Do you have a captivating/engaging/thought-provoking tv series idea? Tell us your story – and we will listen carefully and help your dream come true!
Hypewriter, the leading fiction concept pitching forum for CEE is back again. We seek the next great idea for a television series without genre restrictions. The winner will receive a prize of 10,000 EUR and the concept will be turned into a professionally produced pilot episode that can evolve later into a complete tv series.
Eight finalists will be invited to pitch their stories to an international jury of prominent film and media industry representatives. The forum takes place in Budapest, Hungary. We will cover travel and hotel expenses for all finalists.
So, show us some real, bold ideas and blow our socks off!

Application deadline: 7 July, 2023
Notification of Finalists: 30 August, 2023
Pitch Forum in Budapest: 10 October, 2023

HOW TO ENTER
We are looking for a series with a potential of multiple seasons; minimum 6 episodes/season, maximum 12 episodes/season. 40-50 minutes/ episode.
Please submit all of the following materials in ONE PDF file via Filmfreeway (there is no submission fee):
1. Synopsis
A concept for the series in two pages. General and short description of the story of the series. (max 4000 characters.)
2. Season Arc
Describing the narrative construction of the series.
3. One completed scene
From the pilot episode, in standard screenplay format. With optional dialogues
4. CV of the applicant
5. Declaration of non-infringement
The project will not infringe on any third party's intellectual property rights, copyrights, moral rights, patents, trademark or other rights.

You can submit your PDF in one of seven languages: English (preferred), Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak or Slovenian. However, the language of the pitch forum is English so the Finalists will have to pitch in English (without translation).

WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
An international jury of industry professionals will read all submissions and choose the finalists, who will be duly informed.

Creators of the best eight stories will be invited to Budapest (travel and accommodation on us, please see Terms and Conditions for details), where they will present their ideas to the jury and an audience live.

Each finalist will have a maximum of 8 minutes to introduce their story in English, accompanied by a visual presentation. A 7 minutes QA follows this pitch. The finalist that the judges select will be awarded and receive a prize of 10,000 EUR for developing the concept to a pilot script and season arch. From the pilot script, a professional pilot episode will be produced by Paprika Studios.

The Hypewriter Forum is scheduled as a live event on 10 October 2023. There will be two online preparatory workshops to develop the concept with the help of accomplished script doctors and screenwriters. The day before the pitching event, the Hypewriter team organizes a professional coaching workshop to help Finalists advance their presentations at a Hypewriter workshop in Budapest. All finalists are invited and expected to attend.

OUR STORY
Established in 2018 by Paprika Studios in collaboration with RTL Hungary, Hypewriter was the first international TV Series Pitch Forum held in Budapest and became the leading pitch forum of CEE.
Paprika Studios, as one of the largest production companies in Central Eastern Europe and the Baltics, has been producing and developing international titles since 2007 for more than 30 broadcasters in 10 countries.
Paprika Studios is passionate about creating great TV shows that inspire and give good entertainment and offer unique opportunities for scriptwriters to pitch in a great TV show idea – and help them break into the entertainment industry's front line.
RTL Hungary is a commercial television broadcaster in Hungary and a significant participant in the Hungarian television market and film production. RTL Hungary is part of RTL Group, Europe's leading entertainment network, which is present in several countries worldwide and engaged in producing well-known television programmes such as talent shows, contests, films, and series.
Paprika Studios and RTL Hungary aim to evolve in high-quality television series content production – to achieve that, Hypewriter seeks to discover aspiring talents and offer them a chance to realize their unique ideas, thus bringing more original projects and fresh content into production.
In 2023 the fifth edition of Hypewriter will be organised. More than 60 finalists have participated in the events with several hundreds of industry professional guests. The pilot episode of the winning project of 2022, "The Rise And Fall of Zolika Pásztor', is in development and scheduled for filming in the Summer of 2023. Previous year's winner, 'Angel's Trumpet' was, successfully premiered at Hypewriter 2022 and will be released on RTL's streaming platform.' Golden Age', our winner in 2019, received a straight-to-series commission and currently, the scripts for the full season are in development. Also, the winner of the first season of Hypewriter already, 'The Butcher,' has its pilot episode produced and is currently available on RTL Most+, the streaming platform of RTL Klub. Many other titles that received special mention by the jury are in the development pipeline of Paprika Studios, and other Finalist concepts became series in different countries of CEE.

