28-30 NOVEMBER 2023
The world’s leading development market and conference.
The Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch
The Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch 2023, is a cornerstone of the three day Formats and Factual strand at Content London and is designed to discover and develop a brand new international hit format in one of the following two categories: ‘Primetime Entertainment’ or ‘Reality & Social Experiment’.
Offering a £30,000 marketing prize for the winner, with shortlisted projects showcased to the global coproduction community during the three-day event, the pitch has now opened for entries.
The pitch competition allows international format creators to present their projects through C21Media and Content London, providing a high-profile showcase to get the attention of international buyers.
From the pool of submissions made between August 2023 and October 2023, a shortlist of the top projects will be selected from which up to 10 finalists will be chosen.
The selected finalists will be invited to present a live pitch to delegates at Content London on 29 November 2023 at The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
Once each finalist has presented their pitch, a panel of global industry judges will select a winner of the global entertainment format pitch.
The finalists receive:
- A VIP rate ticket of £499 to attend Content London
- C21 will profile each of the finalists during the event, with interviews about the projects published online and in the Content London Daily
- All finalists will be invited to a networking event during Content London to meet with interested partners
The winner receives:
- A marketing package through C21Media worth £30,000 to support development and pre-sales promotion of the show
- Exposure at Content London to all executives in attendance
- Continued support and exposure from C21 Media.
The Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch is open to individuals and companies that:
- Have demonstrable format experience (have developed, produced or otherwise brought a format successfully to air)
- Deliver all materials specified in the delivery criteria by the required deadline
- Are available to pitch at the event on 29 November in person
- Are able to attend the event in person between 28 November and 30 November
Click here for full terms and conditions.
The deadline is 9 October 2023, 23:59 GMT. No entries will be considered after this date.
The 2023 Winner:
The winner of the Content London Global Entertainment Formats Pitch for 2023 is The Ultimate Hustle, entered by Irish production company Animo TV.
Animo currently focuses on documentaries and the new project is part of its strategy to break into the global formats business.
The Ultimate Hustle was selected from 80 entries and will receive a £30,000 (US$38,000) marketing prize from C21 Media to support development and pre-sale promotion of the show.
A final pitch involving eight finalists was hosted by AJ McLean of The Backstreet Boys at Content London this afternoon.
The winning format was unveiled by Jan Salling, head of BBC Studios Nordics and co-chair of FRAPA. He said: “It was a privilege to hear about the eight fantastic, creative formats that made the final selection. They were brilliantly developed and pitched with passion.”
In The Ultimate Hustle, 10 broke but hopeful wannabe entrepreneurs live together for 25 days. With a strict rule book and under the guidance of a presenter (a self-made entrepreneur) they try a new ‘side-hustle’ each week, competing to make the most money from each hustle they try. The person who banks the least each week goes home. The twist is that the winner of the series gets to keep all the cash while the others go home empty-handed.
The full list of finalists can be found here.
How it works
The Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch is designed to discover and develop a brand new hit format in one of the following two categories: ‘Primetime Entertainment’ or ‘Reality & Social Experiment’.
The pitch competition allows international format creators to present their projects through C21Media and Content London, providing a high-profile showcase to get the attention of international buyers.
Projects selected will benefit from exposure through C21Media.net as well as occupying a prominent slot at Content London.
Award prizes
From the pool of submissions made between X August 2023 and 9 October 2023, a shortlist of the top projects will be selected from which up to 10 finalists will be chosen.
The shortlisted projects will be published through Contentlondon.net for all Content London delegates to view.
The selected finalists will be invited to present a live pitch to delegates at Content London on 29 November 2023 at The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
Once each finalist has presented their pitch, a panel of global industry judges will select a winner of the global entertainment format pitch.
The finalists receive:
• A VIP rate ticket of £499 to attend Content London
• C21 will profile each of the finalists during the event, with interviews about the projects published online and in the Content London Daily
• All finalists will be invited to a networking event during Content London to meet with interested partners
The winner receives:
• A marketing package through C21Media worth £30,000 to support development and pre-sales promotion of the show
• Exposure at Content London to all executives in attendance
• Continued support and exposure from C21 Media.
The Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch is designed to discover and develop a brand new hit format in one of the following two categories: ‘Primetime Entertainment’ or ‘Reality & Social Experiment’.
The pitch competition allows international format creators to present their projects through C21Media and Content London, providing a high-profile showcase to get the attention of international buyers.
Projects selected will benefit from exposure through C21Media.net as well as occupying a prominent slot at Content London.
