12 experienced producers, 6 high-profile industry experts, 4 days to discuss their company structures, management practices and new business models – this is the formula of EAVE’s latest brainchild EAVE+.

Held in Luxembourg from September 19-23, 2013 at the hotel Le Place D’Armes and supported by the MEDIA Programme of the EU and the Luxembourg Film Fund, EAVE+ goes into the first round.

"I'm thrilled at the idea of all these experienced producers, locked up in a think tank situation for 4 days, trying to put their brains together in order to imagine solutions today for the challenges that awaits our industry tomorrow;" comments Jani Thiltges, EAVE’s Head of Studies.  

Led by EAVE Head of Studies Jani Thiltges (Samsa Film, LU) together with EAVE+ consultant Michael Weber (The Match Factory, DE), keynote sessions by international guests will be mixed with group work session and 1-2-1 meetings.

As EAVE’s CEO Kristina Trapp states : "There was a strong demand from more experienced producers for networking at another level, being able to discuss issues of company growth and sustainabilty, rather than exchanging about individual projects. We clearly felt that the timing was right for EAVE+ and are very satisfied how well the idea was received by the industry, including the invited key note speakers."

Among the guests at the first edition of EAVE+ are US indie producer Mike S. Ryan (Greyshack Films, US), who will present the perspective from America, talking about private equity and where to find the money post 2008. Bo Ehrhardt (Nimbus Film, DK) will give a walk-through of Nimbus' many successes, failures and how to survive in an ever-changing business environment. Andrew Doherty (Doc&Co Digital, formerly Head of iTunes Europe) will talk about the future of VoD and present the current opportunities. Management coach Michael Comyn (IE) will work with the producers on leadership, management skills and personal resilience. (Exhaustive pitch of the sessions below)

Jani Thiltges :"What a great bunch of experts we managed to bring to Luxembourg! I'm sure their experiences, including their failures, will enlighten our discussions on how to become  better producers."  

The selected producers include: Hanneke Niens (KeyFilm, NL), producer of Oscar® nominated feature Twin Sisters, the producer of the 2013 Cannes competition title Heli, Titus Kreyenberg (unafilm, DE), Marko Röhr and Ilkka Matila of one of the leading Finnish production companys MRP Matila Röhr Productions as well as Italian producer Carlo Cresta-Dina (Tempesta, IT/UK). (Exhaustive list of participants below)

EAVE+ will be organised twice a year in Luxembourg with different keynote speakers and topics addressed at each workshop session.

EXHAUSTIVE LIST KEYNOTE SESSIONS EAVE+: 

Michael Comyn: Leadership Resilience

The workshop consists of two elements - A group session where we will touch on the following four areas:

Part One - The History of Stress and Resilience?

The word stress is searched 9,140,000 times a month on Google, yet there are so many myths about the subject that affect our thinking on the subject… in this first part of the presentation we take a quick look at the history of stress and set up some of the myths for a closer look.

Part Two - The Role of Sleep and Fatigue!

We’ve spent a lot of time coaching individuals around the subject of resilience and top of the list is the challenge of getting a great night’s sleep. It can’t be overestimated how valuable proper rest is when it comes to maintaining personal resilience.  We’ve drawn together the best research on the matter and plan to get you thinking about counting sheep and catching your eight hours.

Part Three - The Brain’s Role in Resilience - Meet your Amygdala!

What happens to our decision making ability in the presence of fear and or anxiety.  We look at some of the sneaky things our brain gets up to when we perceive stress and what we can learn from resilient individuals when they are faced with the same challenges.  We’ll visit catastrophic thinking and mind reading and a few other tricks our amygdala likes to use to get our attention.

Part Four - Immunity to Change - What we can learn from Cardiac Patients?

Cardiologists tell us that only one in seven cardiac patients are compliant with their life saving medication!  So what can we do to overcome a reluctance to personal change, especially around activities like sleep, diet, exercise, relaxation and meditation.  We’ll finish our presentation by running you through the well proven Immunity to Change exercises - and leave you with an insight into how to get your goals back on track. 

