Sundance Collab x TikTok Micro-Series Challenge

Sundance Collab and TikTok have partnered together on the “Sundance Collab x TikTok Micro-Series Challenge”; a global creator community challenge dedicated to the art of the episodic video micro-series, and will result in five (5) creators being chosen to receive a cash prize, exclusive online pitch workshop, and opportunity to pitch your micro-series idea to the TikTok team with the potential to explore a partnership with TikTok (“Program”).

By entering a submission into the Program, you accept these terms and conditions (“Official Rules”) and acknowledge that you fulfill all eligibility requirements. The Program is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. No purchase necessary, and void where prohibited by law. 

Sponsors: 

The Program is jointly sponsored and administered by:

Sundance Institute, PO Box 684429, Park City, UT 84068 USA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation (“Institute”), and;  

TikTok Inc., a California corporation located at 5800 Bristol Parkway, Suite 100, Culver City, CA 90230 USA (“TikTok”) (together, “Sponsors”)

Eligibility:

The Program is open to international and U.S. participants. Submissions must be in English. 

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at time of submission. There is no fee or purchase required to participate in the Program, you only need to create a free Sundance Collab account.

Limit of one (1) entry per individual/two-person team for the duration of the Submission Period. Multiple submissions will not be considered and will result in disqualification. Due to the volume, we cannot accept any requests for revisions of submissions.

Employees, officers, directors, representatives, and agents of Sponsors, and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, marketing or promotion agencies, participating judges, and all and any of their immediate family (spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and household members (whether or not related), are not eligible to enter a submission or be chosen for the Program. 

Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to reject any submission that does not comply with these Official Rules.

Submission Period:

Submissions will be accepted online starting on August 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM PDT and ending at 11:59 PM PDT on September 9, 2026 (the “Submission Period”). 

How to Enter and Submission Guidelines: 

During the Submission Period, visit https://collab.sundance.org/catalog/Micro-Series-Challenge to complete an application, submit a logline, synopsis (up to 500 words), character bios (up to 500 words total), episode count, a script (first 30 episodes no more than 45 pages), a series bible (1-3 pages), and complying with all other requirements (“Submission”). 

• Application Questions/Word Limits: 
• Applicant 1: 
• Email Address
• First Name
• Last Name
• Phone Number
• Current City of Residence
• Country of Residence
• Bio (up to 200 words)
• Are you applying with a co-writer/co-creator? (Y/N)
• Applicant 2 (if Y): Email Address; First Name; Last Name; Phone Number; Current City of Residence; Country of Residence; Bio (up to 200 words)
• Micro-Series Pilot Title
• Genre
• Logline (a single sentence capturing the core conflict and hook)
• Episode Count (the number of episodes you are planning for; targeting 60-80 episodes)
• Synopsis (full series plot arc - up to 500 words)
• Password (if applicable)
• Character Bios (two to four main characters; name, age, personality, core motivation - up to 500 words)
• Password (if applicable)
• Script - First 30 Episodes (no more than 45 pages written in standard screenplay format submitted as a PDF)
• Password (if applicable)
• Series Bible (1-3 pages)
• Password (if applicable)

Submission Restrictions

• Limited to one (1) entry per creator or team. Multiple entries will result in disqualification. 
• Creators may submit applications in teams of up to two (2) creators as a co-writer and/or co-creator. Co-writers/co-creators must submit only one (1) Submission together as a team, and may not submit individually.
• All Submissions must be the original work and creation of the submitter, and must not, in whole or part violate any applicable law or any third party’s intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights. 
• Submissions cannot be modified, amended or supplemented after submission. Sponsors reserve the right to follow-up for additional information. 
• No AI-generated content is permitted in the Submission. 

Rights and Waivers to Sponsors: 

TikTok will have 21 calendar days from the date you are notified of your application status to determine whether it would like to explore a potential partnership with you to develop your series concept.

By entering a Submission to the Program, you grant to Sponsors a perpetual, irrevocable, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, and publicly display your Submission on its respective official websites, social media channels, and for promotional and advertising purposes. You further warrant and represent that you are the sole creator and owner of all rights, title, and interest in your Submission, that you have the full rights to grant the license and rights to the Licensees as set forth herein, and that none of the elements in your Submission will violate the rights of any third party (including copyright). You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Sponsors and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claim arising from your Submission.  

Submission materials will not be returned. Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, or otherwise misdirected submissions. Sponsors are also not responsible for technical difficulties or service issues which might affect the ability of a website visitor to enter a Submission. 

You acknowledge and agree that Sponsors may receive many Submissions in connection with this Program and/or other similar programs by Sponsors, and that some of those applications and submissions may be similar to, or identical, in theme, idea, format or other creative aspects to your Submission. You further recognize that others outside of Sponsors may be exposed to your Submission (“Third Parties”), that those Third Parties may also engage in creating, developing, and producing scripts, screenplays, and stories, and that such materials could parallel, resemble, or appear similar or identical to any information submitted by you, and that such Third Parties may have an independent legal right to use those ideas and elements, and Sponsors are not responsible and make no representation on their behalf. 

