Doc/Fest - Sheffield

#df10x10
10 x 10 is the popular free workshop run in partnership by the Documentary Filmmakers Group (DFG) and the North American organisation Doculink. Come and take part as four filmmakers screen up to ten minutes of their work-in-progress and receive ten minutes of directed feedback from the audience - you. Work screened could include trailers, key scenes and even rushes, and it’s a great o...

#dffrannyarm
Franny Armstrong's ‘The Age of Stupid’ has taken the world by storm. It has done so with no broadcast commission, no pre-sale and no rich foundations but by re-writing the book on independent distribution and creating a new model for social campaigning films. It’s the year’s most exciting and invigorating story and Franny is here to tell it, with some of the best moments from th...

#dfnickfenton
Nick Fenton is the editor of the Warp Films produced feature doc, All Tomorrow's Parties, (ATP), a project that is both an analysis of the cult phenomenon, (part DIY alt musicfest, part scungy holiday camp) and an extension of that phenomenon through the innovative 'collective' way that the film came together. Editor, Nick Fenton explains how he synthesised the myriad footage int...

#xodeverell
Richard will highlight the plans and vision for BBC North. He will outline the opportunities - establishing this major BBC digital media centre - presents the creative community across the north of England and beyond. As BBC North prepares to open for business in 2011 he will describe the strategy in place for this fully multi platform and on-demand operation.

#dfcampaigningdocs
Many documentary makers are driven by a desire not only to document the world but to change it. Initiatives like Channel 4 BRITDOC’s goodfilm.org and The Good Pitch aim to link filmmakers to ‘change-makers’ like Greenpeace, Amnesty International, the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, which now fund new documentaries. But does this compromise editorial independence? Critics such ...

#dfchannel4int
Nick Curwin co-founded Firefly - now called Dragonfly Productions - which rapidly became one of Britain's most successful independent production companies. They have in large part built their reputation in a pioneering genre of programming which Nick - slightly tongue-in-cheek - calls 'Factual Theatre'. From the fly-on-the-wall cameras in a Canterbury home in 'The Family' to a s...

#dfchannel4pitch
The most popular pitch of the festival is back for the eighth year running! Six contenders will compete in front of a panel of television executives, including Channel 4 Commissioning Editors. Everything from the candidates’ CVs to their pitching skills will be under scrutiny. The prize: a 10-12 week placement to direct a half-hour film with a £50 000 budget for Channel 4’s cr...

#dfcitizenfilm
With films like Burma VJ using footage from high street cameras and mobile phones, and the wealth of films and documentary initiatives arming people with cameras rather than guns, there seems to be a dawning of a new age of citizen journalism which can result in films and footage reaching a mass audience. This session looks at the way in which both citizens and local filmmakers ...

#dfbritishcopro
Producers, and even some broadcasters in Europe often say they don't like working with us Brits. They think we are happy to take cash for our films but when they ask the same we don’t come through. Are British feature documentary directors missing out on the European documentary co-production scene? Why are so few European docs seen by UK audiences? As life gets tougher and fun...

#dfcommdigital
With thousands of hours of factual programmes commissioned by British digital channels every year this is a market producers would be mad to ignore. But with such a diverse range of channels and output where should you start? Our panel of leading commissioners, each with millions to spend on new programmes reveal their strategies and wishlists for the year ahead.

#dfcommdocumentary
Documentaries are increasingly being commissioned by other genre commissioners, which sounds like great news for producers in search of a wider market. But how can documentary commissioners reclaim their territory? How healthy is documentary commissioning today? And what new trends and content are the different channels fighting over for the year ahead?

#dfcommpopfactual
It's cheaper than entertainment and drama but can compete in the ratings. So finding the perfect idea that will bring in the viewers is the holy grail for commissioning editors. But what makes factual programmes popular? Our Commissioning editors are here to tell you......and what they want to commission.

#dfcommspecialistfac
Specialist factual departments are traditionally responsible for many of the jewels in the crown for broadcasters. But with increasing dependency on extreme medical stories and celebrity presenters how can Specialist factual commissioning break new trends and set the agenda? Find out what the different channels are looking for and how canny co-production can make all the d...

