Creative incubator for fresh new voices.
MIDPOINT Smash Cut 2022
Series
Archive
Projects
Three promising short-form series projects
Budget Airline
Richard Pinus, a naive yet ambitious dreamer, has zero aviation or business training. But that won’t stop him from buying a bankrupt airline in an online auction in one last bid to put his life on ...
MIDPOINT participants:
Zane MacDonald
Kalamaja Blues
Estonian small-town girl Manna's world is rocked when her boyfriend breaks up with her on the same day as her long-divorced parents announce their re-engagement. It also happens to be her 18th ...
MIDPOINT participants:
Vivian Sade
Snowflakes
One cabin, ten classmates, eleven different stories. ... Snowflakes is a series about ten high school classmates who are trapped in a cabin’s attic during a heavy snowstorm that has taken them by ...
Participants
The next generation of the Central and Eastern European
Tutors
Inspirational professional with a passion for sharing experience
Group Leader
Sullivan Le Postec
France
Sullivan Le Postec has had a lifelong passion for TV series. He started out as a TV critic and journalist before becoming a TV writer himself, penning episodes for French series Dernier Recours and ...
Complete bio
Guest Tutors
Structure
Three-phase short-form series development program
Three short-form series projects working in a group, each project’s development is overseen by experienced tutors, as well as ongoing peer-feedback by fellow participants.
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Online pre-trainingNovember 09-10, 2022 | Online
Aimed as an introductory meeting of selected creators of short-form series (up to 20 mins per episode) with a background in the audiovisual industry that want to shift to short-form series development.
Lectures
History of Web SeriesSullivan Le Postec
November 09, 11:00-12:30 CET | OnlineStreaming video became possible in the late 1990s and, almost instantly, creators started experimenting with new ways of telling stories online. From the original boom of the do-it-yourself webseries, to Hollywood companies investing in the millions, online short-form series have made the most of their creative freedom and the possibility to connect directly with their audience.
They have proven to be a unique opportunity for creators to curate their own voice and gave birth to a young, innovative and vibrant generation of news talents.
SUSTAINAWHATTim Wagendorp
November 09, 13:30-15:00 CET | OnlineWhat is sustainability and how can it be applied within the AV industry? Are the environmental challenges limited to production only, or do writers also play a role? We will jointly dig deeper into these topics using hands on examples from Flanders.
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WorkshopNovember 16 - 22 | Tallin, Estonia
The workshop will help the participants define their series concept, outline their pilot script and season, and will train and explain the specifics of short-form series and the difference between long-form series in storytelling. Each project will receive a tutor´s in-depth guidance as well as peer assessment from fellow participants.
Smash Cut uses lectures, group work, and individual consultations as its methodological tools. The participants will also be actively writing during the workshop working days, under the supervision of the tutors.
The program is conducted in English.
Lectures
Finding the Right Partners - A Guide to Financing and Distribution for Web SeriesKirsten Loose
November 18, 14:00-15:00 EET | Tallin, EstoniaWeb series offer great opportunities for storytelling. But how to bring those projects to life? This lecture will give an overview on financing and distribution models for web series, look at potential partners, platforms and networking opportunities and get you into the mindset for defining the potential of your project, identifying target audiences and developing a strategy to find the right partners.
How to engage the audience in advanceHyppe Salmi
November 19, 14:00-15:00 EET | Tallin, EstoniaYLE has been successful in creating short form dramas for teens and young adults. Two case studies will depict how Yle Drama is engaging young adults on Instagram, starting with the script all the way to the release of the series and beyond. Executive producer Hyppe Salmi is opening the development of a series called Horsey Love (working title), 10 x 20´series for young adults as well as opening the strategy of an Instagram account @areena.stories as a tool to research, pilot and find new talents.
Web Series - An Exercise in Narrative EfficiencySullivan Le Postec
November 20, 17:00-18:30 EET | Tallin, EstoniaThe episodic length of web series has tended to grown in recent years. Still, most web episodes fall between 5 and 20+ minutes. Their core audience watches them mostly on phone and computer screens, sometimes on the go.
For those reasons, web series need to catch the attention of the audience quickly – there are always millions more YouTube video waiting to be seen. Web series must deliver as much emotions, drama, comedy and thrills than TV episodes two or three times longer. They require an intense narrative efficiency : the shorter the set-up, the longer the engaging pay-off can be!
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All participantsOnline consultationFebruary 20, 2023 | Online
References
I knew almost nothing about web-series, and now I'm thinking only about how to make one. I think the web-series format is a very liberating format for a beginner filmmaker. You can develop a series of only 1-minute episodes, or 3 or 5 or 15 minutes episodes, whatever suits your story and your possibilities.
Razvan Dutchevici
Writer, Smash Cut 2021 Alumnus
This program was probably the actual midpoint of my career. There’s no going back now.
Andreas Sheittanis
Writer, Smash Cut 2021 Alumnus
I found the Smash Cut program a very useful and constructive workshop. It provided a better understanding of the short form series, both in its structure and complexity, as well as its marketing and development.
Christina Tryphonos
Writer, Director, Smash Cut 2021 Alumna
Gallery
FAQs
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What is a short-form series?
In the olden golden world, you might've known these formats as "web series". The world is changing, though, and to reflect that it is the length of an episode that matters, not the channel it is delivered on (television or streaming), these are now called "short-form series".
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What is the length of a short-form series episode?
A few years back, these were ranging up to 10 minutes. There is a general tendency for the episodes to grow in length, that's why we are accepting anything up to 20 minutes.
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I'm developing a 10-minute per episode online show. Am I eligible?
You are our dream applicant! Smash Cut is designed specifically for short-form series. So hurry up with that application.
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I have an idea of a series but it's still early development. Can I apply anyway?
Absolutely! The sooner in the development process you apply, the better. Smash Cut will help you create your show from scratch.
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Can I apply with an animation or documentary series project?
Sadly, Smash Cut does not work with animation or documentary projects, as these require a different set of skills and address a different market.
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Does MIDPOINT offer scholarships?
Sadly, not for this particular program. We HIGHLY recommend to submit an application to a national organization (fund, institute, ministry) at the same time you're applying to MIDPOINT Institute. You can always withdraw your application if not selected, but as the processing time of this support can be rather long, it might be quite late to do this once we confirm you're in.
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What exactly is a "series pitch" or "statement of purpose"?
You can find a detailed description on all the requested submission materials on the first page of your submission form. You can access the form once you've created a profile at the MIDPOINT Visitor Page (see intructions in the "Application" folder). No worries! You can save the form anytime you like and come back to it later, and you can also save or submit any number of applications you like!
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I'm a writer. Can I apply myself?
Sure. That said, we generally support and recommend arriving in a team – either of writers, or a writer and producer. It simply makes the brainstorming and creative process easier and more effective, particularly when it comes to series. But you're most welcome to apply as a single writer as well.
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Can I apply with more than one project?
Of course – but we'll only choose one. :)
Contact
Did we forget something? Don't hesitate to ask
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