Deadline 31 January 2020.
Don't leave it too late to make your submission.
RTS Scotland Awards is now in it's seventh consecutive year. We are excited to receive your entries for the 2020 judges to view.
We have 24 categories split between production and portfolio. Look through all the categories to ensure you are submitting your entries to the most suitable one and don't forget the prestigous craft awards.
To download this information, see document at the bottom of the page.
RTS Scotland Awards 2020
Categories and Criteria
Production Awards
Category 1: Factual
a. Daytime
b. Factual Entertainment and Features
c. Documentary and Specialist Factual
d. Documentary and Specialist Factual: History
e. Documentary and Specialist Factual: Arts
f. Documentary and Specialist Factual: Science and Natural History
Category 2: Drama
Category 3: News and Current Affairs
a. News
b. Current Affairs
Category 4: Sport
a. Sport - Live Event
b. Sport - Programme
Category 5: Comedy
Category 6: Children’s
Category 7: Short Form
Category 8: Animation and VFX
Category 9: Student Television Award
Portfolio Awards
Category 10: On Screen Personality
Category 11: Young Journalist presented in memory of George Sinclair
Category 12: Director
Category 13: Writer
Category 14: Professional Excellence (Craft)
a. Camera
b. Sound
c. Post production: Editing
d. Post production: Graphics and Titling
The RTS Scotland Award
Judges will consider all elements of the entries, based on the following criteria:
- Creativity
- Originality and innovation
- Entertainment value
- Use of resources
- Professionalism
All work must have been aired on TV, distributed for non-broadcast or streamed online for the first time between 1st January and 31st December 2019 inclusive. Work should be commissioned and not simply self-promoting.
Entries should be made by someone with a substantive base in Scotland
Deadline 31 January 2020
Production awards include the following nine categories
Category 1: Factual
There are six categories for Factual Production, including daytime, factual entertainment and features, documentaries and specialist factual, documentaries and specialist factual: history, documentaries and specialist factual: arts and documentaries and specialist factual: science and natural history. This category has been split into six sections to reflect the breadth and depth of factual production talent in Scotland.
Entries may come from one-off programmes or a factual series - although only one edition of the series may be submitted. Please note that “one edition of the series” excludes compilation entries and compilation broadcasts, unless there is substantial new content. Complete programmes must be submitted.
a. Daytime
This category recognises the demands of producing high quality factual programming on daytime budgets. Daytime programmes are those transmitted before 6.00pm.
b. Factual Entertainment and Features
Features programmes including magazine shows, fashion, cookery, travel, property and other popular formatted programmes.
c. Documentary and Specialist Factual
This category includes documentaries and specialist factual programmes.
d. Documentary and Specialist Factual: History
This category includes documentaries and specialist factual programmes with an emphasis on history.
e. Documentary and Specialist Factual: Arts
This category includes documentaries and specialist factual programmes with an emphasis on, arts.
f.Documentary and Specialist Factual: Science and Natural History
This category includes documentaries and specialist factual programmes with an emphasis on, science, natural history and the environment.
Category 2: Drama
This award is for fiction or other narrative drama, including docu-drama and online.
Complete programmes must be submitted.
Category 3: News and Current Affairs
a. News
This award is for the best television news programme in Scotland. The award is intended to recognise every aspect of television news, including speed of reaction to breaking news and the depth and quality of coverage. A whole programme or series of up to ten excerpts can be submitted for judging.
Each clip should be clearly identified by time and date. They must not be edited internally.
b. Current Affairs
This award is for documentary and discussion programmes, which investigate, explain or analyse current events.
Entries may come from one-off programmes or a series. Complete programmes should be submitted.
Category 4: Sport
a. Sport Live Event
The submitted entry should be a 30-minute compilation of the coverage as transmitted. There can be a maximum of three extracts within the 30 minutes. Each extract must be as transmitted and not specifically edited for these awards. The entries will be judged on the quality of the coverage, not on the importance or excitement of the event. The entry should reflect the full range of the coverage. The focus will be on the commentary, pictures and sound, what was shown or not shown, editing, packaging, punditry and presentation.
b. Sport Programme
The award will recognise production and editorial values in actuality sports programming – event coverage/live or recorded, strand or individual programme. The submitted entry should be either up to one continuous hour or up to a one hour compilation of the coverage as transmitted – there can be a maximum of four extracts within the hour. Each extract must be from the same programme and must be as transmitted and not specifically edited.
