TikTok and Sundance Institute team up to launch free microseries script course

TikTok and the Sundance Institute have joined forces to nurture a new wave of short-form scripted content, with the launch of a microseries writing programme through Sundance Collab, the Institute's digital learning and community platform.

What the programme offers

The initiative is designed to support "the next generation of creator-led short-form storytelling for digital audiences."

A four-week live online course, set to take place later this year, will centre on scriptwriting for microseries, giving participants the tools, frameworks, and industry guidance needed to develop serialised, story-driven content for digital platforms.

A limited number of creators will be selected to take part, with the cohort intended to reflect "the broad reach of TikTok's creator community."

How to apply

Applications are open globally via the Sundance Collab website and can be submitted at this link until Wednesday, 1 July. Participation in the course is entirely free of charge.

Partnership announced at Vertical Media Summit

The collaboration was unveiled on Wednesday at the Vertical Media Summit, an event produced by Owl & Co., the media research and consultancy firm led by Hernan Lopez.

The announcement follows TikTok's growing involvement in the microseries space. Earlier this year, Issa Rae's Hoorae Media struck a deal for the exclusive debut of original microdrama Screen Time on TikTok and the PineDrama app.

The platform described the Sundance partnership as a reflection of its "continued investment in microseries storytelling," alongside an alignment with Sundance Collab's broader mission to champion the discovery and development of independent artists and their audiences.

What the partners say

Dawn Yang, head of entertainment partnerships at TikTok, said: "TikTok has become a home for serialised storytelling, where original microseries find audiences faster and more authentically than ever before.

Following the success of 'Screen Time,' produced by Hoorae Digital, we've seen how powerful community-driven discovery can be in helping stories break through, and we're excited to partner with Sundance Collab in continuing to champion original voices."

Patty West, director of Sundance Collab, added: "The microseries format is genuinely exciting to us because its constraints produce exactly the kind of creative pressure that generates the most original work.

"Partnering with TikTok allows us to bring this opportunity to writers around the world entirely for free, removing the barrier between curiosity and action.

"We want creators to see this format not as a lesser version of film or television, but as its own distinct craft that is wide open for new voices to define."