This workshop is followed up by one to one coaching sessions with participants over the course of the event where they will get a debrief on the content of the TalentQ profiles. These profiles will be completed prior to the event.

Bo Ehrhardt: Company case study

Trial and errors from DOGMA to NORDIC NOIR

It's the history of a Danish indie production house, Nimbus Film, that will make way for a presentation as to how filmmaking, distribution and financing has undergone some radical changes through-out the last 20 years. It will be a walk-through of Nimbus' many successes, failures and how to survive in an ever changing business environment, but always with one lead focus: how to create and bring good stories to the screen. 

Mike S. Ryan: The US Independents

Private Equity and the US independents

In the fall of 2008 the Real Estate bubble popped in the United States and our financial foundation was revealed to be composed of lies, false hopes and utter fiction.  We then saw a simultaneous pop in the film bubble at Sundance 2009 with the plunge in film acquisition prices. Combine that with lower admissions in the under 30 year old demographic and product glut due to reduced production costs and you have a perfect storm causing industry shakeout and implosion. Yet despite the resulting increase in wealth gap between the one percent and the upper middle class, private equity investment in film is still strong and common. The 2008 collapse has caused a reordering of wealth and a new class of young billionaires has emerged that defines value and return on investment differently than the  past older elite establishment. Anyone who tries to define a films value in the same terms used pre 2008 is way out of step with the expectations of current new equity investors. As content providers, how can we, creative producers, dance to this new beat or move to change the beat? How are we to reconfigure our own goals and self-perception in this new landscape?  Lets talk about actual current perceptions and ways of being that are directly connected to how money is moved in this new era of arts finance.   Post 2008, wealth has been re-arranged, yet there is a place at this new, more lavish table, I see that a seat is in fact being held for us.

Andy Docherty: VoD and the Future

Having launched the first video stores for iTunes in Europe, Andy Docherty will explore the current potential for premium VOD for Independent filmmakers and look to the future and where VOD is heading.  There are lessons to be learnt from the last 5-6 years, which can help prepare content owners and producers for the next 5 years of upheaval.  Recent advances and changes in technology have changed the face of content consumption forever and those who have embraced the change are flourishing, while those who have fought the changes and tried to preserve old world thinking, risk being left behind.  What can European indies to do to respond positively to what is an uncertain playing field and maximize future opportunities.

Key Topics to be explored include: 

- What is the current opportunity?

-  How has technological change impacted consumption of content?

-  How can indies take advantage and maximize the wider opportunity for digital?

-  The future of VOD

 

EXHAUSTIVE LIST – EAVE+ 2013 PARTICIPANTS

• Christine Alderson, Ipso Facto (UK)
• Carlo Cresto-Dina, Tempesta srl (IT)
• Natasha Dack, Tigerlily Films (UK)
• Jean des Forêts, Petit Film (FR)
• Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu, Amour Fou (AT)
• David Grumbach, Juliette Films (LU)
• Titus Kreyenberg, unafilm (DE)
• Ilkka Matila, MRP Matila Röhr Production Oy (FI)
• Hanneke Niens, KeyFilm (NL)
• Ferenc Pusztai, KMH Film (HU)
• Marko Röhr, MRP Matila Röhr Production Oy (FI)
• Nandita Solomon, Apparat (MY)

www.eave.org

With the OPENING DOORS programme at the Busan International Film Festival (October 3 - 13), European Film Promotion (EFP) invites Korean audiences to discover the best in new cinema from across Europe. Supported by their respective EFP members, a delegation of 23European filmmakers will travel to the other side of the globe to discuss their latest films together with engaged Korea filmgoers. In addition to this cultural exchange, EFP supports the distribution of European films in Asia by hosting a European Umbrella Office at the Asian Film Market and by offering additional financial help with the Film Sales Support (FSS) marketing tool. EFP's European spotlight at Busan is backed by the European Union's MEDIA Programme and participating EFP member organisations. In total 69 European titles are presented at Busan within the full line-up of 300 films from 70 countries.