Category 5: Comedy
This award category is for a wide range of comedy programmes whose common aim is to make the audience laugh. This could include panel shows, chat shows, game shows, situation comedies, comedy dramas and sketch shows.
Category 6: Children’s
This category includes children’s drama, comedy, factual, entertainment and animation programmes.
Series (one episode) and single programmes can be entered for the children’s award.
Programmes must have been commissioned and produced specifically for the child audience, and broadcast during children’s airtime.
Category 7: Short Form
This category is designed to recognise excellence in the production of short form television/ online content and the specialist skills required therein. Judges will consider anything shorter than ten minutes duration, which might include:
- Promotional items; trailers, idents and stings
- Commercials
- Online content, individual or episodic
Entries from any media platform used for distribution can be considered. Entries should demonstrate the project’s effectiveness, evidencing clear, objective benchmarks of success in the marketplace.
Category 8: Animation and VFX
This category recognises professional excellence in the field of Animation and Visual Effects. Entrants should submit one complete programme or sequence(s). Entries can be stand-alone animations, effects or features within programmes. Where the animation is for inclusion in a programme or game, entries should include a maximum of three sequences. The work should show a genuine flair for the medium of animation or VFX and the judges are looking for originality, creativity and innovation as well as technical expertise. Clips should be submitted in the same format as they were broadcast.
VFX entries only may show a breakdown of the technical procedure used to create the works. This does not apply to animation entries.
Category 9: Student Television Award
Student Television Awards are made in January in the following categories; animation, factual, drama, comedy & entertainment, and short form. An overall winner will be chosen.
Portfolio Awards - These categories celebrate professional excellence.
All work must have been produced/aired between 1st January and 31st December 2019.
Category 10: On-Screen Personality
This category is open to all television and video on screen talent working across any and every genre and format.
Entrants should submit a portfolio of three items showing of no more than 12 minutes duration, together with contextual notes of no more than 750 words overall. The clips and notes should set out the background to the entry and be explicit about the entrants’ skills in on screen presentation.
This category is open to all on screen talent. The judging panel will consider:
- Originality – presentation which demonstrate the ability to display individual personality
- Interaction with location and contributors
- Understanding the audience
Category 11: Young Journalist presented in memory of George Sinclair
This category is open to all television and video web journalists working in news, current affairs, features and sport up to the age of 30 and is presented in memory of George Sinclair. The award recipient will receive a £1000 prize gifted by the Sinclair Trust.
As Editor News and, latterly, Editor News and Current Affairs, George Sinclair left a legacy of achievement over two decades in BBC Scotland. His monument will be “Reporting Scotland”, still regarded as the best local news programme in the UK, but his influence extends to a generation of journalists who worked with him and for him
After a period in Fleet Street, George became the youngest news editor of the Scottish Daily Mail at the age of 27. He brought to BBC Scotland a repertoire of news values and techniques that marked a step-change in programme style and content.
The entry must be endorsed by a senior editorial colleague and be no longer that 12 minutes in duration. Entrants should submit a portfolio of up to three items showing a range of work, together with contextual notes of no more than 750 words overall, setting out the background to the entry and being explicit about the entrants’ role or roles.
Crucially, the body of work submitted will show clear evidence of the ambition to develop outstanding skills in television or online journalism.
The judging panel will consider:
- Originality and innovation - reports which demonstrate the journalist’s ability to work beyond a press release and uncover new ways of telling the story
- Visual storytelling - including presentation, scripting and use of locations, video and graphics
- Use of resources - including live links, archive and research
- Working with other members of the editorial and technical team
Category 12: Television Director
This category is open to all television and video directors working across any and every genre and format.
Entrants should submit a portfolio of up to three items no longer than 12 minutes in duration, or one complete programme. Entrants should also submit contextual notes of no more than 750 words overall, setting out the background to the entry and being explicit about the entrants’ skills in direction.
Category 13: Writer
This award is to recognise the wealth of writing talent in Scotland. Demonstrating exceptional talent and skill this award is for stand out pieces of work in the world of scriptwriting.
The judges will be looking for:
- Originality and innovation
- Style and creativity
This award is for anyone who received a ‘writer’ credit on any qualifying show including drama, comedy, children’s TV or programmes featuring significant amounts of scripted content. The programme may be across any platform, including regional, national or international digital formats.
