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Facts in focus In association with Crossover 02.11.09 Media Guardian The way forward in documentary film-making and digital content Labs and Sheffield Doc/Fest There are plenty of good short films online and it is important to build up an audience there – it’s an incredibly exciting option to have viewers respond to you via the web Documentary film-maker Molly Dineen, page 6 Introduction A digital tomorrow This special supplement is about documentary film and its future in the digital world in the week of the biggest UK documentary film festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, which takes place in Sheffield on 4-8 November. Documentary film is very much alive and well but, like all media, it is under pressure for funding. So our coverage includes a look at the growth of global co- productions, how new distribution techniques are bringing in more income and what initial steps some film-makers are taking to tap into funds from online sources. We also examine the MeetMarket, Sheffield Doc/ Fest’s specialised pitching market, where film-makers can make their case for funding to commissioners from around the world. We explore the issue of the “campaigning documentary”. This is where funding comes from interest groups, charities and non-governmental organisations looking to get a message out. Some of the new funding models are considered controversial but also necessary if the genre is to evolve in the digital age. We look at the trend of celebrity- Raw energy: Taqwacore, Majeed’s documentary about the Muslim punk scene, is among the many projects spawned at Sheffield Doc/Fest’s pitching marketKim Badawi/Redux fronted documentaries, a practice that is audience-grabbing but controversial among film-makers. Another area tackled is digital What’s up, doc? piracy in documentary film as well as the evolution of copyright law to encourage creativity and yet also compensate film-makers. Documentary films have never been so popular, but tough times mean film-makers must The trend toward creating multiplatform films continues embrace digital technologies to maintain the genre’s upward trajectory. By Kate Bulkley apace and we look at efforts like the first-ever Crossover Summit he documentary film of doc film-makers the money for making it puts me in touch with the international content that works on different platforms at Sheffield Doc/Fest to promote is having a good year. their documentaries still comes from TV documentary community,” says Charlotte to understand each other.” film-makers working with games Not only are there half commissions. And while the internet offers Moore, commissioning editor for docu- To that end, a Crossover Summit is developers and others to make a dozen documentaries promotional power and global reach, there mentaries at BBC Knowledge. being held at Sheffield Doc/Fest for the content interesting to the Facebook doing well in the cinema are also issues of piracy and how film-mak- Moore says the BBC still fully-funds first time. generation. Finally, we get some but digital technology ers can get paid for their work. many of its documentaries; it has some About 120 films will be screened at is lowering the costs of “TV is still the core place where docu- 200 hours for docs across its four TV the Festival this year out of some 2,000 views on the future of documentary making films and allow- mentary makers make their money, and channels. But most film-makers believe entries. Among these is Moving to Mars film audiences: what will they want ing film-makers to tap new audiences increasingly now it is understanding how that new money sources are also needed – A Million Miles from Burma, a feature- from the genre going forward and Ton the internet. Michael Moore, Morgan to tap into international TV co-production beyond TV. “I believe that TV is no longer length documentary by UK director Mat how might it evolve? Spurlock and Al Gore have put a different budgets that is the key to being a success- the Holy Grail,” says Andy Glynne, manag- Whitecross that will premiere and open Kate Bulkley face on the worthy documentary, with ful documentary maker,” says Croall. ing director of Mosaic Films. “It is being the festival. The film follows two refugee their films becoming hugely popular. The To that end Sheffield Doc/Fest has replaced by self-distribution, DVD sales families from Burma who move to Shef- same trend has happened on the small moved beyond its roots of being simply and online. We are looking at advertiser field and it was financed by Channel 4/ screen with Paul Merton, Terry Pratchett a British documentary film festival to one funding, branded content, direct market- Britdoc, a foundation that underwrites Inside and Ross Kemp fronting documentaries that now attracts TV and film commis- ing and looking to charities and non-gov- new