BBC ALBA Children’s Short Drama Commissioning Opportunity 2024

BBC ALBA is delighted to be once again partnering with the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) on a prestigious kids’ short drama exchange. Successful companies will each make a single 15-minute drama which will be shared and broadcast across Europe.

This is a unique creative opportunity for producers, writers and directors. The scheme offers mentoring from leading industry figures as well as discussion, support and feedback from other European filmmakers. Films produced as part of this major international showcase regularly go on to win awards around the world.

We are now seeking proposals from companies for a kids’ short drama for 2024.

• Theme: “Belonging”
• Duration: 14’45”
• Audience: Ages 10-12, but suitable for 8-12
• Casting: Gaelic-speaking child actor/s at the heart of the story
• Genre: We are open to all genres that can appeal to a young audience, and which are age-appropriate. We would particularly welcome comedy ideas
• Style: Cinematic and shot and edited to enable versioning into other languages.

• Group script meeting in Ireland – early May 2024
• Production window – July/August 2024 (school holidays)
• Delivery to EBU/BBC ALBA – end of October 2024
• Screening meeting in Cyprus – 4 and 5 December 2024
• TX on BBC ALBA – Christmas 2024
• Following TX the producer will be expected to enter their film for competition on the international festival circuit (minimum ten submissions)
• Further information and examples of films from previous years are available
• The EBU requires world-wide rights and clearance for 10 years and other rights that make this a non-standard deal
• The EBU has its own Exec Producer who will be part of the initial selection process and who work alongside the successful production teams

• The successful drama proposal will have a funding contribution from MG ALBA of £80,000
• We also expect that the successful company or companies will make funding applications to

Screen Scotland and for UK Children’s TV Programme tax credits.

Screen Scotland: https://www.screen.scot/funding-and-support/funding

Tax reliefs (via BFI tax credits certification): https://www.bfi.org.uk/supporting-uk-film/british-certification-tax-relief

• Please submit at least two story ideas as part of your proposal. These should be 2 pages maximum each and should be outlines only ie not full scripts
• Please also include a summary of production experience and an indication of key talent
• Please note that in addition to the onscreen cast, writers and directors attached to the proposal are also required to be Gaelic-speakers
• Although we ask that submissions are routed through companies, we understand that not all drama writers will have connections in the production sector – in which case we will seek to build relationships. Interested writers should contact Bill Macleod at the Email address below in advance of the submission deadline
• Deadline for submission – 29 March 2024
• Commissioning decision – 12 April 2024
• Submissions should be sent to: bbcalbacommissioning@bbc.co.uk
• If you have any questions please contact Bill Macleod at macleod@mgalba.com