At Wild Talk, our expert video vignettes cover the recent rise of the UK agent, three big trends in Natural History from a veteran BBC NHU exec who is now working in South Africa, and an analysis of the flow of work coming to a leading South African DOP.
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UK Agent: My Role and the Value of Wild Talk
Edwina Thring
Managing Director
Wild Thring Media, London
Edwina discusses the recent emergence of the agent in the UK unscripted marketplace. She is enthusiastic about the quality of productions that she is finding at Wild Talk Africa. She addresses the cost advantage offered by producers from the region, her search for formats, and more.
Three Big Global Trends in Natural History Television
Vyv Simson
Commissioning Editor & Creative Director
NHU Africa, Cape Town
1.3D is dead for TV. The recent excitement is over. 2.The disparity is growing wider between the demands of North America (increasingly scripted) and the rest of the world (traditional natural history) . 3.There is a big appetite amongst filmmakers to create wildlife films around issues — but broadcasters are by and large not interested, and that’s a shame! (Moments of poor audio).
Key Trends from a Distinguished South African DOP
Tim Chevalier
DOP, Tim Chevalier International, Cape Town
Tim is a prolific and highly-respected veteran DOP. He specializes in Wildlife, Travel & Adventure, and recently Reality. He analyzes the pipeline of work coming his way: the breakdown by genre, his typical projects, the relative importance of the wildlife context versus the characters, trends in budgets, and much, much more.
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WESTDOC MASTERCLASS
US Networks: What do they Want? What’s the Deal? And the Things They Won’t Tell You…
Sunday, September 15th, 2013
2:30pm
$199
Don’t miss my intensive half-day master class with industry veteran Ed Hersh at WESTDOC 2013.
Our workshop is dedicated to helping producers understand the chaotic and rapidly-changing nonfiction marketplace so that they can get their projects green lit.
I met with Ed this morning and over coffee we developed a jam-packed ‘curriculum’ for our Masterclass! We thought up a subtitle for our list of topics: “How to Get in the Door, and What to Do When You Get There!” We will build on the Standing-Room-Only success of last year’s Master Class with Stephen Harris, the former A&E development exec and now ‘red hot’ LA-based producer. Check out the video highlights of the 2012 Master Class here.
This year, Ed and I will take a tour of the network landscape: which networks commission docs, specials and series, including reality series, and focusing on key industry trends.
We’ll use our video clips, Powerpoints, ratings data and other valuable resources to bang home the teachable moments.
What We’ll Cover
Topics that we will cover include:
- Understanding network “filters”
- Series vs. one-offs: what you need to know
- What are their audiences, key demos and current program strategies, and how that should affect your pitch?
- Why do some producers seem to get “all” the green lights, and others don’t
- When your experience counts. And when it doesn’t!
- The network commissioning process: What you need to know before you pitch, when you’re in the room, and what happens afterwards.
- The pitch: Five key Do’s and Don’ts that will increase your chances of success.
- What are the five things that MUST be in your pitch to have it even considered
- What are the key deal terms for work-for-hire commissions, co-productions and acquisitions.
- What do the networks pay for programs? And is that negotiable?
- Do emerging producers need an agent? Or is it better to partner with an established producer? And what’s the deal for ‘marrying up?’
There will be plenty of time for Q&A and post-workshop networking.
Westdoc Producers’ Master Class
Built for Success: Developing and Producing Non-Fiction Programming in Today’s Environment
US Networks: What do they Want? What’s the Deal? And the things they won’t tell you…
Sunday, September 15th, 2013
2:30pm
$199 for WESTDOC attendees
Register here.
Or email me (peter@doctv.wpengine.com) if you have any questions about the Master Class.