Speed Pitching

Speed pitching is a great way for independent producers to have a one-on-one session with decision makers to whom they wouldn’t otherwise have easy access. The Wildscreen team & our session producer will conduct some preliminary matchmaking to make the encounters more rewarding for both parties. All pitches are put forward but as there are limited slots available it is down to the luck of the draw whether your pitch gets through. Pre-application is required and all successful applicants will be notified. If you have not heard from us by Monday 8 October please assume that you have not been successful. Please be assured that all pitches that do not make it through will be destroyed

About the Pitch 
Each slot will be 10 mins and your pitch needs to be a maximum of 5 minutes long which can include a trailer. Please send your pitch, which should be an outline of your project which is no more than 50 words, along with a cover note stating your name and who you are pitching to from the list of commissioners: events@wildscreen.org.uk. Applications will be accepted until 5pm on Thursday 4 October 2012.

And here is what the comissioners are looking for...

Monday 15th Oct

Janet Han Vissering, SVP Program Development & Production, Nat Geo Wild

We are looking for Blue Chip and shows that involve or focus on animals/animal behavior and interaction between animal and human.

Helen Hawken, Director of Production, Factual West, DNI

My key focus is on looking for returnable formats and new on-screen talent that work internationally across the four DNI territories – Western Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. There are also opportunities for formats featuring established on-screen talent for local UK & Western Europe.

These can be character/talent led narratives or precinct, process and format driven narratives without hosts. Factual genres include adventure & endurance, animals & humans, humans & nature, science & engineering, cars & other vehicles. Cross genre ideas work well too.

Walter Köhler, CEO, Terra Mater

Committed to the highest production values, Terra Mater Factual Studios offer edutainment in the literal sense of the word and produce blue-chip program for TV and cinema release and collaborate with the best producers, cameramen and directors. Three key ingredients guarantee Terra Mater viewers a unique experience: Visual Excellence, Innovative Technology and Amazing Storytelling.

Our core genres are wildlife and nature, science and history. We bring together a wide array of genres and styles to create exciting new straight factual and ‘docutainment’ formats.

Therefore we are seeking all kinds of high-end series and one offs, blue chip natural history films.

Andrew Bowers, Factual Acquisitions Executive, Natural History, BBC World Wide

We’re looking for blue chip programming with a strong narrative arc - 3 or 4 part series work well for us. Anything that offers new animal behaviour or has a fresh approach is appealing to us. Observational precinct/diary-type series - 30' or 60' programmes with at least 6 episodes per series. And we're always interested in developing new talent with the right vehicle.
 

Tuesday 16th Oct

Dick Colthurst, Managing Director, Tigress Productions

I’m looking for big, bold ideas that nobody’s quite sure how to make. A multiplatform element is important and while I’m interested in new camera techniques, it’s not about the kit, it’s about the idea that uses the kit.

Harry Marshall, Creative Director, Icon Films

I’m looking for Returning low budget natural history formats like ‘WILL WORK FOR NUTS’.

Neil Harraway, EVP Marketing, Development, NHNZ

“I’ll tell ya wot I want. I want it fookin all. And I want it fookin now!!!”
The immortal words of B Connolly might have been uttered by a network exec !
But we producers are a more moderate bunch – so I want just the best, most unique, most scintillating pitches for series that have the best talent attached, or the freshest story or style approach to blue-chip.
I want it bright and brief – with the 10 second sell upfront.
And I want the target broadcasters in UK, US, Europe and anywhere else, the target audience, the budget range, and the production talent.
I want to know if it’s do-able, returnable, saleable, profitable.
Oh and I want video.
That’s not much to ask is it?
 

Wednesday 17th Oct

Kate Quilton,  Mulitplatform Commissioning Editor and Sara Ramsden, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, Channel 4

At Channel 4 we’re looking for live, interactive, natural history events. We want new multiplatform approaches to natural history and new technologies to be at the heart of the proposition. We want the audience to be a part of the story.

Fergus Beeley, Managing Director, Nature Conservation Channel

The Nature Conservation Channel is a wildlife news web TV channel launching soon. It will deliver short form and live video content through to PC's and mobile devices with simultaneous live engagement across social media platforms.

The channel is commissioning news stories from any film maker, professional or amateur, to fill its eight popular strands. You may know of something coming up/that is planned for next year and will make a good story.

Our strands include latest BIRD NEWS; BIG CATE UPDATE; a strand for scientists with stories about NEW DISCOVERIES, perhaps new species or new wild behaviours found; PEOPLE WITH A PASSION, say an NGO or ranger at an exciting stage of a field conservation project; or amateur film makers that might have caught an AMAZING CLIP, a once-in-a-lifetime moment of wild behaviour on camera?

Stories must be self-shot, edited and uploaded with an immediacy. They can come from anywhere around the world, be around only two minutes in length and ideally have a deeper engagement opportunity (we would offer to help you on this - but could you set up a single camera and mic for a live story update - can you report it, too?)

Our commissioning budgets aren't big, but to shoot, cut and upload a two minute item, they don't need to be. We are looking to connect with a new and very numerous breed of content providers that are light and fast.  This is production for the web, and a new mind-set is needed.

So if you have a compelling story on something coming up next year that fits our brief, we want to hear from you! 

Thursday 18th Oct

Steve Greenwood, Series Editor Natural World BBC NHU

Natural World is the BBC’s strand of 60’ wildlife documentaries. It transmits in peaktime BBC2 and we are looking for films that can draw a wide audience in that competitive slot and draw new people to wildlife films. Great animals with great stories in great places is the core of our strand. We are looking for strong emotional stories with great characters - which could be animals and/or people. Many of our films feel authored and are told from a personal perspective. We’re looking for films that will deliver in Spring 2014. We are now strictly international so no British ideas please!

Bill Murphy, Series Producer, Thirteen

Nature looks for high quality natural history programs that range from blue chip to unique animal-human relationship stories. All shows should allow the viewer to get to know an animal through its behavior, personality or predicament. We look for dramatic and emotional storytelling, well-shot natural history and engaging behavioral sequences. Films must have a beginning, middle and end and all projects must convey respect for the environment and the animals.

Andrew Solomon, Head of Natural History, ORF

UNIVERSUM is looking for blue chip natural history documentaries with strong stories. High production values are a priority. Monographs, regions and people & animals are all possible. Magazine and reportage styles do not work for us. Single hours are ideal. Short series (up to 5 episodes) can be considered. 

Laurent Flahault, Com Ed Acquisitions & International Co Pros, France Five

We look for popular, entertaining, innovative and meaningful programmes, suitable for family audience. Key ingredients are high production value, spectacular cinematography, strong and new storytelling, animal behaviour, emotion, thrill and fun. Usually non-hosted. Dedicated to very competitive slots (morning, afternoon and prime times). One offs in 90' and 52', and series in 52' and 26'. With almost one wildlife slot per day, most of France 5's programmes come from acquisitions, but a few come from international co-productions (with money already attached).

Joern Roever, CEO NDR Naturfilm / Doclights GmbH

As Germany’s biggest natural history production company NDR Naturfilm produces both big series such as award winning Wild Russia and Wild Scandinavia as well as one offs and specials like cinema releases such as Serengeti, Russia or the Green Universe. For our audience we are looking mainly for blue chip wildlife stories with strong animal behaviour filmed with latest technology such as super slow motions, moving time lapse, cineflex aerials, night vision cameras etc.