#dfcops
Police, Camera, Action! Docs on cops have been a staple of television schedules, and have traditionally fallen into two categories: those which seek to document the changing face of modern policing, and those which are happy enough to tag along on a motorway pursuit. Channel 4's recent documentary series, ‘The Force’ directed by Bafta-winning Patrick Forbes, has been hailed as offeri...

#xocreativestuds
"The creative businesses of the future will be agnostic so far as distribution channels are concerned; their creative and commercial activity will no longer be confined to a single “silo”. We will see a much greater level of innovation and a more holistic approach to the creation and development of content." Patrick McKenna, Ingenious Media, BAFTA TV Lecture
What will the cr...

#xostevenjohnson
Internationally renowned writer and commentator on popular culture Steven Johnson will highlight some of the challenges for producers of film, TV, games and new media trying to reach new audiences on new platforms. He will look at tools they can use and how they should respond to the demands of ever more 'digitally literate' users and viewers, exploring new types of content an...

#dfnewcday1
A quirky but informative seminar discussing all the ways for new and emerging documentary filmmakers to begin working in factual television. From pitching to (but not stalking) commissioning editors, to protecting ideas; from working with production companies, to New Talent slots - this seminar offers a comprehensive beginners guide to getting into television. Hosted by Andy Glynne...

#dfnewcday2
This year, for the first time, the CBA-DFID Broadcast Media Scheme is offering a travel bursary of up to £8,000 to help one newcomer tell their story from the developing world. Six filmmakers will be challenged to pitch an idea for an innovative short documentary that makes the developing world interesting to UK audiences and offers new perspectives on overlooked or misunderstood ...

#dfnewcday3
These days TV is just one of many avenues to explore when carving out your path in documentary. Four of the most inspirational documentary filmmakers and experts will pitch their top tips for taking the more scenic route, from understanding how to turn your Facebook profile into your best marketing tool, to learning when it’s a good idea to extend your credit card limit (and when i...

#dfnewcday4
Current TV is offering producers the first chance to pitch for the channel’s new, half-hour investigative journalism slots at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2009. Six lucky individuals will get chance to pitch live to a panel of Current TV executives and other industry representatives. The commissioners will be open about their deliberations on stage, and the best pitch will receive a commiss...

#xodigitalbrit
“Only a Digital Britain can unlock the imagination and creativity that will secure for us and our children the highly skilled jobs of the future. Only a Digital Britain will secure the wonders of an information revolution that could transform every part of our lives. Only a Digital Britain will enable us to demonstrate the vision and dynamism that we have to shape the future.” G...

#dfdocday
DocDay is an inspiring, intensive and entertaining day of hands-on workshops, screenings and surgeries for 16-19 year olds who are making - or want to make - documentaries, and could use help from the experts. Participants will develop an idea for a short documentary with some of the best documentary practitioners from around the UK – directors, producers, editors and commissioners ...

#dfsustainable
One would have to be a slight bit deluded to go into documentary filmmaking for riches or fame, but is it possible to even make a sustainable living as a non-fiction filmmaker? A recent Oscar nominated documentarian was quoted as saying that she envied farmers, because "at least they are subsidized." Non-fiction films, often expensive, challenging, years-long in the making, are ...

#dfchildrensdoc
How can documentaries for children possibly compete with cartoons? Yet this year Children’s BBC have commissioned six thirty minute single documentaries for 6 – 12 year olds. Can any gritty portrayal of real life engage this audience? And isn't it exploitative to film vulnerable children and show it to their peers? Factual formats like Smoke House and Election have proved that...

#dfdocgames
We already know games to be powerful storytelling and teaching tools, but can games be truly documentary in nature? What is a documentary game? How is this blended genre bringing filmmakers and game-makers together, and how does the truth present itself in a designed multimedia system comprising fact, story, and rules? A cross-disciplinary panel of experts discusses the theory a...

#dffeaturedocs
A panel of feature doc producers, financiers and distributors talk about their experiences of being involved in theatrical documentaries. Each gives the lowdown of their successes and failures and what they believe are the qualities that make some documentaries worthy of cinema exhibition? The panel will then listen to 3 pitches for documentaries with theatrical ambitions and wi...

#dffrontline
Entering a country to film an imminent military coup, being taken hostage by the Taliban while filming on the Afghanistan and Pakistan border, losing a colleague while filming in a conflict zone: James Brabazon, Sean Langan and Vaughan Smith have all knowingly put their lives at risk to report from areas considered out of bounds. Without their coverage, our view on the world would...