 

   >>> Read full press release on www.efp-online.com

The Oscar Committee, launched on June 17th, 2013 by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski, with Waldemar Krzystek (przewodniczący), Andrzej Bart, Marek Hendrykowski, Barbara Hollender, Izabela Kiszka-Hoflik, Bartosz Konopka, Arthur Reinhart, Agnieszka Odorowicz as its members, chose Wałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope)  by Andrzej Wajda the Polish candidate for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The role of Wałęsa was played by Robert Więckiewicz. The film also stars Agnieszka Grochowska (Danuta Wałęsa), Maria Rosaria Omaggio (Oriana Fallaci) . The cinematographer credit goes to Paweł Edelman.

Wałęsa. Man of Hope was produced by Akson Studio, and co-produced by Telewizja Polska SA – Film Agency, Telekomunikacja Polska, Canal+ Poland, Narodowe Centrum Kultury. The film received financial support from the Polish Film Institute.

20th anniversary of the Film Marketing Workshop: November 22-24, 2013 (Luxembourg)

Don't miss the deadline for EAVE's well known Film Marketing Workshop for audiovisual professionals - an intensive and comprehensive exploration of the marketing process from script to screen. Join experts and colleagues to work on market trends and new marketing methods. Discuss your project with top level marketing specialists.

The workshop consists of plenary sessions in a small group (max 30 participants), as well as private tutorials with the experts, and is targeted at producers wishing to gain a greater understanding of the marketing process both in broad terms and for individual films which in turn results in creating a successful company, as well as for people working in sales, distribution and marketing departments.  We also appreciate applications from other professionals in the industry (e.g. regional and national funding institutions) and from relevant trainers and consultants.

Application deadline: October 14, 2013.

Application requirements and the application form can be downloaded on our website: www.eave.org

Discount of the workshop fee is offered to graduates of EAVE European Producers Workshop as well as to members of the EAVE partners Europa International and Europa Distribution.

The Film Marketing Workshop 2013 includes the following sessions (subject to changes): 

Introduction to Marketing 

by Pim Hermeling (Wild Bunch Benelux Distribution, Head of Studies of EAVE Film Marketing Workshop) & Frans van Gestel (Topkapi Films)

Film marketing is much more than only a poster and a trailer. It’s a combination of many different elements. Marketing is about selling your film to a specific group of people.

Producers and Moviegoers 

by Sarah Calderon (The Film Agency)

 "Producers and Moviegoers" is a short seminar providing basic marketing knowledge usable by producers. During the first part, some hints and tips about the well-known "business to business (b2b) tools" will be introduced. In the second part, we will dig deeper by dealing with the "business to consumer (b2c) tools" that would allow producers to establish a professional marketing plan taking their core audience in account. The structure of the conference and powerpoint presentation is conceived to provide the participants a guide that they may use hands-on after the conference.    

Producers point of view 

by Frans van Gestel (Topkapi Films)

On the basis of several mini case studies, the participants will be guided us through the life line of film in terms of marketing.

Acquisition and international markets

by Ingrid Pittana (SquareOne Entertainment)

A glimpse in the world of acquisitions, and dos and don’ts related to it.

Sales Agency & Distribution Agreements

by Joris Van Wijk (JC Van Wijk)

In this presentation we'll get into the legal aspects of marketing and releasing your film, locally and internationally. Why is "the legal thing" important? Because if this is not arranged well, you'll never see a dime out of the exploitation of your film. This presentation will attempt to show you how money disappears in film distribution. We'll also discuss the participants' experiences in local and international distribution, so we can learn from each other's success and failure.

International Sales Process

by Susan Wendt (TrustNordisk)What is the role of a sales agent, and what specifically does a sales agent do? Who is the right sales agent for your film? What to be aware of when chosing a sales agent? Which kind of films does the international market  want today? The year in festivals.

Distribution and Marketing

by Pim Hermeling (Wild Bunch Benelux Distribution, Head of Studies of EAVE Film Marketing Workshop) & Ingrid Pittana (SquareOne Entertainment)

The profession of a distributor: how does a distributor get his films, what is his or her relation towards sales agents, producers, directors?

