A New Era for Storytellers.

Innovating screen storytelling for a rapidly changing industry

Team of diverse professionals collaborating in a modern office setting

ABOUT US

OutWrd is a creative ecosystem built around stories before they reach the screen, providing emerging screenwriters with a meaningful route into the industry. Through OutWrd Plus, the platform releases cinematic audio versions of screen stories, enabling audiences to experience projects as if watching a film with their eyes closed. This discovery focused model surfaces promising writers through listener engagement and a chart system that highlights standout work.

Writers worldwide use OutWrd to develop their stories, gain professional feedback and receive structured support. Selected scripts are adapted into cinematic audio dramas and released on OutWrd Plus, with writers retaining control and earning an IMDb credit that strengthens their portfolio.

Alongside development labs, production pathways and curated showcases, OutWrd offers a collaborative space for writers and listeners to champion new work. As the catalogue grows, OutWrd aims to become a trusted environment for identifying rising talent and spotlighting original storytelling.

HOW WE WORK WITH WRITERS

If you have a great screenplay, we want to read it. More than that, we want our listeners to discover it too.

Got a script? Submit it for evaluation and receive a comprehensive script report from our team.
Got an idea? Join one of our many development labs and work with our global community of storytellers to level up your idea.
Looking for mentorship? Pair up with a member of our team to work through your project and make it industry facing. Get the advice and guidance you need to put your work in front of the right people.

When we feel the script is ready, we'll work with you to produce it as an audio production for our OutWrd Plus catalogue. Give your story a home, retain full ownership of your IP and get IMDb accreditation for your own writing to jumpstart your career.

Choose the service that's right for you below to get started:

COVERAGE

Submit your script and receive an extensive industry-grade report on everything from character to structure.

Highly rated projects are invited to be produced and streamed on OutWrd Plus.

COMING 2026

MENTORSHIP

Have an idea but don't know where to start?

Our extensive long-term mentorship programme will pair you with one of our team members to guide you through every step of the creative process using our industry standard OutWrd Method.

COMING 2026

WRITERS LAB

Prefer working as part of a group? Our Development Labs are perfect for people who want to hone their collaborative skills as well.

Work with other writers across the duration of our lab to develop a project from start to finish and pitch it to OutWrd.

COMING 2026

MEET THE TEAM

John Finnegan

Founder, Creative Director

Smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a necklace

Michela Cortese

Founder, Co-Chairwoman, Executive Producer

Smiling man with beard, wearing vest and necklace

Marcus Armstrong

Founder, Executive Producer

Smiling woman with short hair, autumn leaves background

Belinda Lees

Executive Producer

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Mat Owen

Head of Post-Production

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Mitra Kohnesheen

Press Officer

Frequently Asked Questions

01
OutWrd is a world where storytelling comes to life through immersive audio dramas. Our platform offers a curated selection of gripping tales, from classic narratives to fresh, original series. Whether you're into spine-chilling mysteries, heartfelt dramas, or reimagined fairytales, we provide a cinema of the mind experience like no other. Tune in, let your imagination soar, and experience the audio drama redefined.
02
No. All of our stories are written and performed by real people. We believe in the power of human creativity, emotion, and lived experience - things AI simply can’t replicate. That said, we occasionally use AI-generated voice for non-story elements like end credits or the final line of a trailer, where it's clearly marked and never used to replace creative work. Real stories, real voices - always.
03
04
Not at the moment. Instead of building a separate app, we've focused on creating a fast, mobile-friendly website that works beautifully on your phone or tablet.

To make it feel like an app, you can easily add us to your home screen:

For iPhone (Safari):
Open our website in Safari.
Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow).
Scroll down and tap Add to Home Screen.
Tap Add in the top-right corner.

For Android (Chrome):
Open our website in Chrome.
Tap the three dots menu in the top-right corner.
Select Add to Home screen.
Tap Add, then choose Add automatically or drag the icon where you like.

This way, you can access OutWrd with a single tap—just like an app.
05
Audio drama has deep roots in radio, theatre, and literature—just look at Orson Welles' iconic 1938 broadcast of The War of the Worlds! It's come to be known as 'theatre of the mind'. However, today’s audiences often seek the visual and cinematic experiences that screen storytelling offers, which can leave traditional audio drama feeling somewhat lacking.

At OutWrd, we've merged the best elements of screen storytelling with the audio drama format to create an engaging experience that feels like a blend between watching a movie and listening to an audiobook. It’s easy to follow, perfect for people on the go, and truly cinema of the mind. It's the audio drama, redefined.