#dfgamesstory
Games are becoming increasingly more complex and involved, with thousands of players, playing across multiple platforms. No longer is it just about one person and their box. However to be truly engaging games also have to tell a fascinating and engaging story. This session brings together the commissioners, the developers, the producers and the commentators to showcase and discus...

#dfgamesworkshop
Games are the fastest growing form of entertainment in the world, taking eyeballs away from film and TV alike. The power of play is such that as well as making billions for publishers, and millions for developers, it's being used by governments, doctors, activists and artists to explore ideas and develop new ways of communicating with audiences. More and more documentary maker...

#dfsuccessfulcopro
What kinds of documentary project work as co-productions? With clips from successful collaborations, commissioners and producers describe the world of co-production and how it has changed over recent years. With an emphasis on public broadcasters in Europe, they debate the way forward, and answer audience questions on what the broadcasters are looking for.

#dfbbclovedocs
As the market for documentaries in the UK continues to shrink, and indies find it harder and harder to get commissions, we look at how much the UK's biggest player actually loves Docs. Is the BBC doing all it can
to make sure the great British tradition of docs stays strong, and that the audience still loves them?
In a comprehensive look at the BBC Doc landscape, Charlotte Moo...

#dfpitch360
This session will examine some of the key questions surrounding the 360 content pitch. Speakers will identify exactly what commissioning editors are looking for and what makes a standout idea. They will discuss how to secure the right co-production partner, how to get a brand involved in producing 360 branded content, how pitching a 360 content idea differs to a traditional TV for...

#dfclimatesummit
The Copenhagen Climate Summit will be one of the most seminal Summits of our generation, changing not just policies, but paradigms that impact all our personal and professional choices. The documentary film sector has two duties; firstly to disseminate knowledge and stories to inform and catalyse action. Secondly, to reduce our own energy use and carbon emissions. How do we mo...

#dfhypothetical
A new documentary from a respected filmmaker is about to have a world premiere at a major festival when suspicion is cast on whether the facts in the film are true. Join a group of filmmakers, journalists and industry vets as they wrestle and role play when the beloved panel from this year's True/False Film Festival comes to the UK.

#dfuscable
You’ve conquered Europe – ready to leap across the pond? YES YOU CAN. US broadcasters discuss working in the US market. Dawn Porter moderates. Panelists include Mark Wild who has been tasked with finding international talent for Nat Geo; Andre Singer of British “SuperIndie” West Park Pictures, supplier to HBO, National Geographic, History, TLC, NOVA, and PBS; John Lindsay, Vice Pre...

#dfimprovingprofit
Launched in London in June 2009 this is the first programme to emerge to guide TV production companies on what new, digital business models will look like, and equips them with the knowledge and insight to begin to adopt the necessary new business practices. With partnership funding from the European Regional Development Fund this Ravensbourne led programme covers essential ...

#dfglobalcrossplatform

#dfmarcisaacs
Marc Isaacs first worked as an assistant to filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski and whose encouragement led Marc to make his debut film ‘Lift’. From that debut onwards, Marc reveals a great capacity to empathise with the protagonists of his films. Never judging by appearances, his skill at getting to know the characters becomes part of the narrative of the film, challenging our prejudice...

#dfmediamicroscope
In the past, producers made films about science, but now it seems that dynamic is being turned on its head. Social networking models, massive multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft and even Zombie films are helping inform how viruses spread and are increasing our understanding of how we socialize and form networks. We discuss what it means for scientists and content...

#dfmeetmarket
MeetMarket* is the international marketplace at Doc/Fest, designed to match the most innovative documentary and cross-platform projects with potential financiers. This year the international panel of assessors will select 55-60 projects from 612 submissions.

In a structured and highly-productive setting, independent producers and filmmakers take pre-scheduled meetings with com...

#dfminimeet
The Mini-MeetMarket is a unique opportunity for new and emerging filmmakers to get feedback on their documentary idea. Up to 30 filmmakers were selected to take part in this project pitching and steering session. Each will have the opportunity to meet industry executives in an intimate roundtable environment, getting a response on their pitch, as well as pointers on how the idea ne...

