Raindance launches web pilot competition

Raindance Film Festival has today announced the return of Raindance Web Fest, its dedicated online festival. To coincide with this, it has launched an exclusive web TV pilot competition.

In association with video website Dailymotion, Raindance is seeking out the best future talent of independent web series. Filmmakers are being invited to submit a filmed 5 minute pilot episode of a scripted series.

One important criteria is that the submitted pilot cannot have been released or broadcast prior to the Raindance Web Fest, including at film festivals, and thus will need to be made primarily for this competition.

The winning pilot will not only receive a £2,500 cash award towards production costs of their web series, but will also have the chance to use the post production facilities at Dailymotion's Paris studios. Furthermore, Dailymotion are offering to feature the winning web series through their editorial, on their home page and social media, giving the winning film maker additional promotional assistance through their site.

The competition is open to all genres and is a global competition, but British comedy shows have a good chance of winning as the competition includes a public vote aspect.

Raindance Web Fest, which takes place on 27th and 28th September 2014 as part of the main Raindance Film Festival, will feature a packed schedule of screenings and panel discussions with industry experts, covering topics from digital storytelling, to creating the social TV experience.

Elliot Grove, the founder of Raindance, comments: "The internet has created exciting opportunities for independent filmmakers, often working with limited budgets, to be discovered. A web series has become the new short form content that creatives and studio executives expect and Raindance Web Fest aims to educate and celebrate the great work that's already available online. We are thrilled to be working with Dailymotion to launch the web TV pilot competition and look forward to unveiling the next Jenji Kohan!"

For further information on how to enter the Raindance Webfest Dailymotion competition visit raindancefestival.org

The deadline to enter is Friday 12th September 2014.

The selected pilot episodes will be hosted on Dailymotions Raindance channel from the 15th September: dailymotion.com/RaindanceWebFest