Short Com has announced the second edition of its annual TV Sitcom Writing Competition for 2021. The competition seeks to find the best new emerging comedy screenwriting talent and help them break into the industry.
After an encouraging debut year, which saw not only a strong number of entries but also an exceptionally tight contest to determine a final short list. The competition was eventually won by Joe Barnes and his script Joy after the collective votes from the expert industry panel of judges. The script reading team was hugely impressed by the number of quality entries and the overall positive feedback from entrants, so much so we are looking forward to its second iteration.
The final shortlisted writers will be presided over by a panel of industry experts. We are really pleased to have on board Michelle Farr-Scott, Head of Scripted at Ranga Bee Productions. Sam Underwood, producer of Channel 4’s Lee and Dean. And Sam Ward, producer of the BBC show Mandy starring Diane Morgan.
Final Draft and British Comedy Guide Pro return sponsors, with the 2021 winner receiving a free copy of Final Draft scriptwriting software and annual membership to BCG Pro.
Short Com will put forward the winning and short listed scripts to interested production companies and agents after the competition as part of their efforts to help talent be recognised and hopefully lead to commissioned work. And they will also be inducted into our brand new initiative; THE SHORT LIST. An index page dedicated to talented writers and their scripts who come through our writing competitions where recognised industry can view and request the featured writers' scripts for their consideration. In the words of Short Com creative director Chris Aitken.
‘The industry would not exist without the skill, talent and imagination of writers. Getting noticed or recognised is incredibly tough in what is a seriously competitive industry and art form. THE SHORT LIST is Short Com’s new approach to help promote and give visibility to emerging talent. And that their achievements in our writing contests are not forgotten. With more script writing contests in the works, we look forward to adding more names to the page in the coming future’.
The final deadline for entries is on July the 9th at Midnight. With the regular deadline on June the 21st and the early bird deadline on April the 19th. The winner of the 2021 competition will be announced in September. For further details about the competition and how to enter can be found on the Short Com website here.
Short Com was founded in 2011 by Chris Aitken initially as a programme screening the funniest short films by emerging filmmaking talent in Manchester. It has gone on to screen in cities such as London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Bristol and Glasgow where it was part of the Glasgow Short Film Festival. It has also raised over a thousand pounds for suicide prevention charities such as CALM and The Scottish Association For Mental Health. Now it's its own stand alone film festival. Short Com continues its mission to find, promote comedy writing and filmmaking talent through its film festival and script writing contests.