#dfmusicmclass
This is a rare chance to see the legendary masterclass from Itay Talgam - the hit of MiP in Cannes this year where Itay wowed the audience in his demonstration of how the skills of conducting an orchestra translate to the skills required to shape the narrative of any storytelling artform. When you watch Conductor Carlos Kleiber, you notice he is dancing, acting out his joy, tell...

#dfnesta
This session is an opportunity to hear more about the NESTA/UK Film Council 'Take 12 - Digital Innovation in Film' programme. The programme, which has been running for a year with 12 businesses across the independent film industry, has been exploring how film businesses grow and survive in the digital world. Several of the participating businesses have developed cross platform strands...

#xonewbusmodels
"The days of the commission system developed 150 years ago in the tea rooms of Fleet Street are numbered. This will force media agencies' remuneration models to evolve rapidly." Colin Gottlieb, chief executive EMEA of Omnicom Media Group. With so much content available free and dwindling revenue streams from established sources, how are media producers going to build successful...

#dfnewsflash!
We’re surrounded by news reporting extraordinary real-life stories – which one could you make into an interesting doc? Choose a real-life story from a newspaper headline and pitch it to our panel of experts who will mentor and finally vote for the pitch ‘most likely to succeed’! Workshop for 16 yrs plus.

#dfnfbpitch
Networks are starting to invest more in cross platform and expecting multiplatform delivery in projects. What sorts of projects are the new digitally-minded commissioners looking for? Come along and hear the panel give an insight to their thinking as they respond to pitches from producers who have developed original ideas for cross-platform documentary projects. The projects have b...

#dfpennywool
The debate about authenticity is constant in documentary and most strident when filmmakers cross the border into fiction. Penny Woolcock’s latest film, 1 Day, which follows a Handsworth gang member’s release from prison and the war that ensues between rival gangs, has already provoked accusations of “perpetuating stereotypes”. 1 Day: Take 2 is a portrait of Handsworth through the ...

#dfpitchwshop
The pitch workshop aims to help independent producers and filmmakers with a project selected for MeetMarket , to prepare for their meetings the following days. Under the guidance of Christina Burnett – one of Europe’s leading proposal development and pitch trainers – participants can rehearse and improve their pitch. What is the best pitch for your project? How do you present you...

#dfpsmonline
With the media ecology changing rapidly, everyone agrees that new approaches must be found to make public service media relevant. 4iP is supporting innovative new online public service media projects as are The Guardian, BBC and The Wellcome Trust. Galleries, museums and archives are also involved in commissioning or delivering public service media. All are actively changing the w...

#dfquestiontime
What do you want the UK Government to do to support the documentary industry? With the election looming, this is your chance to put key recommendations in front of the new government. In this very special Question Time, an impressive line-up of documentary producers and leading industry figures debate the best suggestions: Production tax breaks? Increased broadcaster output req...

#dfrightstv
Rights.tv will be running a free legal and business affairs surgery from 12 - 5pm on Friday 6th November at the Yorkshire Artspace, down the road from The Workstation. The 15 minute one-to-one sessions will offer advice on development and underlying rights deals, co-productions, broadcaster and talent agreements and distribution and licensing deals.
If you would like to book a se...

#dfroundtables
Looking for a chance to talk informally to some of the key buyers, experts and decision-makers at Doc/Fest? Come to our intensive, short, sharp session of ‘round table’ meetings for limited numbers where key international financiers and advisors present themselves to delegates and hold group discussions. This is a way to make connections with funders and experts, introduce yours...

#dfroundtables
Looking for a chance to talk informally to some of the key buyers, experts and decision-makers at Doc/Fest? Come to our intensive, short, sharp session of ‘round table’ meetings for limited numbers where key international financiers and advisors present themselves to delegates and hold group discussions. This is a way to make connections with funders and experts, introduce yours...

#dfsandpit

Hide&Seek make social games and playful experiences. They founded the UK’s first festival of pervasive games in London in 2007, and have been working, thinking and playing together since. They run The Sandpit, a thriving network of artists, game-designers and players, and produce events with venues around the UK. They work with brands, broadcasters and agencies to help them under...

