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MIDPOINT Cold Open 2024

Series
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Enter the exciting world of series producing!

Dive into series production with renowned experts and network with guests of the When East Meets West Co-Production Forum.

MIDPOINT Cold Open is designed to build skills among independent producers interested in moving from feature films to fiction series content.

Participants

Tutors

Tutors

Inspirational professionals with a passion for sharing their experience

To ensure the most sophisticated approaches to training, Cold Open works with established and respected professionals from the European industry.

Gabor Krigler
Hungary  
Gabor’s career began in the writing staff of a daily serial at Grundy UFA in 1999. He became Creative Executive at the Budapest office of HBO Europe in 2010, responsible for all creative aspects of ...
Complete bio
Snezana van Houwelingen
Serbia  
Snezana van Houwelingen is a Serbian producer with over 18 years of experience in the film industry. She holds a degree in Film Production from the Academy of Arts in Belgrade and is an alumna of ...
Complete bio

Guest Tutor

Bonnie Williams
Netherlands  
Complete bio

Structure

This diverse one-off event is embedded within the diverse industry program of When East Meets West Co-production Forum.

Participants are offered a variety of lectures, group sessions and individual consultations. 

  • Workshop
    January 21 - 24, 2024 | Trieste, Italy

    Offering practical knowledge connected to the developing, producing and financing of drama series content in Europe, the program will familiarize its participants with the overall landscape and priorities of the industry, compare narrative and concept structures between features and scripted series, and provide hands-on skills in the financing and distribution of scripted series content.


    The program targets independent producers who have a background in feature-film production and aspire to move into high-end series content. The program’s graduates will acquire knowledge and skills in producing and financing series, and will become acquainted with the European series landscape.

    The program is participant-based, so only one producer per company will be accepted.

    The program is conducted in English.

    Lectures
    Unveiling the Small Screen: “Morning Changes Everything” - My Debut TV Series Production Story
    Snezana van Houwelingen
    Sunday, January 21, 18:30-19:00 CET | Zodiaco, Savoia Excelsior Palace, Trieste, Italy

    An inspirational talk that takes you on a transformative journey into the world of TV series production. Through personal experiences, challenges, and successes, Snezana van Houwelingen, producer, shares valuable insights, lessons learned, and the power of embracing the audience.

    The Idea to Spawn a Thousand Stories (and How to Run With It)
    Gabor Krigler
    Monday, June, 22, Part of the Group Work | Savoia Excelsior Palace, Trieste, Italy

    When you embark on a feature film project, you need to have one great story. When you want to set up a TV series, what you must have is one great premise. If you and the writers you work with play your cards right, this premise will give birth to several great stories over multiple episodes and, hopefully, seasons. It needs careful planning, organization and management to run with your premise. We will take a look at how to begin this process.

    Mastering the Art of Festival Networking
    Bonnie Williams
    Monday, January, 22, 18:00-19:30 CET | Imperatore, Savoia Excelsior Palace, Trieste, Italy

    We all acknowledge the value of creating relationships for a sustainable career in the industry, but networking, especially at international festivals, can be quite challenging for even the most talented and experienced professionals. How do you position yourself confidently, connect with ease and keep the conversation going? From introducing yourself to a stranger at the coffee bar, to cocktail pitching and presenting your project at 1:1 meetings, what do you really need to know - and do - to set yourself up for success? 


    In this dynamic interactive session we’ll look at what comes into play during different types of encounters and give tips and insights to help you start to build relationships that carry on beyond the festival. And you’ll get to try some things out for yourself right away.

    Stepping into TV Series Production
    Snezana van Houwelingen
    Tuesday, January 23, Part of the Group Work | Savoia Excelsior Palace, Trieste, Italy

    An interactive workshop, where producers/participants gather to explore the world of TV series financing and market dynamics. Through a case study of the TV series "Sabre" (Midpoint TV Launch 2021) we'll delve into insights that can be applied to your projects.


    Throughout the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to present their local market situations and share their TV series projects and financing plans. By fostering an international exchange of ideas, this workshop aims to create a collaborative environment where participants can gain valuable input and suggestions from industry peers from different countries.

References

Starting point on the bridge from features to series

FAQS

You may ask...

  • How many participants does the Cold Open program expect to select?

    Approx. 8 - 9

  • What background should the applicants have?

    The program is targeted toward feature-film producers who aspire to move into scripted series.

  • What should I include in my motivation letter?

    It will be closely described within the actual application form, but since you're asking: you should explain your professional background, reasons for applying to Cold Open, your company's plans regarding moving into series production and references of the kinds of shows you'd be interested in making.

  • What is meant by ''series pitch''?

    The series pitch is simply an overview of your idea, and should include a general description of the premise, the setting, the main storylines and the narrative style. Usually about 1 - 5 pages, a first glance of the project.

  • Is the series pitch required?

    Not at all. If you don't yet have a particular project in mind, let us know, in your motivation letter, which kinds of projects interest you most.

  • Can I get a scholarship for Cold Open?

    Unfortunately not. However, we encourage you to contact your national or regional film funds, associations or ministries of culture, who may support participation in programs such as this or at least partially support training activities, even if they don't support television development in general.

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Contact

Did we forget something? Do not hesitate to ask

Alexandra Gabrizova
Program Coordinator
alexandra.gabrizova@midpoint-institute.eu

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