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Storytellers Initiative

Jacob Cummings · September 9, 2024 ·

with Ed Helms & Michael Falbo’s Pacific Electric Picture Company

Submissions Closed

Learn More

Dates & Fees
Entry Materials
Prizes

Submission FAQs

The Storytellers Initiative aims to discover and celebrate bold new series with a strong point of view and bold characters from the next generation of storytellers. This Initiative cultivates lasting relationships between emerging creatives and industry executives, focused specifically on supporting diverse voices, championing marketable, unique storytelling, and pushing independent projects into production. Writers are invited to submit their pilot script for a chance to participate in a writers workshop, a live read of their script with professional actors, and a year-long development deal. 

Ed Helms
Michael Falbo

For Season 11,  SeriesFest is partnering with Ed Helms and Michael Falbo’s Pacific Electric Picture Company to discover episodic content featuring uplifting and heartwarming comedies. The script competition provides artists the opportunity to share diverse ideas through visual media and create groundbreaking television. The winning artist(s) will receive the opportunity for a development deal with Pacific Electric Picture Co.

Why Submit to the Storytellers Initiative?

Learn more about previous cycles:

Storytellers Initiative with Propagate

Storytellers Initiative with Janelle Monàe’s Wondaland

The Workshop

Three semifinalists will take part in a two-day creative workshop with industry experts, which includes sessions on ‘how to pitch’ and mini writers rooms for all 3 scripts. The goal of this workshop is to further get to know the creators and their skill levels as well as determine the Season Eleven Winner! This workshop will take place virtually the week of March 17, 2025.

“This was all onward and upward energy. And the fantastic realization is that this works; when writers feel supported, we can all get back to the exciting “let’s make a show” excitement of why we came to arts in the first place.“

Liz Stephens, 2022 Finalist

“It honestly helped humble me. Having your project completely dissected and gone through was very important to me. I felt I grew significantly as a writer from this experience and will prepare me for the next time.“

Jake Kelley, 2022 Finalist

“We were able to create a much more cohesive story. The advice and edits given really helped us create what we believe is a much better and more fun script.“

Wes Ward, 2022 Finalist

KEY DATES & FEES

Submissions for the Storytellers Initiative open September 5, 2024.

Regular Deadline
11/8/24

Standard
$50

FilmFreeway Gold Member
$40

Final Deadline
12/13/24

Standard
$75

FilmFreeway Gold Member
$60

Submissions are open, and listed prices are available through 11:59 PM (local time) on the date shown.

PRIZES

Three Finalists will take part in a two-day creative workshop with industry experts, which includes sessions on ‘how to pitch’ and mini writers rooms for all 3 scripts. The goal of this workshop is to further get to know the creators and their skill levels as well as determine the Season Eleven Winner! This workshop will take place virtually the week of March 17, 2025.

The winning artist(s) will receive an exclusive development deal with the presenting partner, Pacific Electric Picture Company. The winner(s) will also be flown out to Denver, CO for SeriesFest: Season Eleven, and participate in a Storytellers Initiative Live Read Presentation of their script with professional actors.

Other Awards

Outstanding Series Format Deck Award, presented by Canva

SeriesFest is partnering with Canva, our Official Design Partner, to acknowledge the creativity and skill necessary to build the perfect series format deck. SeriesFest: Season 11 Official Selections and Storytellers Initiative Semi-Finalists who choose to create their series format decks on Canva will have the opportunity to win the award, which includes a $5,000 cash prize.
Learn more here.

ENTRY MATERIALS

Comedy Script
Episodes running between 20–30 minutes (not to exceed 55 pages in length)

Series Format Deck
All submissions must include a Series Format Deck—uploaded to the FilmFreeway application page under “Files & Attachments”.
View an example.

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 essential to our review process, providing a clear and compelling way for us to understand your vision.

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)

Please note, entry materials will not be returned. Materials, including script, should be submitted in English.

Previous Award Winners

HIT MAN: SECRETS OF LIES

SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023

USER ZERO

SeriesFest: Season 6, 2020

PUNCHER’S CHANCE

SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023

NEO DOME

SeriesFest: Season 10, 2024

POTLUCK LADIES

SeriesFest: Season 10, 2024

UP NORTH

SeriesFest: Season 3, 2017

THIS BOY’S VIDA (MADE IN AMERICA)

SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023

THE EMPTY CHAIR

SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023

DOOMSDAY

SeriesFest: Season 2, 2016

HALFWAY THERE

SeriesFest: Season 5, 2019

Previous Jury Members

Kim Cattrall

Actor

Nina Dobrev

Actor

Mark Linsey

Managing Director, Scripted BBC Studios

Mikael Moore is a Black man, and this is a black and white portrait. He has on a black hat and large rectangular tortoise glasses, a black long sleeve shirt, and a dog tag. He has some facial hair, and is smiling in the photo.

Mikael Moore

Managing Partner Wondaland

Ashley Calloway

Literary Manager ColorCreative

Patrick Macmanus

President Littleton Road Productions

Travis Tammero is a brown man with light facial hair. He has gelled back dark hair and a black suit with a white collared shirt and black tie on. He's posing for a professional headshot in front of a gray background.

Travis Tammero

Agent UTA

Allison Wasserman

VP, Original Programming HBO

Ronald Moore

Showrunner Battlestar Galactica

Jocelyn Sabo

SVP, Televison Lionsgate

Chiké Okonkwo

Actor / Co-Founder Mansa

Thank you to our partners

Pacific Electric Picture Company

Founded by Ed Helms and Mike Falbo in 2012, Pacific Electric Picture Co. is a production company with a first look deal at Universal Television. They most recently produced two seasons of RUTHERFORD FALLS, created by Helms, Sierra Ornelas, and Mike Schur for Peacock & UTV. Also for Peacock, they released TRUE STORY WITH ED & RANDALL, co-hosted by Helms and Randall Park, to rave reviews. Before that, they produced the critically acclaimed sketch show AUNTY DONNA’S BIG OL’ HOUSE OF FUN for Netflix in 2020. In 2018, Pacific Electric won a WGA Award for their Comedy Central special THE FAKE NEWS WITH TED NELMS, a subversive, a-political news show satire, hosted by a guy who kind of looks like Ed Helms.

On the feature side, they produced COFFEE AND KAREEM for Netflix, directed by Michael Dowse and starring Ed Helms, Taraji P Henson, Betty Gilpin, and David Alan Grier, and CORPORATE ANIMALS, written by Sam Bain, directed by Patrick Brice and starring Demi Moore, Jessica Williams, and Karan Soni, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. They currently have shows and films in development at networks and studios around town. 

In addition to their TV and film slates, they recently released season two of the hit podcast SNAFU WITH ED HELMS and are currently producing a third season in partnership with FilmNation for iHeart. Besides SNAFU, they also released the podcast BROOMGATE, about the biggest scandal to hit the sport of curling, to wide acclaim.

Media Partner

 Deadline Hollywood

Deadline.com is the premier news source covering the business of entertainment, including movies, television, online, digital and related areas. Deadline was founded by veteran journalist Nikki Finke in 2006. Since then, the site has grown to feature a number of additional prominent and experienced entertainment editors from around the world.

Internal, Not Currently Accepting Submissions, Pilot Competitions, Submissions

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