Programme Overview:

Reframe the Game is an initiative focusing on capturing stories of women in sports told through the lens of women filmmakers. It is a WBD Access programme run in partnership with TNT Sports that aims to identify and invest in women filmmakers, providing them with exposure to the world of sport production and chance to cultivate relationships for future opportunities.
 

Programme Description: 

Through Reframe the Game, ten women filmmakers will be chosen based on their short documentary concept responding to the prompt: ‘Tell us a story about women’s sport that needs to be told.’ Those chosen will undergo a week-long intensive curriculum geared at equipping them with knowledge about the world of sport production and unscripted storytelling. Through a tailored combination of workshops, mentoring and masterclasses, each project will be developed throughout the week, culminating in a pitch day with a panel of WBD Execs and sport industry figures. Up to three of the projects will be greenlit to production for a short-form film (approx. 13 mins), which will air on TNT Sports in 2025.  

Each of the three selected filmmakers will work with a production budget of up to £35,000, support from internal producers, and creative guidance from executives throughout the process.  Chosen filmmakers will also receive £5,000 in addition to the allocated production. 

Stories must focus on one of the following sports: football, cycling, UFC, tennis, rugby, snooker motorsport, mountain biking or UFC. 

Reframe the Game is part of Warner Bros Discovery Access. It is one of our creative talent development programmes that champions underrepresented voices. 

Programme Criteria 

Eligibility
  To be eligible for the programme, you must -  
 

• Identify as a woman 
• Be aged 18 or older  
• Have the right to work in the UK and be a UK resident 
• Must be able to commit to attending the one-week intensive programme in London in February 2025 (exact date TBC. Travel & accommodation is provided where required). 
• Must be able to commit to approximately 3-5 days of pre-production days, 3-5 days of shoot days and 3-5 days of edit and post-production days between March and May which will be determined with your Producer. 

Selection Criteria and Process  
  Each application and will be reviewed by a committee which will be made up of a diverse group of professionals from the sport industry, Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT Sports executives. The committee will use the following criteria: 

• Response to the prompt ‘Tell us a story about women’s sport that needs to be told.’   
• Demonstration that applicants are committed to working in unscripted TV and film and interested in sport production. 
• Demonstration of a creative track record of working as a director through the samples submitted through their application (please see Materials to Submit below). 
• Applicants must also be able to illustrate how taking part in this programme will contribute to their longer-term goals as screen professionals.

  Those that make it to the top ten shortlist will be invited to interview in January 2025. 

Materials to Submit

Applicants must submit - 

• 2 samples directed by the applicant. You may submit scripted/unscripted feature films, scripted/unscripted short films and directed television episodes.  
• Submitting a third sample is optional 
• All films submitted must have played at a film festival within the past 3 years. All television episodes must have aired within the past 3 years. 
• We highly encourage you to submit at least one unscripted/documentary film in your application 

Programme Timeline*  

• Submission window: 6 November – 29 November 2024 (applications close at 23:59 GMT) 
• Interviews/Final outcomes: January/February 2025 
• In-person intensive curriculum week: February 2025 (Selected 10 filmmakers will need to attend this one-week intensive in London) 
• Pitch Day: February 2025 (Pitch day will be the final day of the in-person intensive curriculum week) 
• Pre-production: February/March 2025 
• Production/Post Production: March/April 2025 
• Final films delivered: May 2025 
• Films premiered: May/June 2025 

*Subject to change 

You can apply for Reframe the Game using the submittable form below. Any questions can be directed to access.international@wbd.com.