West UK are so strong – it’s extremely exciting. We had so many incredible applicants for Scream Queens, which just highlights how much talent is out there. Attending the Masters of Horror dinner for the first time this year was a genuine honour – with a history of so many iconic attendees it was a pleasant surprise to be invited; it was inspiring to be in a room with established filmmakers/writers who had a wealth of knowledge and experience – just being able to listen and absorb the energy in the room was so valuable. I was delighted being a young woman at the dinner in a male-dominated industry; I hope to see more women in the next editions.

For those who couldn’t make it on the course, what’s your advice to kick-start their genre writing or filmmaking?

Find a group of like-minded creatives that will help you get the project made – when Terror Arcade started out, we didn’t have the resources, financial backing or industry connections and it can feel daunting, but there are creative ways of bringing your stories to life and each experience will help you grow as a writer/filmmaker. A portfolio of shorts is a great way to build your creative voice and let it shine.

Scream Queens, from left to right: Sarah Dawes, Corinne Walker, Helen Tompson, Jen Matthews, Kate Walker-Cook, Bea Roberts, Lauren Clifford-Keane, and Jess Bartlett

You’ve had a host of horror hits, what attracts you to the genre?

The beauty of horror is that it’s incredibly multi-faceted; there is genuinely a horror film for everyone. It’s such an expansive genre with the ability to make audiences feel brave and face (and often triumph over) evil. Terror Arcade and Cariad Productions also understand the importance of spotlighting female voices in horror as an effort to add authentic perspectives and unique stories to the landscape.

Thank you!

Instagram: @TerrorArcade / @CariadProductions