Festivals and Publicity

by Barbara van Lombeek (The PR Factory)

This presentation is about the cheapest part of a film’s marketing campaign: free publicity. If you understand how the media work and make the most out of a festival selection, you can save a lot of money on advertising costs. And besides, is a raving review not much more effective than a full-page ad? 

Trailers & Showreels

by Fraser Bensted (Picture Production Company)

The theoretical and creative process of producing audio visual marketing materials and the impact they have on the positioning of a film and its target audience. Including the role of the sales promo, opportunities for teaser and special shoot trailers, documentary trailers and trailers for international territories.

Online Marketing

by Dan Light (Glass Eye)

We will be looking at the myriad ways in which films can be marketed online, focusing in particular on opportunities arising out of the emergence of the social web, and the platforms that drive it: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and many others. This will include an analysis of how best to create content for and manage community within these spaces, including a look at unique opportunities available to today's film-makers to make interactive platforms and media integrated and financially viable strands of the stories they want to tell.

Private tutorials with the experts

For further information, please visit www.eave.org or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: EAVE 2014 EUROPEAN PRODUCERS WORKSHOP - EXTENDED DEADLINESEPTEMBER 27, 2013

EAVE, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, is one of the leading training and development providers for producers in Europe, renowned for its European Producers Workshop.

Who is it for?

EAVE is aimed at producers, both fiction and documentary, who are already working in the film and television industries, who wish to begin to operate on a European wide basis by increasing their knowledge of producing and co-producing in Europe and by building up a pan European professional network. We also welcome applications from associated branches of the industry - e.g. commissioning, funding, legal and finance, festivals & markets, media administration. Each year fifty participants are selected from most of the EU countries and beyond and take part in three one-week long workshops.

How does it work?

Half the participants attend the course with projects and it is an excellent means of development through intense focus on the project with colleagues and experts throughout the year. Most participants attending with a project also bring their writer for the first two weeks which enables producer and writer to benefit together from one-to-one sessions with script experts. 

During the first two workshops, in March and June, participants work within groups led by experienced producers and with several experts on script analysis, development and production financing, legal aspects of co-production, marketing, pitching, packaging and more. In the third week in October/November, 40-50 Decision Makers (commissioning editors, national and regional media funds, sales agents, etc.) join the participants to discuss the projects, companies and careers of the participants, a process which offers unusual access to Europe's Decision Makers. 

EAVE graduates join a unique network of active European producers which forms one of the backbones of the industry. Furthermore, EAVE participants and members benefit from our partnerships with the leading European film festivals and markets where EAVE facilitates graduate participation. 

Timeline

The interviews with a pre-selection of candidates will take place in autumn 2013 and the selection will be announced in December 2013. The 3 workshops take place during March 10 - 17 in Luxembourg (LU), June 16 - 23 in Bolzano/South Tyrol (IT) and October/November (tbc) in Istanbul (TR, tbc) 2014.

Extended Deadline for APPLICATIONS: September 27, 2013

Check out: http://eave.org/programmes/upcoming-european-producers-workshop-2014/ for more information and the application form or contact us! 

Save your seat now for the Leipzig Networking Days 2013!

When: 26 & 27 October 2013
Where: MDR Headquarter, Kantstr. 71-73, Leipzig, Germany

At the Leipzig Networking Days content creators meet decision makers and international renowned professionals meet young talents. This weekend is packed with pitching, industry talks, networking and inspiration. We invite you to be part of this unique and exclusive industry gathering that will certainly help boost your career!

Highlights of the weekend include:

- Access to more than 30 international renowned decision makers
- Meet with over 170 professionals from the international documentary industry
- Get inspired by international top keynotes and panels
- Find out about commissioners slots and profiles by attending the pitching of more than 20
well-developed new documentaries of various genres
- Fantastic networking opportunities throughout the weekend with colleagues from all over Europe
- This all is to set place in the very familiar atmosphere of the MDR.

Besides member companies and alumni attending, certain partner organisations come to Leipzig with a delegation. Have a look on our website for a list of delegations. If you would like to join one of those organisations, please get in touch with them, as they hold a limited number of seats for a special rate of € 130.00 (incl. coffee breaks).
We also offer a number of places for a regular price of € 160.00 (incl. coffee breaks).

