The “Angelus” Reflective Pauses on RTÉ One
Proposals are invited to fill RTÉ One’s reflective 6pm “Angelus” slots on RTÉ One.
Suggested budget: €20,000
No. of episodes: 8 x 1’15” including two seasonal Christmas editions.
Deadline for proposals: 12.00, Friday 29th May, 2015.
The daily “Angelus” broadcast on RTÉ One is by far RTÉ’s longest-running and most watched Religious Programme. It’s also, possibly, the most controversial. For some, the reflective slot, which airs for just one minute in every 1440 per day and on only one RTÉ TV channel, is as much part of Ireland’s unique cultural identity as the harp on your passport; for others, it’s an anachronism – a reminder of more homogenously and observantly Christian times.
How can RTÉ reconcile these utterly conflicting views?
In fact, RTÉ Audience Research and numerous straw polls in the media have shown that a clear majority of Irish viewers still favours keeping the “Angelus” broadcasts, chimes and all. In an age where mindfulness is the new buzzword, it seems that many people, with and without a religious faith, can see the value in a reflective space in the schedule – an opportunity for people to “go placidly amidst the noise.”
The current version, commissioned in 2009, features people from all walks of contemporary Irish life, taking a minute for quiet reflection. Those short films were deliberately, and rightly, made accessible to people of all faiths and none. Those who wish to say the traditional Angelus prayer still can, but that minute can also be used for other kinds of prayer and reflection, if desired. Or not. The prayer itself is never broadcast in these slots and is not imposed on viewers.
As one primary school headmaster, Harry Rowan, commented, “To the person of faith, it’s a moment of grace; to the person without faith, it’s a moment of peace. What’s not to like?”
That would be RTÉ’s aspiration. Nonetheless, the current format is in need of renewal, offering an opportunity for creative thinking about how RTÉ fills the slots.
One day a week, RTÉ will open up the 6.00pm slot to aspiring filmmakers – particularly those in secondary and third level education – as a showcase for their creativity and skills. Rather like the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square, which has become a transient space for exhibiting new work, these short films will, subject to technical, legal and editorial compliance, showcase varied and sometimes challenging new work, across a range of styles and genres, for which, in due course, the public will get a chance to vote, to find a favourite and to award prize money.
Work may vary from traditional to avant garde and cover a broad spectrum from piety to secularity – e.g. from time-lapse footage of a flower opening to a silent minute of a sleeping child’s face; from animation to stills. There is no reason why the challenge should not also inspire submissions from, and reflect the cultures of, Ireland’s minority faith communities.
On the other six days, RTÉ will rotate a series of 6 x 1’15” commissioned films, with 2 x 1’15” additional seasonal episodes, commissioned to run during the Christmas period.
Proposals for these commissioned slots should demonstrate both creativity and sensitivity, in order that the content is conducive to prayer or reflection for people of all faiths and none, rather than being seen as exclusively reflecting any one faith, or non-faith, position.
The commissioned films will be 1’15” in duration, in HD, 16:9, and will feature non-verbal content that is fully compliant with RTÉ Programme Makers’ and BAI Guidelines (see links below). They should be able to bear multiple repetitions over a period of 2-4 years. The traditional chimes in their 3-3-3-9 sequence should be retained, but can be treated creatively, as, for instance, in the current televised versions, where they appear to be heard over a trawler skipper’s radio or from a distant spire: http://www.rte.ie/tv/angelus/index.html
For further information, contact Roger Childs: email: Roger.childs@rte.ie / 01 208 4586 / 087 953 7542.
RTÉ ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category "Religion – The Angelus”.
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