Award prizes
From the pool of submissions made between X August 2023 and 9 October 2023, a shortlist of the top projects will be selected from which up to 10 finalists will be chosen.
The shortlisted projects will be published through Contentlondon.net for all Content London delegates to view.
The selected finalists will be invited to present a live pitch to delegates at Content London on 29 November 2023 at The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
Once each finalist has presented their pitch, a panel of global industry judges will select a winner of the global entertainment format pitch.
The finalists receive:
• A VIP rate ticket of £499 to attend Content London
• C21 will profile each of the finalists during the event, with interviews about the projects published online and in the Content London Daily
• All finalists will be invited to a networking event during Content London to meet with interested partners
The winner receives:
• A marketing package through C21Media worth £30,000 to support development and pre-sales promotion of the show
• Exposure at Content London to all executives in attendance
• Continued support and exposure from C21 Media.
The C21 PITCH: Content London Global Entertainment Formats focuses on two key genres: Primetime Entertainment and Reality & Social Experiment.
· Applicants can submit up to 3 projects.
· The Format pitch focusses on 2 key genres. Please make sure that the genre briefs below are taken into consideration when submitting projects.
· Projects should be brand new and unsold (i.e. they should not have been presented to any broadcaster, distributor, streamer, platform or previously selected for another market pitch event before Content London 2023)
Primetime Entertainment
Projects should:
· be large-scale entertainment with broad, family appeal
· be big and bold with a unique hook
· avoid quiz and quiz-based game
· No subjects are off-limits, but familiar areas should take a truly unique approach. Projects can be studio or location-based.
Reality & Social Experiment
Projects should:
· be bold and attention-grabbing
· appeal to 16-34s without alienating older viewers
· have real people and authenticity at its heart
· encourage binge-watching behaviour
· address a universal theme and/or attempt to answer a real social question.
· have a clear answer to the question: ‘why?’
· No subjects are off-limits, but familiar areas should take a truly unique approach.
Pitch criteria
The initial submission should be a 1-2 page format document in English that brings your idea to life. It should include:
– Top-line concept
– Episode and series structure
– Key format beats
You are welcome to supply further supporting materials if you have them.
The finalists
If selected and invited to the final pitch, you will be given a pitching slot of up to 7 minutes. At this stage you will also be required to provide:
· a short sizzle for your project
· a mini-bible comprising
– detailed format overview and structure
– rules for the show
– details of any specific new technology or proprietary software that the show would utilise or require
– casting overview
Please note that your sizzle duration will need to fit into the 7 minutes and should leave time for a comprehensive pitch.
Submission:
Please complete the Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch submission form below / here, including:
· A clear outline description of the project you wish to pitch
· A one – two page format document
· Why you want to present this through C21
· Any other supporting materials
· Applicants can submit up to 3 projects.
· The Format pitch focusses on 2 key genres. Please make sure that the genre briefs below are taken into consideration when submitting projects.
· Projects should be brand new and unsold (i.e. they should not have been presented to any broadcaster, distributor, streamer, platform or previously selected for another market pitch event before Content London 2023)
Primetime Entertainment
Projects should:
· be large-scale entertainment with broad, family appeal
· be big and bold with a unique hook
· avoid quiz and quiz-based game
· No subjects are off-limits, but familiar areas should take a truly unique approach. Projects can be studio or location-based.
Reality & Social Experiment
Projects should:
· be bold and attention-grabbing
· appeal to 16-34s without alienating older viewers
· have real people and authenticity at its heart
· encourage binge-watching behaviour
· address a universal theme and/or attempt to answer a real social question.
· have a clear answer to the question: ‘why?’
· No subjects are off-limits, but familiar areas should take a truly unique approach.
Pitch criteria
The initial submission should be a 1-2 page format document in English that brings your idea to life. It should include:
– Top-line concept
– Episode and series structure
– Key format beats
You are welcome to supply further supporting materials if you have them.
The finalists
If selected and invited to the final pitch, you will be given a pitching slot of up to 7 minutes. At this stage you will also be required to provide:
· a short sizzle for your project
· a mini-bible comprising
– detailed format overview and structure
– rules for the show
– details of any specific new technology or proprietary software that the show would utilise or require
– casting overview
Please note that your sizzle duration will need to fit into the 7 minutes and should leave time for a comprehensive pitch.
Submission:
Please complete the Content London Global Entertainment Format Pitch submission form below / here, including:
· A clear outline description of the project you wish to pitch
· A one – two page format document
· Why you want to present this through C21
· Any other supporting materials