Submit either the full programme or, in the case of a series, one programme from the series
Category 14: Professional Excellence (Craft)
There are four awards in this category. Entries should include a combination of material (as outlined below) and contextual notes of no more than 500 words in support of the entry.
a. Camera
For professional excellence in all elements of camera work, including sound capture where relevant, in single camera operations. Portfolios can encompass both broadcast and non-broadcast work.
Entries should be no longer than 12 minutes and limited to three extracts, which demonstrate exceptional camerawork.
Entire programmes can be submitted as an example of work, but a time code reference of the favoured 12 minutes to view is required.
The judging panel will consider:
1 Originality, creativity and innovation
2 Technical competence
3 Versatility with a range of material
4 Use of resources
b. Sound
This category recognises professional excellence in sound across all television output. This award could identify the work of one individual or the work of the whole sound team, in which case the recording supervisor and/or mixing supervisor should be named on the form. Entrants should submit a maximum of three programmes, clips or sequences exhibiting professional excellence in sound. Total duration should not exceed 12 minutes. Entire programmes can be submitted as an example of work, but a time code reference of the favoured 12 minutes to view is required.
The judging panel will consider:
1 Originality, creativity and innovation
2 Technical competence
3 Versatility with a range of material
4 Use of resources
c. Post production: Editing
This category recognises professional excellence in post-production and is open to all aspects of editing, pictures and sound. Particular emphasis will be given to situations where editing added extra power or value to the process and the final content was significantly more effective as a result.
Entrants should submit a maximum of three programmes, clips or sequences exhibiting professional excellence in this area. Total duration should not exceed 12 minutes. Entire programmes can be submitted as an example of work, but a time code reference of the favoured 12 minutes to view is required.
The judging panel will consider:
1 Originality, creativity and innovation
2 Technical competence
3 Versatility with a range of material
4 Use of resources
d. Post production: Graphics and Titling
This category recognises professional excellence in post-production and is open to all aspects of graphics and titling. Particular emphasis will be given to situations, where post production added extra power or value to the process and the final content was significantly more effective as a result.
Entrants should submit a maximum of three programmes, clips or sequences exhibiting professional excellence in this area. Total duration should not exceed 12 minutes.
The judging panel will consider:
1 Originality, creativity and innovation
2 Technical competence
3 Versatility with a range of material
4 Use of resources
The RTS Scotland Award
The industry award is for the outstanding contribution to television in Scotland. This could apply to any aspect of the industry, broadcasting, production or technical sectors in Scotland and beyond.
This award is open to individuals, teams and organisations whose work, either in front of the camera or behind the scenes, should have made a significant and lasting impact on audiences and viewers in Scotland.
Nominations are not required and the decision will be ratified by the RTS Scotland Committee.
Judging Process
Each entry will be judged by industry experts drawn from appropriate disciplines into sub-committees responsible for specific categories. Each sub-committee will have a chair of the category judging panel. Judges will consider all submitted content, contextual notes and testimonials.
Judging will take place early 2020 and the decision of the judges will be final. In the event of a tie in any category, the Chair will have the casting vote.
Under normal circumstances awards will not be made posthumously. Entries made and judged prior to any individual’s death will be awarded as planned.
Please take care to comply with the entry requirements of each category. Be careful to follow guidance on length of submitted video material and additional written information.
The entries will be judged based on what entrants submit, not on the judges’ memories of the original transmission or their knowledge of the entrant’s other work.
Except when otherwise stated, the definition of ‘broadcast’ is taken to include web streaming and video on demand.
The judges retain the right not to offer an award, if there are too few entries in a category.
Should your entry be shortlisted you will be expected to provide a broadcast quality clip, for inclusion in the awards ceremony nominee compilation.
The RTS requires the rights to show excerpts from the nominated and winning shows and individuals on the night; for use on promotion of the RTS and awards; and on screen news coverage also. This includes the use of music.
How to Enter
Click here to create your account and enter the RTS Scotland awards https://awardsentry.rts.org.uk/entrant/
The cost of each entry is £90 (£75 + £15 VAT). All nominees will receive an email by 20 April 2020. The full list of nominations will be available online by 6 May 2020.
The award ceremony takes place on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow.
For any technical support contact: awards@rts.org.uk 0207 822 2820.
For any general enquires contact: RTSScotland@rts.org.uk
Television is a busy industry but try not to leave it to the last day to enter. Give your entry the attention it deserves. Complete areas with care and check spelling, as we will print the exact information you provide. Nobody wants to receive a trophy with the wrang spelling!
Good luck!
