The Marketplace Sessions offer all Festival delegates who are interested in making documentaries the opportunity to find new collaborators, connect with industry representatives and clue-up on key issues facing filmmakers today. If you’re attending to Doc/Fest to gain market intel and expand your network, Cutlers' Hall is the place to be!
This is an overview of the Marketplace Sessions programme for 2019. Next year's Marketplace Sessions will be announced in due course.
Marketplace Sessions
Monday 10 June + Tuesday 11 June
Cutlers' Hall, Drawing Room
Filmmakers & producers - these sessions are for you! Connect with industry representatives from international festivals, markets and shorts platforms. Gather with other filmmakers for in-depth producer-led case studies about recent releases. Find co-production partners. Get expert advice on budgeting and legal matters. Spots in these sessions are limited by capacity and advance sign-up is required.
Meet the Festivals
Join this session to connect with representatives from international festivals and doc markets. Take the chance to ask about programming, submissions, pitching opportunities and festival strategy.
Confirmed festival representatives (so far, more TBC):
Nadja Tennstedt, Berlinale (Germany)
Samara Chadwick, Camden International Film Festival (USA)
Katrine Kiilgaard, CPH:DOX (Denmark)
Gabor Pertic, Hot Docs (Canada)
Jasper Hokken, IDFA (Netherlands)
Jenni Tuovinen, IDFA (Netherlands)
Charlotte Reekers, IFP (USA)
Chloe Trayner, Open City Documentary Festival (UK)
Jesse Cumming, TIFF (Canada)
Monday 10 June, 10:00-11:30
Producers Meet Producers
If you’re a producer looking to broaden your network with fellow producers, this session is for you. Producers at this gathering, ranging from a variety of countries, will be able to mix, share intel and explore possibilities for collaborations and co-productions. This session has limited capacity and requires a short application to apply for a place. To take part, you must have produced at least one film or TV episode with a budget of over £10,000 that you financed through your own production company.
Monday 10 June, 12:00-13:30
Here's What Really Happened: Producer-led Case Study (1 of 2) with Kellen Quinn (Midnight Family)
A filmmaker-only session presented in partnership with the International Documentary Association.
No tweeting. No press. No industry Decision Makers allowed.
Exclusive to filmmakers, this will be a candid conversation with producers sharing their personal insights into the business and craft of making a documentary. It’s the sort of conversation you may overhear filmmakers speaking quietly about between themselves. Learn what honestly happened behind-the-scenes of a particular case study, including deals made, finance plans and results post-release. It’s personal, it’s intimate, let’s get into it.
Monday 10 June, 14:00-15:30
Session partner:
Here's What Really Happened: Producer-led Case Study (2 of 2) | with Anne Köhncke (Pervert Park)
A filmmaker-only session presented in partnership with the International Documentary Association.
No tweeting. No press. No industry Decision Makers allowed.
Exclusive to filmmakers, this will be a candid conversation with producers sharing their personal insights into the business and craft of making a documentary. It’s the sort of conversation you may overhear filmmakers speaking quietly about between themselves. Learn what honestly happened behind-the-scenes of this particular case study, including deals made, finance plans and results post-release. It’s personal, it’s intimate, let’s get into it.
Monday 10 June, 16:00-17:30
Session partner:
Budgeting Masterclass
Developing a realistic budget is a vital part of filmmaking but it can be a difficult task. Join producer, Rachel Wexler, as she provides a detailed overview of an independent documentary budget, clarifying the process line by line. It’s a great opportunity to receive comprehensive guidance which will be helpful when preparing your own budgets. Attendees in this session will also receive a downloadable budget template.
Rachel Wexler has over 25 years’ experience in film and television, principally documentary. Her films have been broadcast in territories worldwide and have won dozens of awards including an Emmy and two Peabody Awards. Rachel also provides training as part of Sheffield Doc/Fest’s Future Producer School, which she devised.
Tuesday 11 June, 10:00-11:30
Some Like It Short
Discover how to work with a variety of creative companies and learn about what kinds of short-form documentaries they support. Industry Decision Makers who commission or showcase shorts will explain their editorial focus, style and avenues for collaboration or getting work shown. Have your short doc ideas ready as you’ll be able to pitch them directly to the commissioners following the round-table discussions.
Confirmed organisations (so far, more TBC):
Boiler Room, Joe Alexander
BBC Three, Jo Smith
COMPULSORY, Chris Toumazou
COMPULSORY, Kadri Mahmoud
Docsville, India Woods
Docsville, Holly Whiston
The Guardian, Charlie Phillips
Little Dot Studios, Alex Hryniewicz
New York Times, Lindsay Crouse
NOWNESS, Gavin Humphries
Tuesday 11 June, 12:00-13:30
Ask a Lawyer
Contracts. Rights. Intellectual property. Co-production agreements. Licencing. Profit splitting. Insurance. Termination clauses. The legal aspects of filmmaking are tricky, but super important to get right. Join this session to be in the room with film industry lawyers who’ll take questions and offer guidance on your legal quandaries.
Tuesday 11 June, 14:00-15:30
ANY QUESTIONS?
If you have any queries about our Marketplace Summit & Sessions, please contact Sophie Duncan at sophie.duncan@sheffdocfest.com
The Marketplace Summit & Sessions are supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and the Department for International Trade.
