ASK & DISCUSS

INDEX

Current Film Talk Producing

How to put together a documentary proposal

Sacha Van Spall

12 years ago - Sacha Van Spall

I want to put together a couple of proposals for two documentary ideas that I have, which I believe have good commercial value, but have no experience of documentary making. Does anyone have any useful pointers or resources that can get me started. They would not be low/micro budget, so would require professional proposals for seeking financing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Only members can post or respond to topics. LOGIN

Not a member of SP? JOIN or FIND OUT MORE

Helen Jack

12 years ago - Helen Jack

Sacha, check out the advice on the BRITDOC resources page. The have a whole section on writing a documentary proposal http://britdoc.org/resources

Marlom Tander

12 years ago - Marlom Tander

First time docu maker and wanting real money? You maybe need to find an experienced track record docu maker to work with you because even if you put the best prop together, your lack of track record will scare the channel. Chances are, they'll decide it's a great idea and talk to someone else. (NDAs are generally worth LESS than the paper they are written on. They won't copy your idea, just be inspired by it).

John Lubran

12 years ago - John Lubran

Sadly Marlom has it as it is. There's an awful lot of un-credited and unrewarded inspiring going on. For creative idea people who are not red enough in tooth and claw a good move is to find a morally constituted and worldly cognoscent collaborator, preferably a blood relative or true friend, from the outset.

The viable business models for film making however are widening beyond the old cartel monopolies. Demographics and the Internet suggest a huge and ever increasing shift in the way the global financial media pie is being carved up.

Sacha Van Spall

12 years ago - Sacha Van Spall

Thanks Helen, wonderful.

Sacha Van Spall

12 years ago - Sacha Van Spall

Thanks for the concern, but I'm not particularly worried about the details pointed out, as I'm not overly naive, nor overly concerned about companies taking the ideas. I just want to know how to go about presenting the ideas in a professional manner/format.