This presentation covers the major festivals and markets in the world and compares them to local South African festivals and markets and to each other as well as explains how to prepare for them

1. Markets and Festivals
By
Mayenzeke Baza and Pascal Schmitz

2. What is the purpose of a festival?
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

3. Purpose
1. Buzz around the film
2. Raising your profile
3. Getting attention of buyers (distributors)
4. Networking
5. Learning (from good films, panel discussions)
6. Pitching new projects
7. One on one sessions
8. Co-production
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

4. Let’s Compare Feature Festivals
Cannes/Berlinale DIFF
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

5. Let’s Compare Feature Festivals
CANNES/BERLINALE
Red carpet, paparazzi,
celebrities, global media
buzz, black tie
Narrow selection of films,
hardly any SA films…e.g..
Skoonheid: Oliver
Hermanus at Cannes
Short films - Launch pad for
new directing talent
Berlinale Talent Campus
DIFF
You will be the only one
wearing a tuxedo- no red
carpet
More SA Films- Higher
chances to get selected
DFM- Durban Film Mart
Talent Campus- Satellite
TC from Berlinale
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

6. Let’s Compare Documentary Festivals
IDFA/HOTDOCS ENCOUNTERS
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

7. Let’s Compare Documentary Festivals
IDFA/HOTDOCS
Forum pitching sessions as main
events
Top docies in the world- narrow
selection
Some SA films every now and then
Docs for sale/Doc shop - mini market
element
Education (Top international
speakers) – panels, master classes,
workshops
Networking (very social)
ENCOUNTERS
Aljazeera pitch- small
scale
More SA films
No mini market
Education- panels, master
classes, workshops
Networking
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

8. What is the purpose of a Film/TV Market?
t
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

9. Purpose
1. Selling!! – Stands by Sales agents, Distributors
2. Acquisitions (Buyers)- Walk arounds by Distributors, Broadcasters
3. Networking !!!
4. Education – Panels, workshops, keynotes
5. Media buzz / launches- New TV shows ..e.g. black sails
6. Co-production
7. No red carpet screenings
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

10. Let’s Compare TV Markets
MIPCOM/MIPTV DISCOP
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

11. Let’s Compare TV Markets
MIPCOM/MIPTV
Biggest TV/ Content market in the
world
Content from any country for any
country
More demand to match supply
Education (Top international speakers) –
panels, keynotes, industry screenings
Networking- More business (daytime),
Less social (night time)
13000 participants, 4400 buyers, 1700
exhibitors, 100 countries, 250 journalists
DISCOP
The only TV market in Africa
Content from any country
predominantly for African buyers
More supply than demand
Education (more local speakers)
Networking – benefit of most
participants having focus on Africa,
more accessible than at bigger
markets
2000 participants, 800 companies,70
countries, unknown nr buyers
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

12. Let’s Compare Film Markets
EFM/CANNES MARKET AFM
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

13. Let’s Compare Film Markets
EFM/CANNES MARKET
Art-house and Indie Films
Eurocentric market- only 7% attendees are
US
In-development project and finished films
Exhibition format like TV markets - Stands
Networking- more social
Cannes - 12000 participants, 2000 buyers,
108 countries, 1000 production companies,
400 stands, 5400 films
EFM- 8000 participants, 1700 buyers, 94
countries, 170 stands, 816 films
AFM
Genre and Commercial Films
US market focused
99 % finished films market
Sales office format- hotel rooms only
Networking – more business
400 distributors, 1000 production
companies, 8000 industry
professionals, 70 countries,400 films,
More that $800m in deals every year
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

14. How to Prepare?
1. Research the Market/Festival purpose
2. Research the buyers/investors/ key players
3. Know your projects - do they match the market?, logline, one liner
4. PR and social media campaign at least a month in advance e.g. Facebook, Twitter
5. Package your product – artwork, trailer, format facts, . e.g. genre, running time,
stage of the project. Electronic versions are best; websites,vimeo,pdfs
6. Package yourself/company- business cards, personal profile, business profile
(various versions : 400 words, 100 words etc)
7. Gain access to markets/festival databases- request meetings at least 2 months in
advance having done all of the above
8. Prepare your spontaneous elevator pitch- your project in 30 seconds,twitter pitch
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

15. Now you there…now what?
1. Exercise and pray in the morning - go to market/festival with a positive attitude;
people want to meet happy people
2. Orientate yourself at the market/festival on first day- be early and walk around
3. Attend any first timer events/workshops and all official social events
4. Contact the media department or publicity office and try get your story published
5. Keep your breath fresh at all times
6. Look presentable- like you mean business
7. If you have meetings, get there on time ..preferably early
8. Do not pitch in the toilet or within the first 10 minutes of meeting someone
9. Focus on creating relationships- sell yourself more than your project
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

16. Back home…now what?
1. Exercise and pray in the morning- do not stop
2. Collect any PR published and duplicate to your social media
network and local media outlets
3. Send a follow up email and keep the relationships going
4. Send regular emails to keep interested parties updated with your
project developments
5. Add all contacts you made to your database , e.g. gmail contacts
– add info like, market you met them at and description of them
and what they do
6. Share what you’ve learnt with your peers!... UBUNTU!
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

17. Dates Festival Focus Market Focus City, Country
16-26Jan 2013 Sundance Film Festival
Feature Film &
Documentary Park City, USA
6-14Feb 2013 Berlinale
Feature Film &
Documentary
European Film
Market Feature Film Berlin, Germany
12-14Mar 2013
Rio Content
Market TV Content Rio, Brazil
5-10April 2013 MIPTV TV Cannes, France
April 2013 Hot Docs Documentary Toronto, Canada
14-23 May,
2013 Cannes Film Festival Feature Film
Cannes Film
Market Feature Film Cannes, France
7-12 Jun 2013 Sheffield Doc Fest Documentary Meet Market Dcoumentary Sheffield, UK
24-27 Jun 2013
Sunny Side of
the Doc Documentary La Rochelle, France
28Aug-7Sept
2014 Venice Film Festival Feature Films Venice, Italy
26 Sept-10Oct.
2014 Rio Film Festival Feature Films Rio, Brazil
5-15Sept 2014 TIFF Feature Toronto, Canada
6-10Oct 2014 MIPCOM TV Content Cannes, France
6-13Nov 2014 AFM Feature Film LA, USA
28Nov-1Dec
2014 IDFA Documentary Amsterdam, Netherlands
www.filmandtvtransformation.org

18. Funding and assistance available
to attend festivals
www.filmandtvtransformation.org
1. NFVF: Festival and Market attendance fund
2. DTI: EMIA (Export Market Investment Assistance)
Scheme
I. Individual Company Assistance Schemes e.g. IE :
Individual Exhibition
II. Group Schemes e.g SSAS emerging exporters group
delegations organised through industry associations e.g.
ATFT

19. Questions ?
www.filmandtvtransformation.org
info@filmandtvtransformation.org
www.filmandtvtransformation.org