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What’s up DOC?

DOC TALK and Pitch Fest West return to the Whistler Film Festival, giving documentary filmmakers another chance to cozy up with key industry professionals. The deadline for the Pitch Fest West submissions is Sept. 26.

DOC TALK and Pitch Fest West return to the Whistler Film Festival, giving documentary filmmakers another chance to cozy up with key industry professionals.

The deadline for the Pitch Fest West submissions is Sept. 26.

DOC TALK hosts a series of documentary workshops as well as one-on-one meetings and social networking events. The series is part of the Whistler Film Festival’s Society’s Filmmaker Forum program.

Pitch Fest West is the ultimate hook up. The one-day event invites eight pre-selected western Canadian documentary filmmakers to pitch their projects to a panel of broadcasters. The roundtable of Canadian and international broadcasters will provide feedback, current market advice and potential partnerships.

To submit, applicants must be based in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan or the Yukon. Documentaries can be in any stage of development — with or without a broadcaster. A maximum of three project proposals is permitted.

The entry fee is $25.

Submission guidelines and forms are available at whistlserfilmfestival.com.

 

Last call for B.C. Stories

The deadline for the Whistler Film Festival Society’s newest film commissioning program, B.C. Stories, is Friday, Sept. 28.

B.C. Stories is calling for proposals from B. C. filmmakers to produce a short dramatic film based on stories inspired by B.C. and the four Olympic pillars of culture, education, environment and/or sport.

The film must be no longer than 10 minutes.

In addition to funding up to $25,000 for the production of the film, the society also hosts a workshop and mentorship program.

Filmmakers will enter phase one of the project by attending intensive workshops during the Whistler Film Festival, Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 in Whistler, where they will workshop their scripts with actors and meet with professional casting agents. The seminars will provide participants with training and project development that will prepare for the development, post-production and production process. Taught by senior professionals active in the industry, the workshops will give participants a chance to revise their scripts and improve their budgets and production plans.

Phase two of the project will follow after the festival. Filmmaking teams will deliver a final shooting script, budget and production plan by February 2008. Following an adjudication of the packages, successful filmmakers will be awarded cash commissions and in-kind services to produce their films. Films will be shot and completed under the guidance of a key mentor assigned to the project.

Submission guidelines and forms are available at whistlserfilmfestival.com.

 

Getting down to the business of art

Artists can add a little business savvy to their painting palettes at The Artrepreneur Seminar on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Whistler.

“A lot of artists don’t realize that there is already a market out there for their work,” said instructor Alice Rich. “They just don’t know how to tap into it.”

The workshop will include instruction on proposal packages and submissions for public and commercial galleries as well as discussions on licensing work, Internet marketing, tradeshows, contracts, running a small business, legal issues, photographing artwork, portfolio, branding, marketing, and copyrighting. Artists will walk away from the seminar with an artist action plan.

The workshop is $40 for Whistler Arts Council members and $70 for non-members. The annual Whistler Arts Council membership fee is $25. Lunch is an additional $5.

To register, contact info@whistlerartscouncil.com or drop by the Whistler Arts Council office located behind the post office in Marketplace.