Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket Open for Submissions

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Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket Open for Submissions

By TV Mole ⋅ June 6, 2009 ⋅

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Photo courtesy of Sheffield Doc/Fest

Do you have a documentary film or factual TV series that you’d like to pitch to 100+ interested international buyers? Sheffield Doc/Fest’s MeetMarket is your chance. You can submit your project online until 4th September 2009 and it’s free to apply.

Last year, 53 projects made it through the initial selection process and each was pitched to around 12 commissioners or funders who had specifically expressed interest in their project. Of those, about 30 secured some kind of funding, such as development money, a pre-buy deal or co-production funding.

So how does it work?

Once you’ve submitted your application package, it goes through a short-listing process where projects that best meet the criteria are selected. Your project must be:

Factual - but can be a feature documentary, television series or specialised genre. Natural history, science and arts projects are welcome.
Have international appeal and take an innovative/fresh approach to either the content, the execution of the idea or both. According to Charlie Phillips, Marketplace Producer, this means that your idea must cross-boundaries and have universal themes. “It is about the way you approach a subject. For example, a film about cricket in a small village in England isn’t going to work for us, but it might if the cricket is a way into exploring a bigger theme such as patriotism.” See which projects were selected in 2008 here.
Interactive factual/documentary; broadband, web-based, mobile phone/mobile device content, cross-platform and convergent media projects are also eligible and highly encouraged.

Buyers preview the shortlisted applications and decide which projects they’d like to discuss at the MeetMarket. As Charlie explains, “it’s the opposite of speed-dating because everyone goes to the meeting knowing who their prospective partners are. You don’t go to meetings cold – you want to meet them and they want to meet you”. Charlie draws up a complicated schedule of tailored meetings to make sure that everyone gets to meet the right people. As well as the buyers, you get the opportunity to meet with someone who can provide valuable advice or mentorship.

Is it just for experienced UK producers?

MeetMarket is open to all documentary makers, from any country and you don’t need to have prior credits. Your project can be at any stage of development, production, post-production, or completed. And it doesn’t matter if you haven’t already got funding in place.

What's the catch?

If your project is selected to go forward to the MeetMarket, you have to register for Doc/Fest and pay the registration fee. But for that, you not only get exclusive meetings with commissioners and targeted feedback, you also get to see the 50+ panels and sessions and the 150 documentaries that are showing over the five days from 4th to 8th November 2009. So it’s not much of a catch.

Sounds great. How do I apply?

MeetMarket submissions are now open, and you can submit your project online . The deadline for submitting projects is Friday September 4th. You need to submit the following:

Project Information/Synopsis – A short (100 word) and a long (500 word) synopsis
Details – Length, Intended slot, Format, Status, Date of Production/Release
Financing – Your total budget and total already obtained (plus who has already committed funds) in Euros and Pounds.
Participants – 100 words on your production team (up to 100 words).
Teaser Clip – A one-minute teaser clip to accompany your submission.

Visit the Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket website for more detailed instructions of how to apply.

If you have any queries about applying, please email Charlie Phillips.