A unique training platform for emerging talents aimed at scouting the most talented filmmakers & producers of the future who are developing their first or second feature film projects. It focuses primarily on creative teams from Central and Eastern Europe.
MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2019
Organizational information
MIDPOINT Feature Launch is realized with the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union.
Dates
Workshop 1: January 16-23, 2019
Workshop 2: May 3-9, 2019
Workshop 3: June 27 - July 3, 2019
Feature Launch Spotlight: January 19-22, 2020
Venues
Workshop 1: Trieste, Italy
in collaboration with the Trieste FF - Eastweek
Workshop 2: Kaunas, Lithuania
in collaboration with the Lithuanian Film Centre
Workshop 3: Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
in collaboration with the Karlovy Vary IFF
Feature Launch Spotlight: Trieste, Italy
in collaboration with the When East Meets West
Who is it for?
- teams of writers and/or directors and producers (max. 3 participants per team) with projects of first and second feature films
- aspiring script consultants
Contact person
Sona Morgenthalova
Program Coordinator
sona.morgenthalova@midpoint-institute.eu
Awards
KVIFF & MIDPOINT Development Award
A joint financial award of MIDPOINT and the Karlovy Vary IFF of 10.000 EUR for the best project of the Feature Launch 2019 program underlines the aim of the program itself – help emerging talents from Central and Eastern Europe to develop their film projects.
Awarded project: Some Birds
Connecting cottbus Award
A selected project from MIDPOINT Feature Launch will be granted the opportunity to present itself during the pitching event within connecting cottbus co-production market. Participation will include individual consultations from international film professionals and one2one meetings with potential partners.
Awarded project: Rattlesnakes
Rotterdam Lab Award
One producer will be handpicked to go on to participate in the professional training program for producers, Rotterdam Lab, which takes place during IFFR/International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Awarded producer: Elene Margvelashvili
“The leading year-long development program for Central and Eastern Europe’s new film talents.”
Projekty
8 feature films projects
Every year we select teams of writers, directors and producers of approx. 9 feature film projects and we also select 4 script consultant trainees who join the creative process.
The best project of the program receives the KVIFF & MIDPOINT Development Award of 10.000 EUR. See the Awards section for more information about other networking awards the program offers.
A Sensitive Man
Grey Skies
Horia
How is Katia?
Rattlesnakes
Riviera
Some Birds
Traces
Účastníci
Script Consultant Trainees
Lektori
Head of Studies
Danijel Hocevar
Group Leaders
Anne Gensior
Christian Routh
Ivo Trajkov
Script Consultant Trainee Mentor
Gyula Gazdag
Producer Tutor
Pitching Tutors
Guest Tutors
Experts
Methodology
Project Methodology
The 9 selected projects go through an intensive 4-module program, spanning over a year that consists of two residential workshops, a project showcase and a follow-up session.
During the two residential workshops the participants focus on script and project development while also being able to gain deeper knowledge about other aspects of the industry.
The 9 creative teams work in small groups under the guidance of internationally renowned and experienced script consultant tutors.
Most of the projects that are selected are in an early stage of development either with a treatment or an early draft of the script, therefore Workshop 1 focuses mainly on creative development and structural dramaturgy. Workshop 2 serves as a platform to further advance the scripts, while it also incorporates marketing strategies into the development process and addresses the important matters connected to presentation skills and promotion.
Both workshops consist of group work, plenary sessions, inspiring master-classes and case studies which offer a deeper understanding of the creative aspects involved in the work, as well as insights into financing, sales, festival and distribution strategies.
There are also one-to-one meetings with guest tutors and international experts from different areas of the audiovisual industry to help the participants develop their projects further.
Tailor-made online consultations follow every workshop according to the need of each project.
After the development process of the two residential workshops, all 9 selected projects are presented at the Works in Development - Feature Launch at the Karlovy Vary IFF to an audience of industry decision makers, including funders, sales agents, producers and festival programmers. The creative teams are prepared for the final presentation by a pitching trainer within a one-day intensive training immediately preceding the Works in Development - Feature Launch.
To close the cycle of the one-year program, the co-production market When East Meets West invites all Feature Launch 2019 selected producers one more time to offer them the chance to have a follow up with their potential artistic and financing partners during the Feature Launch Spotlight.
Script Consultant Trainee Methodology
The development process that the Feature Launch projects go through, is used as a platform to train the attending script consultant trainees, who are studying for their future careers as professional script consultants.
The script consultant trainees are trained by both their trainee mentor, who supervises their entire learning process and Feature Launch tutors, to understand the different approaches and strategies they use while developing feature film projects.
The trainees attend the two residential workshops and the project showcase along with the Feature Launch participants.
Each trainee is assigned to a group of projects and works closely with the script consulting tutor and the participants on the development of their scripts. In addition, the trainees regularly meet their trainee mentor and review their learning progress.
Through this process, the trainees are acquainted with the script and development aspects of developing a film project, enhance their communication skills in the creative process and most importantly, learn how to give constructive feedback to the teams to help them move forward in their development. They witness the different stages of development of the projects up through the final presentation at Karlovy Vary IFF.
“Having well-trained script consultants is helpful to remind the writers of certain elements of craft that they may forget in the process of writing.”