Chorts!

Chorts! are comedy sketches that engage an audience, introducing an exciting new comedy character or concept and talented new creators.

They are also the gateway to join the Comedy Crowd Top Talent receiving exclusive opportunities.

Check out the best Chorts from the 2019 “Chortlist” and 2020 “Chortlist” to get an idea.

How the submissions work

You can submit a Chort by completing the form on this page when the window opens. Make sure you have read the full competition guidelines below before submitting your Chort.

The submission window for Chorts 2022 will open in September, but you can start planning your Chort now by reading on…

What to submit

All submissions must be in the following format:

• YouTube, Vimeo, or TikTok video link (not private or password protected)
• Videos must be max 2 minutes in length
• Submissions must be in English or subtitled (unless silent comedy)
• Include details of your creative team and their contact information (including writers, performers, and filmmakers)

Full details of the submission guidelines are included in the aptly named “submission guidelines” section below.

Judging

Team Comedy Crowd and a committee of comedy creators will select a shortlist (aka a “Chortlist”) of entries.

The Chortlist will then be reviewed by our industry judging panel who will help select the overall winners.

Our 2022 industry judging panel will be announced in the coming weeks. In the meantime check out our 2020 and 2019 judging panels to get a flavour of who could be reviewing your video.

Prizes

Submission Guidelines

Chorts videos must be:

• A maximum of 2 minutes long

• First published in 2021 or later (or not published publicly yet)

• Submitted via a YouTube, Vimeo, or TikTok video link (not private or password protected)

• Work as a stand alone sketch, able to grab the audience in the first 3 seconds and be engaging throughout (not a long build up followed by a single punch line at the end)

• Original and stand out from the crowd (specifically from the Comedy Crowd in this case)

We recommend keeping in mind the type of topics that can be relatable to an audience using social platforms. Think nostalgia, famous faces, cultural icons and trends that people enjoy talking about, work, love and friendships, politics, health, sport, topics such as BLM, LGBTQ, the environment.

Timeline

You can start working on your Chort video right now. The submission window will be open throughout September, closing on 30 September 2022.

What happened last year?

In 2021 we had over 400 entries from around the world with industry judges from Channel 4, Warner Bros International and Spirit Media:

Here’s some FAQS

Is this open to anyone anywhere in the world?

Yes.

Is it free to enter?

Yes.

Is there a limit to the number of Chorts I can submit?

Yes. You can submit one Chort per creator / sketch group.

Can you give me some help / guidance?

In the guidelines above we have mentioned a few topic examples. We are looking for high impact sketches that people relate to. They can be very simple observations, but should be things that many people relate to and are executed in an engaging way.

For guidance on coming up with ideas and developing them into a sketch structure, this blog post by one of our expert sketch script editors Chris Head is a great starting point:

How to write a comedy sketch

Can I enter a Chort with no dialogue?

Yes. The sketch should be visually arresting, and this is certainly possible with no dialogue

Can I enter if I’m under 18?

Yes, we just ask that a parent or guardian accept responsibility for you and agree to the challenge rules.

Please ask your parent to submit on your behalf adding the following text to the submission in the large text field Name:

“I submit on behalf of [insert name], as their parent / guardian and give my permission for them to enter Chorts 2022.”

What about using stock music / footage in my Chort?

You can use music and stock footage that is cleared for use in your Chort. Make sure you have cleared the copyright for anything you use. If you don’t hold the complete rights for the music / stock footage, don’t use it.

Do I retain full creative ownership of my Chort video?

Yes absolutely. The intellectual property in the video is yours and we make no claim to it, so we won’t take the world or characters you develop without permission.

Please remember by taking part in Chorts 2022 you grant us an in-perpetuity, world-wide, royalty free, non-exclusive license to promote, publish, sample, and sub-license the work. This allows us to promote Chorts and help share your comedy in a way that reaches an audience of engaged fans.

Any more questions? Just send us an email to theccteam@thecomedycrowd.com