Winner Announced
Announced on Friday, October 25 following a live pitch event featuring five finalists, the winner of the first-ever MSN Short-Storytellers Challenge received a $75,000 production budget from MSN to create an original short-form series for the Microsoft video platform.
- “Coolest Thing I've Ever Made” by Guy Georgeson (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Finalists Announced
The NYTVF and MSN are pleased to announce the finalists in the MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge who will participate in the MSN Live Pitch Event on October 25 during NYTVF Digital Day. Based on those presentations, one winner will be selected by MSN, and he/she will be awarded a minimum production budget of $75,000 to be used in the production of a 12 episode series. All previously announced semi-finalists will be invited to the 9th Annual New York Television Festival as Official Artists and enjoy exclusive opportunities available through NYTVF Connect.
Congratulations to the finalists!
2013 NYTVF MSN Short-form Storytellers Finalists
- Common Sense Police
Created by: Robert King and Chris Harbur - New York, NY - Coolest Thing I've Ever Made
Created by: Guy Georgeson - Toronto, ON, Canada - Device Squad
Created by: George Stamkoski and Derek Adams - London, UK - Honchos
Created by: Rory Covey - Astoria, NY - Our Mysterious World
Created by: Brian Gates - Denver, CO
Semi-finalists Announced
The NYTVF is pleased to announce the following selections have been named semi-finalists in the MSN Short-form Storytellers Challenge and will advance to MSN for consideration. Five finalists will be identified in the coming weeks. Each Finalist will be invited to the New York Televison Festival in October to pitch their show live to MSN executives at the MSN Live Pitch Event on October 25, 2013. Based on those presentations, one winner will be selected by MSN and he/she will be awarded a minimum production budget of $75,000 to be used in the production of a 12 episode series.
Congratulations to the semi-finalists and sincerest thanks to all who entered!
2013 NYTVF MSN Short-form Storytellers Semi-finalists
- Big City
Created by: Lauren Ruff and Erick Fix - Brooklyn, NY - Common Sense Police
Created by: Robert King and Chris Harbur - New York, NY - Coolest Thing I've Ever Made
Created by: Guy Georgeson - Toronto, ON, Canada - Counseling
Created by: Abraham Roofeh - Great Neck, NY - Crazy Countdown
Created by: Barry Gribble - Los Angeles, CA - Delivery
Created by: Julia Pontecorvo and Jim Schwartz - Brooklyn, NY - Device Squad
Created by: George Stamkoski and Derek Adams - London, UK - Frida Kahlo, Junior Marketing Exec
Created by: Grace Parra - Los Angeles, CA - A Guy, A Girl, and Their Monster
Created by: Jenn Daugherty - Los Angeles, CA - HeadQuarters
Created by: Stephen Interrante - Los Angeles, CA - Honchos
Created by: Rory Covey - Astoria, NY - Hooked On The Look
Created by: Barcroft Media - London, UK - The Internet Fix
Created by: Ethan T. Berlin - Long Island City, NY - Lady's First
Created by: Sean Skelton - Brooklyn, NY - The Long Legs
Created by: Drennon Davis - San Francisco, CA - Our Mysterious World
Created by: Brian Gates - Denver, CO - Psycho Animation
Created by: Andy Mills and Geri Cole - Brooklyn, NY - Reality Check
Created by: James Vasquez, Carrie Preston and Kate Rigg - San Diego, CA - Self-Help
Created by: Danny Abrahms - Los Angeles, CA - You Gotta Try It
Created by: Joe Kwaczala and Dan Ronan - Los Angeles, CA
Submission Info - DEADLINE HAS PASSED
MSN and the NYTVF have teamed up to launch the “Short-Form Storytellers Challenge,” providing indie producers and production companies with the opportunity to compete for a guaranteed production budget of $75,000 to create an original short-form series for Microsoft's digital platform. The partnership marks the first NYTVF development initiative conceived to specifically solicit micro-episodic content and challenges creators to creatively structure their storytelling in two minutes or less.
Use the links below to explore the various aspects of submitting to the MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge.
Creative Brief
MSN has partnered with the NYTVF to discover trailblazing storytellers with a talent for delivering big shows in small packages. The MSN “Short-Form Storytellers Challenge” guarantees at least one outstanding producer a $75,000 production budget to re-imagine the potential for dynamic series as told in micro-episodic form. For content consumers on the web, short-form is the art form and the competition is specifically seeking series that are developed and created to be consumed in episodes of two minutes or less.
A Message from MSN:
The laws for how to create tantalizing short form video are still unwritten. Whether you’re new to the business, a grizzled media veteran, a senior executive, or a starving artist, in the business of online short-form video, we’re all on even ground. While there’s unprecedented amounts of detailed data showing what people watch, when, where and for how long on the Web, amazingly, at the same time we still have surprisingly little evidence of what – beyond viral video – is the formula for greatness in two minutes.
What we know is that short form is an art form, with different rules, different audiences, different aesthetics and different measures of success.
MSN Video is seeking the next wave of great short form video. What will be, in 2 minutes or less, the topics, formats and talent that exhibit this new art form? And by “art form,” we don’t mean avant garde. We mean the video that’s impossible not to click on, impossible to stop watching, and impossibly satisfying at the end of each and every episode. MSN, like so many other major publishers, already has an abundance of viral videos, hosts standing in front of green screens, and videos offering tips and tricks about one thing or another. MSN seeks to move beyond that.