By entering a Submission, you agree to hold Sponsors harmless and not responsible or liable for any similar or identical works that have been or will be created by Third Parties, and releases Sponsors from any claims relating to infringement of your intellectual property by any Third Parties. You further waive any and all claims that any Submission and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the Sponsors (or its respective designees) constitute infringement by Sponsors on your rights because such Submission is similar, or that any compensation is due to you in connection with such Submission or other works accepted, reviewed, and/or used by Sponsors. You agree to hold Sponsors harmless from any third-party claims alleging that the Submission infringes on any third-party rights (including intellectual property and rights of publicity or privacy) or constitutes defamation.

Judging and Prizes:

All Submissions will be judged on the following evaluation criteria:

Narrative Voice and Originality (30%) 

• Does the project showcase a unique, compelling, and authentic creative voice?
• Does the script hook the reader immediately and establish a clear, intriguing premise?
• Are the characters distinct and the conflicts well-defined, even within a highly condensed timeframe?

Suitability for Short-Form and Platform Fit (30%)

• Does the story engine lend itself to micro-episodes (e.g., 60 seconds to 3 minutes)? Is the narrative "snackable" and engaging?
• Does the script leverage the vertical format?
• Do the episodes end on strong cliffhangers or narrative hooks that encourage viewers to continue watching? 

Strength of the Series Engine & Sustainability (20%)

• Does the synopsis prove that this concept has "legs"? Is there enough story to sustain a multi-episode or multi-season run?
• Is it clear how individual micro-episodes fit into the larger overarching narrative arc?

Professionalism and Pitch Polish (20%)

• Is the series bible engaging, clear, and cohesive? Does it successfully convey the tone, target audience, aesthetic, and mood of the series?
• Does the series bible demonstrate a clear understanding of its intended audience and why the series is suited to TikTok?

The Submissions receiving the highest scores will be selected as finalists. All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal. In the event of a tie, an additional judge will review the tied entries as per the above criteria. 

An industry jury will select five (5) standout finalists to receive $5,000 each, a Sundance Collab course package, and a spot in an exclusive online workshop to sharpen their presentation with a Sundance Collab advisor. Each finalist will receive an opportunity to pitch their creative concept live online to the TikTok team.

Upon conclusion of the Submission Period, five (5) Submissions will be selected by the Judges (“Finalists”) to receive Five Thousand Dollars USD ($5,000), participate in an online program in November of 2026 designed to learn about pitching creative ideas to executives, and each Finalist will receive an opportunity to pitch their creative concept to a selected jury, including TikTok executives. Sponsors are not responsible for any tax consequences of the prize and will issue an IRS Form 1099, as required by law. The approximate retail value of proceeds to each Finalist is $5,000.00. 

Finalists will be contacted at the email address provided in the submission and must furnish valid proof of age and respond to the email correspondence within three (3) calendar days of the initial email with the appropriate requested information. Failure to respond or comply within the stated period will result in disqualification. 

Privacy:

Any personal information collected in connection with the Program will be used by Sponsors in accordance with their respective privacy policy, located each at https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/us/privacy-policy/en and https://www.sundance.org/about/privacy-policy#sundance-institute-privacy-policy. 

By participating in the Program, you hereby agree to Sponsors’ collection and usage of your personal information and acknowledge that you have read and accepted Sponsors’ privacy policies. If you access from the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Asia, or any other region of the world with laws or other requirements governing personal data collection, use, or disclosure that differ from applicable laws in the United States, then through your continued use of the website, you are transferring your data to the United States, and you expressly consent to have your data transferred to and processed in the United States. The Program is governed by the laws of the United States. 

General Conditions:   

By entering a Submission, you:

(a) agree to totally and completely release and hold harmless Sponsors and other released entities from any and all liability for any loss, harm, damages, costs or expenses, including without limitation property damages, personal injury and/or death arising out of participating in the Program, or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy and merchandise delivery, regardless of whether any claim(s) for loss or damage under this paragraph, or knowledge of the facts constituting such claim(s), exist at the time of submission to the Program or arise at any time thereafter;

(b) acknowledge and agree that Sponsors and the other released entities have neither made nor are responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, oral or written, in fact or in law, relative to any prize, including but not limited to its quality, mechanical condition, or fitness for a particular purpose; 

(c) agree to fully comply with these Official Rules;

(d) agree that Sponsors’ decisions related to the Program and the distribution of winnings is final; and

(e) agree that, by participating in the Program, Sponsors and its official partners may use the finalist’s name in any medium for promotional purposes without additional compensation, including posting in a finalist’s list, except where prohibited by law, and agree that Sponsors may be required to disclose the finalist’s name and address to federal or state regulatory authorities.

(f) agree that the Program is governed by the law of the State of California, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any dispute will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Los Angeles, California.  

If any provision of these Official Rules is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be replaced by a substitute provision that most closely approximates the intent of Sponsors and is valid, legal and enforceable. The invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability of any given provision shall not affect the remainder of these Official Rules.