SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2021

We are seeking the next great idea for television series – without any genre restrictions. Our Winner receives a 10,000 EUR cash prize and their story will be turned into a professionally produced pilot episode.

Eight Finalists will pitch their stories to an international jury of prominent representatives of culture, film theory and filmmaking in Budapest, Hungary. An audience of international professionals will also be present at this joyful, creative event. Flights and hotels for all Finalists are on us.

HOW TO ENTER
Please submit all of the following materials in ONE PDF file:

1. Synopsis
Two pages long concept for the series (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 with in one of seven languages: English, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak or Slovenian.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
An international jury of industry professionals will read all submissions. Creators of the best 8 stories will be invited to Budapest (travel and accomodation is on us), where they will present their ideas to the jury and an audience - and one of the Finalists will be awarded the Prize.

The Pitch Forum Event is scheduled as a live event during the Fall, subject to current COVID restrictions. The pitch event (including the jury Q&A session) will be held in English, therefore all Finalists must hold their pitch in English. Finalists can also arrange a helper for the pitch and interpreter for the Q&A session for themselves if required. The day before the pitching event a professional coach will help Finalists perfect their presentations.

OUR STORY
Established in 2018 by Paprika Studios in collaboration with RTL Hungary, Hypewriter is the first international TV Series Pitch Forum held in Budapest.

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.

RTL Hungary is a commercial television broadcaster in Hungary and a significant participant of 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 all over the world and engaged in the production of well-known television programmes such as talent shows, contests, films and series.

Paprika Studios and RTL Hungary are aiming to evolve in high quality television series content production – to achieve that, we want to discover aspiring talents and offer them a chance to realize their unique ideas, thus bringing more original projects and fresh content into production.

Winner of Hypewriter 2018, 'The Butcher' has been produced as a professional pilot episode. Golden Age, our Winner in 2019 is currently in development.

What is Your Story?

Awards & Prizes

The main prizes in the competition will be

• 10.000 € cash award for writing; and
• 110.000 € in support for production of the pilot episode. The pilot episode of the winning project will be developed and produced by Paprika Studios. RTL Hungary will broadcast the episode on one of its channels.

Rules & Terms

Rules and Terms
1. Paprika Studios – RTL Hungary TV Pitch Forum 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 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 have 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.

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

Concept should be developed for an hour long (40-50 min/episode) series consisting of 6-10 episodes/ season.
Country of origin: primarily CEE countries, but submissions from all over the world are welcome.
Submission documents are required in PDF format.
Electronic submissions only via FilmFreeway.
Submission shall be in English, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Czech or Slovenian.
Concepts have not been exhibited on the Internet/ VOD.

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 file should include:
2 pages long synopsis for the series.
Treatment for the pilot episode.
One completed scene from the pilot episode in standard screenplay format.
CV of applicant.
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).

4. 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: 1530 Budapest, Pf. 5.; 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 use 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.

1 Review
Overall Rating
Quality
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Networking
  • 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