MeetMarket: Application guidelines

• Projects can be in early development, late development, and production stages. For post-production/rough cut, please see our Rough Cut presentations below. 
• Projects must be feature-length documentaries intended for theatrical distribution, TV one-offs, series intended for TV broadcast or other forms of exhibition.
• There is no minimum amount of financing in place needed. 
• You cannot apply with a project that was previously selected for MeetMarket. If you have applied previously and not been selected, you can reapply. 
• In order to apply, the project must have a producer/ executive producer on board, as well as a director.
• You may submit more than one application, but be aware that a maximum of 1 project would be selected per production company.

• Projects must be in post-production/rough cut stage and must have 60% of material shot. 
• Projects must be feature-length documentaries intended for theatrical distribution, TV one-offs, series intended for TV broadcast or other forms of exhibition.
• For Rough Cut presentations, we accept applications from projects that have never applied before, projects that have applied previously but not been selected, and projects that have been selected for the regular MeetMarket in previous years. 
• You must have a producer and a director on board. 
• You may submit more than one application, but be aware that a maximum of one project would be selected per production company.

• Project title - Original language and English;
• Logline - A short logline, maximum 300 characters - approximately 45 words;
• Synopsis - A synopsis, maximum 600 characters - approximately 90 words;
• Project description and approach - A full description of the project, including the narrative structure and the artistic approach, 3500 characters - approximately 550 words;
• Director’s intent - What are your (director's) intentions in creating this project? Why are you telling this story? If relevant, please describe your relationship with the participants/communities being filmed. 1750 characters maximum - approximately 300 words;
• Topics

• Countries of production - The countries where your film is being produced (this might not be the same place it is being filmed);
• Countries of co-production - If applicable, any countries you are co-producing with (this might not be the same place it is being filmed) 
• Countries of filming - The countries where you have filmed/planned to film in;
• Production dates - Production end date and year;
• Estimated release date - Estimated month and year that your project would be released;
• Project length - Final length in minutes.

• MeetMarket projects: 3 minute preview - Trailer, teaser, or scene selection for your project, no longer than 3 minutes;
• Rough Cut Presentations: 15 minute preview
• Description of preview - Describe the preview link you have submitted and a brief reason as to why you have chosen this clip;
• Leading image - Leading image for your project, high-resolution and landscape format.

We strongly recommend submitting a preview of the project you are applying with. If you do not yet have footage, you may submit another clip (e.g. a sample of your previous work that is relevant).

• Finance plan, including names of financiers - Financing in place and amount invested - if confirmed; 
• Budget in GBP - Total budget, budget currently in place and amount still needed;
• Aims for the MeetMarket - What do you hope to gain from presenting this project at Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket? What kinds of industry representatives and partners do you wish to meet? Any territories are you particularly interested in?

We don’t accept full budgets, only financing plans with confirmed funding details and information on funding applications.

• Team members - You must include at least 1 producer and 1 director. You can also add additional team members (director, producer, co-producer, executive producers, etc.). Please also include broadcasters/sales agents/distributors that are attached (if applicable);
• Producer(s) and Director(s) biography and filmography - include your team members biography and filmography. Please write the role and name at the top of each biography.

• The entry fee for MeetMarket and Rough Cut entries is £30 excluding VAT per entry. 
• There are discounts/waivers available for countries on the ODA list of DAC recipients. If this is the case, please email industry@sheffdocfest.com for more info and let us know which country you are applying from before you make a payment. The applicant/main producer must be based in the country. 

• Your entry will not be reviewed unless we receive the payment of the entry fee. 
• We cannot offer refunds on entries already submitted. 
• Due to the high number of entries we receive, we cannot give feedback on any project entries that have not been selected. 

Our selection team consists of internal and external industry professionals who will review the projects in-depth. The selectors change each year, with some returning selectors and some new. All applications will be assessed by a minimum of two selectors. 

• If your application is successful, there is a fee to participate in the MeetMarket of £260 excluding VAT (£312 including VAT) per attending team member of the selected project.

• This fee covers your participation in the MeetMarket, curation and organisation of your one to one meetings, and all marketplace activities. It also includes a full industry pass, giving selected MeetMarket participants access to the whole festival programme including film screenings, talks and sessions, exhibitions, networking events, and parties and socials. 

• There are discounts/waivers available for the participation fee for filmmakers based in countries on the ODA list of DAC recipients. 

   

Once the film project is completed, the Sheffield DocFest MeetMarket laurel (provided to you after the 2026 festival) should be included in the credits with the line “Presented at Sheffield DocFest MeetMarket [year here].”