documentary tv

Sundance Film Festival Success Stories: What Are the Odds for Documentaries?

2013 February 6 / Documentary TV, Foundation Funding, Funding a Documentary, Theatrical Documentary

This year, the Sundance Film Festival screened 119 feature-length films from 32 countries, including works from 51 first-time makers. These works were selected from: 12,146 submissions. Including 4,044 feature-length films. And 8,102 shorts. Digging deeper, of 2,350 narrative features: 1,227 were from the U.S. And 1,123 were international works. Documentaries A total of 1,694 feature documentaries …

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What is the Value of the US Nonfiction Channel Sector?

2013 January 6 / Documentary TV, Network Profile, Valuations

Just how valuable is the US nonfiction channel sector? The “financial scale” question came to mind when I read last week’s announcement that Qatari-owned Al Jazeera had acquired Al Gore’s Current channel for $500 million. Current was a failed talk and news network with an ‘independent’ or liberal voice. Its average prime time audience in …

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Nonfiction Trends for 2013, 3/3: “Peter’s Picks” for Asia Television Forum, Singapore

2013 January 3 / Commissioning Process, Documentary TV, Network Profile, Public Television

Here are my own 5 big trends in nonfiction programming for 2013, as captured by the Daily at last month’s ATF market and conference in Singapore. (Click and the image expands in most browsers.) With thanks to Debe Hoo and her team from ReedMidem Asia. —————————————– Impact Media Summit New York, January 23-25, 2013. The Impact Media Summit, formerly History Makers …

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How to Succeed at the IDFA Doc Pitch Forum, 2/2. Plus: ‘The NY Times’ on the Rise of Thom Beers’ Reality Empire

2012 December 19 / Commissioning Process, Documentary Production, Documentary TV, Pitching, Producers' Tool Kit, Public Television, Reality Television

From ‘Modern Witch Hunt’ to ‘Killing in the Family’: This week Eli Brown covers 11 more pitches – and the commissioners’ responses – at IDFA Forum. Read on below to discover which film wins ‘Best Pitch at IDFA’ … and what happens when commissioners put themselves on the line and pitch their own documentary concept. ———————– The Reality …

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Takeaways from the Cannes Market: MIPCOM 2012 (#1)

2012 October 18 / China, Commissioning Process, Documentary TV, Foundation Funding, Funding a Documentary, Reality Television, Uncategorized

1. Here Comes Asia Let’s imagine you could stroll along the Croisette during MIPCOM 1992, blink, and find yourself in the same spot during MIPCOM 2012. What would you notice first? The amazing rise of the Asian delegations, particularly China and the other BRICs and Little BRICs And the end of total world domination by …

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UK Viewers: What Did They Watch before the Olympics? Part 1: Top 100 Factual Programs, 1st Half, 2012

2012 August 2 / Documentary TV, Ratings, UK, Uncategorized

Here is our own tribute to London 2012 – the first of three posts that cover the UK audience for factual programs. A friend shared a recent report on the ratings for UK factual programs and docs broadcast through the end of June. Here is a chart of the Highest-rated Factual programs by broadcast network. …

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CGI: Five Big Trends in Graphics for Factual TV

2012 March 1 / Documentary TV, Uncategorized

We wondered: “What’s going on in the world of CGI?” Average production budgets are shrinking, but viewers demand ever more sizzle to maintain their attention. At Real Screen, we caught up with Andy Davies-Coward – a friend and colleague who is creative director of 422 South which is based in Bristol UK. Andy has …

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History Makers Panel (2 / 2). Italy’s Rai – A Success Story. Q&A: H2’s Demo’s, Dramatizations & More

2012 February 28 / Documentary TV, Uncategorized

We continue our coverage of the opening panel at the recent History Makers International conference. The Panelists Piero A. Corsini, Series Producer, Rai Educational Peter Gaffney, Senior Vice President, Programming Strategy, Scheduling & Acquisitions: History & H2 Dirk Hoogstra, Senior Vice President, Development & Programming: History & H2 3. Rai Educational. Case Study: Risorgimento Anniversary …

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