What is Your Story?

Awards & Prizes

The main prizes in the competition will be
• 10.000 € award for writing; and
• The pilot episode of the winning project will be developed, produced and filmed by Paprika Studios. RTL Hungary will premiere the pilot episode on one of its platforms. Paprika Studios will be involved in showcasing the pilot episode to broadcasters worldwide.

Rules & Terms

1. Hypewriter, organized by Paprika Studios in co-operation with RTL Hungary is open to applicants from the Central and Eastern European region as well as from all over the world. The competition is open to everybody, for professionals and amateurs also.

2. Full right and authority to enter into this Agreement. In order for Paprika Studios and RTL Hungary to accept your submission you must assure that you have the right to enter this contest and would be in a position to grant Paprika Studios and RTL Hungary the following rights and shall warrants for the followings:
• The applicant shall not disclose to third parties or submit the submitted materials of her/his project and all elements thereof to any other screenwriting contest until the selection notification.
• The selected finalists who will be invited to the pitch forum to present their project shall grant exclusive option for Paprika Studios for the period of 8 months starting from the submission of the materials by the applicant all rights in any and all media, now known and hereafter devised (including without limitation all copyrights therein) in and to the submitted materials and all elements thereof.
• The winner grants Paprika Studios the exclusive rights to develop, produce the series based on the project and also grant exclusive rights to broadcast the series in all media for an undefined period. It will have secured all the above rights.
• The applicants shall represent and warrant that he is at least 18 years old (or the age of majority where you reside, whichever is older), can form a legally binding contract by accepting an agreement online (without exchange of paper), and have the full right, power and authority to enter into and comply with agreement.
• The project entered has not been sold and is not under option at the time of entry.
• In case of submission the applicant represents and warrants that he is legally entitled to do so because he is the sole author or creator of the submission (he is contributing documents that he has written completely on his own).
• The applicant shall represent and warrant for the chain of title for all rights in and to the submitted materials and all elements thereof.
• The applicant shall accept that no projects may be withdrawn from the Pitch Forum after its selection.
• The winner may not publish any news about his/her project without the prior written consent of Paprika Studios.
Every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, Paprika Studios/RTL Hungary reserve the right to make changes at any time for any reason or to withdraw the tender. Paprika Studios and/or RTL Hungary will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change or withdrawal.

3. Guidelines, Submission Format
The following materials must be submitted via FilmFreeway in ONE SINGLE PDF FILE by creating the document and uploading it directly to the 'Files & Attachments' section of your project page. The PDF file should include:
- Synopsis for the series, 2 pages long. Concept should be developed for a 40-50 min/episode series consisting of 6-10 episodes/ season.
- Season Arc
Describing the narrative construction of the series.
- One completed scene
From the pilot episode, in standard screenplay format. With optional dialogues
- CV of applicant (including real name and professional background)
- Declaration of non-infringement (the project will not infringe the intellectual property rights, copyrights, moral rights, patent, trademark or other rights of any third party).
Country of origin: primarily CEE countries, but submissions from all over the world are welcome.

Submission documents are required in PDF format, combined to one PDF document.
Electronic submissions only via FilmFreeway.
Submission shall be in Czech, English, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak or Slovenian.
Concepts have not been exhibited on the Internet/VOD.
Hypewriter may contact participants for an interview before a decision is made.

4. Personal participation and travel arrangements

Finalists will be required to take part in all the workshops and events of Hypewriter 2022. There will be two online preparatory workshop(s) held by accomplished script doctors and story editors of Paprika Studios, in order to develop the concept and the story of the submitted projects. The first workshop will be in the first week of September, the second one a week before the main Hypewriter event. Adequate English language skills are required for the finalists to participate on the Workshops and on the Pitch Forum, because finalists need to present their projects. In the absence of adequate English language skills, Paprika Studios may nominate other finalists.

