Overview
Each year, the sessions at Sheffield Doc/Fest include keynote addresses and interviews with some of the world's leading documentary filmmakers, broadcasters and cross platform practitioners.
There are sessions on the business of docs, for those hungry for commissioning and the art of docs, with panels that address hot issues facing documentary makers today.
In 2011 the line-up was bigger and better than ever, with a celebrity-studded programme of inspirational masterclasses and keynotes. A big thankyou to Documentary Campus, the committee and all session producers in helping to create yet another fantastic industry programme.
Keeping with the tradition and success of the last few years, Doc/Fest held a Crossover Summit on the Wednesday focusing on Commissioning for Convergence with highlights including keynote by Frank Rose and a number of exciting spotlight presentations. The 2011 Crossover Summit was designed to help Commissioners and producers prepare for the rapid changes to come. The day set the foundations for you to build on and strengthen your broadcaster or your production capabilities.
There were a number of themed. After Crossover Summit day on the Wednesday, Saturday gave a chance to join in on Crowdfunding Day at the Town Hall and learn how to unlock alternative funding online and in other innovative ways. Sunday included The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media: which taught you how to go viral, how to create digital influence and how to be a cult leader, all in one day! Thursday and Friday were packed with a wealth of innovative, informative, creative and critical content which offered something to suit delegates at every level and from every discipline in factual and digital content creation.
We were so proud to be able to welcome keynote speakers and masterclasses including: Morgan Spurlock, Albert Maysles, Nick Broomfield, Bruce Parry, Molly Dinneen, Leonard Retel Helmrich, A.A. Gill, Steve James and John Akomfrah. Also this year our special keynotes were: BBC Interview: Adam Curtis and Channel 4 Interview: with KEO Films and Hugh Fearnley -Whittingstall.
Thursday hosted our ever-popular UK commissioning panels, and in addition to this we added a wealth of panels discussing European commissioning and co-pro. Other highlights included: The Channel 4 Interview: The People’s Republic of KEO hosts Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the KEO team discussed fish fights, medicine men and Amish adventures. Nick Fraser questioned a panel of people closely connected to Wikileaks and Julian Assange in Wikileaks: Behind The News. Indian Documentary – a Bright New Future? explored what you can do for India and what, increasingly, India can do for you. Sky 3D explored a world of Possibilities for 3D Factual, we had sessions focused on formats, International Channels, Asian Co-production and making your first documentary among many others.
The EU and UK commissioning panels carried through to Friday as well as Tiger Aspect hosting We’re All Factual Entertainment Now! Debating whether filmmakers should be exploring the fact-ent genre or instead trying to save and preserve factual. How Small Indies get a Look in was about Channel 4 recently beginning the single biggest initiative in diversifying its creative supply for over 10 years, but what hope is there really for smaller indies of getting a look in? The rise of Arab Media, Story Leads to Action, Is Risk Aversion Killing Creativity and many more took us late into Friday evening.
Sound, fashion, titles, poverty, animators, ratings and radio were among the wealth of subjects covered on Saturday along with many ‘How To’ sessions on making Good Taster Tapes, making a Buck on the net and How to crap on everyone and make it to the top!
We were delighted to host a special quick-fire presentation session The Revolution Will be Tweeted, bringing in groups of speakers from the UK to Cairo showcasing 6 minutes of what they have being doing to help spread the word and document the Arab Uprisings via clever use of social media. With Masterclasses and Social Media on Sunday there was so much to see and do every day.