#dfdigibootcamp
Digital Bootcamp is a half day training session designed to help you and your film navigate the evolving digital landscape. Creative Director James Mullighan will be hosting the event, alongside Ingrid Kopp, Head of Shooting People's US Operations and James Franklin, Creative Director of Pixeco - a digital design studio dedicated to documentary film projects. The session will l...

#dfstitchpitch
Fancy an opportunity to have a chat and gossip about documentary, and network with fellow delegates, whilst knitting a scarf, cross-stitching a documentary scene, and perhaps having a drink? This is your chance. We will supply you with wool to knit or crochet and thread to sew or cross-stitch, whilst you discuss the docs you’ve seen and the projects you’re pitching. Bring the cr...

#dfsuper8
The super 8 filmmaking workshop will focus on how to shoot super 8 in today's digital world. Where to find cameras, how to use them, choosing from the wide variety of film stocks, developing a story that fits the format, finding processing, transfer to video and editorial options. Clips from a variety of Super 8 films will be screened for inspiration.

#dftapeless
Tapeless workflows are finally hitting the mainstream and there's a lot of misinformation and confusion out there. If managed properly tapeless workflows can work like a dream, if not they can also become a nightmare. The aim of the session is to clear up the confusion and provide a clear guide to making tapeless work for you. The panel will consist of experts in the field who h...

#dfdailychatshow
With your hosts AJ Schnack and Debra Zimmerman.

#dfdailychatshow
With your hosts AJ Schnack and Debra Zimmerman.

#dfdailychatshow
With your hosts AJ Schnack and Debra Zimmerman.

#dfrjcutler
R.J. Cutler got behind the scenes of the Bill Clinton campaign trail with DA Pennebaker to make ‘The War Room’ and in his latest film, R.J. managed to secure complete access to another closely guarded process: the making of Vogue magazine. This documentary about the inner workings of Vogue is beautiful and dazzling - but how did R.J. get in there and what was it like following the ...

#dfwellcomepitch
Come and pitch your science idea to The Wellcome Trust for a 10k prize! Wellcome’s Broadcast Development Awards support the development of broadcast proposals that engage the audience with issues around biomedical science in an innovative, entertaining and accessible way. The pitch is open to innovative documentary, game and online projects that can engage large audiences with...

#dflesliewood
‘How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin’ is Leslie Woodhead’s most recent film. It frames a career that began in 1962 filming a then unknown band in Liverpool’s Cavern Club. 25 years later, when Leslie began to make films in Russia, he discovered how the Beatles legend had soaked into the lives of a generation. Now, coming full circle, he has returned to Russia to meet the Beatles g...

#dfdoclipse
The artists’ film and video session is a special conference session and networking event for documentary producers, artist filmmakers, documentary and web/mobile funders, crowd-funding experts, and anyone else interested in this crossover area. It will show what artists film is and discuss how to bring the allegedly-separate worlds of art and documentary much closer. This is with s...

#dfpirates
This year the battle for the future of digital distribution intensified. The founders of Pirate Bay were found guilty of assistance to copyright infringement and sentenced to a year in jail. A Shooting People poll indicated that ordinary filmmakers are deeply divided. A third welcomed the verdict saying they would never download a pirated film, but 22% had no problem with piracy a...

#dfscreenagencies
What’s the value of regional screen agencies to factual producers? The panel will consist of senior regional screen agency execs along with producers who have experience of, or opinions about, screen agencies - from business support and development funding through to help with finding crews, locations etc. The session's aim will be to alert programme makers to the practical a...

#dfbalkans
Documentary-making in the Balkan states is a model of self-sufficiency and imaginative filmmaking and fundraising. With the launch of the new Balkan Documentary Centre, there is the possibility of a strong new powerhouse region for international co-production. So what's happening in the East?

A brief and lively introduction of all attending commissioning editors, funders and decision-makers open to all delegates. The Who’s Who session provides an informal setting in which all Doc/Fest delegates, including selected MeetMarket participants, can see which factual and cross-platform buyers, distributors and other funders are attending the festival, can learn about the companies they rep...

#dfworkingfilm
If filmmakers want their films to have an impact in the world they need to develop the right change strategy, the appropriate web tools and set up an evaluation methodology.
This panel brings together leading experts on all three – involved in many of the most talked about social justice documentary films of the year that have affected government policy, consumer choices, co...