DFM presents pitching programme
Jumpstart, the pitching programme at the Durban FilmMart (DFM), will offer 10 South African emerging filmmakers the opportunity to hone their pitching skills through a compact programme providing a springboard for filmmakers new to the industry. Submissions are now open and will close at 5pm on Friday, 16 June, 2017.
Jumpstart takes place in Durban from 14-17 July 2017, during the Durban International Film Festival. Supported by DFM partner, Produire au Sud of Festival des 3 Continents, in Nantes, France, the programme aims to introduce emerging filmmakers to the art of project pitching and will provide participants with a guide on how to maximise festivals and markets, and expose them to the workings of local and international industry.
“This is also a way in which they are provided with a professional introduction to the international co-production market,” explains Toni Monty, head of the DFO. “Often for filmmakers, new to the scene, this is a very daunting task and, if they have never been exposed to how pitches are conducted, would find it very intimidating doing so for the first time. So this programme provides a safe and engaging introduction for filmmakers to be exposed to the inner workings of the pitch.”
Restless Talent Pitch workshop
Jumpstart begins on Thursday, 13 July 2017 with an introduction and overview. The next day, participants will take part in a workshop conducted by Stefano Tealdi. He is a producer and director who also tutors film development and production at universities and master courses, and film
Film producer and director, Stefano Tealdi
pitching for organisations, such as Biennale Cinema College, Cannes Film Market, Festival des 3 Continents – Produire au Sud, Media Business School, Med Film Factory, Scuola Holden, TFL-Torino Film Lab, Zelig Film School.
They will also participate in the Restless Talent Pitch workshop and will be eligible to put their names forward for random selection to pitch their project at the Restless Talent Pitch at DFM. Restless Talent Management, the first global management company to focus on African talent, hosts the workshop and pitch.
The candidates will have opportunities to discuss their projects with mentors, take part in a Virtual Reality workshop, attend a co-production workshop hosted by the NFVF and observe the Talents Durban Story Junction session – activities aimed to further develop their pitching skills and confidence.
The programme is for emerging South Africa filmmakers only. Applicants must submit their project synopsis and filmmaker profile. To apply, email Durban FilmMart, using Jumpstart Application in the subject line. For more information on DFM, click here.
