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Sheffield Doc/Fest – Wednesday 13th – Sunday 17th June, 2012

Sheffield Doc/Fest returns to celebrate the art and business of documentary making over five intense days in June. Sheffield is fast becoming known as one of the top places in the world for people from the documentary and digital industries to get together - to meet, to screen their work, share knowledge, do business, make new contacts and discuss innovations and challenges they are facing in the ever changing media landscape. Over the past four years Sheffield Doc/Fest has massively expanded its marketplace activity, as well as its cross platform, interactive and digital programme. These developments and the stunning film programme and often controversial conference sessions are what attract over 2000 delegates from around the globe and thousands of general public. Sheffield Doc/Fest is famous for its fabulous parties and endless networking opportunities. The festival programme includes 120 films from dozens of countries, 300 speakers from the digital and docs sector and over 150 buyers and decision makers from 20 countries participate in the marketplace. Millions of pounds of deals are done during the festival. The festival is a brilliant forum for new talent to meet established filmmakers and producers and buyers. If you work in the documentary film, factual TV or digital industries you can't afford to miss Sheffield Doc/Fest. When: Wednesday 13th June - Sunday 17th June, 2012 Where: Sheffield, UK Cost: Early bird pass £200 + VAT / £100 + VAT concessions To book: visit the Sheffield Doc/Fest website.

Train | Pitch | Fund

WESTDOC: The West Coast Documentary and Reality Conference: 9th-12th September 2012, Culver City

egistration is now open for WESTDOC: The West Coast Documentary and Reality Conference, which returns in 2012 for its third annual conference September 9-12 in a new Culver City location. WESTDOC conference gathers producers and directors of non-fiction/documentary and reality TV programming and the executives who fund and/or acquire such programs. More than 100 industry speakers are expected to participate in the three-day WESTDOC 2012 conference consisting of panels, case studies, social events and exclusive networking sessions. The conference's climactic event is an all-day PitchFest where documentary and reality producers pitch new projects and concepts directly to network and development executives in front of a live audience for potential acquisition or coproduction funding. At WESTDOC 2012, more than 30 panels are planned regarding financing, conceiving and selling a documentary or reality TV one-off or series. Contemporary topics covered also will include distribution models from theatrical presentation to digital platforms. WESTDOC 2012 also is bringing back two unique meeting opportunities that have been extremely popular with attendees: Face Time, the 10-minute, one-on-one opportunity to pitch a network executive of producer's choice, and The Sit-Down, 30-minute intimate overviews of individual networks and production companies outlining what executives and producers are focusing on today and, more importantly, what they're looking for tomorrow.

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Sheffield Doc/Fest Specialist Factual New Talent Pitch Call for Entries – Deadline Wednesday 30th May, 2012

Do you have what it takes to bring science, history, business or religion alive for documentary audiences across the world? The Specialist Factual New Talent Pitch gives new talent presenters from a range of disciplines the chance to show a panel of commissioning editors, specialist factual producers, agents and funders what they can do. Aspiring expert presenters pitch cutting edge research in their area as a documentary programme in front of a live audience at Sheffield Doc/Fest, taking feedback and questions from a panel of leading programme makers, co producing organisations and funders. The winner will make a development film with Discovery Channel Europe. Applicants should have an expert background, some media experience in the form of previous public presentations, radio or television work and have something they can show to demonstrate this, as part of their application. Deadline for applications is 6pm, Wednesday 30th May 2012. (Photo by Wha'ppen CC BY SA 2.0)

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DFG Mini MeetMarket at Sheffield Doc/Fest Call for Entries – Deadline Friday 18th May, 2012

The Mini-Meetmarket is a unique opportunity for new and emerging documentary filmmakers to meet Executive Producers and pitch their idea in an intimate roundtable environment. Submit your project to this pitching and steering session, taking place on the morning of Friday 15th June 2012. The aim is simple: to enable you to get feedback on [...]

