Do you have a captivating / engaging / thought provoking idea? Tell us your story – and we will not only listen but also help your dream come true!
The leading fiction concept pitch forum for CEE is returning once again. We are seeking the next great idea for a television series – without any genre restrictions. The winner will receive a prize of 10,000 EUR and their concept will be turned into a professionally produced pilot episode that can evolve later into a full tv series.
Eight Finalists will be invited to pitch their stories to an international jury of prominent representatives of the film and media industry. The forum takes place in Budapest, Hungary. Travel and hotel expenses for all Finalists will be covered by us.
So, show us some real, bold ideas and blow our socks off!
Application deadline: 20 July, 2022
Notification of Finalists: 30 August, 2022
Pitch Forum in Budapest: 27 September, 2022
HOW TO ENTER
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 (6-10 episodes/ season, 40-50 minutes/ episode)
2. Treatment for the pilot episode
An extended synopsis for the pilot episode, that includes storyline and characters. Dialogue is optional.
3. One completed scene
From the pilot episode, in standard screenplay format.
4. CV of applicant
5. 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.
You can submit your PDF in one of seven languages: Czech, English, 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 accomodation on us, please see Terms and Conditions for details), where they will present their ideas to the jury and an audience in person.
Each Finalist will have a maximum of 8 minutes to introduce their story in English, accompanied by a visual presentation. This pitch is followed by a 7-minute Q&A: the jury may then ask questions, also in English, and the Finalists can respond. One of the eight finalists will be selected by the judges as the winner of Hypewriter 2022 and will receive a prize of 10,000 EUR for developing the concept to a pilot script and season arc. In addition, a professional pilot episode will be produced based on the winning pilot script by Paprika Studios.
The Hypewriter Pitch Forum is scheduled as a live event on 27 September 2022. There will be two online preparatory workshops in order 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 and workshop event 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 not only passionate about creating great TV shows that inspire and give good entertainment but also offers unique opportunities for scriptwriters to pitch in a great TV show idea – and help them to break into the front line of the entertainment industry.
RTL Hungary is Hungary’s market-leading platform-independent media company, that has been offering quality entertainment and impartial information for nearly 25 years. The company’s digital platforms (rtl.hu, RTL Most, RTL Most+) and linear channels (RTL Klub, RTL II, Cool, Film+, RTL Gold, RTL+, Sorozat+, Muzsika TV) constitute Hungary’s most successful media portfolio. RTL Hungary is the most innovative and active player in Hungarian content production. Its own-produced licensed or locally developed fictional programs are audience favorites in Hungary. RTL Hungary’s infotainment and news programs are the most important forums for the Hungarian public. RTL Hungary is the Hungarian subsidiary of RTL Group, Europe’s leading media group. As a European, progressive, and free media company, it presents the diversity of our world in Hungarian, no matter how the world may change.
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.
A pilot episode for ’Angel’s Trumpets’, the Winner of Hypewriter 2021 is scheduled for filming in Summer 2022 for a Fall 2022 premiere. ’Golden Age’, our Winner in 2019 received a straight to series commission and scripts of the full season are currently in development. Also, the prize-winning title of the first season of Hypewriter, 'The Butcher’, has already had its pilot episode produced and is currently available on RTL Most+, the premium streaming platform of RTL Hungary. 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?
The main prizes in the competition will be
• 10.000 EUR 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.