The 1. prize goes to the film SISTERS of the director Emin Alper and the producer Nadir Operli (Liman Film).
This artistic film tells a unique story of three sisters, revealing the practice of sending poor girls to work as servants for rich families. A strikingly beautiful representation on how people from an inferior class are trapped in their social status. The story is socially relevant as the gap between rich and poor people is growing all over Europe.

The 2. prize goes to the film TRUST/ Güven of the director Sefa Öztürk Colay and the producer Serkan Acar (FilmFabrik).
This project is an interesting mix of two genres with a multi layering of suspense. Thus the story explores relational problems in a very unique way as it questions what connects us other than trust.

The jury thanks all participants for presenting their projects to us.

Members of the Jury:
(l to r)
Serkan Yildirim (Erbay Media)
Sabina Mitevska (Sister And Brothers Mitevski Production)
Suzanne Pradel (BuchScout Agency Berlin)
Arten Zharku (Kosova Cinema-tography Center)

The First Scriptwriter Residency Programme of The European Women´s Audiovisual Network (EWA) has been launched on 22/09/2016.

The EWA scriptwriter residency programme is a great initiative dedicated to supporting the next generation of screenwriting talents among EWA members, and helping them enter the industry with the best script possible. Its purpose is offering to one selected woman scriptwriter/director the possibility to be mentored by a script consultant, to work with her before Berlinale and to have the opportunity to attend the EFM at the Berlinale to make connections.

The Offer: travel costs from and to Berlin. Accommodation in a private room + access to a kitchen in Berlin starting from 20 January 2017 – and ending 17 February, including four working sessions with a renowned script consultant (3 in Berlin + 1 Skype session after the Berlinale) and accreditation for the Berlinale.

Suzanne Pradel is the script consultant attached to the programme.

Suzanne is an international script consultant, lecturer and bookscout. Since 2008 she has been working as a script expert for Eurimages and MEDIA Programme. In 2009 she founded the BUCHSCOUT AGENCY which specializes in novel-to-film adaptations as well as international script consultancy, developing sophisticated TV features and cinematic features.

More detailed information you will find here: http://www.ewawomen.com/en/news/ewaas-scriptwriter-residency-programme.html

 

The film Why Women Need to Climb Mountains – A Journey of Discovery with Dr. Gerda Lerner asks the question:

How does knowing our history affect our potential to shape the future? This documentary explores the courageous life, work, and vision of Dr. Gerda Lerner and looks at the creative and collective spirit of women activists who spearheaded the field of women’s history.

BuchScout is happy to announce that the documentary will be screened at the Unesco in Paris.

Screening at the Unesco in Paris on Thursday September 15, 2016 at 4.30 pm

(2016, 85 minutes, original version in English and German with English subtitles)

http://fr.unesco.org/feedback/why-women-need-climb-mountains-rsvp

Un voyage dans la vie et l’œuvre du Docteur Gerda Lerner
(2016, 85 minutes, version originale en anglais et en allemand, sous-titrée en anglais)

Jeudi 15 septembre 2016 à 16 h 30

La projection sera suivie d’u,n débat en présence de la réalisatrice Renata Keller.

Un événement organisé par l’UNESCO et les Délégation permanentes de l’Autriche et des Etats Unis d’Amérique auprès de l’UNESCO

 

Learn more about this by watching these videos produced by Emily Best (Seed&Spark).

You will find lots of practical tips for your film no matter if you do a crowdfunding campaign or not. It´s important to think about this already at an early stage of script development. This will help you to shape your project.

https://www.seedandspark.com/education/crowdfunding-class#Who-is-Your-Audience

Independent producers have the opportunity to apply for a potentially lucrative grant from the MEDIA Development Fund to develop movie projects that have international marketing potential. In 2014 MEDIA launched the fifth round of its Program Creative Europe with a budget increase of 4 Million Euro. The aim of the program: To strengthen Europe’s audiovisual industry. Individual projects in the area ‚Movies‘ can apply for up to 60.000 Euro. Bonus points are awarded, for example, to projects aimed at the Under-16’s. However, competition for these program funds is intense. If you wish to be successful nonetheless, you should consider the following:

Do not submit too soon
Only enter your project into the race when the material has taken concrete shape and you’ve attached a number of partners (internationally renowned creatives, co-producers or distributors) to your project. Formal letters-of-intent from your partners will strengthen your application.

Clearly identify any weaknesses of the material submitted
Rather than gloss over any weakness, do identify problems and articulate concrete suggestions for solutions. Be clear about the direction you wish to take your project.

Identify and name the partners you wish to attract to the project to add value to your script
For example, if your author has been unable to deliver a convincing exposé, treatment or first draft script, then look for a strong partner who will significantly improve the quality of the project. Identify and name the script consultant or dialogue writer you’ve attracted to the project and add their letter-of-intent and filmography. Explain clearly why you’ve chosen this particular person to join the creative team.

Make sure your MEDIA submission is coherent
We notice tim
e and again that the proposed project phases do not match proposed costs in the requested funds calculations. A likely reason for this is several people, such as production manager and producer, will have contributed to the submission. It is therefore important that the whole application is carefully proofread for consistency and coherence. Check whether all proposed tasks have been sufficiently considered in the costs.

Do a detailed time plan
Include a time plan in your submission. You should allow sufficient time for each phase of development. Take care to make this time plan realistic, such that everyone involved in the development of your project is able to stick to it and deliver.

Identify your target group as closely as possible
You should reveal and elaborate on who the specific target group for your movie is. Explain which measures will be taken to reach this group. Consider who could be an attractive partner when it comes to marketing your film. Examples would be interest groups or forums.

„BuchScout – Agency For Film Adaptations“ is headquartered in Berlin. It specializes in screen adaptations of novels and in the development of feature films for the national and international market. Its tasks include searching for novels, analysis of adaptation potential, negotiation of film rights and contracts, film script creation and analysis, editing, support, and development of presentations for media outlets, distributors and funders in German, English and French. Most recently BuchScout‘s Suzanne Pradel has worked on the feature film „Galloping Mind“ by the Belgian director Wim Vandekeybus (first cinema release: September 2015 in Belgium) and on the adaptation of Hape Kerkeling’s German best-seller „Ich Bin Dann Mal Weg“ (“I’AM OFF”. Cinema release: December 2015, German box office hit).