Ex Oriente Film Follow-up programme is a year-long chain of follow-up support and additional activities for projects that have completed, or are currently completing, the Ex Oriente Film workshop.
The aim of the Follow-up programme is to bring participants to key European festivals, markets, coproduction forums and partner events, as well enable participants to further promote their projects, expand their network of contacts, and use the knowledge gained during the workshop. The programme supports directors and producers until the completion of the film that participated in the workshop, and also during its distribution.
The Follow-up programme includes a variety of scholarships and awards in the form of direct financial support as well as access to selected pitching forums and markets. It also includes ongoing support from the organizers of the workshop in the form of consultations, networking and promotion through dokweb.net, the Institute of Documentary Film’s social networks, and partner VOD platforms.
1. DELEGATIONS
IDF organizes different festival delegations throughout the year, enabling current and alumni participants of IDF´s programmes to attend the most significant European festivals and their industry activities.
IDFA FORUM (November)
The delegation is comprised of 10 current and alumni Ex Oriente Film participants. Project representatives receive free IDFA festival passes (provided by IDF) and are granted a free one-day visit to the IDFA Forum. IDF representatives provide networking support and orientation at the world’s largest documentary film festival a coproduction market.
LEIPZIG NETWORKING DAYS (October)
The delegation offers discounted passes for current and alumni participants and the opportunity for networking with more than 45 international renowned decision makers and more than 200 industry professionals.
SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST (June)
The delegation offers discounted passes to current and alumni participants of IDF’s activities. This includes entry to all industry events and the opportunity to meet key international broadcasters, distributors and sales agents, and other industry guests. IDF representatives help with on the spot with networking and matchmaking with the decision makers.
SUNNY SIDE OF THE DOC (June) On-site one-on-one meetings with experts and producers (organized by SSOD, La Rochelle, France) and free pass for the delegates.
2. SUPPORT FOR FINISHED FILMS
DOKWEB.NET, EAST SILVER MARKET, AND EAST SILVER CARAVAN
Finished films that have gone through the Ex Oriente Film workshop are promoted on the webpages of dokweb.net, included in the East Silver Market and can also compete for inclusion in the East Silver Caravan festival service. More information can be found in the East Silver section.
PRESENTATION ON VOD PLATFORMS
Upon agreement with the producers, selected Ex Oriente Film projects once completed are presented to certain VOD platforms intended for industry professionals and the general public (DAFilms.com, Festival Scope PRO, East Silver streaming).
3. ONLINE SUPPORT
IDF INDUSTRY SESSIONS - In the format of ZOOM meetings and Webinars, IDF Industry Sessions are held regularly in the time period of 12 months. Some of the parts of the program are also available to the wider audiences, in format of moderated discussions and industry panels. Opened to the Ex Oriente Film workshop alumni participants with or without projects.
Series of online sessions with experts and documentary industry representatives. It is a series of lectures, discussions and masterclasses available to IDF industry participants and wide industry audience, covering various topics, such as current Shift in Promotion and Distribution, Project Pitching in an online environment, Co-production opportunities within and outside CEE, Lectures on Documentary Editing, Masterclass on Music / Sound design in documentaries etc., and also introducing various industry specialists reflecting on the new topics and challenges which have unfolded with the aftermath of the global lockdown, but also current issues which are being addressed and raised within the European and global audiovisual industries. Recorded sessions, panels and lectures are archived and available to the current and future program participants within the Ex Oriente Knowledge online archive.
Current circle and alumni participant are invited to:
- Join regularly within the Webinar groups in active participatory mode open for a limited number of attendees.
- Take advantage of one-on-one meetings with industry experts/speakers followed by particular sessions and panels
- welcome to suggest your topics and guests and partake in the debated and panels
- access the archive of Knowledge Lab with recorded lectures and masterclasses and case studies of previous program sessions and tutors.
Within the Ex Oriente Follow-Up Program there are several online programmes to join over the period year 2022.
DIRECTORS GROUP
Led by senior expert director, alumni directors group invites Ex Oriente Film alumni to take advantage of webinars with internationally acclaimed directors, taking advantage of consulting their own projects with them. Program is focused on different topics on directing, and includes masterclasses/case studies/screenings and individual consultations with 5 exceptional world directors. The format of each session will be announced (one-on-one meetings or group works). With each mentor-director, new calls for alumni directors will be open. Group also invites participants to take advantage of peer-to-peer meetings. Masterclasses are open to all Ex Oriente alumni participants.
Open to: alumni directors with or without project
Format: moderated online webinar and individual meetings in ZOOM/ live stream
Fee: no fee charged (cost included in the initial fee of the Ex Oriente Film workshop)
PRODUCERS GROUP
Led by senior producer, the alumni producers working group offers consultations and case studies given by producers – experts/mentors. Open for alumni producers with or without projects - producers are welcome to bring in to the group their new projects, for individual consultations, case studies, peer-to-peer networking and experience sharing. Up to 5 senior international producers in roles of mentors will consult with participating alumni producers in the format of groupworks (5 groups session in total). Case studies are open to all Ex Oriente alumni participants. Each mentor will be matched with mentee for 60 minutes mentoring session.
