CALL FOR ENTRIES: The SOUTHERN AFRICAN DOCUMENTARY CO-PRODUCTION FORUM (DCF) - “Matching projects and broadcasters”

The Documentary Co-Production Forum (DCF), presented by Encounters, the South African International Documentary Festival and Sithengi, Film and Television Market is proud to once again announce the joint initiative aimed at improving the documentary co-production opportunities for Southern African filmmakers.

Last year, the first DCF was held and proved to be a tremendous success. From 170 projects initially received, 58 were selected to be pitched at the Preliminaries, 9 of which secured a broadcaster, went through to the consultation round and were submitted to IDFA. 2 of these projects were selected to pitch in final competition at IDFA. Of the 16 final projects selected to pitch at the DCF at Sithengi, 5 projects secured international broadcasters and proved that the DCF was a vastly influencing developmental initiative, which contributed directly to increased opportunities and improvement in documentary filmmaking in Southern Africa.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT TO PRELIMINARIES: 11 June 2004, 5pm
(No extensions will be granted)

Preliminaries
Sithengi and Encounters will register all proposals for any documentary over 24 minutes received by the entry deadline after which there will be a selection process for the Preliminaries.

The Preliminaries, in which filmmakers have 5 minutes each to pitch their proposal to a selection panel, will be held in Cape Town and Johannesburg during the
6th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival 2004
Cape Town: 16 July – 1 August and Johannesburg – 31 July – 8 August 2004
.
The selection panel consisting of local broadcasters, distributors and producers, will make recommendations, and put forward between 10-20 projects for further development.

These proposals will be considered by South African broadcasters, who may make an offer on, or write a letter of intent for, a project for co-production.

Consultations
Filmmakers whose projects are selected at the Preliminaries should be available for the Consultations, which will be held in September with guest documentary filmmakers. They will then be required to submit a Treatment and a Budget for this process.

In addition, projects selected at the preliminaries, with the necessary criteria, will be packaged and entered into the International Documentary Forum Amsterdam, IDFA, on behalf of the filmmakers.

Pitching Workshop
In November there will be a two-day Pitching Workshop in the week prior to the
9th Sithengi Southern African International Film & Television Market
Cape Town 16 – 19 November.

At the Pitching Workshop an expert will advise filmmakers on their presentations and on the international commissioning editors and broadcasters who will be attending the DCF.

Documentary Co-Production Forum (DCF):
A finite number of proposals will be slated for the DCF. Those that are selected from the Preliminaries and which have been through the Consultation and the Pitching Workshop will be in line for an opportunity to pitch at the DCF.

All African filmmakers who have proposals (which must consist of a Treatment, Budget, CVs), but who have not been through the Preliminaries, Consultations and Pitching Workshop, are not excluded from the DCF. However, to be considered for the DCF these proposals must have secured a minimum of 20% of the submitted budget, and the attachment of their local broadcaster is beneficial.

There are two criteria, or limitations, for the DCF. The first criterion is time. There are limits on the number of slots available for Preliminaries, Consultations, Pitching Workshop and the DCF. The second criterion is quality. Encounters and Sithengi have developed this programme to assist filmmakers to prepare their pitch to a panel of international co-producers.

The criteria for entry into the 2004 DCF are:

• At least 20% of your proposed budget has to be secured and/or
• A broadcaster must be attached.

NB!! For the initial 11 June deadline, projects needn’t have 20% of their budget secured or a broadcaster attached, but must submit all of the required entry forms and information.

ENTRY PROCEDURE FOR THE PRELIMINARIES

• Log-on to sithengi.co.za and register under ‘Project Market’.
• Complete the online application form.
• Email the following to Taryn da Canha at [email protected]:
- 1 page synopsis (not longer than 1 page)
- 3 page treatment (not longer than 3 pages)
- 1-page budget top sheet
- Any letters of intent/commitment from financiers, distributors, broadcasters etc…
- 1-page company profile, including biographies of the producer and/or the director.

(Total number of pages of application: 7 (including online page and excluding letters of intent/commitment))

NOTE:
The lengths of the above application material must be strictly adhered to. Any incomplete applications or application material that is longer than required will be disqualified and no correspondence will be entered into.

• If you have submitted your project previously to the DCF, we encourage you to submit again in 2005

• If you are selected for the Preliminaries and/or consultations and local pitching sessions and/or for the Documentary Co-Production Forum (DCF) at Sithengi 2004, you have to be a registered and fully paid up member. For more information on registration, please visit sithengi.co.za .

• The best 3 projects, nominated by the preliminary selection panel, will be awarded free participation in the processes leading up to and including the DCF.

• If you are unable to afford the membership, please approach the film commission in your province or the NFVF with whom we have secured a limited number of places.

In Brief

11 June Deadline for proposals over 24 min to be entered into the Preliminaries
16 July – 8 August Preliminaries take place during 6th Encounters Festival in CT and JHB
20 August Deadline for Preliminary selections to submit Treatment & Budget
15 - 22 September Consultations in JHB and CT
24 September Deadline for ALL other submissions from SA and Africa
14 – 15 November Two - day Pitching Workshop in CT
16 – 19 November 9th Sithengi Southern African Film & TV Market

We look forward to receiving your applications and ‘Matching Documentary Projects with Broadcasters!’