Screen Yorkshire is pleased to be supporting Studio21’s 2024 script competition as they seek new drama that can be released scene-by-scene.

This opportunity aligns with Screen Yorkshire’s talent programmes, having now run two editions of our very successful Flex agile storytelling programme which strongly focus on innovative approaches to developing dynamic, authentic and fluid stories fit for future audiences.

The Studio21 International 2024 mission is to find a global scripted series that can be released scene-by-scene on digital and then stitched together to create a traditional long form drama for television.

The competition is designed to uncover compelling contemporary stories that can reach a 21st century audience across platforms, with a shortform episodic release across digital platforms, followed by a long form window on traditional television.

Studio 21’s David Jenkinson said: “The script competition always attracts the most progressive new writers. But this year we are challenging the creative community to think differently, writing each scene as a standalone shortform piece, that when stitched together make a longform scripted episode. In many ways this is not different to the structure of a traditional script, but it means that each shortform piece may be slightly different in character.”

Script 21 are open to pilot scripts in any fiction genre, but priority will be given to projects that demonstrate the following:

• Explore progressive themes.
• Engage with the audience in new and innovative ways.
• Deliver scenes that each feel like a distinct shortform episode.
• Create hooks that make us want to watch the next scene-episode.
• Have a driving narrative across the pilot script that creates a satisfying longform episode.
• Can be produced on a reasonable budget.

If you’d like to take part, entries should be presented as a single script of 30-60 pages, with each scene clearly identified and have a run time of between 1-3 minutes.

The competition connects emerging writers with the global content business, offering the winner a £10,000 prize to option or acquire the script and the unique opportunity to connect with the global drama business through C21Media’s Content London in December.

The winning project will be developed by Studio21, supported by an advisory board made up of the most creative showrunners and television executives in the business.

Previous winners now have their shows in development with leading producers, and the raft of new writers and projects taken under the Studio21 wing is commanding the attention of co-producers and commissioners worldwide.

From the pool of submissions, made between 8 July 2024 and 18 September 2024, a shortlist of 21 scripts will be selected and from these six finalists will be chosen to present their script to the global drama business at Content London 2024.

Shortlisted entries will be announced on 11 October 2024 and the six finalists will be announced on 1 November 2024.

The Studio21 Scene-By-Scene Script Competition is produced in association with C21Media, Content London and Script Angel.

Each finalist will also receive a free consultancy session from Script Angel.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get your script in front of the world’s drama community!

Closing date for entries: 18 September 2024
To find out more and to enter visit: https://www.studio21.com/script/

And to check out the submission guidelines and FAQs visit: studio21.com/terms-and-conditions and for enquiries email: info@studio21.com