ITVS International
Shop Talk: Q & A with Programming
When is the International Call deadline for 2011?
The International Call 2011 deadline is December 10, 2010. The application will go live on October 15, 2010 and all submissions must be in-office by Friday, December 10. In addition, we aim to have an interactive international message board up and running by October 1.
What kinds of documentaries are you seeking?
For International Call, the › Continue reading
On the Scene at a War Criminal’s Conviction
Filmmaker Adrian Maben
The ITVS-funded film-in-progress Comrade Duch tells the story of the gifted Cambodian mathematician turned mass killer Kaing Guek Eav and the trial to bring him to justice. Filmmaker Adrian Maben was outside the courtroom last month when Duch was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to 35 years in prison.
When I started to work on Comrade Duch, it was clear in my mind that this film should not be a courtroom film with heaps of legal wrangling and judicial squabbles. The central idea was to find an answer to the question of how one man could possibly inflict so much pain on his fellow citizens and justify his acts.
› Continue reading
Inside a Soccer Soap Opera in Africa
Patrick Reed, Director of The Team
With World Cup fever upon us, Patrick Reed, director of the upcoming ITVS International production The Team, describes filming the making of a soap opera about soccer in Kenya. The fictional program was intended to unite and distract Kenyans in the aftermath of violence following the 2007 elections. The film is still in production.
With the 2010 World Cup in full swing, the eyes of the world are on Africa.
Each morning — before rushing off to the edit suite in Toronto, Canada, where I live — starts with a guilty pleasure: eating breakfast in front of the TV and watching the early morning World Cup match with my 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.
For my kids, the novelty of watching TV in the morning compensates for their difficulty following the action. Lots of questions, of course, such as: “Why do the players keep falling down?” And, “What’s happening?” when the referee brandishes a red card and sends a player off (something my kids keenly appreciate, as they are very familiar with the concept of being penalized for bad behavior).
Geneva Forum on Social Change 2010
The Geneva Forum on Social Change (GFSC) was established in January 2009 by students of the International Organizations MBA Programme at the University of Geneva as an annual event which uses the power of documentary media to promote positive social change. Prominent filmmakers, academics and professionals lead stimulating discussions about the most pressing social issues. Chi Do, ITVS Associate Director of Communications, gives us her take on the forum:
The term “movers and shakers” took on new meaning for me at the 2010 Geneva Forum on Social Change on May 28-29. The dynamic weekend featuring ten award-winning documentaries (including four from ITVS), four keynote speakers, six panels, seven workshops (plus expos on sustainability and new media!) brought together more than 500 people — all driven by a common desire to see how the merging of public and private, governmental and non-governmental, even the merging of our virtual and physical worlds can bring about innovations to address the most critical social issues of our time.
A Discussion with Filmmakers from the Geneva Forum on Social Change
Geneva is a hotbed for international dealings whether it be diplomacy or finance, and the GFSC represented that to a tee by attracting participants whose work reaches so many corners of the globe: international organizations, NGOs, private corporations, diplomatic corps, foundations, the list goes on. In one room I would meet someone working to develop water and energy conservation programs for an entire country on behalf of USAID, and then turn around and meet another person who started a foundation to support youth in a small village in Africa with nothing more than what was in their savings account and the help of a few friends. The amount of brain stimulation and soul inspiration to be had was off the charts!
Live Webcast: Media As Global Diplomat
It’s here! Welcome to the live stream of Seizing the Moment: Media and Peacebuilding, a summit we’re hosting at the Newseum in cooperation with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the Sesame Workshop. (For more about this event, check out our previous post)
Please join in via chat or by using the Twitter hashtag #magd. How do you think the media is doing in helping divergent cultures understand and empathize with one another? Is technology delivering on its promise to democratize media in a true sense? What could we be doing better?
Dive in and be heard:
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Building Peace through Media – Join Us Tomorrow, May 12th!
We’re thrilled to once again be partnering with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to host the third in a series of media and leadership summits, tomorrow May 12th at the Newseum in Washington D.C. So you’re not in D.C.? No worries – we’ll have a live webcast and discussion here on the blog beginning at 9:00 AM EST.
You’ll able to engage panelists through a live chat and Twitter (#magd). We encourage you to take part! Sign up and find full details of the event at www.usip.org.