To attend the Leipzig Networking Days register here before 30 September.

Have a look at the list of Decision-Makers attending the event.
Check out the programme overview.
The Leipzig Networking Days take place in partnership with the 56th DOK Leipzig festival (29 October – 29 November). More info on the festival activities can be found on www.dok-leipzig.de.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to Leipzig.

Your Documentary Campus Team
Documentary Campus e.V.
Schliemannstraße 5, 2. QGB
10437 Berlin, Germany
T: +49-30-47377-406
www.documentary-campus.com

September 5 marks the launch of the 38th Toronto International Film Festivals. The festival's lineup of films from around the world features two films co-financed by the Polish Film Institute: Wałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope) by Andrzej Wajda and Ida by Paweł Pawlikowski. The festival will also screen Burning Bush, a mini-series directed by Agnieszka Holland, produced in the Czech Republic. Toronto audiences will also have an opportunity to see Suchy pion (Dry Standpipe), a short film directed by Wojciech Bąkowski.

Polish Films in Toronto

The 38th edition of the Toronto IFF runs from September 5 through September 15, 2013. The festival's Special Presentations include Ida (formerly known as Sister of Mercy), a film by Paweł Pawlikowski, as well as the North American premiere ofWałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope) by Andrzej Wajda. Alongside these two Polish productions, the Special Presentations section of the Toronto IFF will feature the latest projects by such directors as Steve McQueen, Atom Egoyan, Jasmila Žbanić, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jim Jarmusch.

Ida

The latest feature by Paweł Pawlikowski (winner of multiple awards, including the European Film Award and BAFTA), co-financed by the Polish Film Institute, is the first film by this director to be produced entirely in Poland. The screenplay has been awarded the MEDIA European Talent Prize. Ida is set in early 1960s Poland, and tells the story of an encounter between two women: a young novitiate nun who learns of her Jewish heritage, and a communist activist who is the sole survivor in her family. The film stars Agata Kulesza and first-time actress Agata Trzebuchowska, and features supporting roles by Joanna Kulig and Dawid Ogrodnik. Ida was lensed by Łukasz Żal. The film was made in co-production between Poland and Denmark, with Opus Film acting as producer on the Polish side.

Screening Dates:

• September 7, 7:30 p.m.; TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
• September 8, 12:00 p.m.; Scotiabank 14
• September 15, 9:00 p.m.; The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema

Wałęsa. Czlowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope)

Also co-produced by the Polish Film Institute, the latest film from director Andrzej Wajda is the story of Lech Wałęsa, legendary leader of the Solidarity movement. Following Wałęsa's biography from the early 1970s until his inauguration as president of Poland, the film portrays the transformation of a simple everyday man into a charismatic national leader. It is the story of a husband, father, and simple worker; a man who brought to light the dreams of freedom that had been dormant in the hearts of millions. The film was lensed by Paweł Edelman. The title role was played by Robert Więckiewicz, with Agnieszka Grochowska playing the part of Wałęsa's wife Danuta. Wałęsa. Człowiek z nadziei (Wałęsa. Man of Hope) was produced by Akson Studio sp. z o.o., co-produced by Telewizja Polska, Telekomunikacja Polska, Canal +, and the National Centre for Culture (NCK), as well as sponsored by Energa Group and SNG.

WORLD SALES: FILMS BOUTIQUE

Screening Dates:

• September 11, 6:00 p.m.; Ryerson Theatre
• September 12, 1:45 p.m.; Scotiabank 1
• September 15, 9:30 a.m.; Scotiabank 1

The Special Presentations section of the Toronto IFF will also feature Burning Bush, an HBO mini-series directed by Agnieszka Holland and produced in the Czech Republic. Burning Bush is focused on the events surrounding the death of Jan Palach in Czechoslovakia in 1969.Wavelengths, a festival section showcasing daring, visionary and autonomous voices, features Suchy pion (Dry Standpipe), a short film by Wojciech Bąkowski. The film has previously received recognition at the 13th T-Mobile New Horizons IFF, winning the award for Best Experimental Film.

TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)

In 2010, Indiewire named the Toronto International Film Festival the third best film festival in the world(after Cannes and Sundance). Organized annually since 1976, TIFF is an event that showcases the latest trends in world cinema; the only awards at this festival are those awarded by the audience. Recent editions of the festival have featured a number of Polish films, including Galerianki (Mall Girls) and Bejbi Blues (Baby Blues) by Katarzyna Rosłaniec, Sponsoring (Elles) by Małgorzata Szumowska, W ciemności (In Darkness) by Agnieszka Holland, Róża (Rosa) by Wojciech Smarzowski, Imagine by Andrzej Jakimowski, Essential Killing by Jerzy Skolimowski, and Chrzest (The Christening) by Marcin Wrona.Further details are available at: www.tiff.net.

“From June 2011 up to today the Polish Film Institute hasallocated 3.5 milion euros to co-financing the digitalization of a hundred or soscreens belonging to art-house circuits, with the aim of ensuring that even inthe country’s small and medium-sized towns there is a varied offer ofquality cinema,” stated Renata Pawlowska-Pyra, responsible for the project,whilst presenting the main features of cinema-going in Poland.

To date, the initiative has thus made it possible forthe new technology to be adopted even in theatres not belonging to the bigcircuits - Multikino, Helios and Cinema City – who hadalready completed their transition to digital by mid-2012. Using fundscollected by the PISF from the box-offices of all cinemas, up to now theinitiative has achieved its prime objective of preventing theatres with amainly social and cultural vocation from being relegated to the far edges ofthe market.

This approach aroused particular interest amongst thecourse participants and in particular those coming from countries where theexhibitors feel a need for similar measures to be adopted, such as Greeceor Bosnia Herzegovina.

The impending disappearance of 35mm is of particularconcern on this type of market, where the rate of digitalization is below theEuropean average.

In Bosnia Herzegovina, for example, the rate ofdigitalization has only recently reached 50% of screens: here – accordingto professional players – the radical modernization hoped for in thesector should make it possible to increase pro-capita cinema-going, which todaydoes not even amount to half a ticket per inhabitant.

The day continued with a session devoted to technologyand with a significant title: “Everything that an exhibitor should knowbefore buying a digital projector,” held by Emidio Frattaroli, Directorof the trade journal AV Magazine.

The talk encouraged a critical look at some topics ofcrucial interest for the quality of digital projection and met with a lot ofinterest amongst the participants.

“The projector’s resolution,”concluded Frattaroli, “is not everything and there is no equipment thatis suitable for every case. Screen width, the material the latter is made ofand the performance required of the light used (3D or not) are only some of thefactors to take into consideration. Even the information given in the technicalspecifications for the various materials may prove not to work out in practice.This does not mean it is false but that it is not always valid over time or thespecifications are not obtainable under all conditions, for example.”

The need to acquire a business culture and learn fromexperience and from the exchange of experiences is a message that also emergedfrom the case histories presented at the end of the morning sessions by MarcoFraschini, technical director of the Multiplex Le Giraffe (13 screens in theMilan suburban area) and Michael Tilios, head of market analysis for Odeon,which, with 58 screens, is one of Greece’s leading exhibition chains,also operating in the field of distribution.

The visit to the Cinema City Bonarka – 20screens in the shopping mall of the same name just outside Cracow – shiftedthe focus to content and in particular the innovative uses of digitalprojection, presented by Krzysztof Indyk,Manager of the Cinema City Poland forsouthern regions.

This complex, addressing mainly families and youngaudiences, proposes its own exclusive content, under the name Cinema Park,which aims to transform and give an active role to spectators, in particular“budding audiences”. Based on the concept of teaching byentertaining, Cinema Park offers learning paths on topics such as Nature or theenvironment, involving the children in quizzes and interactive games or inscreenings including sensorial experiences, for example in the music theatre orthe one devoted to movement.

In the evening the course moved on to Cracow inanticipation of an intense program of visits to cinemas with very variedphysiognomies and vocations, all having in common the adoption of digitaltechnology.