2023
Producers Lab - 2023 (Online)
- Start date:
- Oct 24, 2023
- Ability Level:
- Intermediate to Advanced
Doha Film Institute recognises the rise of emerging talent in the region and the fundamental role producers play in defining, supporting and influencing the voice of filmmakers.
This workshop is an opportunity for local and MENA-based producers to develop their skills further with experts in the field, in a small and intimate group of up to a maximum of 8-10 projects. Further, our hope is to strengthen co-productions in the MENA region, to open networking opportunities and to improve the overall quality of projects developed in the region.
This intensive seven-day programme takes place online and focuses on the creative, artistic and strategic aspects of producing a feature-length documentary and fiction films. Through intensive training exercises, group tutorials, tailor-made one-on-one meetings and master classes led by noted industry experts, participants will gain deeper insight into various elements of film producing and come to truly understand the role of a producer.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore film marketing & distribution strategies with an in-depth focus on targeting the right audiences, understanding international markets and employing effective sales tactics.
A number of case studies will be presented throughout the sessions, enabling participants to address questions related to script development, executive production, finance and budget plans, managing the post production workflow, marketing, pitching and distribution. Industry standard technical documents and templates will be shared with participants and discussed in detail – e.g. budget, financing plan, distribution and sales strategy samples, and treatment and pitch examples.
Deadline for applications: Monday 25 September
Workshop Dates: 24 – 29 October 2023 (online)
Language of the Workshop: Arabic And English
Price: QAR 1,500
Ability Level: Intermediate to Advanced (Feature length film projects)
8 to 10 Qatar and MENA-based producers with a project in development will be selected.
Programme Content:
- In-depth understanding of the producer’s role in all stages of film production (relationship between producers and writers, producers and directors etc.)
- Understanding the responsibility of various types of producers, (e.g. creative producer, co-producer, associate producer, line producer, executive producer etc.)
- Introduction to the producer’s approach to script and development, structural analysis and creative production whilst integrating a post-production plan
- Different strategies for creating detailed budgets and financial plans
- How to budget the post production and the deliveries
- How to apply to film funds; presenting to key international film institutions; eligible funds for regional filmmakers
- Developing co-production strategies
- Managing the post-production workflow in international co-productions
- Developing a marketing plan – creating audience awareness and packaging film content
- Guidelines to implement key marketing tools for online and social media platforms.
- Pitch training
- Film festival and market strategies
- Legal aspects of sales and distribution
- Creating classic and alternative sales and distribution strategies
Eligibility:
The workshop is designed for filmmakers, producers, investors, financiers, directors, or anyone interested in entering the filmmaking business in the area of production. Participants must be from Qatar or the MENA region. A total of eight to ten participants will be selected for the workshop.
- Candidates must have a feature-length project in development with a director/screenwriter associated to the project
- The director/screenwriter will be able to partake in some aspects of the programme
- Ideally, candidates have produced at least one short or feature-length narrative or documentary film in the past
Submission Requirements:
Please send the following in Word or PDF format to training@dohafilminstitute.com
- Short synopsis of the project in development (maximum one page)
- Treatment of the film
- Résumé and short biography of the producer, as well as same for director and screenwriter, if available
- Script (if available)
- Detailed information about what is required for the project’s development
- A letter outlining why you want to participate in this workshop
- Any of the following, if available/applicable
- Provisional budget and financing plan (in USD)
- Technical specifications, including filming locations
- Current state of the project (please note any secured professionals, possible co-producers, attached talent or other potential partners)
- Director’s statement, covering project virtues (one page maximum)
- Stills, concept art, mood boards etc.
- Links to teasers, trailers, demo reel or samples of previous work of both the director and the producer
Film Case Study: Case study on a specific film screened during the workshop where the Producer Expert share with the participants their experience of a film they produced (budget plan, script, relation producer/director, co-production and financing strategy, festivals and distribution strategy and sales, success and challenges faced during the production of the film, etc.)
One on one advising Sessions: Individual 45 min advisory sessions tailored to the needs of the project at hand where the participants will receive special advice on their projects (Scripts, Financing plan and budget, pitching and packaging, production team…)
Group Work: working sessions between participants and the Projects Coach in an informal atmosphere where participants share their projects and concerns to each other, and discuss the challenges they are facing in the region. During those sessions the participants will also have the possibility to work in a group on their projects and develop together their budget and financing plans, film packaging and Pitch Training.