talent and new approaches to docu- on both difficult topics such as Alzheim- sioners, producers, filmmakers and new ernmental organisations for funds. These mentary film-making. er’s through to the war in Afghanistan and media executives from around the globe models are all starting to work although “Britdoc were fantastic,” says White- 02 Funding travelogues. all looking for the next big doc idea. the recession has hit them somewhat.” cross. “The advice we had was this film is In a tough economic climate, producers The rising popularity of docs has opened Mosaic is participating in a project going to be tricky to get financed because are seeking creative funding solutions up the wallets of new investors, from small, New funding exploring the potential of digital distribu- it’s subtitled, it’s niche and it doesn’t have individual donations made online to large Sheffield Doc/Fest is both open to general tion funded by the National Endowment for a potential mass market appeal but Brit- 03 Copyright/Editorial integrity brands and interest groups eager to be audiences as well as those who work in the Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta) doc said ‘let’s do it’ the day we pitched it Is there a lesson for directors and film- involved in messages that resonate with business. Four years ago the festival set and the Film Council called Take 12 that has to them.” makers to learn from web pirates? the groups of people they want to target. up a pitching market called MeetMarket been running for several months. The passion that Whitecross and his While budgets for television documen- that now attracts about 1,500 film-makers Beyond looking for new sources of producer Karen Katz had for the project 05 Multiplatform content taries have shrunk, there are certainly and commissioners who meet to discuss funds is the issue of making attractive won through (Whitecross’s parents were Interaction is growing as content is more TV channels looking for program- projects and financing. The forum has cross-platform content that works seam- political exiles from Argentina in the produced for cinema, TV and online ming and the internet has opened up a bourne fruit with Croall estimating that lessly with the documentary programme. 1970s) and the result is a moving film that window to global audiences, offering the since 2008 some £9m of funding has been “Most producers and broadcasters are cost about £150,000 to make and has local 06 Celebrity/Personal views potential for far-reaching viral market- sparked at the annual get together alone. not thinking about new media until the appeal because the families were settled in The celebrity-driven documentary is here ing campaigns and access to previously Indeed, several projects sparked in post-production phase,” says Frank Boyd, Sheffield. “We weren’t trying to convey a to stay –what do the experts think? undreamed of methods of funding. prior MeetMarkets are coming to Sheffield director of Crossover Labs, a training particular message because you can come Heather Croall, director of Sheffield this year as completed documentaries and organisation that helps producers create unstuck if you do that,” says Whitecross. Commissioning editor Kate Bulkley Doc/Fest, which is celebrating its 16th will be screened at the festival, including cross-platform content. “We try to help “That said, there is so much anti-immigra- Editorial 0203-353 3934/4189 year this week, says: “There are currently Tarqwacore – The Birth of Punk Islam the different people involved in creating tion rhetoric out there that you need to Produced by Guardian Creative for five or six docs doing well in the cine- directed by Omar Majeed, Men of the City, articulate some kind of antidote.” Guardian Professional, a commercial 12A mas including The September Issue and directed by Marc Isaacs and set in the cur- division of Guardian News and Media, Michael Moore’s new film, Capitalism: A rent financial crisis exploring the human The internet offers Weblinks to a brief agreed with Sheffield Doc/Fest Love Story. Take it back 10 years and we cost of life in the dog-eat-dog world of and Crossover Labs didn’t have one doc in a multiplex.” London’s Square Mile and Kings of Pastry promotional power Crossover Labs: crossoverlabs.org Paid for by Sheffield Doc/Fest and But the key to being a successful docu- by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus that Moving To Mars: movingtomarsfilm.com Crossover Labs. All editorial content mentary maker goes beyond the high- chronicles a hopeful pastry chef in compe- and global reach, but Nesta: nesta.org.uk/film commissioned by the Guardian profile successes of a few big cinematic tition to win the coveted Meilleur Ouvrier there are also issues of Sheffield Doc/Fest: sheffdocfest.com Contact David Clayton on 020-3353 2286 hits.

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