For Filmmakers
Develop your ideas. Test them with audiences. Pitch with confidence.
Glasgow Tellyfest is a development platform for original screen storytelling. We support filmmakers in turning strong ideas into industry-ready projects through structured feedback, public testing, and professional development.
Our system is designed to help bold and original projects move from early concept to commissioned production, grounded in real audience response rather than speculation.
At the heart of this process is the One Minute Pilot.
Why Submit to Glasgow Tellyfest?
Whether you are emerging, mid-career, or established, Glasgow Tellyfest offers a low-risk way to test and strengthen original IP.
Hands up if you have ever stared at a rejection email, knowing in your gut that audiences would love your story if only they had the chance to see it.
Everybody? Thought so.
Development budgets are shrinking, and producers and commissioners are more risk-averse than ever. It is not that they do not believe in your work, it is that they cannot afford to take a risk without proof.
Glasgow Tellyfest gives you that proof.
Through our system of live and online showcases, we gather real audience data and feedback that answers the question every decision-maker asks:
Who is going to watch this?
The One Minute Pilots
A One Minute Pilot is a short, scripted, digital-native episode that introduces your character and story engine.
It is:
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A complete format in itself
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Shot vertically (9:16)
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Designed for social and digital platforms
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Presented in a “camera-aware” format (direct address, vlog, found footage, etc.)
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Think Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads meets a chatty TikTok
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Not a clip, trailer or extract of something longer
It is designed to hook us and show what makes your project distinctive in under two minutes. Your project may ultimately be intended for film, TV, vertical or digital: the One Minute Pilot is essentially a scripted pitch.
It is deliberately accessible: you don't need anything other than an idea, an actor and a phone to get started. Production value comes later, for now it's substance over style.
How to Use Glasgow Tellyfest
Whether you are just starting out and looking for experience and feedback, or a seasoned TV writer seeking audience validation for a passion project, Glasgow Tellyfest is for you.
Our open submission windows run throughout the year. They are designed as a creative testing ground: low risk, low barrier and built for experimentation. Use each window to try something new. Reach out to that actor you've always wanted to work with. Build momentum by making work, sharing it and learning from experienced creatives.
When your project is selected, we begin gathering audience data through our digital channels and live events. This marks the start of an informal development process.
Along the way, we share insights you can use to strengthen your script and pitch materials, and you will be invited to pitching opportunities and showcase events.
Our aim is simple: to bridge the gap between exciting ideas and full productions.
We support projects intended for film, television, vertical and digital platforms, and we partner with commissioners, funders, indies and brands on a case-by-case basis.
Glasgow Tellyfest is also a community.
Too many screen creatives are isolated, working alone in their flats, waiting for the phone to ring. Our regular industry events are about changing that. They connect you with peers, remind you that you are not alone in the process, and help you find collaborators for future projects.