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MIDPOINT Feature Launch 2022

Upcoming

A professional script- and project-development program for creative teams and aspiring script consultants who believe in the importance of teamwork

Benefits Structure Successful films References How to apply & requirements Contact Partners Archive

Benefits

An exquisite experience

The program targets creative teams with feature films in development & aspiring script consultants coming primarily from Central and Eastern Europe.

For teams of writers, 1st or 2nd time directors and producers

  • move your feature film project to the next level
  • create a financing, marketing, sales, distribution or pitching strategy for your project
  • work with some of the most established European and international creators and professionals who are willing to lay the cards out on the table (good or bad)
  • get unique professional international feedback from our tutors and your peers
  • explore the current film industry landscape and trends
  • pitch it & network at Karlovy Vary IFF

For script-consultant trainees

  • learn to give constructive feedback
  • enhance your script editing and communication skills in the creative process
  • train your presentation skills
  • become the next generation of script editors
  • make the next step in your career
  • pitch yourself & network at Karlovy Vary IFF

Program 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 2020 program underlines the aim of the program itself – help emerging talents from Central and Eastern Europe to develop their film projects. 

connecting cottbus Award

Selected project from MIDPOINT Feature Launch will be given the opportunity to present itself during the pitching event within the connecting cottbus co-production market. Participation will include individual consultations from international film professionals and one-on-one meetings with potential partners.

Rotterdam Lab Award

One producer will be handpicked to participate in the professional training program for producers, Rotterdam Lab, which takes place during the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

We came here with characters and plot. We came out with a story.

Pauls Kesteris
Director, Feature Launch 2021 Alumnus

Structure

Comprehensive program combining various formats

The nine creative teams, split into three groups, work under the guidance of internationally renowned and experienced tutors and in close collaboration with script-consultant trainees, who are involved in all parts of the program.

 

  • Script-consultant Trainees
    Preparatory Seminar
    February/March 2022 | TBC

    Script-consultant trainees are briefed and given some introductory training by their mentor. The aim is to become acquainted with the mentor, the group leaders and the projects, and to learn the fundamentals of script consultancy.

     

  • All participants
    Workshop 1
    March 2022 | Slovakia
    TEAMS WITH PROJECTS

    This workshop focuses primarily on creative development and dramaturgy while also introducing greater knowledge about other aspects of the industry, such as financing and market positioning.

    Tailor-made online consultations follow the workshop according to the needs of each project.

    SCRIPT-CONSULTANT TRAINEES

    The trainees are trained by both their mentor, who supervises their entire learning process, and Feature Launch tutors, who help them understand the different approaches and strategies they use while developing feature-film projects. Each trainee is assigned to one of the three groups, and works closely with their mentor and the participants on the development of their scripts. Trainees also meet regularly with their mentor to 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 during the creative process and, most important, learn how to give constructive feedback to the creative teams to help them move forward in their development.

  • All participants
    Workshop 2
    May 2022 | online

    Online individual consultations, group work, lectures focused on script/treatment development (writing a new step outline or other assignments given by group leaders with respect to the project), financing plan, production financing plan. Individual consultations serve the purpose of the tutors to consult every project individually in the interim process between the workshops, giving their feedback and notes. The group work enables to incorporate feedbacks also from the fellow participants.

  • All participants
    Workshop 3
    June-July 2022 | Prague and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
    TEAMS WITH PROJECTS

    This workshop serves as a platform to further advance the scripts, while also incorporating marketing and sales strategies into the development process. It also includes intensive and critical training about how to present and promote projects, including the basics of business development and sustainability. This workshop is immediately followed by the Works in development - Feature Launch project showcase at the Karlovy Vary IFF, where all ninevselected projects are presented to an audience of industry decision makers, including funders, sales agents, producers and festival programmers. One-on-one meetings and further networking follow the presentations.

    The program's awards are handed out at this event.

     

    SCRIPT-CONSULTANT TRAINEES

    The trainees continue to observe the various stages of the development of the projects, through the final presentation at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. They are present at the pitching training and rehearsals and also prepare their own presentations, as they'll pitch themselves as industry professionals during the KVIFF pitching forum.

     

    Networking opportunities at the event may bring dividends for future careers.

     

  • All participants
    Workshop 4
    Autumn 2022 | online

    Individual consultations, group works, master classes, lectures focused on marketing and distribution strategies including new formats (new opportunities for cross-media promotion and distribution particularly exploring the options of digital and social platforms), introduction to the company development training, individual consultations with script consultants and producer tutor.