Open to: alumni producers with or without project
Format: moderated online webinar and individual meetings in ZOOM/ archived
Fee: no fee charged (cost included in the initial fee of the Ex Oriente Film workshop)
SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT WITH SCRIPT EDITORS
Working group with script experts open for directors with projects who need consultations on script development. Up to 3 experts available for 5 individual meetings each with alumni.
CREATIVE CLUSTERS
Working groups with appointed experts relevant to the topic or genre of the film. Experts will have meetings with subscribed filmmakers (Ex Oriente Film alumni). These clusters reflect the topics of former workshop participants and are tailor-made for them as a “next step” approach. The groups will be led by up to 2 experts, with attendance up to 5 alumni per group. Example of planned clusters themes: Impact Strategies and Outreach; Political Documentary; Archive and Found Footage; Portraits; Essayistic Approaches; Factual Series; Music and Sound Design.
Open to: alumni directors and producers with project
Format: moderated online webinar and individual meetings in ZOOM/ live stream / archived
Fee: no fee charged (cost included in the initial fee of the Ex Oriente Film workshop)
DOC CLINIC
Instant consultation helpline: group of mentors/experts invited by Ex Oriente Film for several drop-in meetings available to former participants in order to resolve pressing issues of the projects, up to 2 experts per topic available for up to 6 consultations each: Creative Editing (w/editor expert); Financing and Co-financing Issues (w/producer expert); Creative Issues (w/director expert); Film PR and marketing (w/marketing expert); Festival strategy (w/festival programmer); Legal issues and contracts (w/legal expert).
Open to: alumni directors with or without project
Format: online webinar and individual meetings in ZOOM/ live stream
Fee: no fee charged (cost included in the initial fee of the Ex Oriente Film workshop)
4. AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND ACCESS TO LEADING EUROPEAN MARKETS AND FORUMS
GOLDEN FUNNEL
This award is annually given to the team in the current Ex Oriente Film workshop cycle that made the greatest progress throughout the workshop. The winning team is awarded 1000 € towards further development and international promotion of their upcoming documentary film.
EAVE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Every year during the second Ex Oriente Film workshop session a representative of EAVE grants a scholarship to one producer enabling them to attend the prestigious EAVE Producers Workshop for free.
PARTICIPATION IN PROJECT MARKET AT THE EAST DOC PLATFORM
Five projects from previous editions of Ex Oriente Film have the opportunity to participate in the Project Market within the East Doc Platform (2 days of pre-planned one-on-one meetings and consultations with commissioning editors, buyers, script editors, distributors, and film funds).
IDFA FORUM AWARD
After the final pitching forum, Ex Oriente Film projects complete for the IDFA Forum award. One project/team selected by a representative of IDFA will win a free observer’s pass to the IDFA Forum and accreditation to the festival and IDFA Academy. In addition IDFA covers the travel and accommodations costs in Amsterdam for the selected team.
DOCS BARCELONA AWARD
Participants of the Ex Oriente Film workshop complete for the Docs Barcelona award during the third workshop session taking place within the East Doc Platform. The award grants the opportunity to present the winning team’s project at the Docs Barcelona Speed Meetings. Mikael Opstrup, Head of Studies at EDN, will selected the winning project.
DOK LEIPZIG AWARD
Ever year one Ex Oriente Film project is selected to participate in the DOK Preview Presentation taking place within the DOK Leipzig festival. The main goal of this presentation is to promote the best documentary projects selected from leading European training programmes that are ready to enter the international market. The organizers of the festival will offer the winning project free festival accreditation for DOK Leipzig and its industry programme, plus accommodation for three nights.
Ex Oriente Film projects are also annually included in the selection to participate in the DOK Co-Pro Market. By participating in this coproduction market the selected team has the opportunity to introduce themselves to 70 potential partners during pre-planned individual meetings.
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF AUDIOVISUAL PROGRAMS (FIPA) AWARD
One selected Ex Oriente Film project will attend the pitching session in Biarritz and present their project at another renowned pitching session 10 months after the pitch at the East Doc Platform. Travel and accommodation costs are covered by FIPA.
WHEN EAST MEETS WEST AND LAST STOP TRIESTE
Projects in an advanced editing stage that were previously developed at the Ex Oriente Film workshop can be submitted to Last Stop Trieste – a work in progress section at Trieste Film Festival. The rough cut of the film will be screened to an exclusive panel of international sales agents, festival programmers and TV commissioning editors. Industry passes and few partial scholarships are offered by Last Stop Trieste.
ADDITIONAL AWARDS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Projects that participate in the Ex Oriente Film workshop can complete for the Awards given at the East Doc Platform- EDP Development Award (7500€), HBO Europe Co-production Award, Czech TV Post-production Award, and the Current Time TV award. For more detailed information about these awards please have a look at the Awards section under the activity East Doc Platform.