We are looking for original drama with variety in tone and attitude that will both entertain and open up a view of contemporary life. RTÉ Drama needs to have broad popular appeal for Irish viewers first and foremost. They must be Irish stories. But Irish stories, of course, happen in the diaspora too, so an Irish setting isn’t essential.

RTÉ Drama
We are looking for original drama with variety in tone and attitude that will both entertain and open up a view of contemporary life. RTÉ Drama needs to have broad popular appeal for Irish viewers first and foremost. They must be Irish stories. But Irish stories, of course, happen in the diaspora too, so an Irish setting isn’t essential.

All RTÉ One commissioned drama is currently post-watershed. Returnability of a show is something to be considered at an early stage while acknowledging that some stories, particularly those drawing on real life events, will not extend beyond one serial event.

RTÉ actively develops projects that will meet the objectives of the various funding bodies on the Island of Ireland: BAI Sound and Vision Fund, Screen Ireland, the WRAP fund, Northern Ireland Screen as well as projects that are suited to international co-funding, pre-sales and co-production.

If helpful, RTÉ will work closely with producers in attaching financing partners. Co-production and co-financing is a high priority for RTÉ and we suggest producers talk to us early about projects they have in mind. But having said that, any non-Irish elements in a story to satisfy an international co-production partner, need to be there organically.

Should you wish to submit an idea for development investment you will need to register and submit on RTÉ's e-commissioning. Drama staff members are available to discuss ideas in advance of formal submission. A brief pitch from the writer and producer is useful at an early stage.

Some key points to keep in mind when submitting ideas to RTÉ Drama:

. All submissions need to be submitted by an independent production company and / or individuals or partnerships with previous production related experience;

. Keep pitches concise. Make sure that they are well thought through and have a considered point and purpose;

. Avoid following trends or mimicking what others have done; we always look for something we haven't seen before;

. We’re not actively seeking period drama at the moment. Our audiences are responding more to drama with contemporaneous resonance, whether set in the present or not – stories that capture the essence of modern Ireland and what it’s like to be living in Ireland today;

. Co-production and co-financing are a high priority - be prepared to discuss financing options when you pitch though we don’t expect you to have a fixed plan.

Storyland
Access to the heart of RTÉ Drama for new writers, producers and directors is essential to what we do and in this respect we encourage producers and writers at the beginning of their careers to engage with Storyland. Storyland is an on-line drama commission specifically designed by RTE and Northern Ireland Screen to nurture producers, writers, directors, cast and HODs with a particular emphasis on their creative and entrepreneurial skillset.

Information on the next round of StoryLand will be broadly circulated and available on rte.ie

RTÉ One
6 x 52’s for Sunday, Monday or Wednesday 21:30 slots. Dramas for RTÉ One must have broad appeal and drama for these slots are all post-watershed. Sunday night dramas speak to the nation and should provoke, challenge and entertain: TV for drama lovers of all ages. Eg. LOVE/HATE, REBELLION, SINGLEHANDED.

Sunday night on RTÉ One is also a home for big national statement pieces: Drama that tells stories about contemporary Ireland and who were are in a way that documentary and current affairs can’t. Two, Three or Four parters along the lines of WHISTLEBLOWER or NO TEARS – drama with a social purpose. Ideally, the topics or events they deal with should no longer be in the press.

Sunday night on RTÉ One has also been a base for light hearted entertainment drama like RAW or STRIKING OUT. These are dramas that provide a little cheerful relief from the real world, drama to brighten up a cold winter.

RTÉ2
Longer-running scripted formats that skew younger than for RTÉ One. Series must be distinctive and differentiate from RTÉ One drama in the first instance. We’re actively seeking cost-effective series which will be a vehicle for younger talent on either side of the camera as well as appealing to their peers. These shows can be for 60’ or 30’ slots.

RTÉ Player
This is a hub of innovation and originality. Original drama on the Player can take risks; it’s less under the microscope so it’s where drama can break out and find an audience without the pressure of Sunday nights on RTE One. Drama on the Player is for 16-24

 

RTÉ today announces a new scripted drama initiative for RTÉ 2, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. RTÉ is seeking submissions from both aspiring and experienced drama teams to develop new drama series for RTÉ 2. RTE 2’s core target audience is 25 – 44 years of age.

NEW DRAMA SERIES CALL OUT FOR RTÉ 2

Up to five dramas will be developed to bible and pilot script stage with a view to commissioning up to two brand new drama series for 2022/23. Drama on RTÉ 2 is about giving emerging creative Irish talent an opportunity and a platform to make original drama available to a national and global audience.

At this stage, we are looking for an early stage pitch document of no more than two hundred words that clearly demonstrates a core concept

In preparing submissions we would ask producers and writers to consider the following criteria:

• The proposal should have a strong point and purpose. What is it about your story that demands it be made? And why now?
• The drama should be authored. Its voice should be original it should have a strong point of view that will differentiate from other dramas available to Irish audiences.
• The proposal should be contemporaneous and relatable to what it’s like to live in Ireland today.
• Has the concept the potential to endure and become a returning series?
• The drama needs to be original, something that Irish audiences haven’t seen before.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the e-commissioning system. http://www.rte.ie/commissioning under the programme category RTÉ Drama & Comedy  “Scripted Drama RTÉ 2”

Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland is the national development agency for the screen sector investing in Talent, Creativity and Enterprise. The agency supports and promotes the Irish film, television and animation sector and the use of Ireland as a location for international production.

