Digital Web Series Open Call Guidelines - BlackPublicMedia.org

Online application:
http://blackpublicmedia.org/DOC-2011.php

Digital Web Series Open Call Guidelines
BlackPublicMedia.org

Blackpublicmedia.Org reviews and considers for distribution on a
rolling basis films about the black experience globally. Our content
priorities include films in contemporary settings depicting black
life and experience in a rare and often overlooked context. We are
most thrilled by those cinematic gems which bring to us knowledge
that has been ignored by popular culture; films outside the norm
which approach black characters, stories and locales in a fresh and
engaging manner.

In that same spirit BlackPublicMedia.org also executively produces
interactive online content designed to engage any audience
interested in African Diaspora content online. The following is a
guideline for submitting content for consideration to
BlackPublicMedia.org’s annual Web Series Open Call.

The BlackPublicMedia.org Open Call awards project requests of up to
$20,000 for interactive web series concepts. Selected projects will
be published on BlackPublicMedia.org, made available for public
broadcasting options, and executive produced by the National Black
Programming Consortium.

*THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR THE 2011 OPEN CALL IS SEPTEMBER 27th,
2010**

Content Categories & Criteria
The goal of the BlackPublicMedia.org Web Series Competition is to
identify serial content concepts based within a unique contemporary
African Diaspora context. Project concepts will be considered most
highly if they utilize new distribution models to explore maximum
engagement, and provide a public forum/platform for valuable
networks of civic discourse. Series proposals must fall under one of
the following categories:

• Social Satire
• Narrative Fiction
• News & Documentary
• Public TV/Radio

Each series must have between eight (8) and twelve (12) episodes
completed during the contract year. Please read the criteria for
each submission category below.

Social Satire
Often broad conversation about important issues can only be sparked
by bold satire. Initiatives considered for the Social Satire
category are meant to employ more flexible techniques to engage an
audience in dialogue – comedy and provocative social commentary
being some methods.

Narrative Fiction
The Narrative Fiction category is for the consideration of fictional
web series ideas with Black or African American lead characters.
This category is meant to encourage the submission of broader ideas
and explorations that are not necessarily factual but metaphoric in
their
implications for social and civic discourse. A broad example could
be a series around a single mother raising a family; episodes could
prove to be platforms for online discourse around equal pay, housing
inequity, love and relationships, family, etc.

News & Documentary
The News & Documentary genre is for the consideration of interactive
content initiatives designed to provide up to date factual
information about a specific Black/African Diaspora community or
issue area. Series proposed here are factual “webisodes” which offer
general platforms for discourse around discreet social, or political
issues. This is also a category for more intimate explorations of
ideas and issues that might be part of a larger documentary project.
“Behind the scenes” ideas will not be considered too highly in this
category unless they provide a distinct platform for discussing
larger issues pertaining to the project idea.

Public TV/Radio
Within this genre proposals are for ideas attached to an ongoing
project with a standing, or upcoming public television or public
radio broadcast. Producers working on longer format projects
may use this opportunity to develop an interactive relationship with
a community of interest related to their main project. For example,
video podcasts for a regularly scheduled