LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER AT EARLY BIRD RATE

Saturday 31st March will be the last chance to get our Early Bird Pass at the amazing rate of £200 + VAT, making it one of best value documentary and digital industry passes in the world. Passes will increase to our standard pass rate after the 31st, so this is the cheapest way of getting access to every one of our parties, films, sessions and masterclasses.

A number of organisation members will continue to be eligible for a discounted rate, but be quick: this discount is available from each organisation directly on a first come, first served basis. To see if this applies to you, please visit http://sheffdocfest.com/registration.

REGISTER NOW

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APPLICATIONS FOR MEETMARKET AT SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST CLOSES THURSDAY 29 MARCH

Get your applications in before 29th March for a chance to take part in the 2012 MeetMarket.

MeetMarket is the pitching initiative at Sheffield Doc/Fest, designed to match documentary and digital media makers’ most innovative project ideas with UK and international decision makers. MeetMarket 2012 will take place on June 14th and 15th.

The personalised, matchmaking format allows you to discuss your project creatively in detail and is extremely effective.

The application process requires a synopsis, one-minute teaser, headline budget figures, and biographical information on participants.

We're delighted that for the first time, teaser uploads will be powered and securely hosted by our partners at Distrify.

For more info on MeetMarket, and to enquire about applying and whether your projects are suitable, contact Doc/Fest's Marketplace Director Charlie Phillips

APPLY HERE

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NEW GRANT ALERT - WORLDVIEW SUNDANCE INSTITUTE DOCUMENTARY FILM PROGRAM DEVELOPING WORLD AWARD

WorldView are excited to announce their partnering with Sundance to offer the WorldView Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program Developing World Award.

One feature length cinematic documentary film in development stages will be awarded a £10,000 grant, enhanced with professional access to film mentorship from a world class, WorldView and Sundance Institute supported director.

Documentary projects are welcome from filmmakers from all corners of the globe, with well-crafted stories about a social justice issue in the developing world. Winning proposals must aim to intrigue and engage audiences in the UK and have UK broadcast rights available.

Please note that there is a very quick turnaround- closing date for applications is Thursday 5th April
 
Selection criteria applies, please see the website for details

APPLY HERE

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AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMISSION TO HOST AUSTRALIAN RECEPTION AT DOC/FEST 2012

We are pleased to announce that the Australian High Commission Office in London will be hosting a special Australian Networking Reception at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2012.

The Reception will be an opportunity for Australian Producers to do business in Sheffield; with over 250 international commissioners, distributors and other funders as well as many other key industry figures in attendance. Sheffield is a great place for Australian producers and directors looking to penetrate the international marketplace.

If you are an Australian director or producer, register now for Doc/Fest while our Early Bird pass offer is still available to ensure you’ll be at this unique international networking opportunity. We encourage you to enquire about support from your local screen agency if it is available. We look forward to welcoming as many Australian Producers and Directors to Sheffield in June!

REGISTER NOW

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XO LABS ANNOUNCE EXCITING NEW LABS IN BELGIUM

XODOX: disrupt my doc!
1 May 2012 - Leuven, Belgium

For documentary producers, directors, game developers, game designers or interactives with a dox interest, who want to explore the creative and commercial potential for developing new types of interactive factual content?

This is not a conference! This is a jam! Be prepared to disrupt your doc!

The Creative LAB we start by answering the following key questions:
➡ Why do you need to engage audiences on multiple platforms?
➡ How do you create interactive docs?
➡ What happens when games and docs collide?
➡ How can you harness the power of social networks to grow audiences?
THEN We will develop documentary ideas in groups
THEN We will disrupt them with the help of our four experts:

More details HERE

XODOX Development LAB
30 May - 1 June 2012, Ghent, Belgium

For  factual producers who want to develop multiplatform ideas in a 3- day XODOX multiplatform development LAB (Hothouse).

Here they will be guided to apply a robust set of methodologies designed to get them to understand what it takes to produce a successful interactive documentary project.

Practical and dynamic, the XODOX LAB will:
➡ Deliver fresh thinking about interactivity through user-centred design processes
➡ Promote understanding of the different skills required to produce transmedia projects
➡ Train participants to express complicated transmedia concepts clearly and simply
➡ Help define the look, feel and emotional resonance of a project across all of its
platforms
➡ Result in the creation of a creation of a pitch document to send to funders.

More details HERE

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LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP TO ENGINE ROOM PITCH WORKSHOP

Get ahead of the game by preparing your project early for this year's markets and festivals. We're coming to Cardiff on 22nd and 23rd March for our latest Engine Room Pitch Workshop with Wide Eye Pictures and MEDIA Antenna Wales.

The Engine Room Pitch Workshop is a unique 2-day project development and pitching experience for documentary filmmakers and cross-platform creatives seeking UK and international commissions, co-production and market intelligence. 

This workshop is open to all from any region of the UK and costs £30+VAT

APPLY HERE

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CHANNEL 4 PITCH - FUNDING & GUIDANCE FOR YOUR DOCUMENTARY IDEA

We are delighted that the Channel 4 pitch is still one of Doc/Fest's most popular sessions after 10 very successful years! A fun and dynamic atmosphere makes for a great session to both participate in and watch.

Five contenders will compete in front of a panel of executive producers and Aysha Rafaele, Channel 4 commissioning editor for First Cut.

We want incredible stories from a range of ideas and styles – news related and access driven, quirky and eccentric, observational, concept driven or simply off the wall. We are looking for fabulous, larger than life characters in surprising situations or worlds we haven’t seen before. The pitch is open to experienced AP's and up-and-coming directors, who have not yet received a Director credit on a network primetime documentary film.

This is not an entry level pitch. A commitment and passion for television documentary needs to be clearly evident and ideally also experience of working in television production. You must be UK-based, and be able to take up a freelance placement with a production company of Channel 4's choice.

The prize is a chance to make a 24 minute film for Channel 4’s critically-acclaimed documentary new talent strand, First Cut. The winner will receive a 10 week freelance placement at a production company to direct a half hour, on a budget of £50k. There will also be a runner’s up prize of £5k development funding from the Channel 4 Alpha Fund which supports new talent and Creative Diversity.

Please complete the application form and, along with your CV, e-mail it to Charlie by Friday 4th May 2012. 

APPLY HERE
 

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PITCH FOR WELLCOME TRUST DEVELOPMENT FUNDING

The Wellcome Trust Broadcast Development Awards Pitch is confirmed to return to Sheffield Doc/Fest for a fifth year.

Applicants are invited to apply for the chance to pitch a programme idea (in any genre) to a judging panel. The ideas need to engage the audience with contemporary or historical biomedical science, in an innovative and accessible way.

Awards of up to £10,000 are available and may be given to more than one project. The prize will enable the pitched ideas to be developed into high impact, well-researched proposals to help secure a UK broadcast platform and production funding.

The pitch and the announcement of the awards will take place on Friday 15th June as part of Science at Sheffield .

For more information and to download an application form please visit this page. To discuss your project idea before applying please contact Lisa Lazareck

Closing date for applications is 27th April 2012.

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