Doc/Fest Round Table Session
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 yourself to them, discuss the practicalities of working with them creatively and financially, and gather information on documentary financing in an informal and relaxed way in small groups.
In 2009 there were 2 Round Table events on Saturday 7th November, each lasting for 90 minutes. Attendance is first-come first-served and limited in number due to the need for intimacy in this special format. The Round Tables will return even better in 2010.
Decision-Makers taking part
These decision-makers all hosted a Round Table. You can read all their profiles here
Peter Jäger (Autlook Film Sales, Austria)
Margje De Koning (IKON, The Netherlands)
Sally-Ann Wilson (CBA-DFID, UK)
Simon Kilmurry (PBS POV, USA)
Danielle DiGiacomo (IFP/ Executive Producer, USA)
Ryan Harrington (Gucci Tribeca Film Fund/Executive Producer, USA)
Claire Aguilar (ITVS, USA)
Caitlin Boyle (Film Sprout, USA)
Natalie Difford (Chicken and Egg Pictures, USA)
Rob McLaughlin (National Film Board of Canada)
James Franklin (Pixeco, UK)
Orna Yarmut (Israel CoPro-Documentary Marketing Foundation)
Sabine Bubeck-Paaz (ARTE/ZDF, Germany)
Pascale Cornuel (ARTE GEIE, France)
Tom Koch (PBS Distribution)
Sandi Scott (BBC3 Fresh)
Perrine Poubeau (France Televisions)
Ann Julienne (France Televisions)
Patricia Finneran (Sundance Institute Documentary Film Fund)
How to do the Round Tables
The Round Tables are an information-exchange session, where you have the opportunity to discuss funding matters with a variety of Decision-makers; whether they are sales agent, distributor, commissioning editor amongst others. Each slot lasts 10 minutes offering concise head-to-heads with the decision-maker and a group of fellow delegates, totalling no more than 8. As each session is scheduled to be succinct, yet still constructive, it is wise to do your research on each Buyer’s remit and outlook in advance. Familiarising yourself with who the buyer is and what types of subjects, formats or concept they work with will obviously aid the flow of discussion.
Once you’ve arrived and been assigned to your first table, each group will move in a clockwise fashion – from table to table – allowing you to speak to each table by the end of the session. Each discussion will last 10 minutes, after which you’ll hear a teabell and be asked to move on. Please be attentive to this process as any lingering can have a domino effect. Remember that any discussion brought to what you think might be a premature end can always be continued afterwards, and please bear in mind that it’s not a private conversation between yourself and the Buyer but an initial group discussion from which future working relationships may hopefully emerge...