A meeting platform for creative & productive exchanges between commissioning executives of Europe and abroad.
A two one-week seminar leaded by Erkki Astala and Thierry Garrel.
The approach
Documentary, as a means of expression, knowledge, memory, and thought, is at the core of the future of democracy, whereas public television plays a paramount role in Europe and in the world for its developments.
EURODOC Executives Seminar is a platform for the exchange and transmission of, and reflection on, the professional experiences, ideas and visions of commissioning executives from international public televisions and funds. The seminar provides an ongoing genuine professional development moment: a unique opportunity for inspiring and open-minded deliberation on the complex issue of facilitating the creation, and on the dissemination of documentary works.
Programme 2012 | Framework & Content
The seminar takes place in 2 complementary sessions:
The first session is oriented towards the commissioning of films, the relationship with producers and authors, from project to broadcasting.
The second session focuses on the changing landscape of distribution of creative documentaries, and the policies and politics of commissioning. All new forms of broadcasting are analysed.
Germany, June 3-9, 2012 – 6 days
The business of being a commissioning editor,
From the idea to the screen,
Based on case studies with the participation of all
the players involved in the genesis of a programme.
France, October 1-7 2012, – 5 days
What does the future hold?
Programming and the new forms of broadcasting and cross-media.
Supporting the position of creative work.
Best international experts are invited for each session of the seminar, bringing with them different perspectives and contexts. The experts and the participants will actively provide, through concrete examples, the substance of the discussions.
Creative commissioning
From the subject to the project, developing a documentary culture; how to make choices. “The golden triangle” director/producer/broadcaster. Challenges behind creation and financing plans. Supporting the artistic process. Motivation and diversity in documentary writing. Ensuring programming, promotion and broadcasting.
In-house strategy
Speculating on supply and demand. Envisioning a “programme” for programmes. Conceiving a slot (format, budget, supply, audiences). From acquisition to commissioning via coproduction. Beyond ratings, going from impact to success. Winning over or building up interest among viewers. Asserting creativity, capitalizing on success.
And the economy
Cultural and political economy. Public versus commercial television. Institutional financing and international coproductions. Networking, professional platforms. Promoting programming policy. Inventing new economical models. Cross-media.On the way to a documentary cyberworld.
Lectures and discussions with GUESTS: Each morning is dedicated to one or several guests, prominent members of the international documentary community; experienced directors, producers, editors, distributors, or commissioning editors, who are invited to speak about their work always from a specified point-of-view.
Each afternoon, an in-depth discussion is conducted on one or several "CASE STUDIES" proposed by the participants: these are concrete cases, projects, issues, problems that a participant is currently working on; this can be a documentary film project in development or in progress, but also a concrete question of programming, policy etc.
At the beginning and/or end of each day's programme, time is set aside for ONE TO ONE MEETINGS between participants and tutors to discuss professional questions of their choice.
The seminar is essentially an encounter of peers; everybody is invited to share their thoughts, concerns, and innovations with others. The active engagement between participants and guests, professionals in the field, generates a rich exchange of ideas, all of which contributes to build a better future for the entire documentary community.