The summit, Seizing the Moment: Media and Peacebuilding, will be moderated by NPR’s Michel Martin, host of the acclaimed program Tell Me More, and will bring together more than 20 thought leaders, CEOs, media makers, and policy gurus to tackle the tough questions around leveraging today’s global media to facilitate conflict resolution and contribute to the expansion of peace.
The summit will present a series of three discussions (The New News: Media at the Crossroads, Storytelling 2.0: Keeping it Real,Opening Minds, and Changing Hearts, and Next Generation Peacebuilders) alongside select content from new documentaries coming to PBS and other outlets, including the Academy® Award-nominated The Most Dangerous Man in America and Project Kashmir airing on Independent Lens on May 18th.
The day’s panelists include:
- Jared Cohen—Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State
- Patricia Harrison—President and CEO, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- Marvin Kalb—Veteran Broadcaster and Visiting Expert, USIP
- Riz Khan—Senior News Anchor, Al Jazeera English
- Gary Knell—President and CEO, Sesame Workshop
- Mir Ibrahim Rahman—CEO, Geo TV Pakistan
Please tune in and add your voice to this important conversation.
First Australians airing Saturday on the National Geographic Channel
Have you ever been to Australia or dreamed about traveling there? But how much do you really know about the country and its Aboriginal people?
This Saturday, March 6, at 9:00 PM, the National Geographic Channel will take you there in the ITVS International film First Australians. Produced by Australia’s top Aboriginal filmmakers, First Australians chronicles the birth of a country and the collision of two worlds. This epic story combines landscapes, interviews, art and archival footage to present the birth of contemporary Australia from the perspectives of its first peoples.
Watch this video preview below:
Learn more about the broadcast by visiting the National Geographic website >>
Countdown to World Water Day Short Film Contest
To celebrate World Water Day 2010 ITVS and the University of Miami invite you to participate in the One Cut contest, a non-fiction short film contest designed to bring attention to the global water crisis affecting millions around the world. We are looking for films that will inspire viewers to make a change in their own lives to address the global water challenge at a personal level. The best entries will be personal, creative, visual stories that can be shared across all borders and languages.
The contest has three cash prizes:
* First prize: $500
* Second prize: $300
* Third prize: $200
Films should be at least 2 minutes in length and can be no more than 15 minutes long. Entrants are required to submit their films in digital form online and will be guided through the application process when they submit their entry form online. A distinguished panel at the School of Communication, University of Miami, will judge the contest.
The competition will be open until March 22, 2010 on World Water Day. Prizes will be announced shortly after.
ITVS International: Application for Film Funding; Deadline February 5
ITVS International Call enables independent producers from outside of the United States to create documentaries for U.S. television. Through the International Call, storytellers from other countries introduce U.S. audiences to their global neighbors, opening a window into unfamiliar lives, experiences and perspectives.
The deadline for ITVS International Call is Friday, February 5, 2010. Due dates are not postmark deadlines and all materials must arrive at ITVS by 5:00 PM.
Have additional questions about the International Media Development Fund? Email Cynthia_Kane@itvs.org or call 415-356-8383 x445.
Find more information about guidelines and how to apply >>
The application is now available on the ITVS website. Download now >>
Have additional questions about the International Media Development Fund? Email Cynthia_Kane@itvs.org or call 415-356-8383 x445.
Ask Programming: International Call Questions
With the ITVS International Call deadline quickly approaching on February 5, 2010, the ITVS programming staff takes some time out to answer a few of your frequently asked questions:
Q. How does the International Call work?
A. Through the International Call funding initiative, ITVS works to:
1. Seek out international projects. We work closely with international media markets, film festivals and producer organizations to find and attract the most compelling television project proposals from around the world.
2. Select the best projects created by international independent producers. The International Call incorporates a peer-review process involving distinguished industry professionals (filmmakers, commissioning editors, broadcasters, etc.) from around the world.
Cynthia Kane, ITVS International Program Manager, posing in front of the International Call submissions library.
3. Fund and manage projects to completion. Through the International Call, we provide production funds in exchange for a license for domestic broadcast; strategic commissioning commitments vary. ITVS works with producers to ensure that all programs meet broadcast and editorial standards.
4. Find U.S. television distribution outlets. Working with the producer, public television and other outlets, we negotiate U.S. distribution through public or cable television.
5. Maximize impact. Through publicity and community outreach campaigns, we help programs find and impact audiences.
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