Learn More
Dates & Fees
Entry Materials
Awards & Prizes
Previous Winners
Previous Jury Members
Submission FAQs
A category like no other…
SeriesFest’s Late Night Competition is defined as live-action or animated programs with individual episodes with a run time of under 30 minutes featuring the strange, absurd, comedic, sketch, or “what the hell?”
“One of the premier television festivals in the world.“
James Lafferty
KEY DATES & FEES
Submissions for SeriesFest: Season 11 open August 21, 2024.
Early Bird Deadline
10/21/24
Standard
$70
FilmFreeway Gold Member
$50
Student
$40
Regular Deadline
12/3/24
Standard
$90
FilmFreeway Gold Member
$70
Student
$60
Final Deadline
1/14/25
Standard
$120
FilmFreeway Gold Member
$100
Student
$75
Submissions are open, and listed prices are available through 11:59 PM (local time) on the date shown.
Certain projects that exhibit a commitment to engaging underrepresented communities may be eligible for our Inclusion Initiative Submission Fee Waiver. Learn more.
AWARDS & PRIZES
- Best of Late Night
- Audience Award
- Inclusivity Initiative Awards
Winners will be determined by a jury of high-profile industry and talent during the annual festival. Winners are announced at our Awards Ceremony and are included on our website and in media announcements. View previous jury members and winners below.
Special Awards
INCLUSIVITY INITIATIVE AWARDS
This category is eligible for Inclusivity Initiative Awards including the Level Forward Impact Award, the Caz Matthews Fund, and the Inclusive Creator Fund presented by the Anna & John J. Sie and the Global Down Syndrome Foundations. Theses awards will be given to the episodic projects and teams who demonstrate a thoughtful, thorough, and deliberate approach to using storytelling as a means of leveling the playing field for underrepresented people including women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and alternatively abled voices.
Learn more about our Inclusivity Initiative here.
OUTSTANDING SERIES FORMAT DECK AWARD PRESENTED BY CANVA
SeriesFest is partnering with Canva, our Preferred Design Platform, to acknowledge the creativity and skill necessary to build the perfect series format deck. SeriesFest: Season 10 Official Selections who choose to create their series format decks on Canva will have the opportunity to win the inaugural Outstanding Series Format Deck Award, a $5,000 cash prize, for the best series format deck submission created in Canva.
Learn more here.
ENTRY MATERIALS
The Late Night pilot episode and subsequent episodes submitted via FilmFreeway’s Secure Online Screener system. Submissions can include multiple episodes, should not exceed 30 minutes of total runtime, and can include multiple episodes.
Series Format Deck
All submissions must include a Series Format Deck—uploaded to the FilmFreeway application page under “Files & Attachments”.
An effective Series Format Deck introduces your project in a visually exciting and emotionally powerful way. It captures the reader’s imagination, allowing them to see the full scope of the series and embrace the characters. The Series Format deck is the crucial to the review process as we look to showcase
The Series Format Deck should be 2–15 pages, must be in English, and include the following:
- Log Line
- Pilot Synopsis
- Season One Outline
- Main Character Descriptions (Up to 5)
- For unscripted pilots, include key onscreen subjects/talent
- Tone of your series (can include no more than 2 comparisons)
- Producing Team
- Key Creatives
- Goals for your Series
- A Creator Statement that includes: Why This Idea, Why Me, and Why Now?
If your submission is selected for final programming you will be required to submit more information regarding your pilot, cast, and crew so SeriesFest can maximize your experience with executives at the Festival in May. Full details will be sent to submissions selected for SeriesFest: Season 11 in an acceptance email by April 2025.
Not sure where to get started on your Series Format Deck? You don’t have to start from a blank page. Check out our template—created in Canva, and make it your own!
FilmFreeway Entry Fee
(see above)
Press Kit Material
Any available press kit material.
Please note, entry materials will not be returned
Previous Award Winners
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/SeriesFest-TruBlu-Images-10-scaled.jpeg)
OUR BIG PUNJABI FAMILY
SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023
Best International Comedy:
Leena Manro & Agam Darshi
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/big-idea-last-mile_16x9_thumb.jpg)
THE BIG IDEA: LAST MILE
SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023
Best Director, Unscripted:
Sarah Klein & Tom Mason
Previous Jury Members
Thank you to our partners
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Company3_square-jpg.webp)
Company3
Company3 is a comprehensive postproduction facility for features, episodic, commercials, and music videos.
