A 3-module programme designed for 7 experienced producers – and for two film industry professionals who will act as observers – wishing to increase their skills in marketing, national/international distribution and legal issues through sessions and individual meetings with renowned international experts. Producers apply with and work on a specific feature film project with theatrical potential (fiction or documentary) at script stage. The programme will allow participants to expand their international network and to develop a full audience and market strategy. The workshop will be held in English.
Focal Audience & Market Strategies
Application
In addition, the programme is open to two participants (Swiss or Swiss residents) without a project with at least 1 year industry experience coming from the areas of production, distribution, promotion, sales, festivals or from other creative industries. The two participants – who should not be directly linked to the selected projects and/or participating producers – will be paired with different projects throughout the programme and will be asked to offer support to participating producers.
Module 1
5-9 JULY
2020
FLIMS
Module 2
7-10 SEPTEMBER
2020
ON-LINE
Module 3
24-26 September 2020
Zurich
Fee
1500 CHF*
for participants with a project
850 CHF*
for participants without project
Travel is not included.
Deadline
5 March
2020
Participants with a project: a Motivation letter, a CV and a Project description (max. 5 pages).
Participants without project: a Motivation letter and a CV.
The application deadline is 5 March 2020.
Focal Audience & Market Strategies
Structure
The three Modules are a mixture of open lectures and one-to-one meetings with the experts, research phases and work on individual projects in-between sessions.
Participants are given very practical goals to achieve during each Workshop. At the end of Module 1, participants are expected to have a title, a synopsis, a list of key scenes for still photography, a moodboard for the artwork, a draft press kit and a P&A for the Swiss theatrical release. At the end of Module 2, participants are expected to have a marketing strategy, a festival and sales strategy and a sales pitch outline. The wrap up of the AMS Programme will happen in Module 3, where final pitches of the developed strategies and discussions with high-profile industry experts will take place within an extensive networking event during the Zurich Film Festival. Furthermore, questions concerning legal issues will be answered.
Module 1
Audience
Module 2
Market
The second module – entirely held in a digital form – is focused on accessing the market and going international with the film. During the four-day workshop, participants will be given opportunities to deepen their understanding of market structures and the role of festivals in building a successful international career for the film, as well as legal issues specific to distribution and sales. Experts from top industry players will share their views on evolutions in act on the market place and how these impact the market, festival and sales strategy of European independent films to give the best opportunities to producers. The four days will be structured around individual expert presentations, one-to-one sessions and daily debriefs which will take place in a virtual space.
Module 3
Pitch
During this 2.5 day module, participants will be able to wrap-up the programme with a final pitch of the film project and of the strategy developed during the first two modules followed by a discussion with a panel of industry experts in the framework of the Zurich Film Festival. In addition to pitching training, this module will be an opportunity to think about the future with sessions focused on the major trends and evolutions taking place in the industry. This highly participatory event will offer networking opportunities and all participants will be offered an accreditation to the reknown Zurich Summit.
Focal Audience & Market Strategies
Experts & Team
The full list of experts will be announced in March.
Nils Bökamp
Netflix
Diana Bolzonello Garnier
BOLZONELLO GARNIER
Manuel Ewald
Koch Films
Deborah Rowland
UK National Film
and Television School
Agathe Valentin
TOTEM FILMS
Harry Vaughn
Sundance Film
Festival
Paul Wilson
YELLOW1
Olga Lamontanara
Project Coordinator
Barbie Heusinger
Head of Studies
Mathias Noschis
Head of Studies
Focal Audience & Market Strategies
Contact
For any question, please contact the FOCAL Audience & Marketing Strategies Project Coordinator Olga Lamontanara (olga.lamontanara@focal.ch) or use the form below.