Produce
INTINERARIO
4
Producing documentary films is a specialized task that requires a high degree of creativity and flexibility. Each film has its own peculiarities and, therefore, it is the task of the production team to find the most suitable design. In this itinerary we will delve into the different stages -development, financing, production, distribution and sales- that the people in charge of production must undertake.
Perfiles
- producción
- dirección
- distribución
- agencia de ventas
- programación
The first step in producing a film begins with the selection of a project and the identification of its specific characteristics and its possibilities for financing and artistic-creative proposal and innovation. The next steps require taking into account the dimension of the project in order to plan a sustainable budget and tailor-made financing. The documentary can be approached in different ways depending on the model it represents, from an artisanal, industrial or self-produced production. At this stage, a crucial task is the development of attractive sales materials (dossier, pitch, teaser) to implement the planned strategy in the competitive ecosystem of funds, grants, markets, forums, festivals and platforms.
ProfilesAddress Production
Knowing the film before its birth
- How much do you know about the film before making it?
- What kind of film do you think it will be?
- What kind of audience will it target?
- What trajectory will it be able to follow?
- How does this impact the search for funding?
- How does it influence the earliest phases, depending on whether the project originates from the director, is a commission, or an initiative of the production team?
Dimension of production: From self-production to the industry
- How do you identify the appropriate scale of production?
- Can a film lose direction or coherence if the production is disproportionate (in terms of financing or production design)?
- What factors determine whether a film is made on a more artisanal or less industrial level?
- As a filmmaker, how and when do you decide to engage in self-producing your film?
- How does self-production allow you to optimize the result?
- What are the particularities of a production on an artisanal or self-produced scale?
- And on an industrial scale?
- Could you provide some examples?
- How do you approach budgeting at this stage?
Tailor-made financing
- How is the search for financing for a documentary film structured?
- How specific is this process for each film?
- Can you provide examples or specific cases of financing models from your experience?
- How do you identify potential funding sources?
- How do you adapt your strategy if funding is not secured?
- How do you evaluate the current funding landscape for documentaries in your context, and how has it evolved in recent years?
The creation of the dossier, teaser, and other materials
- Is the dossier a creative or a marketing tool?
- To what extent?
- Who should be involved in preparing the dossier?
- What aspects of the film should be communicated through the dossier and teaser?
- How does the dossier evolve throughout the creative process to adapt to different calls?
Selling your documentary: Pitching, markets, and WIP
- What are the key elements for pitching your project? How does the context and audience of each event affect pitch preparation and delivery?
- How do you determine which markets or labs to present your film in?
- How do you make the most of each market opportunity?
- Can a film succeed and achieve recognition without participating in markets in today’s landscape?
- How much do you learn about your own film by participating in markets or labs?
- How can you enhance your film during this process while preserving its essence and creative independence?
Once the documentary has been financed, the production team must determine the budget and design an appropriate production plan. As with the artistic field, the unpredictability of working with reality is decisive in this organization, so flexibility in management is absolutely necessary in the three phases, pre-production, filming and post-production. The selection of the technical team is another key factor, especially in productions where the human factor can be delicate or where deadlines are extended over time. Documentary film faces specific challenges for production such as ethical issues and the management of rights and legal aspects.
ProfilesAddress Production
Knowing the Film Before Its Birth
- How much do you know about the film before making it?
- What kind of film do you think it will be?
- What audience will it be aimed at?
- What kind of trajectory could it have?
- How does it affect the search for financing?
- How does it influence the very early phases if the project originates from the director or if it is a commission or a production initiative?
Production Scale: From Self-Production to Industry
- How do you recognize the scale a production should have?
- Can a film lose its direction or coherence due to disproportionate production (in terms of financing or production design)?
- What factors determine whether a film is produced at a more artisanal or less industrial level?
- As a filmmaker, how and when do you decide to engage in producing your own film as a self-production?
- How does self-production allow you to optimize the result?
- What are the particularities of production on an artisanal or self-produced scale?
- And on an industrial scale?
- Can you provide some examples?
- How do you create the budget at this stage?
Tailored Financing
- How is the search for financing for a documentary film designed?
- How specific is this task for each film?
- Can you provide examples or particular cases of financing models in your career?
- How do you identify possible financing avenues?
- How do you reformulate the strategy if the funds are not secured?
- How do you assess the current landscape of financing funds for documentaries in your context, and how has it evolved in recent years?
The Creation of the Dossier, Teaser, and Other Materials
- Is the dossier a creative or marketing element?
- To what extent?
- In your opinion, who should be involved in preparing the dossier?
- What elements of the film should be conveyed/communicated/distilled in the dossier and teaser?
- How does the renewal of the dossier evolve throughout the creative process for different calls?
Selling Your Documentary: Pitching, Markets, and WIP
- What are the key points for pitching your project? How does the context and specific audience of each event influence pitch preparation and execution?
- How do you identify which markets/labs to present your film in?
- How do you make the most of the opportunity that each market offers?
- Can a film move forward and find its path without resorting to markets in the current landscape?
- How much do you learn about your own film by participating in markets/labs?
- How can you improve your film during this process while preserving its essence and authorial freedom?
The limited number of screens for the distribution of documentary films greatly influences the way in which films meet the public. It is therefore essential to develop an effective strategy to obtain the maximum possible dissemination of the film we are making. This last stage can be carried out alone, through self-distribution, or in the company of a sales and/or distribution agency. In both cases, it is essential to select the film’s target audience, design a complementary strategy for screenings and viewings in different areas of interest and develop an attractive communication plan to achieve the maximum number of viewers.
ProfilesDistribution Production Programming Sales agency
Knowing the Film Before Its Birth
- How much do you know about the film before making it?
- What kind of film do you think it will be?
- What audience will it target?
- What kind of trajectory could it have?
- How does it affect the search for financing?
- How does it influence the earliest phases if the project originates from the director or if it is a commission or a production initiative?
Production Scale: From Self-Production to Industry
- How do you identify the scale a production should have?
- Can a film lose direction or coherence if the production is disproportionate (in terms of financing or production design)?
- What factors determine whether a film is produced on a more artisanal or less industrial level?
- As a filmmaker, how and when do you decide to engage in producing your own film as a self-production?
- How does self-production allow you to optimize the result?
- What are the particularities of production on an artisanal or self-produced scale?
- And on an industrial scale?
- Can you provide some examples?
- How do you approach budgeting at this stage?
Tailored Financing
- How is the search for financing for a documentary film designed?
- How specific is this task for each film?
- Can you provide examples or particular cases of financing models in your career?
- How do you identify possible financing avenues?
- How do you reformulate the strategy if funds are not secured?
- How do you evaluate the current landscape of financing funds for documentaries in your context? How has it evolved in recent years?
The Creation of the Dossier, Teaser, and Other Materials
- Is the dossier a creative or marketing element?
- To what extent?
- In your opinion, who should participate in preparing the dossier?
- What elements of the film should be conveyed/communicated/distilled in the dossier and teaser?
- How does the renewal of the dossier evolve throughout the creative process for different calls?
Selling Your Documentary: Pitching, Markets, and WIP
- What are the key points for pitching your project? How does the context and specific audience of each event influence the preparation and execution of the pitch?
- How do you identify which markets/labs to present your film in?
- How do you make the most of the opportunities each market offers?
- Can a film succeed and find its path without resorting to markets in today’s landscape?
- How much do you learn about your own film during the journey through markets/labs?
- How can you improve your film during this process while preserving its essence and creative freedom?
