Anyone know if you can do it as a team? For example a creative and a copy writer.

@anna:

It’s no problem entering as e.g. a duo so long as you make it clear in the application what your individual roles are, and that it’s a long-standing partnership (e.g. a pair of comedy writers, or like you say, a creative and a copy writer.)

It would be a joint award though if you won - we’re recognising individual talent - so we’re unlikely to consider a ‘team’ of larger than e.g. three.

Hope this helps.
Cheers, Nick

I wanted to enter as a poet and a pencil illustrator at the same time, what catergory would I enter into? And would sending in some of my poems and a few pencil illustrations be enough?

If entering the multi-talented category should we stick to the same guidelines for entry as for the main categories e.g Journalism & Photography, 3 clippings and up to 10 pics or should it be less?

Hello,
I am entering the dramatic writing category, it says that up to three scripts are required, does this mean that three are a necessity, or can I enter just one or two?

Thank you,
Emily

@Emily:

Feel free to enter as many as you like, up to a maximum of three. Choosing your best single script (if it encapsulates what you’re about) is absolutely fine; otherwise submitting more than one can help to show a range of styles and subjects.

Ultimately it’s you as a script writer that we’re judging, not necessarily a particular script. Hope this helps!

Hi,

I’m keen to chuck my hat into the ring in the Dramatic Writing category. Is there any mimimum or maximum length that the scripts need to be? Do you want three feature films or would one short play be enough?

Dan

hi

What happens if you want to enter paintings and photography?

Thank Jennifer

Hey, I want to enter the Dramatic Performance but I was wondering if the performance that we perform can be our own penned script…and when you say “showreel” do we have to show a series of our past works? thankyou in advance.
Adebukola

Hey,

For the Presenting and On-Air Radio can we have a partner? e.g, for Presenting interview someone. and for on-air radio be talking to someone.

Shyam

@jennifer brook: Would suggest either a) picking which discipline you’re most proud of and entering the relevant category (Photography or Wildcard respectively), or b) if you think the two combined represent you best as a creative person, go for Multi-talented. Although as we’ve said in a previous comment, Wildcard and Multi-talented span a wide range of disciplines, so you might have a better chance of being short-listed in the Photography category. Hope this helps…

@ADEBUKOLA: If it’s your script and you don’t have any footage of you performing it, I’d suggest you enter Dramatic Writing. Your showreel can include clips from as many performances as you like within the total timeframe - it just needs to be a visual representation of your best work.

@Shyam Bansropun: Yes, absolutely fine to be interviewing / in conversation with someone (in fact it’s pretty necessary in some cases!) - just make it very clear in the application which one’s you, and make sure in the case of e.g. an interview that you include your best bits, and not just their best answers, if that makes sense. Bear in mind you can only enter one category though, and that the Presenting category is on-screen only.

Cheers all
Nick

Hi Nick & Helen,

I thought I would drop u this comment on behalf of quite a few of us at my college who are thinking of entering the competition in different categories but are unsure as to whether it’s right to because of our roles on the work we would submit. I turn 29 this year (I’m still young & talented though!) so this is pretty much the last year I have to enter the 4Talent awards, though its only something I discovered very recently after heading to University to study animation. Because I’m slightly older on my course, I often end up in a Producing role, not necessarily because I want to, but because some of the younger students tend to think the role is less creative and don’t want to do it, whereas I recognise it can be highly creative, and someone has to do it to pull the right creative minds together and produce a bigger and better final piece… so my more current work is more from a Creative Producer sort of aspect in animation and animated music videos. I also always am involved in the creation of the concept of the story, writing, pre-production design, sound design, casting… everything really, I even animate entire scenes and do backgrounds too. But at the end of the day, my credit on the films is just a cog in the wheel of a university group project, or producer. In the past when I was younger I worked in theatre and had focused on dramatic writing and got shortlisted in some of the competitions such as the Verity Bargate Award and the Channel 4 Film Challenge. Problem is, even though my scripts from a few years ago were enjoyed by previous judging panels at the Soho Theatre and Channel 4, I think I have obviously grown up alot and could write alot better now and I’m not proud enough of my scripts from the past anymore to submit any of them, nor do they really adhere to current debates or public interest as they did when I wrote them, and they sound a bit naive when I read over them…

