Unscripted Series Competition

WAIVER CODES ONLY

Submissions open AUG 20

Learn More

Timeline
Awards & Prizes
Entry Materials

Previous Winners
Previous Jury Members

Submission FAQs

All Festival Submissions:

Independent Pilot Competition: Drama

Independent Pilot Competition: Comedy

Digital Short Series Competition

International Spotlight Competition

Do you have a nonfiction story to tell? SeriesFest’s Unscripted Series Competition celebrates and showcases the remarkable impact of unscripted storytelling. Submissions from all formats of unscripted will be considered including limited series and reality series under 45 minutes in length.

Limited Series
Premium Documentary
Reality Series
Competition Series

SeriesFest will consider short films in this category however this must be accompanied by proof of a series concept in the Series Format Deck.

“To be here and be boots on the ground and feel the energy and see the creativity is mind-blowing—and it’s the future of our industry.“

Annie Laks
SVP, Creative Content Shondaland

Timeline

Submission Timeline

April 22: Open Submissions with Announcement
June 3: Regular Deadline
July 14 : Late Deadline
July – Aug 30: Review Period
Sept 1: Finalist scripts to Next50 Foundation for review
W/o Sept 20: Virtual Interviews with top finalists
Oct 3: Notify Writers of Selection Status
October/November (Fall) : Writers Retreat in Colorado

Funds, Awards & Prizes

Juried & Audience Awards, plus other cash prizes
Best Pilot Award: As an official partner of the Independent Pilot Competition, Company 3 will award the Best Independent Comedy Pilot, Drama Pilot, Unscripted Pilot, and Pilot in Progress, with $25K in post-production in-kind services.
Inclusivity Initiative Funds: Awarded to projects that demonstrate a thoughtful and deliberate approach to using storytelling as a means of leveling the playing field for marginalized communities, including but not limited to women, people of color, Indigenous, AAPI, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, and disabled artists
Outstanding Series Format Deck Award, presented by Canva: Canva acknowledges the creativity and skill required to build the perfect series format deck with this recognition, accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize.

ENTRY MATERIALS

Produced Pilot
Submitted via FilmFreeway’s Secure Online Screener system. All entries must be under 45 minutes in length.

Series Format Deck
All submissions must include a Series Format Deck, uploaded to the FilmFreeway application page under “Files & Attachments”. This document includes a logline, series regular and recurring character descriptions, and Season One story arc or future episode descriptions.

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 12 in an acceptance email by April 2026.

Not sure where to get started? You don’t have to start from a blank page. Check out our Canva template or Canva’s Entertainment Templates and make them your own.

FilmFreeway Entry Fee
(see above)

Press Kit Material
Any available press kit material.

Please note, entry materials will not be returned

Pilots selected do not need to retain any sort of premiere status, however, programmers do consider premiere status, previous festival screenings, and awards when deciding on official competition selections. If your pilot has been released via any home video outlet, broadcast on television, or had a ticketed public theatrical exhibition anywhere in the USA, it is not eligible for this festival. Submissions are welcome from around the world, but submissions must be in English or include English subtitles.

Previous Award Winners

RACIST TREES

SeriesFest: Season 6, 2020

BREAKTHROUGH

SeriesFest: Season 10, 2024

THE DOUG HEIR STORY

SeriesFest: Season 10, 2024

THE BIG IDEA: LAST MILE

SeriesFest: Season 9, 2023

HER TURF

SeriesFest: Season 5, 2019

ONE VOTE AT A TIME

SeriesFest: Season 6, 2020

Previous Jury Members

Michael Rucker

Showrunner / Director Blue Raincoat

Diana Williams

Co-Founder, CEO Kinetic Energy Entertainment

Andrea Ambam

Programming Manager and Host Level Forward

Thank you to our partners

Company 3

Company 3 is a comprehensive postproduction facility for features, episodic, commercials, and music videos. Known for its creative color artistry, pioneering technology, and global reach, Company 3 is trusted to deliver a quality product every time. It is home to one of the largest and most talented pools of colorists and visual effects artists working in post-production today with a client list that includes many of the most respected and talented film and entertainment professionals in the industry. Company 3 offers solutions-based services ranging from color correction, Digital Intermediate (DI), and file-based workflows to visual effects and online services. Through its virtual outposts, Company 3 Colorists are available to clients around the world..