SERIESMAKERS

For its fourth edition, the creative initiative SERIESMAKERS, led by Series Mania Institute and supported by the European content powerhouse Beta Group, will select ten selected projects to participate in the tailor-made program for feature film directors who venture into the world of series. 

The eligible director-producer or director-writer teams from all over the world will be mentored and guided by experienced and awarded creatives while working on their series and developing a full pitch deck.

Program :

This workshop SERIESMAKERS targets a maximum of 10 duos director/producer or director/writer with experience in feature films, who want to develop a series project.

Objectives :

• To give participants tools about series writing 
• To give participants a good understanding of the international series market.
• To develop a full pitch deck
  

Methods :

• In pairs, the participants will be guided by two mentors through individual online meetings, between November 2025 and January 2026.
• They will also have the opportunity to meet renowned international series professionals during exclusive online masterclasses

Award Project :

At the end of the program, a jury will award a team with 3 nights accommodation and accreditations to attend Series mania Forum 2026. The award team will be presented during one of the events of the Forum.

Team eligibility :

• The teams must consist of two creatives each: a director and a producer, or a director and a writer.
• The directors are required to have min. one feature film (min. 75 minutes, fiction only) screened at an official film festival and/or commercially released in theatres.

Project eligibility :

Projects submitted must meet the following requirements :

• Scripted TV series based on an original idea or a secured underlying property
• First season only
• Early stage of development
• Exclusivity: the project is not and will not be submitted to any other program, workshop, training initiative market event or funding institution during the Program. Further, neither the project nor any derivative project (such as a prequel, sequel, spin-off and remake) have been submitted to a previous edition of the Program.
• Number of episodes: min. 4 episodes, max. 12 episodes
• Length: min. 30 minutes, max. 60 minutes per episode
• Genres: all genres, e.g., drama, comedy, period, crime, sci-fi, except for kids/young adults

Process :
How to apply ?

• Applications may only be submitted by teams. Individual applications are not accepted.
• Only applications in English will be accepted. To participate in the selection process, applications must be submitted online via the dedicated web page (Submissions by e-mail, post or any other means will not be accepted).
  
  When applying, each team must provide a pre-bible (5 page maximum) of the series including :
• A one-sentence presentation of the series (“logline”)
• A synopsis of the season
• A description of its narrative arcs and characters
• A writer’s statement.
• A CV outlining the professional experience of each team member.

(If you have special circumstances, such as a disability, please let us know so that we can discuss your needs. Contact: [email protected]

• Duos composed of a director and a producer or a director and a screenwriter.
• Quality and originality of the series project. Particular attention will be paid to projects that demonstrate a clear creative direction and a sufficient level of development to be meaningfully advanced during the programme.
• Potential to appeal to both the market and an international audience.
• Participants must demonstrate prior experience in feature filmmaking, with at least one project selected at a festival or released in theaters (proof required). We are looking for emerging or established talents, already engaged in the industry and able to fully benefit from the programme to bring their project to an international level.

Series Makers in numbers:

• 4 editions since 2022
• 80 participants trained
• 24 nationalities represented

Participants from the latest edition rated the usefulness of the program for developing their pitch deck at an average of 9.7/10