Universities and College’s teaching arts & media subjects are really focused this year on producing really good team players because the industry is a bit saturated with wannabe directors and glory hunters - and it has been great working in a team - but it does mean that although our portfolios are really strong (we are creating festival films in our first year now because we can if we work together) - our portfolios are full of ‘group’ produced pieces. That’s fine if you want to get a job as an inhouse animator with a production company, but for those of us who are seeking to become independant freelancers (I can’t work in Industry directly for example because I am a home carer) it does sort of limit us shining out as individuals a bit - unless you guys think that one person from a group project with 10 people has a right to submit that project to competitions as an individual?

Should I or any of my colleagues from this college enter the Multitalented category as a Producer? I didn’t “direct” any of the productions we have made as a team at Uni because we sort of don’t work like that, its more of a “creative producer” role and then teamwork - no one person is given a director title. At the risk of sounding really anal about the politics of credits, could you guys define where the work of young producers fits in to the 4talent scheme, if at all… In a competition that aims to find talented, creative individuals, do artists who have perhaps worked hard to become good team players (which can often be a real struggle for creative types!) need to stand out as individuals again and break away from their teams, or are we being looked at too in the mix of the talent pool thats coming under your scrutiny this year?

best wishes, woody

Hi,

I am in the process of entering the awards under the journalism category - do the clippings have to be published articles or can they also include other pieces, such as those written as part of a degree for example?

Many thanks

Jon

I am considering entering the comedy writing category. When submitting more than one script would it be okay for the scripts to be linked i.e. in terms of characters and storyline or would the judges be expecting three self-contained seperate pieces?

@Chris: Fine for the scripts to be linked, 3 is only a maximum number. Cheers

Hi,

for the animation section, is it a maximum of 3 finished pieces, or minimum? As I have just completed my final year project this month, and would like to enter that, but I am unsure if I am elegible for entry based on the quantity of animations I have.

Thanks for the response.

Hi there

Is there a limit to the amount of categories you can enter?
I was thinking of entering 4 categories: Directing, Comedy Writing, Multi Talented, and Dramatic Writing

Also is there a limit to the duration on short films to be entered? Eg 9 min is too long for a short film?
Is there a specific length for the scripts to be entered?
Eg min 10 pages, max 50?

thanks a lot

Nick

hi is there an age limit on entering

hi, I’m in the process of establishing an audio production company with survival as a short term goal and feature length productions as a long term ambition. I was hoping to enter the Production Music category as Ive been fortunate enough to work on some good projects recently, but i was also wanting to enter the Music category as well with a chum of mine with whom i write songs about love, music, wine and revolution; Im a composer/musician etc and as such look after all the music, whereas my fellow song writer, the simon to my garfunkel as it were, is in charge of words and such. I am a mere 27. But he is 36. And a terrible drunk. Are we excluded from entering as a partnership, even though his words are skill, and mine are not so skill? He can quit the drink, theoretically, but he cant go back in time, this is my most recent issue, please advise.

phil

I am absolutely surprised by the age limit imposed on this competition for 4 Talent. As someone working within the creative industry as a designer I feel that the age limit of 30 is discouraging to anyone who is above this age to engage in pushing their creative talent further. People do not loose their creative ideas and talent at the age of 30 and I believe that it is possible to compare and contrast creative entries from an 18 year old to that from a 35+ year old. Surely its about the creativeness and talent within that body of work not about the age!

Sue

“You have to be under 30 on 31/12/08 to enter the 4Talent Awards”
I know you are trying to encourage young people but I thought part of C4 remit was not to discriminate. As I am over 30 I cannot enter any category. It’s ridiculous. How many of your judges are under 30?

