RULES of the PITCH ME! Pierluigi de Mas 2026 Competition
These Rules are available on the website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it
Purpose and Promoters
The Pitch Me! Pierluigi de Mas 2026 Competition (hereinafter the “Competition”) is dedicated to the memory of the great Italian animation master of the same name and is organized within the framework of the Cartoons on the Bay 2026 Festival (hereinafter the “Festival”), which will take place in Pescara from May 27 to May 30, 2026.
The organizer of the Competition is Rai Com S.p.A., sole shareholder company, registered office in Via Umberto Novaro 18, 00195 Rome (RM), Tax Code, VAT number and registration with the Rome Companies Register no. 12865250158, R.E.A. no. RM – 949207, Share Capital Euro 10,320,000 fully paid, subject to the direction and coordination of RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A. (registered office in Via Alessandro Severo 246, 00145 Rome (RM); Tax Code and VAT no. 06382641006; hereinafter “RAI”) (hereinafter “Rai Com” or the “Organizer”).
Participation in the Competition is free of charge.
Venue and Dates of the Competition
Opening of the Competition: February 20, 2026
Closing of the Competition: April 24, 2026
The deadline for registration is April 24, 2026.
The Organizer reserves the right to notify participants of any changes to one or more of the above dates.
Participation Rules
• Registration of the project for the Competition is free of charge and takes place by:
(i) completing and signing the Registration Form available on the website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it in the Pitch Me section; and
(ii) submitting no. 3 (three) images (resolution: 300 dpi) illustrating the project.
To ensure valid participation, the above documentation must be completed and submitted no later than April 24, 2026. Failure to submit the required documents by this date will result in exclusion from the Competition.
• Each participant may separately submit a maximum of 2 (two) projects to the Competition.
• Participation is reserved for animation projects developed by authors of Italian nationality who are over 18 years of age.
Participation Requirements
I. Applicants must have obtained a diploma from an animation school no more than 5 years ago (graduation date summer 2022 or later).
In place of the diploma certificate, pursuant to Art. 47 of Presidential Decree 445/2000, a self-certification may be submitted indicating the qualification obtained, the date, and the institution that issued it.
The validity of the self-certified qualification may be verified at any time.
II. The project must be presented in English (if requested).
Materials to be Submitted and Deadlines
No later than April 24, 2026, the following documents/materials must be sent to entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it
• Completed and signed Registration Form (mandatory)
• 3 images (300 dpi) illustrating the project (mandatory)
• Any additional materials (optional)
The subject line of the email must include the name of the submitted project.
Materials submitted in any way other than those specified in these Rules will not be considered.
The Festival reserves the right not to accept projects whose submitted documents/materials are incomplete or otherwise unsuitable for the Competition. Applicants will be notified accordingly.
The applicant bears full responsibility for the successful delivery of the documents/materials.
Materials submitted for registration will not be returned.
The applicant is responsible for the submitted project and, by sending the Registration Form and images, declares and guarantees that they are duly authorized to use and submit the materials for participation in the Competition, as provided by these Rules. The applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless Rai Com and the RAI Group from any third-party claims.
Project Selection
The Festival organization reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to select among the submitted projects those admitted to presentation during the Festival.
The selected projects will be evaluated by the Pitch Me! Jury, appointed at the sole discretion of the Festival’s Artistic Director, for the awarding of prizes.
If selected, applicants undertake to attend the Festival on the days dedicated to project presentations. The Festival organization will communicate the date, time, and venue.
Presentations may also take place online via electronic platforms and/or through the Cartoons on the Bay website, at the Organizer’s discretion.
In the event of a digital edition of the Festival, applicants must provide a presentation clip in accordance with the organization’s instructions. Submission of the clip grants the Organizer all rights necessary for its use, including image rights, for the duration of the Competition and subsequent editions.
Project Presentation
If selected, applicants may submit additional materials (e.g., boards, DVD, PDF, PPT, etc.) by May 1, 2026. Only materials submitted by this deadline may be used during the presentation.
Materials will not be returned.
Each project presentation, including audiovisual materials, may last a maximum of 6 minutes.
If the applicant cannot personally present the project, they may delegate a third party subject to prior approval by the Competition organization.
