The Filmmaker's Development Toolkit: The Idea, The Proposal, The Pitch and The Taster Tape
- Posted: January 16, 2013, 6:18 pm
- Category: Short Course (1 day)
About the course
Filmmakers often have great ideas, but lack the necessary skills and resources to know what to do with them. This one-day course helps you identify what makes a good idea, and gives you the main tools to get a project off the ground, namely:
- A well-written proposal
- A great, confident and compelling pitch
- A much needed taster tape
- Tips for working with production companies
- An overview of various funding opportunities
Using examples of commissioned proposals and taster tapes, and with an overview of funding and commissioning objectives, it’s an essential one-day intensive for moving ahead with your own project.
Location: The Documentary Filmmakers Group, 4th Floor, Shacklewell Studios, 28 Shacklewell Lane
More details
Date: 8th February 2013
Time: 10am to 6pm
Cost: £70 (inc VAT) for DFG Members, £90 (inc VAT) for non-members
The course includes:
What makes a good idea? What’s the difference between having just a great idea, and one that actually stands a chance of reaching an audience?
How does one write a proposal that captures the idea in a simple and effective way? From the title to the structure of the proposal, what are the main elements involved, and what are the top tips for writing one that will get you that all-important foot through the door?
These days, any idea needs to have some kind of visual ‘proof of concept’, often called a “Teaser” or “Taster Tape”. But what should this look like and how much effort really needs to be put into it? How long should it be, what should it cover, and how should it be presented? In this course, such questions will be answered along with a demonstration of some successful (and less successful) teasers.
With a decent proposal and a great taster, who do you then approach, and how do you approach them? This part of the day focuses not only on the various types of funding out there (TV, feature doc funding, and other sources of money) but also on the necessary partnerships to form, including a look at working with Production Companies and Executive Producers or going solo.
Finally the course will touch on the pitch – how to do it, how not to do it, where and when, and how to develop your own pitching style.
Please note there are funding opportunities available for this course through Skillset. To find out more and to check if you are eligible click here.
Course details:
Where?
The Documentary Filmmakers Group, 4th Floor, Shacklewell Studios, 28 Shacklewell Lane, E8 2EZ
When?
This course has already run.
Please check out details of other related courses to call us on
+44 (0)20 7249 6600 / e-mail training@dfgdocs.com for more details.
Who teaches this course?
Andy Glynne - Andy Glynne is a BAFTA award-winning documentary filmmaker, author and producer. He is the Founding Director of DFG and is also Managing Director of the production company Mosaic Films. He has directed and produced numerous documentaries both in the UK and across the world, and has spent much of his career working with, and mentoring, new and emerging filmmakers.