Telly Awards opens 48th race with 56 microseries categories

The Telly Awards have opened submissions for their 48th annual competition, with 56 new categories set aside for microseries.

Microseries means ultra-short scripted episodes made to be watched vertically on a phone. The details were first reported by Variety on 13 Oct 2026.

Last year set the bar. The competition drew 14,000 entries from 55 countries, a new record, according to Variety. That scale explains the expansion. More entries need more slots.

The 56 new microseries categories cover two types of prize. General fields reward the programme as a whole. Craft prizes reward the hands-on jobs behind it, from camerawork to editing.

Managing director Amanda Needham leads the awards, Variety reported. Five new members join the judging council: Kerry Easter, Nathan Isherwood, Joel Meyer, Patricia Ramella and Sabrina Telle.

There is also a new backer for the short-form push. ReelShort has signed on as a partner, alongside the Nonfiction Hotlist. Sophie Xiong is global head of content at ReelShort.

For creators, this means a clearer path. A crew shooting two-minute episodes no longer squeezes into categories built for television or film. The work gets judged against its own form.

The practical details are simple. The early entry deadline is Dec. 11. Entries can be submitted at tellyawards.com/enter. The awards accept work across branded content, commercials and marketing, television, online series, social video, film and shorts and animation, according to the Telly Awards.

Variety itself was part of last year's field. It took six honours at the 47th Telly Awards. Its series Behind the Show with Emily Longeretta won a gold award in Social Video: Media and Entertainment.