A Slate festival of vertical stories
SlateShots
Pitch the next great vertical series.
Win up to $200K to make it.
Microdramas are blowing up. The audience is already there, phones out, waiting. The only thing missing is your story.
Why microdramas. Why now.
The audience is
already here.
Issa Rae's Screen Time pulled 150 million views in its first window. P&G, JCPenney, and Crocs are funding their own microdramas. ReelShort and DramaBox are billion-dollar apps. Vertical stories are not a side experiment anymore. They are where the audience lives.
More creators should be making them. More stories should be finding their audience. That is what this festival is for.
Views on Issa Rae's Screen Time in its first release window
The microdrama industry's annual revenues by 2030
Max episode length. Cliffhanger required. Every time.
The Rules
Keep it tight.
Keep it vertical.
Keep them watching.
Built for the phone
5 to 10 episode scripts. Vertical 9:16. Built for the phone.
90 seconds max per episode. Strict. Scripts must be between 7.5 and 15 pages.
End every episode on a cliffhanger.
The opening of a longer series, or a complete short one.
Any genre. Any medium: live action, AI, animation, unscripted, docuseries.
Pick one brand from the list of sponsors and integrate it into at least one episode. You choose the brand. Make it feel natural, and keep it positive or neutral.
Active TikTok and Instagram accounts required. YouTube and Facebook help.
Official selection is based on your cumulative views across all platforms.
The winner is chosen by jury vote plus views and engagement data.
Up to $200,000 USD to produce and distribute the long-form version of your winning series.
Mentorship and development from the best creators, producers, and brand partners in the space.
You keep full ownership. Always.
How to Submit
Four steps.
Then it's on you.
Create your profile
Add your social handles and any links you want to share. IMDB optional. Not required.
Upload your script and one-pager
A 90-second episode runs about a page and a half in standard screenplay format. Your one-pager should include logline, genre, tone, format, cast (if applicable), and the sponsor brand you picked for one of your episodes.
Accept Slate's first-look terms
Slate gets an exclusive first look to produce your series for the length of the festival. You keep full ownership and all rights. Always.
Submit up to 5 scripts
Up to 5 scripts per creator (different genres each). The first 50 submissions to the festival are free. Every submission after that: $50 to support faster review.
Your story stays yours. Slate holds first look during the festival. You hold everything else.
Full ownership · all rights · alwaysFestival Timeline
One year.
One winner.
Once you get your Greenlight from Slate, produce your series and drop it on TikTok by October 15, 2026. Other platforms help, but TikTok sets the date. Tag Slate and the brand in your story. Upload your views and engagement by December 7 to make the official selection.
The Prize
Up to $200,000 USD to produce and distribute the long-form version of your winning series. Plus mentorship and development from the best in the space.
About Slate
Slate is the transaction layer for branded entertainment. We help creators find the right brand for their story, and we help brands find the stories worth being part of.
This festival is what Slate was built to do, run at full speed.
The Open Call
Submissions
are open.
Create your profile, upload your episode scripts and one-pager, pick your sponsor brand, and claim your entry number. The first 50 submissions are free.
First 50 entries free · Up to 5 scripts per creator · Different genre each