MeetMarket
MeetMarket* is the pitching initiative at Sheffield Doc/Fest, designed to match documentary makers’ most innovative project ideas with UK and international buyers.
Buyers view online one-minute pitch teasers of innovative documentary ideas, along with one-page treatments, in advance of Doc/Fest. From this, they select which projects they would like to discuss in one-to-one meetings at MeetMarket. Projects can be at any stage of development and cross-platform projects are also very welcome.
MeetMarket submissions are now open, and you can submit your project online now. If you have any queries about applying, please email Charlie Phillips. The deadline for submitting projects is strictly Friday September 4th.
* MeetMarket is based on an original initiative of the Australian Film Commission (AFC) and the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC).
Is my project eligible?
MeetMarket is open to all documentary makers, from any country. No prior credits are necessary.
Your project can be at any stage of development, production, post-production, or completed.
Interactive factual/documentary; broadband, web-based, mobile phone/mobile device content, cross-platform and convergent media projects are also eligible and indeed highly encouraged, with specialised commissioners, funders and advisers present.
Your projects must have international appeal and take an innovative/fresh approach to either the content, the execution of the idea or both.
Your project may take any form or specialist focus, e.g. feature documentaries, television, series or specialised genres. Natural history, science and arts projects are very welcome.
Projects do not need to have financing already in place.
What are the MeetMarket initiative terms and conditions?
There is no entry fee to apply.
The organisers accept no liability in the event that their publications reproduce inaccuracies that you provide in submitted materials.
Scheduling of meetings is at the discretion of the organisers.
If your application is successful, you agree to attend Sheffield Doc/Fest 2009 for the duration of the MeetMarket. Failure to do so may result in your project being withdrawn.
If your application is successful you must register for Doc/Fest and Early Bird Doc/Fest registration rates for one person per project even after the deadline of Early Bird registration. If you do not register for Doc/Fest, you will not be able to participate in the MeetMarket.
Your application and participation implies unconditional acceptance of these guidelines.
The selection committee decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome. Feedback will not be given if your application is unsuccessful.
The organisers reserve the right to change the guidelines or processes at any time and without notification.
Recoupment: the organisers will not recoup costs associated with any component of this program nor take rights or liabilities in projects selected.
How do I apply?
MeetMarket Submissions are now open. You might find these tips useful in planning your submission:
- Project Information/Synopsis - We offer you the chance to submit short (100 word) and long (500 word) synopses - in both cases remember you don't have to go right up to the word limit. The quality of your description is what matters. Remember this description has to entice assessors to want to choose you and buyers to want to meet you, so get them interested and leave them wanting more. And whilst you should get them excited with the ideas, don't forget to give them story and character as well. You can also upload a longer pitch document, but this is an optional extra to supplement your synopsis, so don't rely on this. Your synopses are the real sales document.
- Details - Length, Intended slot, Format, Status, Date of Production/Release - you may not know for sure yet depending on what stage your project is at, but be as realistic as possible - research what slots exist in international TV, cinema and cross-platform, and tally your length and slot with that. Make sure your budget information is consistent with the length you specify. It's fine to keep your options open and specify, for example, a TV hour and a 90' version.
- Financing - State your total budget and total already obtained (plus who has already committed funds) in Euros and Pounds. Check your calculations are accurate before you submit the form. If you've had strong interest but not money commitment from somewhere, you can also put this here - but remember assessors and buyers you may put down here read this information so don't exaggerate any interest.
- Participants - Give us brief information on your production team (up to 100 words). Don't paste your CV here, these biographies are part of your project information and need to be as enticing as your synopses, so make them interesting. Remember that your biogs go here, they don't go in your synopsis - you're wasting your chance to write about your project if you put your biogs in there.
- Teaser Clip Technical - You must upload a one-minute teaser clip to accompany your submission and this is compulsory. The clip needs to be embedded directly onto the form via a video-sharing website, must be able to be viewed without requiring any external login to a video sharing site, and cannot be emailed or posted to us - we recommend Daily Motion for embedding your clip. Further technical help is available within the submissions form.
- Teaser Clip Creative - Your clip's purpose is to interest funders, and not to be a short film in itself. We specify a length of one-minute because we think it helps you to focus on clearly getting the key information in there - why buyers would want to invest in your project. There's infinite ways to do your clip but primarily use this one minute to get buyers interested and want to know more. Show them the quality of what you've shot and the strength of your characters and narrative, and give them a taste of your on-screen style. Be visually creative - remember this is your visual pitch, and documentary is a visual form - your synopsis is for all the words. Make your teaser stand out, so make it unusual...without getting too obscure unless of course it matches your subject.
Above all, remember that your submission is a whole package and is assessed as so. So think about how all these elements fit together, and good luck.
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS STRICTLY SEPTEMBER 4TH Please email charlie@sidf.co.uk if you have any immediate questions
MeetMarket 2008
In 2008, there were 117 buyers, commissioners and decision-makers at Doc/Fest. Go here to see which documentary decision-makers were at MeetMarket and the Sheffield Doc/Fest Marketplace 2008, and here to see which projects were pitched.
- 53 projects from 16 countries
- 87 independent producers & freelance filmmakers
- 48 international commissioners, funders, distributors & sales agents
- 69 UK commissioners, funders, distributors & EP’s
- Funders and decision makers from 19 countries
- 635 meetings
- 12 meetings per project (on average)
"I enjoyed the time in Sheffield and found some very promising projects. It was perfect and the new format of the pitchings is very effective and gives creativity more space."
- Hans Robert Eisenhauer – Head of Theme Nights – ZDF/ARTE - Germany
"The most effortless and efficient way to meet numerous key commissioners and decision-makers over two days. Thanks so much for selecting us, we had a very productive time"
MeetMarket Producer 2008
"MeetMarket surprised me: I had an extraordinarily creative response from 23 intelligent men and women who care passionately about documentaries. They reflected my story back to me and I came out richer – not just financially but in terms of valuing my project."
Amy Hardie – director - Scotland
"The MeetMarket was absolutely amazing and productive and I had an absolutely fantastic festival"
Danielle DiGiacomo - Indiepix - USA
96% of participants said MeetMarket gave them access to commissioners, distributors and funders that do not normally have access to, 100% would recommend it to other producers and filmmakers, and 100% said that MeetMarket is good value for money