Winners
The Pitch Me! Jury will select, at its sole discretion, the winning projects (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place).
Winners will be announced during the Festival in the presence of industry professionals and the press.
In case of a digital edition, winners will be announced on the Festival website and official social media channels.
Rights and Guarantees
Projects submitted will be treated confidentially. By participating, applicants:
• Authorize Rai Com and the RAI Group to use the project and excerpts to promote the Festival and future editions;
• Authorize use of excerpts for journalistic and promotional purposes;
• Guarantee that participation and use of materials do not infringe third-party rights, indemnifying Rai Com and the RAI Group from any claims;
• Guarantee the lawfulness of the project’s content and form;
• Guarantee ownership of all exploitation rights provided for under these Rules;
• Acknowledge that materials may be presented in various forms, including clips or trailers, during the Festival and for related promotional activities;
• Authorize use of all submitted materials (trailers, digital videos, photos, data, etc.) for Festival communication and marketing materials, including edited versions adapted to communication needs.
Conditions
Rai Com may suspend, interrupt, postpone, or cancel the Festival and/or Competition at its sole discretion.
Rai Com may also amend these Rules, even after publication, and will promptly inform interested parties.
If technical or organizational reasons prevent the Festival or Competition from taking place as planned, Rai Com will take appropriate measures and notify registered participants via email.
By registering, applicants acknowledge and accept:
• Full acceptance of these Rules and all related instructions published on the Festival website;
• That the Competition may take place in person and/or online, including via the Festival website and/or RAI Group platforms (e.g., RAIPLAY) and/or third-party partners, granting Rai Com all necessary rights for use of the submitted work;
• Having read and accepted the RAI Group’s Code of Ethics, Organizational Model pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/2001, and Anti-Corruption Plan;
• Having read the Privacy Notice pursuant to Art. 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).
PRIVACY NOTICE PURSUANT TO ART. 13 OF REGULATION (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)
RAI COM S.p.A., with registered office in Via Umberto Novaro 18, 00195 Rome (RM), VAT and Tax Code 12865250158 (hereinafter “RAI COM”), as Data Controller, processes personal data in accordance with the principles of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency and in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and applicable Italian privacy legislation.
Purpose of Processing
Personal data submitted via email with the Registration Form will be processed for project registration, Competition management, communications, publication of results, and prize awarding.
The legal basis for processing is the performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).
Provision of data is mandatory for participation. Refusal will make participation impossible.
Categories of Data
Participants must provide only necessary personal contact data (name, surname, company name, tax code, place/date of birth, contact details, authors’ names, representatives’ contacts, and project description data).
Special categories of personal data (e.g., religion, political views) must not be included.
Processing Methods and Retention
Data will be processed electronically and occasionally in paper form and retained for up to 5 years or as necessary for Competition purposes and information about future events.
Appropriate security measures will be adopted.
Data Communication
Data may be processed by RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. and service providers acting as Data Processors under Art. 28 GDPR.
Data will be processed exclusively within Italy and will not be disclosed or transferred further.
Updated lists of Data Processors may be requested at privacy.raicom@rai.it.
Data may also be communicated to jury members and authorized employees/collaborators.
Data Subject Rights
Pursuant to Arts. 15 et seq. GDPR, participants have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, port, and object to processing.
Requests may be sent to:
privacy.raicom@rai.it
or
RAI COM S.p.A., Via Umberto Novaro 18, 00195 Rome (RM)
Complaints may be lodged with the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali).
Data Controller: RAI COM S.p.A.
Email: privacy.raicom@rai.it
Data Protection Officer: dporaicom@rai.it
Pitch Me! Some Brief Advice
Objectives of a Pitch
To convince others of your idea, you must first be convinced yourself that it is suitable for production. Your storyboard must be clear in your mind, as well as the resources needed to produce the film. Preparation and practice are key.
The goal of a Pitch is to make the audience experience the story and convey the presenter’s enthusiasm. Visual materials are essential to impress your audience.
Useful Tools for a Pitch
- Written synopsis
- Screenplay
- Illustrative images or drawings (characters, sets, etc.)
- Brief budget estimate and resource needs
- Full project presentation in PDF or PPT
- Audiovisual materials explaining the animation