Greenlit: Developing Factual/TV Ideas From Concept to Pitch – OUT NOW!

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.

PBS Diversity and Innovation Fund Call for TV Proposals – Deadline Wednesday 15th September

PBS has put out a call for proposals for a new immersive, multiplatform TV series that covers areas such as science, history, travel, natural history and exploration. Proposed series should appeal to a racially and ethnically diverse audience of 40-64 year olds in the USA. They should be developed for primetime with 10 episodes at a cost of less than $375K per hour. PBS will start accepting proposals from Monday 26th July, 2010 and the deadline is Wednesday 15th September, 2010.
(Photo by Tracy O under CC BY SA 2.0)

Peer Pitch Call for Entries – Silverdocs Monday 21st June, 2010

If you are an alumnus of Docs in Progress, a member of The D-Word or are attending Silverdocs (21-27th June, 2010) in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, you are eligible to enter for Peer Pitch. Ten filmmakers will get the opportunity to pitch their documentary project to fellow filmmakers in return for moderated feedback. It’s not a funding pitch but a chance to practice your pitch prior to pitching your project to potential funders.

Fee:

Peer Pitch – $100

Peer Pitch/Silverdocs Combo Package – $450

Visit the Docs in Progress website for more information and application details. (Photo by katmere CC BY 2.0)

MIP Online Screenings

If you didn’t make it to MIP this year (and let’s face it, given the fall out you are probably glad you didn’t) you can still catch up on the progammes that were pitched by signing up for MIP online screenings (for the princely sum of €390, which gives you access to full-length programmes until [...]

Documentary Television.com

Peter Hamilton, ex-CBS exec turned TV consultant has just launched a new blog documentarytelevision.com.  A regular on the conference panel circuit, Peter shares his knowledge of Discovery network budgets in one of his first posts. For example: Discovery’s budgets range from $250 per hour for a low budget programme to $1,500 to a showcase programme. [...]

MIPFormats Fresh Talent Pitch Call for Entries – Deadline 26th February, 2010

The Fresh Talent Pitch, to be held at MIPFormats in Cannes, on 11th April, 2010, is a chance to pitch your original non-scripted entertainment format. A panel of experts including The Wit will select the best entries from all the submissions; shortlisted producers get the chance to pitch their idea to an audience of commissioners, buyers and distributors. Cross-genre and multiplatform concepts are particularly welcomed. Pitches must be for orginal formats that have not been commissioned or broadcast on TV.

For more information and an application form visit MIPWorld Fresh Talent Pitch.

Deadline: Friday 26th February, 2010
(Photo by Olivier Bareau CC BY-SA 2.0)

Film Business Asia

Check out the new Film Business Asia website for news about festivals, awards, sales, distribution deals and box office news from Asia. Looks as though they’re focusing on narrative/feature films but there is some documentary news in there too. And handily, there is an English language version.

Interview: Lionel Chok

This week we have a special treat: an interview with Singapore-based filmmaker and executive producer Lionel Chok. Lionel’s TV credits include Culture Shock for Channel News Asia International; Lifestyle – a health series for overseas broadcast fronted by Nadya Hutagalung; and Activate Your Camera – Singapore! an eight-part Hi-Definition local series on photography fronted by Tom Ang (whose last photography series was commissioned by the BBC). Lionel also has theatre and feature film credits and works as a Film Instructor at SAE Institute. Click though to read the interview. (Photo (C) Lionel Chok)

Documentary Campus Masterschool – Call for Entries 2010. Deadline: 2nd October 2009

Documentary Campus Masterschool 2010 is a ten-month long masterclass in which you can get one-to-one and group training sessions (four over the ten months) to help you develop your documentary idea so you can secure international interest and funding. The school allows all kinds of nonfiction genres, from docuseries to one-offs and cross-media projects. Past [...]

Westdoc Twitter

If you weren’t able to make it to Santa Monica to attend the Westdoc conference, you can keep up with what’s going on in real time – who’s commissioning what, and how to pitch -  via twitter. Just follow the #westdoc thread.