  • Producers
    Company Time for Producers
    January 2023 | Trieste, Italy

    This follow-up workshop offers participating producers support in the areas of company sustainability and strategic business planning. This training is designed and co-organized with our partner EAVE.

    The workshop is led by Linda Beath, an expert on project financing and strategic business planning who advises both European and international producers. Her areas of expertise also include public policy and new business models relating to digital media.

    Over four days, participants will enhance their entrepreneurial skills, analyze their own companies, and receive feedback from both Linda and renowned experts from the industry, who have experience working both inside and outside Central and Eastern Europe.

    In addtion, this workshop is run in collaboration with the Trieste FF and within the frame of When East Meets West, which brings participants further networking opportunities through its industry program.

    After the workshop, participants have the opportunity to follow up with an expert online, to discuss the individual strategy for their company further.

Successful films

Selection of our successful alumni

Erasing Frank

1983. Frank, an angry kid from the streets with "no future". The state banned their music because their words are political. Frank escapes to a psychiatric ward where Hanna, a young enemy of the system, joins him.

Zana

Dark and haunting psychological drama about the collision of modern day faith healers and post-war trauma of survivors in Kosovo.

Homeward

A father and a son from Crimean Tatar family transport the body of deceased older son and brother from Kyiv to bury him in Crimea.

Inventory

Boris Robič is, as we like to say, an ordinary man. One evening he gets brutally attacked at his home. The police arrives, and open the investigation.There are no suspects, and it seems that no one could possibly be interested in shooting Boris. The police eventually suspend the investigation, convinced that the shooting was a mere coincidence. Riddled with doubt, he starts investigating on his own. While searching for the potential perpetrators, we follow a tragicomic path of a man who discovers that more people hate him than he would ever have thought possible and that the perceptions that he has of his own life are nothing but illusions.

History of Love

Seventeen-year-old Iva is in the process of coming to terms with the death of her mother. Influenced by this deep personal loss and by the discovery that she didn’t know everything about her mom, the girl slowly immerses herself into a strange, almost dreamlike world far from reality.

References

Huge motivation boost and way to move you project to the next level

I feel like participating in the program was crucial to this project, and that working with mentors and colleagues was a great privilege.
Judita Gamulin
Director, Feature Launch 2021 Alumna
It helped our team have a clearer vision of what our movie is and should be.
Šimon Holý
Director, Feature Launch 2021 Alumnus
Such dedicated group leaders, trainers and guest speakers really boost the motivation of the team and help the project evolve to the next level!
Maario Masing
Producer, Feature Launch 2021 Alumnus
An all encompassing script and project development experience. Focused, detailed and full of energy.
Greer Ellison
Writer, Feature Launch 2021 Alumnus

How to apply & requirements

Take the first step towards your MIDPOINT journey

Fee

1,500 EUR
writers, directors, trainees
Possible to pay in installments. The fee includes accommodation, board and tuition during the workshops. Travel costs are NOT included. Scholarships are available.

Fee

1,800 EUR
producers
Possible to pay in installments. The fee includes accommodation, board and tuition during the workshops. Travel costs are NOT included. Scholarships are available.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Closed

Who can apply

  • teams of writers and/or directors and producers (max. 3 participants per team) with projects of first and second feature films (the rule regarding first or second feature film applies only to the director)
  • aspiring script consultants

Application requirements

To apply for the workshop, please create an account on the MIDPOINT Institute Visitor Page and follow the instructions within the submission form.

The instructions will contain detailed regulations and further information on the requested materials.

All applicants will be informed about the selection results in January 2022. You may expect to be asked for an online interview.

 

Required materials:

For Script-consultant Trainees

  • basic information about the applicant
  • applicant's statement of purpose
  • scene analysis
  • short professional biography
  • photo

For Projects

  • basic information about the project
  • logline
  • synopsis
  • treatment or script
  • writer's note
  • director's note
  • producer's package
    - preliminary financing plan of the project
    - development & production timetable of the project
    - brief distribution strategy of the project
    - profile of the production company
    - producer's letter elaborating the strategy
    - elaboration on the co-production potential with Central and Eastern Europe (required only for projects outside of the CEE region)
  • short professional biographies of all team members
  • photos of all team members
  • previous work of the writer
  • previous reference script(s) of the writer in English
  • previous work of the director

Contact

Did we forget something? Don't hesitate to ask

Sona Morgenthalova
Program Coordinator
sona.morgenthalova@midpoint-institute.eu

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