What We're Looking For:
- Bold, fresh, buzz-worthy and of-the-moment concepts that engage, entertain and capture the viewer in short-form episodes
- Concepts that appeal globally - not limited to a particular region or country
- Series that present stand-alone episodes with thematic through-lines (e.g.: the series should not be overly serialized episode-to-episode, and viewers should be able to enjoy single episodes without previous knowledge of story lines and/or characters)
- Well-produced and inescapable scripted or non-scripted series that uniquely capitalize on the digital medium, specifically developed to be consumed within the timeframe allowed (e.g.: producers are discouraged from merely cutting down existing, longer-form projects)
- All genres welcome, with particular interest in comedy, animation, non-scripted comedic formats, non-scripted anthology, inspiration, personality/info-tainment and gameshows
- Out-of-the-box ideas that inspire socialization and attract new viewers - "click candy"
- Episodes with a clear “hook” in the opening seconds with a pay-off in the final segment. What is the conclusion, the punch line, the reveal, or the lesson learned at the end of each episode that makes the users’ time spent worthwhile?
The art form of short form is how well the content tackles each of these areas, all of which are now so measurable once online. MSN Video, over the next year, will be putting special emphasis behind the most carefully crafted, original short form videos that exhibit these attributes, without relying on epic fails and adorable kittens.
What We're NOT Looking For:
- Talking head in front of a green screen
- One-off viral videos
- How-to anthology series
What do you need to submit?
- A single video file containing 2 produced episodes of an original short form series
- Each episode must be no less than 30 seconds and no more than 2 minutes in length
- A 1 to 2 page series treatment in PDF format
Click here for the full Official Rules | Click here to submit (deadline passed)
The submission period will open at 12pm (noon) ET on June 24, 2013 and will close at 12pm (noon) ET on August 9, 2013. All submissions must be received during this time period, without exception. The competition will stop accepting entries when this period elapses or when the Festival receives 1,000 entries, whichever comes first.
The video file (containing both episodes) and the PDF of the series treatment must be uploaded on the NYTVF upload page, which can be found here beginning June 24, 2013.
A screening committee of NYTVF officials will narrow the pool of entrants down to 20 semi-finalists which will be presented to MSN development executives. Five Finalists will then be selected. Each Finalist will be invited to the New York Televison Festival in October to pitch their show live to MSN executives at the MSN Live Pitch Event on October 25, 2013. Based on those presentations, one winner will be selected by MSN and he/she will be awarded a minimum production budget of $75,000 to be used in the production of a 12 episode series. Additionally, MSN may elect to enter into development agreements with additional finalists.
MSN will retain an exclusive option to enter into development deals with all Finalists' Entries for a period of 1 month following the selection of the Winner.
Click here for the full Official Rules
For more details Ask the NYTVF.
Need music for your submission?
NYTVF partner Audio Network is offering FREE and UNLIMITED access to their music library of over 60,000 tracks for any artist submitting to the 2013 NYTVF.
Simply set up an account by contacting Audio Network at nyoffice@audionetwork.com with your name, contact details and project title. More details here
Need high-quality footage to improve your contest submission?
NYTVF has partnered with T3Media (formerly Thought Equity Motion) to offer FREE clip licenses for use in MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge submissions. Utilize footage from the world’s leading media companies such as BBC Motion Gallery, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, MGM Studios, HBO Archives, and National Geographic.
To take advantage of this special offer, contact a T3Media sales representative (877) 394-1580 or send an email with your name and phone number to sales@t3media.com. Be sure to mention “NYTVF/MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge” to get set up with a special account. To start browsing T3Media’s video library, visit www.t3licensing.com.
Important Dates
- June 24, 2013…………….Submission Period Begins
- 12:00 PM Noon August 9, 2013…………….Submission Deadline
- Semi-finalists to be announced approximately August 29, 2013
- Finalists to be announced approximately September 30, 2013
- Winner to be announced approximately October 25, 2013
Required Running Times
- The total runtime of you submission must be 1-4 minutes in length
- Each episode must be no less than 30 seconds and no more than 2 minutes in length
Fees
- There is no fee to enter the MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge.
Eligibility
- Programs created, funded or in development by broadcast networks, cable networks or major production studios are ineligible to compete in the MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge
- The initiative is open to producers from any country who do not have any contractual commitments preventing them from entering into an exclusive development deal with Microsoft.
- Programs for the MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge must not have been publicly broadcast on television
- Programs may not contain any copyrighted music or video (see here)
- Entries must be no-language or English-language
- Click here for the full Official Rules
Acceptance Guidelines
The New York Television Festival “MSN Short-Form Storytellers Challenge” accepts entries beginning on June 24, 2013 and ending August 9, 2013. Artists are permitted to submit multiple entries to the competition. All entries must be received by the NYTVF no later than 12:00 PM Noon on August 9, 2013.
File Requirements
- A single video file containing 2 produced episodes of an original short form series
- total runtime of combined episodes may not exceed 4 minutes
- Compressed video saved as a QuickTime file or MP4
- codec H.264 or MOV preferred
- Recommended output minimum 640w x 348h pixels, or under 200MB
- A 1 to 2 page treatment saved as a PDF