Group Tutorials: Group advisory sessions where the Lab mentors will cover a broad range of subjects, from financing strategies and legal considerations for co-productions, to festival strategies and sales.
Lab Mentors
Jovan Marjanović
Festival Director | Sarajevo Film Festival
Jovan Marjanović has been involved in the Sarajevo Film Festival since 1999, first as a technician and programme coordinator and later as the CineLink manager.
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Violeta Bava
Producers Lab Advisor
Violeta Bava was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2002, she received a double degree in the Theory, Aesthetics and History of Cinema and Drama from Buenos Aires University. Bava is the programmer of the Buenos Aires International Film Festival and the co-founder of BAL,
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Dora Bouchoucha
Producer Expert
Dora Bouchoucha graduated with a degree in English Literature and has been a film producer since 1994. Through her company Nomadis Images, she has produced and coproduced several Tunisian and international documentary, short and feature-length films.
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Konstantina Stavrianou
Post Production Expert
Konstantina Stavrianou co-founded Graal, a production company and a post-production facility, based in Athens. She oversees the production & co-production sectors for both Greek and international productions and is Graal’s co-managing director.
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Jana Wehbe
Project Coach
Jana Wehbe studied filmmaking at Universite Saint Joseph in Beirut and oriental modern singing at the Lebanese National High Conservatory…
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Aranka Matits
Sales Expert
Aranka is the founder of Featurette, a boutique agency focused on feature film acquisitions, co-productions and strategic planning. At the forefront of the ever-evolving media landscape, she works with a roster of theatrical distributors across Europe, and past clients range from sales agents to multinational broadcasters to streamers. Notable acquisitions credits range from Oscar winners Parasite or Another Round to Shoplifters (Palme d’Or) to L‘Événement (Golden Lion) to Alcarràs (Golden Bear) and The Souvenir (Sundance Grand Jury Prize) to Drive My Car (Golden Globe). Aranka is an EAVE Puentes and Inside Pictures alumni as well as a voting member of the European Film Academy. Originally from Cologne, she obtained a PhD in New York and is currently based in Amsterdam.
Hédi Zardi
Head of Atlas Workshops
In 2015 Hédi Zardi launched with Fiorella Moretti their Paris-based company Luxbox, dedicated to international sales and co-production of selected projects. With a complementary industry knowledge built on experience in production, distribution, acquisitions, sales and festival programming they start with a solid film catalogue and a passionate pool of world cinema directors. The company launched at the Berlin EFM 2016, ‘Inhebbek Hedi’ (Hedi) by Mohammed Ben Attia, Best First Feature Film and Silver Bear for Best Actor and in Cannes, ‘Mimosas’ by Oliver Laxe, Grand Prize of the Critic’s Week. The company was present with two titles at Cannes 2020, ‘Spring Blossom’ by Suzanne Lindon and ‘In the Dusk’ by Sharunas Bartas. In parallel to its World Sales activity, Luxbox has started to co-produce several projects, including ‘Nuestro Tiempo’ by Carlos Reygadas. The next co-production projects are ‘Selene 66 Questions’ by multi-awarded Greek director Jacqueline Lentzou and ‘Barchini’ by Italian artist Yuri Ancanari. He is now Head of the Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival.
SELECTED PARTICIPANTS:
- “Hamlet from The Slums” by Ahmed Fawzi Saleh. Producers: Ahmed Amer, Hadil Hassan (Egypt)
- “Finding the Way Home” by Zakaria Mohamed Ali. Producer: Ali Ben Mohammed (Somalia, Italy, Tunisia)
- “The Nightingale” by Elias Suhail. Producer: Arij Al-Soltan (Morocco, Iraq, UK)
- “Let’s Play Soldiers” by Mariam Al-Dhubhani. Producer: Mohammed Al-Jaberi (Yemen)
- “Girl of Wind” by Moufida Fedhila. Producer: Mehdi Himli (Tunisia)
- “Life On the Other Side of The Sun” by Tapiwa Chipfupa (Zimbabwe)
- “Solo” by Amine Boukhris. Producer: Philippe Djivas (Tunisia, France)
- Attending without a project: Jawaher AlMoawda (Qatar)
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