Competition Timeline

• Call for Entries Opens: 9 September 2026
• Submission Deadline: 12 October 2026
• Live Pitch at FAME Week Africa 2026: 28–30 October 2026

Got the next big unscripted format?

FAME Week Africa, in partnership with MultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ company, is calling on African producers to submit bold, original Entertainment and Reality concepts with the potential to become premium, conversation-driving formats.

We’re looking for ideas with an immediate hook, addictive storytelling and the ability to keep audiences watching, talking and coming back for the next episode.

This is a dedicated commissioning opportunity, giving shortlisted producers the chance to pitch their projects live at FAME Week Africa 2026 directly to the MultiChoice Group selection panel.

What Are We Looking For?

We’re looking for premium unscripted entertainment with a strong idea at its heart.

Projects should demonstrate:

• A singular creative vision — an original, ambitious concept that can be explained in one sentence and does not rely on casting alone.
• Tension that keeps people watching — clear engagement mechanics, dynamic pacing, twists, cliffhangers and strong narrative arcs.
• Premium execution and audience impact — cinematic production values, bold artistic direction, an authentic emotional core and a distinctive point of view.
• Fresh, compelling talent — diverse and charismatic participants, with casting choices that move beyond clichés and overused stereotypes.
• Scalability and cost-efficiency — a clear, repeatable format structure that can travel across cultures, support multiple seasons and, where relevant, benefit from a production hub model.
• Franchise potential — strong IP capable of becoming a recurring brand across MultiChoice Group and CANAL+ markets.

We’re particularly interested in dating shows with a twist, reinvented game and talent shows, social experiments with a strong point of view, and adaptations of existing IP such as games, brands, fiction or digital culture.

Think Beyond One Market

Your concept should have the potential to travel.

Projects should be adaptable across different geographies and suited to key MultiChoice Group and CANAL+ territories, including:

South Africa | Ivory Coast | Nigeria | Poland | France

We want ideas that can work locally while having a format engine strong enough to be adapted for different audiences, cultures and markets.

Format

Genre: Entertainment & Reality

Duration: TBC — tell us what works best for your concept.

Production Type: Commission

Projects should demonstrate enhanced production value and ambition while remaining within a commercially viable budget.

Concepts should not rely on large-scale financing and should be capable of being funded by one specific business unit before being scaled across additional markets.

What Do You Need to Submit?

Your project needs to be developed beyond simply having a good idea.

You will need to submit:

Creative Treatment — PDF

Your treatment should address:

Creative Vision

• What is the hook in one sentence?
• What makes the concept different?
• How should viewers feel while watching?
• Why should this format exist now?
• Why will this programme be great?

Format Mechanics

• What is the core engine of the programme?
• What are the key rules and mechanics?
• What creates tension, cliffhangers and twists?

Storytelling & Pace

• What is the proposed season structure?
• How does a typical episode work?
• What are the main narrative arcs and potential iconic moments?

Talent & Casting

• Who will participate and why will they be compelling?
• Is any talent already attached?

Editorial DNA

• Why does this belong on a premium MultiChoice Group channel rather than conventional free-to-air television?
• What will make the production feel distinctive and premium?

Audience & Impact

• Who is your core audience?
• Does the concept connect with existing communities?
• Why will people talk about it, both in person and across social platforms?

Global Franchise Potential

• Can the concept sustain multiple seasons?
• How can it evolve while remaining recognisable?
• Can it be adapted efficiently across countries and cultures?

Estimated Production Budget

Provide an estimated total production budget, including the principal cost assumptions.

Format & Season Structure

Provide your proposed:

• Episode duration
• Number of episodes
• Season structure
• Recurrence potential

This information may be included within your Creative Treatment or provided as a separate document.

Who Can Apply?

The call is open to producers, production companies and rights holders based in Africa.

Applicants must be 18 years or older and must own or control the intellectual property rights required to submit the project.

What Happens Next?

All eligible projects will undergo an initial editorial review.

Shortlisted producers will be invited to Cape Town to pitch their projects live at FAME Week Africa 2026, presenting directly to the MultiChoice Group selection panel.

This is your opportunity to get your format directly in front of the team looking for new unscripted content and demonstrate its creative, commercial and franchise potential.

The live pitch forms part of the editorial evaluation process and does not guarantee that a project will be commissioned.

Shortlisted producers must be available to attend and pitch in person at:

FAME Week Africa 2026
28–30 October 2026
CTICC2 | Cape Town, South Africa

Applicants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and associated costs.