Playground Documentary

INSIDE OUT

Playground Documentaries is a brand new format at DOK.forum carefully developed for our international Industry Guests. This years’ Playgrounds shed light on distribution of documentaries in many different ways. In an informal atmosphere, the speakers and audience will exchange ideas, talk about their projects and difficulties and concentrate on new possibilities and solutions. It aims on sharing experts insights and gives space for an active audience to create visions for documentary.

Free entry, please register here.

Session No. 2, 2.00 – 3.00 pm
INSIDE OUT

What is the essence of your film? How do you make sure that’s what invites people to see it? In an extremely competitive and financially tight industry success is only possible with a clear and cutting message that emerges from a constructive and productive cooperation between producer and distributor. In this session we will play the title game and compile efficient strategies for each program and its essence to be presented. You are welcome to bring your own (working) title, a key picture or a poster draft, and ideas on how to make the essence of your film come out the best.

Please make sure you have your files ready on your phone, laptop or tablet.

Some basics ahead:

  • Each program needs a recognizable key picture. Take high resolution screen shots during the edit, or, much better, take high resolution and high-quality set photos during the shoot. It’s worth it!

  • When choosing a title for your program, think of an international audience. A title needs to be catchy, compact, simple and make you feel there is a story behind those words that you want to know more about. A title does not summarize the film’s content but make audiences curious to want to see it.

  • Most of the non-fiction TV slots have a length of 52 to 58 minutes. Plan such a version from the beginning of production and don’t consider it to be a mutilation of your story but a shortcut to quality. Think of it as telling your story in another language.

 

Please see here for details on Session No. 1 and Session No. 3

 

 

  • Sat, 5/5/18
    14.00
    HFF - Seminarraum 2
  • Sat, 5/5/18
    14.00
    HFF - Seminarraum 2
Esther van Messel
CEO (First Hand Films)

Esther van Messel, geboren 1965 in Wien, lebt in der Schweiz und hat BfA der Universität Tel Aviv. 1990 war sie bei Warner Bros. Israel und leitete dort den Verleih. Ab 1992 produzierte sie für eine unabhängige Produktionsfirma in Zürich internationale Spiel- und Dokumentarfilme. Seit 1998 leitet Esther van Messel ihre Firma FIRST HAND FILMS in Zürich und Berlin für Produktion, Weltvertrieb und Verleih in den drei Schweizer Sprachregionen.