Course directors Julia Short and Satesh Mathura each bring a wealth of experience to the programme. Julia is a distribution and marketing expert, former Director of Content on high profile courses such as Inside Pictures. Satesh is a distribution and financing expert, former Chief Operating Officer of Icon Entertainment International.
What is it about?
The purpose of this programme is to equip participants with the skills and support they need to understand the documentary market landscape better, to plan and target their approach to meetings, how to take full advantage of the market offerings and leave the market with the best possible results. The course is designed to impart a greater knowledge and understanding of the interconnected film value chain.
The programme will include a 4 1/2-day intensive module in Vienna followed up with a Market Preparation Day, and closing with a Market Review Day. The participation in a market is not limited to a specific festival. We recommend IDFA, where the course directors will be present* and can support the participants. Each participant will be assigned a mentor, who will work with them on a tailored strategy for their project. (*note that course director attendance will be contingent upon at least 8 participants advising that they will attend IDFA)
Who’s it for?
This intensive practical short course has places for approx 16 participants. It will bring together filmmakers, producers, and is also open to distributors and sales agents at the earlier part of their career. By having a mixed cohort, it will also increase awareness of each other’s roles and help build stronger networks for the future. Participants can take part with a project in late stage development, post-production, or have completed their first feature film or documentary. Sales, distribution and marketing executives will have typically a minimum of one year’s experience in their role.
Course outline
- Individual Work on Project/s being taken to market
- Improve their knowledge of international markets, how they differ, who attends what and why;
- Identify the most suitable market(s) for their own individual projects and film slates;
- Develop tools and strategies for successful market engagement;
- Improve their skills, knowledge and confidence in packaging, pitching, negotiating, selling, understanding and closing deals;
- Achieve effective follow-through and maximise the benefits of international relationships and opportunities.
- Mentoring / Expert support
Course Leaders
Venue / Location
Impact Hub Vienna
Lindengasse 56
1070
Vienna
Course Fee
Fee €950 (excluding VAT)
EARLY BIRD rate of €850 (excluding VAT) until June 21st, 2024
Included are the sessions, mentoring, and networking, such as catering in Vienna. Excluded are the market attendance costs (travel, accommodation, accreditation)
Application deadline: August 1st, 2024
Scholarship
Thanks to Creative Europe Funding, ISI has partial scholarship support available for participants who wish to attend this course from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
If you are not from a Low Capacity Country and can give us a good reason that you are in need of financial assistance and your national screen agency does not fund training in principle, please contact us before submitting your application to discuss whether you can apply for financial support. We have very limited funds available for a limited number of participants in genuine need.
For working parents who have childcare responsibilities, we have a childcare bursary available and a bursary for participants who need extra assistance due to disability or impairment available.
Financial Support
We actively encourage participants to research and apply for financial support with your national/regional funding bodies first who may have bursaries and grants to cover training and professional development.
Please ask the MEDIA Desk in your country if there are any funding opportunities available. Kindly inform us if you apply to a national or regional fund.
Members of the Academy of Austrian Films get 10% discount on the course fees.
Members of VAM (Verwertungsgesellschaft für audiovisuelle Medien GmbH) can apply at the SKE Fonds of VAM for support of the course fees: https://www.vam.cc/pflichtveroeffentlichungen/soziale-und-kulturelle-einrichtungen-ske.
Please see point 7.1.1.a of VAM´s SKE-Richtlinie.
Employees of Austrian companies might be eligible for support granted for trainings at AMS. Austrian creative and cultural professionals can inquire support opportunities for training at Team4: https://www.team4.or.at/
We are currently reviewing all the national funds available in Europe. Below are a few examples:
- Austria: Austrian Film Institute, Berufliche Weiterbildung Berufliche Weiterbildung - Österreichisches Filminstitut
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Contact Fondacija Za Kinematografiju Sarajevo
Belgium: Flanders Audiovisual Fund or Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel
Bulgaria: National Film Center or National Culture Fund of Bulgaria
Czech Republic: Asociace Producentů V Audiovizi (for producers)
Denmark: Danish Film Institute
Estonia: Estonian Film Institute OR Cultural Endowment of Estonia
Finland: Finnish Film Foundation
Germany: Contact the regional film funds (information in German) or see Focus Germany
Ireland: Screen Skills Ireland
Lithuania: Lithuanian Film Centre
Montenegro: Film Centre of Montenegro or Ministry of Culture of Montenegro
Netherlands: Netherlands Film Fund
Norway: Norwegian Film Institute
Poland: Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej
Portugal: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Romania: Romanian Cultural Institute
Slovenia: Slovenian Film Centre
Sweden: Film Institute
Switzerland: MEDIA Desk Suisse