Simon

@Susan Davies:
@Simon:

Thanks for your comments: I’ll do my best to explain our reasons for the age limit. It’s absolutely not our intention to suggest that creative talent fades past the age of 30, and the vast majority of our talent schemes and opportunities across the board have no age limit and actively encourage applications from as broad a cross-section of the population as possible.

The purpose of these Awards is to identify new, creative talent to watch for the future - young people who are at a relatively early stage in their career. It’s not a platform through which we compare the best in the industry as a whole.

Of course we fully accept that anyone could come fresh to a creative profession when considerably older than 30, but capping entries with an upper age limit helps us to compare them as fairly as possible. Another option would be to stipulate a number of years’ experience in a particular field, but that has its own set of potential problems.

Simon, you ask how many of our judges are under 30 - this seems a strange question as by their nature as judges, we would expect them to be more experienced in their respective industries than the entrants in order to pass an informed judgement.

We’re not the only set of new talent Awards that includes an age limit - Broadcast’s Hot Shots must be under 30; Creative Review’s Creative Futures must be under 28. It’s just one method of defining ‘new’ talent - we accept it’s not a flawless system, but would invite you both to get involved in the various other 4Talent initiatives that we run: channel4.com/4talentschemes

I’d also encourage you both to sign up to the 4Talent mailout to stay across other such initiatives as they arise.

Cheers
Nick

Cheers for replying Nick. I understand the reason for the over 30 rule and the fact that other awards have an age limit but here’s my comeback.
Any age restriction is simple age discrimination it would be far better to stage the Award for unpublished writers, animators, producers and so on.
I understand the “fresh” argument but I have only just started writing seriously (after messing about for years) so I think I’m “fresh”.
From a personal point I have written a 30 minute comedy script and so far there has only been one opportunity from C4, from an external production company, on your site this year. So when a rare opportunity to present something specific to an established comedy writer such as Victoria Pile, Writer (Green Wing, Smack The Pony) and an actual, real life, in the flesh C4 Commissioning Editor (Caroline Leddy) I feel a bit gutted when left out. I am entering some scripts for the Ha Ha competition as well but I still think C4 need to seriously rethink this age limit and replace it with a new unpublished or new work rule. Having said all that I’ve been asked to do a rewrite on my script and had excellent feedback so I feel I do have something. But then again I would. My dog’s eleven I may get him to enter.
Cheers
Simon

@Simon:

Thanks for coming back. Interesting point on the ‘unpublished’ front, but does that not exclude a wave of exciting new talent who have got their work out there in some form already, but are looking to take it to the next level and get it under the noses of the right people? And how would entrants prove that they’re ‘new’? But constructive feedback is very welcome, and we’ll be sure to consider the entry process for 2009 based on everyone’s comments this year.

I’d be interested to know which external opportunity you mean. Channel 4 run various new comedy initiatives, including Comedy Lab (the latest crop will be shown in August, submission deadline for 2009 will be released later this year) and E4’s Funny Cuts, plus there’s the 4Laughs online community who run monthly comedy opportunities with real-world briefs.

I look forward to seeing your Radio HaHa entry - it’s a great chance to tap into a brand new radio station hungry for new comedy talent (but then, i would say that.)

Cheers
Nick

I read on a reply to someone’s question that you would prefer that scriptwiters didn’t send in 3 features as you wouldnt have the time to read them, understandably. Would an 82 min script and a 29 min script also be considered too much? Or should i just send it what i feel is my strongest work and 3 50-word synopses, as that person was advised?

hi

i am entering for the tv writing category, one of my scripts is written with a view to being animated. is this still valid in this category or must it be animated first?

i would like to enter directing, presenting and long documentary, is that ok?

Hello.. I am hoping to enter a film script (roughly 90mins) for the competition. The script is, however, full of stage directions and directions for the director/camera people, etc. (I am new to screenwriting so please excuse my poor or incorrect terminology).

