Press Release 19/11/10
for immediate release.
SCOTTISH DOCUMENTARY INSTITUTE OPENS NEW BURSARY FUND FOR SCOTTISH-BASED FILMMAKERS.
Scottish Documentary Institute to give bursaries for formal consultancy services to all Scottish-based filmmakers developing documentary ideas.
Scottish Documentary Institute is the leading centre for documentary training and education in Scotland and based at Screen Academy Edinburgh College of Art. It produces the award winning Bridging the Gap short documentary series, which has been honoured with BAFTAs, Grierson and European Film Award nominations and numerous festival screenings world-wide. It also hosts top level training for documentary producers to access the international market via its Interdoc programme, the annual Edinburgh Pitch and Doc Week during Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Scottish Documentary Institute is launching for the first time year-round submissions of Scottish documentary projects in development (shorts and features) to our Docscene project pool.
The projects will then be steered towards forthcoming training programmes or other funding opportunities, depending on theme and scope: *new* Seed Funding, Interdoc, the Edinburgh Pitch and prepared for other submissions to funders, meet markets or pitching forums. The aim is to improve quality of project development and increase the talent pool.
Selected Scottish projects will qualify for a bursary and receive advice free of charge, thanks to Creative Scotland Lottery funding. They will be listed on www.docscene.org as projects in development.
Sonja Henrici, Head of Development at Scottish Documentary Institute said: “We always get asked for advice and feedback – this formalises our commitment to develop a wider variety of filmmakers and projects through consultancies. We look forward to finding the hidden gems and developing exciting new stories and talents.”
SDI has a strong team of internal advisers as well as first rate links to UK and international producers & sales & distribution consultants in Europe and North America.
Advising on project submissions on a rolling basis means SDI can encourage more high quality projects year round, facilitate introductions and financing, identify gaps of training and knowledge in order to enhance training provision to Scottish filmmakers and producers of documentary in the long term.
Submissions are now open. The initiative forms part of the Docscene programme of activities funded by Creative Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (via Screen Hi) and Edinburgh College of Art (eca), home of Scottish Documentary Institute.
ENDS/
Notes to editors:
1. Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) is a research centre based at Edinburgh College of Art specialising in the development, production, and distribution of creative documentaries in cinema. Documentaries are a way of telling us who we are, who we might be, of connecting with the world, of raising our profile internationally as a creative, vibrant country with a distinctive voice. Our aim is to stimulate and inspire the documentary scene in Scotland and beyond through a focus on creative excellence with a clear international outlook. We are a community hub where several generations of documentary filmmakers share and work together across industry and academia. SDI aspires to create a synergy between the practice and study of documentary film, and to link industry and academia.
2. Please go to www.docsccene.org/consultancies for full Rules & Regulations and Terms & Conditions. Only Scottish residents are eligible for a bursary. For more information call Flore Cosquer: 0131 221 6204 / f.cosquer@eca.ac.uk
From the submissions a number of suitable proposals will be selected to go into a development/ consultation process whereby the filmmaker will be advised on one or more of the following:
- synopsis, proposal, full treatment, trailer
- story development
- financing strategy
- budgeting
- rough-cut (if available)
- festival strategy (for completed projects or rough-cut stage)
- online marketing/financing strategy (any stage)
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4. Creative Scotland is the new national leader for the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland and plays a lead role in promoting the value and importance of the sector. Creative Scotland invests in talented people and exciting ideas, develops the creative industries and champions Scottish creativity. Working with partners and cultural organisations, Creative Scotland works to ensure that a diversity of audiences, both at home and internationally, enjoy access to the best of Scotland’s creative arts.
www.creativescotland.com
For further information contact:
Sonja Henrici (Head of Development): sonja@scottishdocinstitute.com
Noémie Mendelle (Director): noe@scottishdocinstitute.com
Scottish Documentary Institute | eca | 74 Lauriston Place | Edinburgh | EH3 9 DF |
Scotland UK | T: +44 (0) 131 221 6125
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