Finalists will be required to be present personally at the Pitch Forum on the 27 September 2022 and at the preparation workshop from the morning of 26 September, 2022 in Budapest. Each project can be represented by a maximum of 2 persons. Travel to and from the Pitch Forum, plus accommodation including breakfast will be provided free of charge by Hypewriter to Finalists, for a maximum of two persons per project, at the most optimal arrangement chosen by Hypewriter at the organizer’s sole discretion. We expect the Finalists to cooperate in terms of travel, as an environmentally conscious company, we intend to achieve the most environmentally friendly way possible.

Hypewriter reserves the right to select more than 8 Finalists, so that in the unfortunate event a Finalist can’t attend the Pitch Forum for any reason, including those beyond the control of Finalist, their workshop and presentation slot will be awarded to a Reserve Finalist. Reserve Finalists will be notified of their status and may or may not be awarded the chance to participate and present their projects at the Pitch Forum. In case a Reserve Finalist is chosen to become a Finalist, they will have the same rights and duties as those chosen to be Finalists in the first round.

5. Data Privacy
The Applicants are hereby informed that Paprika Studios, for the performance of the contract, will be processing personal data relating to Applicants, such as name, address, e-mail address, telephone number and the details in the CV.
The purpose of the data processing of the personal data of the Applicants is to organize the pitch, evaluate the submitted materials, decide on the winner, enter into contract, acquire rights, granting licenses, administration of the contract and reporting towards authorities. The legal basis of the data processing is the performance of the contract between the Applicant and Paprika Studios as well as fulfillment of the legal obligations of Paprika Studios.

Recipients of the personal data (to which the personal data are disclosed): employees of Paprika Studios, M-RTL, third party sub-contractors.

The personal data are processed until the duration of the right to use, until the expiration of the period of limitation in respect of the contract or up to the mandatory deadline prescribed by law.

The Applicant has the right of access to and rectification and erasure of their respective personal data, she/he is entitled to demand that processing be restricted and to object to certain kinds of processing of their respective personal data. The Applicant may exercise their rights to data portability as set out in the relevant laws.

The Applicant may lodge a complaint to the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (postal address: 1363 Budapest, Pf. 9.; e-mail: ugyfelszolgalat@naih.hu). The demands in connection with the data processing of Paprika Studios can also be brought before the competent county court.

Paprika Studios uses FilmFreeway’s submission platform for the pitch (https://filmfreeway.com/hypewriter), its privacy policy is available at https://filmfreeway.com/page/privacy-policy. Paprika Studios therefore collects the personal data of the Applicants through FilmFreeway’s system.

By entering into contract with Paprika Studios, Applicant acknowledges and accepts that Paprika Studios processes her/his personal data in accordance with the above.

5 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Tarek Mallo

    So lucky to have been a finalist in such a prestigious competition!

    October 2022
    Helpful
  • Suzana Kokalj

    I loved the whole experience. It was an extremely nice event!

    October 2022
    Helpful
  • Krisztian Streit

    Had a really great time at this Festival, as it had amazing hospitality, with really kind and friendly people all around. It was fully professional, but it was warm, and intimate at the same time. Everything was just so smooth and enjoyable, so you are able to really focus on your task, and you can always expect professional help if you need it, as they held an amazing workshop at the previous day of the pitch!
    Overall, this has been such a great experience, I collected memories here, which i will not forget anytime soon!

    October 2021
    Helpful
  • Sandra Becerril

    A wonderful experience, full of learning and connection with people from all over the world.

    October 2021
    Helpful
  • Selim Sevim

    Awesome people, great hospitality. Bonus: Beautiful Budapest. If you are a writer and want to talk about your project with some professionals and get some valuable feedback, this is your competition. Who knows, maybe your project is good enough and you can receive the prize to see it in production.

    June 2019
    Helpful