RTS Futures Commissioner Session: The Only Way Is… Zai – Monday 20th February, 2012, London

Zai Bennett, one of the youngest ever Controllers in the UK television industry, now sits at the helm of BBC Three. Before that, he ran the portfolio of digital channels at ITV and is famed for bringing Katie Price and Peter Andre to our screens, as well as Celebrity Juice, original drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl and real-life soap The Only Way Is Essex. In less than a year at BBC Three, his impact has been felt with brave new commissions – and de-commissions – as he makes his mark on the brand.

Radio 1′s Greg James talks to Zai about his ideas on television, his vision for BBC Three and how he made his way from the post room at Carlton Television to Controller at one of the most formidable broadcasters in the world.

If you submit a pitch in advance of the session, you may be chosen to pitch your idea to Zai in a one minute elevator pitch on the night. It’s a rare chance to sell your own idea direct to the Controller.

Brief for your pitch: your idea must be for one of the following two slots:

a) non-narrative comedy (eg panel/ game/ hidden camera/ clips show) for the 10.30pm slot

b) factual entertainment (formats/ series/ one-offs) for 9pm slot (Photo by Noël Zia Lee CC BY 2.0)

MIPFormats Pitch Competition Call for Entries – Deadline 6th February 2012

The MIPFormats Pitch 2012 call for entries is now open. Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP), the exclusive sponsor of the competition, will oversee pre-selection to choose the final competition contestants and will spend up to €25,000 to develop the winning project of the MIPFormats Pitch.

Offering both a strategic and a hands-on approach of the Formats business to all participants with more in-depth market analysis, more screenings, more interactive workshops and more matchmaking between buyers and commissioners, the 3rd edition of MIPFormats will take place on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st March 2012, ahead of MIPTV (1st-4th April), in Cannes. (Photo by gohomekiki CC BY SA 2.0)

PUMA Creative Catalyst Development Funding Call for Applications – Deadline Monday 27th February, 2012

The PUMA.Creative Catalyst Award offers up to 5,000 Euros to help develop documentary projects in their early stages – it can be used to fund that all important trailer that will allow you to pitch to broadcasters and other funders for production money.

The fund is open to filmmakers of any nationality and is open to both aspiring and experienced documentary filmmakers.

Your one-off documentary can be of any length, style or form (PUMA.Vision will look especially favourably on projects that have themes of Safe, Peace and Creative). (Photo by Jen and a Camera CC BY 2.0)

Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket Call for Applications – Deadline Thursday 29th March, 2012

The call for applications for the 2012 MeetMarket at Sheffield Doc/Fest is now open. MeetMarket is Doc/Fest’s pitching initiative offering matchmade meetings between the world’s best documentary and digital creators and the top funders and mentors who can support them. It is your opportunity for pitching new documentary, factual and cross-platform projects to over 200 decision makers, buyers, funders and mentors in one of the world’s top factual media marketplaces.

For MeetMarket 2012, approximately 65 projects will be selected to pitch over two days, and each can expect 15-20 meetings with key funders and decision-makers match-made and scheduled based on their requests and needs. MeetMarket 2011 generated millions of pounds in deals done and in negotiation, with the matchmaking personalised format meaning you can discuss your project creatively in detail. (Photo by lizjones112 CC BY)

NYTVF + Warner Bros. International TV Production Call for Pilots – Deadline Friday 9th March, 2012

UK producers: do you have a non-scripted pilot (or teaser) that you want to pitch to the USA? The NYTVF has partnered with Warner Bros. International Television Production to offer a development deal alongside an invitation to attend the NYTVF in New York in Autumn 2012. Entry is by application form and pilot (4 – 22 minutes) and costs $30 early bird (before 27th January, 2012) or $50 thereafter. (Photo by the nails CC BY 2.0)

In: David Elisco, Director of Development, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Award-winning writer and producer David Elisco has been named director of development for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s new film production unit. Elisco has more than 20 years of experience creating science and natural history documentaries for National Geographic Television, the Discovery Channel, and the Public Broadcasting System, as well as films focused on science [...]

BBC College of Production: How to Get an Idea Commissioned

The BBC College of Production provides a (growing)  range of resources to help anyone interested in making TV and radio programmes. Their website includes articles, videos and podcasts. This one is about how to get an idea commissioned and includes contributions from Camilla Lewis, managing director at Cineflix UK, head of factual at Silver River [...]

Peek Behind the Scenes of Channel 4′s Alpha Fund

Channel 4′s Alpha Fund was set up in January 2011 set up to encourage the development of TV ideas from new and emerging independent production companies in the UK. The fund’s managers are tasked with being closer to grassroots creative communities, often in advance of commissioning editors, to talent spot, to shape smart ideas and [...]

The Power of the Right Words

If you want to know how to get people to do what you want to do, watch this video:

Stanley Kubrick’s Chicago and Other Archive Images

In 1949 a 21-year-old Stanley Kubrick was sent on a photojournalism assignment to Chicago. The resulting photos are now in the Library of Congress, but you can see some of them on Chris Wild’s excellent website How to Be a Retronaut. As well as the Kubrick photos, the site is a veritable treasure trove of [...]