Sheffield Doc/Fest and The Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation invite applications for a special 2-day workshop on the funding, marketing and distribution of independent films, in London on Friday July 2nd and Saturday July 3rd This course is designed for independent filmmakers and artists determined to get their work seen widely, create social impact, and earn a living in the digital age. Leading distribution strategist and President of Paradigm Consulting Peter Broderick, and Sandi DuBowski, Director/Producer of Trembling Before G-d, Producer…

The call for entries is now open for the Good Pitch at Hot Docs. The Good Pitch gives filmmakers a unique opportunity to pitch social-issue documentary projects and associated campaign strategies to an audience of NGOs, foundations, campaigners, advertising agencies, brands and media. The Good Pitch at Hot Docs welcomes submissions from filmmakers of any nationality working on documentary projects with a human rights focus. There is no entry fee to apply. Deadline: 20 Feb 2009. Apply at www.britdoc.org/goodpitch. The…

Well, yes of course it does. But this is a sticky, tricky issue that the independent film community is going to have to grapple with as new sources of funding become available and new partnerships are sought. I just finished writing an article for MovieScope Magazine in the UK about the possibilities for outreach around documentaries, focusing on the productive partnerships that Third Sector funding (NGOs, charities, social enterprises, voluntary organizations etc.) can help foster. However a couple of recent…

Maxyne Franklin with SXSW’s Janet Pierson Teddy Leifer, Jeremy Chilnick and Paul Taylor SnagFilm’s Andrew Mer with Jess Search Beadie Finzi introduces Larry Charles Jamie Campbell deep in conversation with Larry Charles AJ Schnack announces that Man On Wire has won the Best British Film prize at Britdoc The Britdoc gals and Larry: Katie Bradford, Jess Search, Larry Charles, Maxyne Franklin, Beadie Finzi Rebecca Lloyd-Evans and Beadie Finzi rocking out to Heavy Load Jess Search and Beadie Finzi get wigged…

Maxyne Franklin (Britdoc), Daniella Eversby (CPH:DOX) and Louise Platel (Channel 4) soak up the sun before a screening Jess Search gives Peter Dale a few pointers before the DocFest Debate: “The house believes docs should be more serious” Kurt Engfehr has his say at the debate Britdoc’s Charlotte Dale rocking her blue eyelashes at the Handlebar Moustache Disco Shooting People’s Tamsin Wright looking very glam Danielle DiGiacomo (IndiePix) and Sandra Whipham (More4) Current TV’s Emily Renshaw-Smith draped in Mardi Gras…

The sun came out yesterday afternoon for gin and tonics on the Quad while The Bollywood Brass Band marched around the college playing famous songs from Bollywood movies. Today it’s The Big Pitch in the Oxford Playhouse and screenings including Up the Yangtze, Thriller in Manila, At the Death House Door and Heavy Metal in Baghdad. Croquet on the Quad The Bollywood Brass Band Heather Croall, James Mullighan, Charlie Phillips and other peeps sipping G&Ts on the lawn Ryan Harrington…

I was up with the birds this morning to prepare for Britdoc which starts today. It’s so great to be back at Keble and there are so many really fantastic people attending this year. My Surgeries (nothing medical, just one-to-one meetings with industry experts) start with aplomb at noon today with Cara Mertes from Sundance. Followed my some of my favorite doc folk: Julie Goldman, Ryan Harrington, Matt Dentler, Danielle DiGiacomo, Debra Zimmerman, Judith Helfand and Robert West. . .…

The BRITDOC festival is coming up later this month in the UK: July 23-25 at Keble College, Oxford. I should declare my allegiances straight away because I am good friends with the BRITDOC gang and have helped out at the fest since its inception but, blatant bias aside, it really is a wonderful event and does all the things a good festival should by showing great films, creating genuine community and giving filmmakers useful resources going forward (from strategic knowledge…

Here are some pics from the final day at BRITDOC 07. I’m about to jump on a plane to South Africa so will be offline, off-piste and off-road for a couple of weeks. There will be no blogging from me for a while. Just hippos and elephants and sand dunes. Hooray! Cows on a meadow that is now a flood plain in Oxford Fulcrum’s Christo Hird and Sundance Institute’s Cara Mertes Sean Farnel – Hot Docs programmer and most excellent…

Shooting People Creative Director James Mullighan is a very funny man (or as he puts it “a frustrated stand-up comic”) and he did a fantastic job running the Shooters Pub Quiz on Thursday night. After that everyone went a bit mental and started rocking out with the Punk Rock Karaoke band. I didn’t get any pics of the karaoke itself but I think my audience reactions say it all really. Fab lady in curlers at the quiz Steven Bognar (A…