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Eventful

By Story Consultant Fernanda Rossi, The Documentary Doctor

(Reading time: 5:00 minutes – 504 words)

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“What are the chances of securing financing at a film market? Is it worth the cost?” I need not ascribe this quote to anyone since it’s the question of every filmmaker –sometimes with a tone that anticipates disappointment.

Gay Courter, maker of Freedom from Famine: The Norman Borlaug had a different query: “If I have all the financing and all I need is distribution, wouldn’t it be better and easier to just call them directly?” Neither better nor easier, I’m afraid to say.

Gay’s question was not naïve but strategic. A best-selling novelist and Emmy-winning filmmaker, her previous films had been commissioned; but this time she had to shop around. Essentially, she was trying to figure out if market hopping and conference schmoozing are a necessity or a luxury.

When thinking of attending Hot Docs, SilverDocs, or IFP in North America, or SunnySide of the Doc or IDFFA in Europe, to name a few, the question is not what we will get out of any individual market, but what you are building toward in the long run.

After time and cost are considered –from entry ticket ($0–1,000+) to travel and accommodation to the cost of marketing materials ($100 for business cards, at the very least)–what you’ll get in return is not priceless… I’m afraid to say once again!

Nevertheless, if markets and conferences didn’t have a purpose or didn’t deliver, they’d have died out a long time ago, or else only executives and distributors would attend; yet many Indie filmmakers persevere. The latter are neither wealthy nor masochistic. They know–just as Gay quickly learned–that it’s not about a silver bullet but about a thousand handshakes.

Film markets give filmmakers an opportunity to be “seen” and get “acquainted with.” An email is a one-minute disembodied experience that lands on a distributor’s desk to be answered or forgotten. At a conference, filmmakers and distributors bump into each other constantly in the confines of the same square footage: in elevators and corridors, at a dinner or panel, a booth or party; and everything in less than three days. Talk about repeated exposure!

Gay attended HotDocs first: nothing seemed to come of it. Yet at SunnySide, things were different. Her film was listed in the catalogue, and she was also part of the US Independents’ booth, an organization that facilitates attendance by offering discounts and support at such conferences.

In addition, Gay met others who had been at HotDocs. Suddenly there was a sense of familiarity: in a subliminal way she was becoming a familiar face, “one of us.” Lorena Manriquez expresses this progression from conference to conference beautifully: “At my first NALIP Conference I didn’t know anybody; at the second I had several key people’s personal cell phones.”

Ultimately it’s not about attending one festival or market or conference, but attending multiple events to enter that invisible fabric that comprises our business.

Conclusion: The worst question anybody can ask about a filmmaker is not “Is her film good?” but “Is she still around?”

The Doctor will see you now: The Doc will be lecturing at BritDocs, in Oxford UK, July 23–26th. For details check www.documentarydoctor.com.

Eventful – Case Study: Filmmaker Gay Courter on attending conferences.
Article by Fernanda Rossi | edited by Marcia Scott | photo by Tania Retchisky
published by Documentary Educational Resources

Fernanda Rossi, 2008. All rights reserved. This article can be reprinted in its entirety for educational purposes only, as long as no charges of any kind are made. Partial reproductions or modifications to the original format are strictly prohibited.

Posted on July 24th, 2008 in Doc Doctor | No Comments »

Doctor's Credentials: Story consultant Fernanda Rossi has helped filmmakers craft the story structure of their films. She has doctored over 150 documentaries, fiction scripts and fundraising trailers, including the 2007 Academy Award nominated Recycled Life by Leslie Iwerks. In addition to private consultations, lectures and seminars, she has served as a festival juror and grant panelist. Ms. Rossi also writes the bimonthly column "Ask the Doc Doctor" published by Film Arts magazine (formerly Release Print) and is the author of the book Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making your Documentary Fundraising Trailer.