TNT Sports & WBD Access launch women’s sport docs search

TNT Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery Access have invited UK-based female filmmakers to submit short documentary concepts, focused on women’s sport.

The concepts need to be in answer to the prompt, “Tell us a story about women’s sport that needs to be told,” and focus on one of football, cycling, tennis, rugby, snooker, motorsport or mountain biking. In addition to the response, the selection criteria include a commitment to working in unscripted TV and film and interest in sport production, a creative track record of working as a director, and being able to show how the programme will assist the applicant’s career. 

Following a review of the applications, ten applicants will be invited to join a week-long professional development programme in London in February, with travel and accomodation provided. This will include mentoring, masterclasses and workshops on sport production and unscripted storytelling to develop their concept. 

The training week will culminate in a pitch day, presenting to a panel of industry experts and WBD senior executives who will select three filmmakers to create their short-form documentaries that will be broadcast on TNT Sports in 2025.

The three successful filmmakers will be supported by WBD and TNT Sports production teams, which will produce the films and mentor the filmmakers, and they will receive a production budget of up to £35,000. 

Applications open today, Wednesday 06 November, and close at midnight on Friday 29 November. Full entry criteria and terms and conditions and programme timings can be seen here.

Scott Young, SVP of content, production and business operations at WBD Sports, said “Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do, and we always want to see more diversity in the stories that we tell. We want to see more women in sport broadcast, both in front and behind the camera, and that is why we have launched this initiative, to encourage women filmmakers to consider the stories still to be told about women’s sport. I’m delighted TNT Sports is involved in Reframe the Game and we can’t wait to see the entries and bring these new and untold stories to our audiences.”

Jennifer Sobol, director of DEI Pipeline Programs, said “Our vision at Warner Bros. Discovery is to empower storytellers to help shape and deliver more inclusive stories for our audiences. Reframe The Game will offer women filmmakers the opportunity to bring new perspectives and showcase diverse, inclusive narratives of women’s sport.

“Reframe the Game is the next programme from WBD Access, which champions new and exciting voices to gain experience, mentoring and training in the media sector and follows established programmes such as Black Britain Unspoken and the Waterloo Road Directors Programme.”