RTÉ seeks producers to make ‘epic’ Minecraft event and kids’ Christmas shows

RTÉ is seeking an independent production company to film next April's studio finale of Microsoft Ireland's schools Minecraft competition, while the broadcaster is also calling for ideas for festive programming to give kids "an uplifting, fun and heartfelt run-up" to Christmas after two years of on-off lockdowns.

The Minecraft-themed event, run in conjunction with Microsoft’s digital skills centre DreamSpace, is the culmination of a 32-county primary school competition in which children learn to code, build and problem-solve using Minecraft: Education Edition.

Gaming world

RTÉ said producers “should understand the gaming world, esports, the needs of 8-12 year-olds, the potential of Minecraft education” and “how to produce the jeopardy of a gameshow” for a once-off programme that captures the journey to the semi-final and final of the competition.

The esports-style studio finale will be broadcast through both RTÉ and Google-owned YouTube in April 2022. "Think Livestreams, live chat, Minecraft YouTube stars, a big flashy event for kids," the commissioning brief reads.

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The show is “unlikely” to have a live audience in studio, RTÉ advises independent producers, “so prepare for a virtual one who can live comment”. The show should “be a safe environment” for kids to compete in, rather than cutthroat, and producers will “need to make this epic” within the confines of the €200,000 budget.

Microsoft bought Mojang, the Swedish developer of the world-building adventure game Minecraft, in 2014 for $2.5 billion and launched an education edition two years later as part of its schools programme.

Christmas call-out

RTÉ's young people's programming department, headed by Suzanne Kelly, has also called for pitches from independent production companies with "secular and inclusive" ideas about how to "take over the RTÉjr channel during December" and "sprinkle it" with Christmas content that will be "a talking point for kids for generations to come".

As with the Minecraft show, the deadline for proposals is September 24th.

RTÉ suggests an episode narrative that unfolds daily, leading up to the big day, or perhaps “daily drops of content” with a common theme.

There is no fixed number of episodes or duration, but the proposal should have “a significant impact on the RTÉjr audience”, the brief states. The channel is aimed at children up to the age of seven.