Would you still advise entering into the Dramatic Writing category or the alternative is the Wildcard category?

Thanks..

Apologies for the delay getting back to you all.

@Adele: Would suggest if you’re entering an 82-min script then just that and 3 synopses would suffice.

@greg: Don’t fully understand the question I’m afraid - there isn’t a TV writing category, only Comedy Writing and Drama Writing - then there’s an Animation category for finished animations. If it’s one of the writing categories that you’re entering, pick comedy or drama - the script doesn’t need to have been visualised; it’ll be judged on the quality of the writing.

@liana stewart: You need to pitch yourself in one specific category, as set out in the guidelines above. If you’re equally confident in all 3 fields then you could opt for Multi-talented instead.

@Joe Turner: Absolutely fine to include stage directions in the script - if anything we’d expect it!

Cheers all - and please be advised we have an updated set of Terms & Conditions for the Awards, which you’ll need to accept before entering - see the next page for full entry criteria.

i have written a treatment for long documentary and also a synopses for directing i was wondering where to send it .

@Chanceli Moranga: Do you mean neither has been made? If you haven’t written a script or directed the finished product then there isn’t an obvious Awards category to enter I’m afraid: you could consult 4Producers for more info on how to pitch ideas to Channel 4, or perhaps approach a suitable indie / funding agency to gauge their interest in getting it made.

If you mean you’ve written a treatment / synopsis to accompany finished work that you’re submitting for the Awards, then all the info on where to send your entry can be found on the entry criteria page. Bear in mind that you can only enter one category though, so you’d have to choose long documentary or directing.

for television presenting, a video showreel on any subject?

Does it matter how old the work you submit is? I’m ahead of my time and have some old pieces which are still waiting to be fully appreciated

I have a question:
I am a hybrid filmmaker having completed shorts that use live action, animation and graphics. I am unsure as to which category to submit onto as it isn’t commercial enough or ‘animation-y’ enough for ‘animation’ (esp after looking at the kind of backgrounds the judges are from)- which would be the best category for this hybrid type of moving image work?

@kj: Interesting question. I wouldn’t say it’s essential for animation to be ‘commercial’ in feel: if you think your style is particularly defined by the animated / graphical elements (despite using live action as well), and you’d be confident being judged primarily on that, I’d suggest entering the Animation category.

If not, the Directing category will assess the overall craft of your work, particularly the live action element - but will take the animation / graphical elements into account as part of your overall style.

Hope this helps.
Cheers, Nick

I’ve written screenplays, plays and a travel book.

Which category should I enter?

i would like to enter the presenters catorgory but i have been in hospital for a while and this has been my first chance to get to a computer.

is it still possible for me to enter?

Hi, I’m thinking of entering the Off-Air Radio category, although this question applies to quite a lot of them: to enable me to send in as much different material as possible, my audio entry is going to be made of two different radio projects, and the three scripts will be for different things also. Am I allowed to include two 50-word synopsises for the audio entry in addition to the three to accompany the scripts?

Many thanks,

Ben.

Hello,

Just wondering how many copies on CD we need to supply for each category? I’m entering the On-Air, Off-Air and Journalism categories (the latter providing three different radio clippings).

Do you just want one CD for each of those three categories, with the journalism CD containing the three clippings as three different tracks?

Thanks,
Mark

Hi,

I’d like to enter the comedy writing category, however my style is to generate funny scenarios and then improvise rather than to pen word for word dialogue. I also perform my work. My question therefore is this: would story outlines of my films be acceptable for the comedy writing category or should I just enter the comedy performance category? (although I consider myself a writer above all else). The other option would be to transcribe the dialogue once it’s been performed I suppose?

Thanks,

Sam

Hi

I’m currently working on comedy sketches with a collective, and wondered about the following:

1 - Many of our sketches are workable into either audio or visual scripts, is it generally a better plan to submit to the comedy Writing catagory or the Off Air Radio catagory?

2 - Can we submit work done as part of a collective, provided we outline our role in it?