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Call for taster tapes for 10×10 at Sheffield Doc/Fest – Deadline Wednesday 23rd May, 2012

Trailer, taster, teaser… whatever you’re currently calling it, if yours is still a work-in-progress, why not submit it to a very special 10×10 and find out if it’s pulling its weight? 10×10 is a free project development workshop – filmmakers screen up to 10 minutes of their non-fiction works-in-progress and receive 10 minutes of directed [...]

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Lifetime Unscripted Development Pipeline Call for Applications – Deadline Wednesday 18th July, 2012

Lifetime and the NYTVF are teaming up for an innovative program seeking original unscripted television treatments from independent artists and production companies. Twenty-five semifinalists will be reviewed by the network with five finalists receiving development funding to produce additional tape. Finally, one winner will receive $10,000 and an opportunity to work with Lifetime Programming to [...]

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Sheffield Doc/Fest UKTV Pitch Call For Entries – Deadline Monday 21st May, 2012

In this brand new pitch session for 2012 you could win £10,000 towards a possible UKTV Commission Six pitchers will get the opportunity to present ideas for a series that would fit perfectly on any UKTV channels or a multiplatform project which complements UKTV content. Candidates must be individuals with television or multiplatform experience. They [...]

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BAFTA Event: Second Screen – Hope or Hype? Tuesday 22nd May, London, 6.45 pm

Second Screen – Hope or Hype? Tuesday 22 May, 6:45pm The way audiences relate to TV is changing fast. We are watching more live TV than ever before; an ever increasing number of us are using a second screen while we do so.  A million viewers downloaded X Factor’s Tap-to-Clap app, The Bank Job’s online [...]

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Greenlit: Chicagolicious, Style

Chicagolicious (  x 60′) – Docuseries that takes viewers to the Windy City to follow AJ Johnson who owns AJ’s salon in Chicago, and whose clientele includes a who’s who of actors and models, including Angela Bassett and Iman. AJ oversees a team of talented yet fiery hair and makeup artists who love to create [...]

Buy the Book

Greenlit: Developing Factual/Reality TV Ideas From Concept to Pitch by Nicola Lees

There are some simple principles to successfully developing and pitching your ideas, whether you are working for a global 'super-indie' production company, or are a documentary filmmaker pitching a passion project. The extraordinary thing is that no one will tell you what they are! Greenlit is the first book to reveal, step-by-step, how to originate, develop and pitch your factual/non-scripted TV ideas in a global market. Get insider tips from: * 10 TV development producers - who have a combined 50+ years experience of developing and pitching ideas at all levels; * 20 senior executives who have sold some of the world's most successful shows, to: * 16 channel executives, who between them have worked at: * 18 TV channels in: * 7 countries across 4 continents. Greenlit is available now from Amazon and all good bookstores.

