Please see below Call for Ideas which went up on RTÉ commissioning website today.
Young Peoples Programmes
Inserts Strand, SWIPE TV
RTÉ Young Peoples wishes to commission an insert strand for inclusion in the TRTÉ flagship daily entertainment series for 7-11 year olds.
No. of Episodes: 10
Duration: 4'00''
Transmission: Autumn 2016
Budget: €40,000
Deadline: 29th Jan 2016
Swipe TV Background
Swipe TV is RTÉ Young People’s cross platform offering for 7–12 year olds. The TV show broadcasts on Monday, Wednesday & Fridays at 4.30 pm on RTÉ2. Our brand new digital Swipe TV App was launched on 28th September 2015 and makes Swipe TV content available to children 24/7.
The three half hour television programmes each week sit under the Swipe TV umbrella however each day’s show is very distinct in terms of genre and style. To give a clear outline of how the shows are stranded across the week:
MONDAY
Monday on Swipe TV is “Who Rules The School?” a schools-based quiz show in which two schools go head to head in an attempt to gunge their teacher.
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday on Swipe TV is “What’s Up Wednesday” . This is our ‘How To?’ show. Viewers from around the country send in questions and we search out amazing experts to answer them.
Other strands that have aired on ‘Wednesday show’ include...
Brain Freeze – Professor McCork & Dr. Sorcha Knowles and the rest of the Brainfreeeze team unpick scientific questions in animated comedy series.
How To Be A Superhero? – Captain Ireland gives us useful superhero tips on how to navigate our way through everyday situations that life throws up.
Trip Testers – Ruby & Amber review popular Irish destinations as suggested by our viewers
Wally’s World Class Cookery Challenge – Each week two budding chefs go head to head to replicate an international meal created by top chef Andrew Rudd.
FRIDAY
Friday on Swipe TV is an entertainment show with celebrity interviews, live music and entertainment news.
Other Friday strands include...
Pop Up Popstar – Celebrity choreographer AJ O’Neill puts a wanabee popstar through their paces to make their very own Pop video.
Spooky Stakeout – An interactive drama shorts series that gives viewers the chance to decide just how the mystery should unfold.
So what we are looking for?
Essentially we are looking for short insert strands (10 x 4 minute) that can sit in the Wednesday or the Friday show – ‘How To?’ or Entertainment.
Proposals for strands filmed outside of Dublin are of interest. Regular programme resources facilitate filming in the 50 miles of Dublin radius. Commissioned strands present an opportunity to film in the regions and connect with viewers outside Dublin.
Proposals which feature a cross platform element are attractive as a means of driving traffic and viewers to both the Swipe TV show and the Swipe TV App.
What could potentially work ....
· Strands that deal with myths, the weird and the wonderful – myth or ghost busting
· A comedy strand – how to do comedy, culminating in a stand up show
· A style fashion Style Icon – Celebs kid makeovers...to look like their style Icons
· How To series? A fresh take on a ‘how to’ strand
· Extreme sports/sports skills
· A vlog/episodic drama featuring kids
· Consumer review-based strand (potentially replacing Trip Testers)
This is not an exhaustive list. We’re open to all new ideas.
Insert strands that have worked well for elev8 and Swipe TV include
· School Run – a short Quiz format in which children played for prizes in the back of a stretch hummer on the ‘way home from school’
· elev8 Superstars –a decathlon competition where six talented young athletes battled through ten real and novelty sport challenges over ten episodes.
· Spooky Stakeout – continuing drama shorts series following a group of kids as they hunt down a ghost in a haunted hotel.
Given the available budget, very economic production models and treatment are expected.
Submissions should demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver in the following areas:
1. An understanding of RTÉ’s Young Peoples Programmes and its target audience, in particular the TRTÉ and the Swipe TV audience.
2. A demonstrated appreciation and understanding of the brief, as outlined above.
3. The production company illustrates a proven track record in production of programmes for children/young people.
4. Ability to engage strong production talent capable of delivering the proposal as required.
5. Is the proposal realisable with reference to budget, time-scale and other key elements?
These criteria are not in any particular order of importance.
Interested companies should submit a proposal which includes concept, narrative outline, treatment, indication of casting strategy and budget by 12 noon Friday 29th January 2016
We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system | CLICK HERE