A category like no other….
SeriesFest’s Late Night Competition is defined as live-action or animated programs with individual episodes with a run time of under 30 minutes featuring the strange, absurd, comedic, sketch, or “what the hell?”
Submissions are Closed
Check out our Submission FAQs or email us at info@seriesfest.com.
Visit our page on FilmFreeway.
KEYS DATES & FEES
OCT 01, 2023 | DEC 01, 2023 | JAN 11, 2024 | |
Standard | |||
FilmFreeway Gold Member | |||
Student |
AWARDS & PRIZES
Official Selections are up for the following awards:
- Best of Late Night
- Audience Award
Winners will be determined by a jury of high-profile industry and talent during the annual festival. Awards are announced at our Awards Ceremony and will be included in our website and media announcements. Past jurors include Betsy Sodaro (Actor), Danielle Kreinik (Ubisoft), Laura Prudom (IGN), and Laura Schwartz (Newform Entertainment). Scroll down to see the complete list of last year’s jurors and winners.
INCLUSIVITY INITIATIVE AWARDS
This category is eligible for Inclusivity Initiative Awards including the Level Forward Impact Award, the Caz Matthews Fund, and the Inclusive Creator Fund presented by the Anna & John J. Sie and the Global Down Syndrome Foundations. Awards will be given to the episodic projects and teams who demonstrate a thoughtful, thorough, and deliberate approach to using storytelling as a means of leveling the playing field for underrepresented people including women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA and alternatively abled voices.
OUTSTANDING SERIES FORMAT DECK PRESENTED BY CANVA
SeriesFest is partnering with Canva, our Preferred Design Platform, to acknowledge the creativity and skill necessary to build the perfect series format deck. SeriesFest: Season 10 Official Selections who choose to create their series format decks on Canva will have the opportunity to win the inaugural Outstanding Series Format Deck Award, a $5,000 cash prize, for the best series format deck submission created in Canva.
ENTRY MATERIALS
Produced Pilot
The Late Night pilot episode and subsequent episodes submitted via FilmFreeway’s Secure Online Screener system. Submissions can include multiple episodes, should not exceed 30 minutes of total runtime, and can include multiple episodes.
Series Format Deck
All submissions must include a Series Format Deck which can either be submitted using a Canva file URL hyper linked under “Project Links” or as a PDF under “Files & Attachments”. An effective Series Format Deck introduces your project in a visually exciting and emotionally powerful way. It captures the reader’s imagination, allowing them to see the full scope of the series and embrace the characters.
The Series Format Deck should be no longer than 15 pages, submitted in English, and include the following:
- Log Line
- Pilot Synopsis
- Season One Outline
- Main Character Descriptions (Up to 5)
- Tone of your series (can include no more than 2 comps)
- Producing Team
- Key Creatives
- Goals for your Series
- A Creator Statement that includes Why This Idea, Why Me, and Why Now?
Not sure where to get started on your Series Format Deck? You don’t have to start from a blank page. Check out the SERIESFEST – APPROVED TEMPLATE created in Canva. Personalize it, and make it your own!
FilmFreeway Entry Fee
Press Kit Material
Any available press kit material.
Please note, entry materials will not be returned
INCLUSION INITIATIVE WAIVER APPLICATION
SeriesFest, in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada, is launching a sequence of opportunities to make our festival more accessible for all content creators and to celebrate a commitment to diversity and equity, including a waiver for submissions. Pilots applying for the Independent Pilot, Digital Short Series, Unscripted, and Late Night competitions have the opportunity to apply for a submission waiver.
Season 9 Winners
![SeriesFest: Season 9 On Saturday, May 6 At Sie FilmCenter in Denver, CO](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/latenight-onemilliongirls-jpg.webp)
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/latenight-easilysolvedmysteries-jpg.webp)
Season 8 Winners
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/latenightolympus-jpg.webp)
OLYMPUS: A RETROSPECTIVE
BEST OF LATE NIGHT:
Will Jacobs and Matt Antonucci
![](https://seriesfest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Late-Night.png)
SYD AND MIKE
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST OF LATE NIGHT:
Sydney Davis and Mike Holt
Sponsored by J.P. Morgan Private Bank