new channels

• E!’s New Look, Logo, Brand Campaign and “Pop of Culture” Tagline Will Debut on the Network and Digital Platforms on July 9th, 2012. The evolution is centered on expanding, elevating and enhancing the global pop culture brand to achieve the network’s mission to inspire and entertain the pop culture fan in all of us. E! defines pop culture as the topics that fascinate us all – personalities, trends, music, fashion, TV, movies, art, nightlife, philanthropy, technology, design and sports. Constantly evolving and surprising, it is what drives society, and the network’s research indicates that most people – particularly young adults – believe pop culture is important to their lives. The next evolution of E! will include more original programming hours than any other network, further fueling E!’s pop culture power. Already an industry leader, in 2013, E! is adding 100 more original hours, which will take the network to 700+ original programming hours for the year. E!’s pop culture programming features a variety of genres, including reality series with fascinating personalities, clever comedy, topical series and specials, live red carpet events, unique music-driven series, and news franchises that give fans up-to-the-minute information from the world of pop culture. The faces on E! are equally diverse, ranging from Ryan Seacrest, Chelsea Handler, Joel McHale, Joan Rivers, Ice-T and Nigel Lythgoe, to the Kardashian, Eastwood and Jonas families. Additionally, scripted programming will make its first debut on the network in 2013. Source: E! press release #
• Ben Silverman's multimedia studio Electus have announced the initial programming and talent line-up for its new Hispanic celebrity-oriented, pop culture channel, NuevOn (Spanish for 'New On'), which launched on April 16th on YouTube™.NuevOn, which will feature high-impact, buzz-worthy programming almost entirely in Spanish, with a variety of entertaining reality, drama and comedy formats that are specifically tailored to young, multi-cultural Latinos. While primarily devoted to this unique demographic, taking into consideration the universal themes, humor and love Hispanics have for their own celebrities, family, drama and aspirational dreams, NuevOn's shows will also generate global news and trends that transcend markets. Viewers can subscribe to: The NuevOn Channel to view the first slate of shows and to watch for new trailers and show updates at: Neuvon. Twitter Facebook Google Plus Read more: Electus press release #
• Discovery Communications announced that Planet Green will turn red, white, and blue when it is re-named Destination America on Monday, May 28, 2012. Kicking off Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer season, Destination America will be the first network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States, emblazoned with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. The inclusive network, targeting Adults 25-54, will be available in 59.5 million homes and feature original series covering such diverse subjects as American food from Tex Mex to barbeque; American mysteries from Jesse James' lost fortune to Area 51; America's heroes from those who embody the values of our past to those who invent the technology of our future; as well as never-before-seen footage of America's iconic landmarks, including Yellowstone National Park and the Everglade swamps. On Destination America, barbeque isn't just good cooking but an expression of our roots. A job is never just a job - it's our ingenuity made real. Places like Alaska are more than untamed beauty - they're a living symbol of our need to press ahead and walk where no one has tread before. With a 360-degree experience that spans across digital platforms and social media sites, the company will also launch an original iPhone App, allowing consumers to share favorite destinations and themes across America. Users can browse images by location or in diverse categories ranging from beautiful to nostalgic to restaurants, mountains and more. And for those seeking inspiration, "Only In America" will feature Top 10 activities and suggestions ranging from majestic National Parks to hilarious road signs, food sculptures to outrageous hobbies, patriotic pets to hairstyles. "Our research, coupled with my own experience developing shows about America over the last 20 years, has shown that viewers have a huge appetite for content focused on our unique culture and spirit," said Marc Etkind, senior vice president of content strategy for Destination America. "By collecting the very best of travel, adventure, food, home, and natural history into one brand, we're excited to create a new lifestyle destination for programming that Americans love." Source: Discovery Communications press release #
• Channel 4 is providing a new television platform for short films called The Shooting Gallery and has been working closely with online video platform Vimeo as partners. The Shooting Gallery will bring the best short films, branded content and virals from around the world and showcase them alongside original commissions funded by innovation support fund - the Alpha Fund. In its previous incarnation running as a strand in the mid-1990s, The Shooting Gallery introduced the early works of Shane Meadows, Annie Griffin and Clio Barnard, amongst others. The 2011 version rides the wave of new short form content that has exploded on the internet in recent years, but until now, has yet to find a mainstream TV outlet. The strand will return periodically to support programmes in Channel 4's peak schedule. The first show The Shooting Gallery: Caught on Camera, will broadcast on the 22nd March, 2012 and focus on a mixture of original commissions, award-winning shorts and internet hits focusing on still image and photography. The Shooting Gallery: China will broadcast on March 29th, 2012 and comprises of a selection of shorts, a number of which have been curated by Vimeo, which centre on modern China, supporting Niall Ferguson's new series China: Triumph and Turmoil as well as Gok Wan: Made in China. Read more here. #
• El Rey, a new US channel based will launch in 2014. Proposed by legendary Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures executives John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa, this network is designed to be an action-packed, general entertainment network in English for Latino and general audiences that includes a mix of reality, scripted and animated series, movies, documentaries, news, music, comedy, and sports programming. The El Rey network will include programming that features Hispanic producers, celebrities and public figures. "We are passionate about creating a wildly entertaining destination that we can be proud of by appealing to both Latino and mass market audiences," said Robert Rodriguez and CEO of FactoryMade Ventures John Fogelman.  "We engineered El Rey to address a burgeoning opportunity to deliver unique, high-quality and compelling content to a hard-to-reach demographic and are excited to bring more opportunities to generations of talent, storytellers and dreamers through this special partnership.”   #