3 - Is sketch content going to be judged alongside sitcom work? If so are character orientated/recurring sketches more desirable?

Thanks

Dan

Goodness gracious me…

Goodness…

Gracious…

ME.

I’ve just had a read through the above debates. By just printing some of these questions, you at Channel 4 have found a new batch of comedy genius’s.

Some of the questions are hilarious. I apologise on behalf of the general public. In our defense, we are so busy now and so used to simply pressing ‘accept’ on online terms and conditions forms, that actually reading them wouldn’t ever even remotely BEGIN to start to cross our minds.

Good luck in answering all the repeated questions. Im sure you’ll get a last minute surge at 11pm on the 29th September. Be prepared. It’s what we do best.

And just before I go, I’ve got a question:

I saw this Channel 4 competition your doing and I thinks its so good. and basically wanna enter my mum, cos shes the best mum in the world. She makes the best cakes, and I think she should win that one.

So…

Shall I just send a picture of the cakes or do I need to send the ACTUAL cake to you in the post. Also, who shall I address it to?

Thanks so so much.

Hi there,

I want to enter my fashion comapny, where we collaborate with technological companies on creating apparel and accessories with fabrics that react to sound, light and atmosphere which are especially suited for various high end events, shows and concerts. Would it be best to enter under the wildcard or innovation category?

Many thanks, Amy

@Helen Byrne:

Thanks for the clarity on which catagory to enter, although I’m confused by the fact that you’ve said we could enter as a collective, and yet that there’s a response from Nick at the top that says that collaborations over 3 people probably wouldn’t be considered…

Is there an element of employment potential in any prize, and if so, would that be at a time suitable, if for example a student was in mid degree status.

I was thinking of entering the music category, under singer-songwriter, but I only have two tracks recorded and it states the minimum as three. Would my application still be considered? Or would I be able to send a written version of one of my other songs without it being recorded?

@Kate: Yes, please include a written version of a third song, especially if the lyrics are an integral part of what you want the judges to consider.

Nick/Helen,
Can you please post on this page a step to step guide on how to send your entry, where to send, what to send, any supporting material etc.
It’d be really helpful.
Thanks

Hey
Silly question but im a singer, just wondering if you enter it has to be your own music?
I sing but i dont really write songs. And if i did god knows what they would be like!
Just wondered as im very interesting in parcipitating,
Please let meknow would be very helpful.
Thankyou
x

Hi. I have filmed some short sketches on my own and as part of a team, so it seems that entering them into the directing category makes the most sense. Would you agree? I’m assuming that the judging criteria takes into account genre, so if I entered what appeared to be a comedy short then it could be judged on how funny it is?

Just wanted to be sure as I don’t want to waste my entry by submitting the wrong thing in the wrong category.

hi
i would like to enter a few of my videos into the music video category but there were a few things i couldn’t find the answer for on the site (sorry for the incompetence)
basically, my videos at the moment are for songs that have been released already with videos, for example daft punk around the world, i did my own version for it. the same goes for another video which i shot inspired by muse starlight. would i need some sort of permission from the bands/labels? the video itself is my own work with my own actors and props etc but the music is not, nor is it from an upcoming band or anything like that. would that be ok?

thanks a lot

To add to my above post, do you think the wildcard category would be more suitable?

For the presenting category…Do i present about anything i want?

I was considering entering the comedy writing aswell as the comedy performance category. However, do I need a video of the piece of comedy writing being performed in order to enter?

Hi. If you want to enter more than one category do you have to do it through the multitalent award one or can you enter more than one individual award? Thanks.

Hi

Im unsure which category to enter. I have a short tv pilot/teaser. Its a spoof documentary which i wrote and directed. I imagine i could enter Comedy Writing or Directing or maybe something else. Id like to be judged on the strength of the pilot but it probably wouldnt fit with the other short movies and stuff and its done in the style of a teaser (albeit a seven minute one). If i entered a script could i back it up with a dvd. Id really like that to be seen. Thanks.