The BFI recently announced and unveiled its second See Yourself on Screen Challenge (SYOS), inviting children from the UK and Ireland to create their own idea for a mini TV show.

The challenge was launched on June 9th and marked the 75th Anniversary of the first child-focused program in 1946.

Entry Requirements

The entrants are required to be between 4-18 and have to submit an initial 30-second video summarising their idea for a 2-minute TV show set 75 years from now, in 2096

The renewal of See Yourself on Screen Challenge is a pan-industry initiative and headed by BFI through its Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which is financed by the UK government with a collective of industry partners and broadcasters.

TG4 is the Irish broadcaster participating in the initiative, along with UK Broadcasters, Channel 5’s Milkshake!, CITV, E4, S4C are supporting as broadcaster partners and will each air the winning shot for their channel.

Animation UK, BAFTA Kids, Children’s Media Conference, Into Film, PACT, and Northern Ireland Screen are also backing the challenge.

Winners of the challenge will then be paired with a celebrity mentor, who will guide and help turn their idea into reality through scriptwriting and the shooting process before their shorts are aired later this year.

The final two-minute TV show will then be broadcasted on one of the partner broadcasters of the SYOS challenge in Autumn.

SYOS Challenge 2020

In 2020, hundreds of young people from both the UK and Ireland participated in the SYOS Challenge and submitted 30-second videos with a panel of industry judges choosing the overall winner.

The finalists of last year received virtual masterclasses from Konnie Huq, Rob Delaney, Cheryl Taylor, Harry Hill, Matthew Lewis, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Robert Popper, and Reggie Yates.

Jackie Edwards, Head of the BFI Young Audiences Content Fund said: “Last year’s See Yourself On Screen challenge brought a lot of joy and fun to young audiences during the lockdown.’

‘We can’t wait to see what brilliant ideas emerge from entrants as they look positively to the future and the sort of television they see for themselves.’

Opportunity for the Future

The See Yourself on Screen Challenge aims to motivate young people to engage with television and allow them an opportunity to steer the future of children’s TV.

In addition to this, the fund is to encourage the creation of high-quality, free-to-air public service television programs which reflect the lives of children and young people in Ireland and the UK.

Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh, Commissioning Editor of Young Pople’s in TG4 said ‘We look forward to bringing new talent and ideas from young people across Ireland to TG4.’

The closing date for See Yourself on Screen entries is 2pm on June 28th 2021, and the hopeful, successful entrants will be notified on July 14th.

Entries should be submitted through www.bfi.org.uk/seeyourselfonscreen.