As part of the recently announced €3 million July Stimulus Support Package for Television Drama, Screen Ireland has allocated funding to support this initiative and ensure the development and growth of the Television Drama & Scripted Sector.

RTÉ ONE
We are looking for half hour scripted comedy that will reach a broad mainstream audience. Projects that have or will attract co-production finance and or an international broadcaster will be prioritised.

RTÉ2
In Scripted we are looking for uniquely Irish comedy that stands out in the crowded multi-channel and SVOD environment and engages primarily with 25 – 44 year olds post 21:00.

 

Comedy
Making people laugh is an unusually Irish vocation. We have an extraordinary level of writing and performing talent, production and editorial skills, and Irish audiences have an unquestionable appetite for quality comedy.

Comedy production is one of the most pure forms of creativity, and it requires taking bigger risks. But when these risks pay off, they can generate the biggest wins for RTÉ, such as channel defining content like The Tommy Tiernan Show, The Young Offenders, Mrs Browns Boys and Finding Joy.

Comedy is uniquely placed to engage with newer audiences on-line, such as Talking It Out and The Doireann Project.

We are looking for proposals that can build on those recent successes. Ideas that break new talent, or generate new opportunities for existing talent.

Proposals that have the potential to support Irish talent in front of and behind the camera in the international TV market are of particular interest.

Coherent development phases will be prioritized, as will pragmatic budgets and finance plans - including BAI and international co-production opportunities, especially with the UK Comedy Industry.

So what are we looking for?

RTÉ ONE
We are looking for half hour scripted comedy that will reach a broad mainstream audience. Projects that have or will attract co-production finance and or an international broadcaster will be prioritised.

Big talent, strong writing, confident warm tone and contemporary family appeal are key. We are interested in finding and developing new projects in these spaces.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the e-commissioning system. http://www.rte.ie/commissioning under the programme category “Comedy – RTÉ One.

RTÉ2
In Scripted we are looking for uniquely Irish comedy that stands out in the crowded multi-channel and SVOD environment and engages primarily with 25 – 44 year olds post 21:00.

Recent projects such as The Young Offenders are at the core of the channel's brand and crucially they respond to the increasingly multi-platform viewing habits of the audience.

In Non Scripted we are interested in new Studio or Location based, formatted and talent-driven comedy for the 25 – 44 year old audience, focusing on the core channel brand.

We are also interested in hearing about Studio-based ideas for broader audience demographics. Studio comedy ideas that are well thought through, different and realistically resourced are of particular interest.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the e-commissioning system. http://www.rte.ie/commissioning under the programme category “Comedy – RTÉ 2.

We are happy to discuss a variety of budgets and production timeframes, on a case-by-case basis. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis.

 

 

RTÉ today announces a new scripted comedy initiative for RTÉ 2, in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.  RTÉ is seeking submissions from both aspiring and experienced comedy teams to develop new comedy series for RTÉ 2. RTE 2’s core target audience is 25 – 44 years of age.

NEW COMEDY SERIES CALL OUT FOR RTÉ 2

The initiative is to bring series to full development via treatment, bible, script and/or taster as appropriate.

The hope would be to find one or more shows to commission/co-commission for 2022/23.

Comedy is high risk and difficult to get right, but Irish talent and voices are at the forefront of domestic and international TV comedy success.

Supporting and developing Irish writing and performing talent is a key priority for RTÉ Comedy. The voice and the story engine is Irish, but we think globally, and the shows we support and develop appeal to international audiences, broadcasters and streamers including BBC, Netflix, Hulu, Acorn and UKTV.

And so we are keen to build on the domestic and international success of shows such as Can’t Cope Won’t Cope, Women On The Verge, Finding Joy and The Young Offenders.

We are now seeking new proposals for half hour scripted comedy series, from which up to ten proposals will be brought through a development phase.

Series proposals should appeal to a core audience of 25 - 44 years as well as a broader audience.

At this stage, we are looking for an early stage pitch document that gets to the heart of the idea quickly and that;

• Can define the idea clearly as a Comedy, not a Drama.
• Illustrates the world in which the comedy takes place.
• Brings the core concept of the series to life and clearly highlights the key engine driving the comedy. What will make this punch through.
• Can highlight a core of well drawn characters, and what ties them together or pulls them apart.
• Describes an overview of the series arc or journey across six episodes.

We ask that you clearly demonstrate the comedy writing and the tone, but we are not looking for scripts at this stage.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the e-commissioning system. http://www.rte.ie/commissioning under the programme category Comedy “Scripted Comedy RTÉ 2” by Friday January 29th 2021 at 12 noon (Strict Deadline).

Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland is the national development agency for the screen sector investing in Talent, Creativity and Enterprise. The agency supports and promotes the Irish film, television and animation sector and the use of Ireland as a location for international production.

As part of the recently announced €3 million July Stimulus Support Package for Television Drama, Screen Ireland has allocated funding to support this initiative and ensure the development and growth of the Television Drama & Scripted Sector.