MIDPOINT TV Launch

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About

This "idea-to-market" series project development program is the only existing residential, project-based training targeting and tailoring its content for the creative teams of emerging professionals coming from the Central and Eastern European region and the only program of this kind accepting both limited and ongoing series

The program focuses on participants primarily coming from Central-Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Baltic countries and the wider Mediterranean area, with a possible background in filmmaking or with previous experience in series writing, wanting to shift to quality production of series.

MIDPOINT TV Launch is realized with the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

The program schedule and the form of the organization inevitably depend on the development of the coronavirus pandemic situation.

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Note: In case of an interest to enhance your craft and television writing skills, as well as to get acquintaned with the structure and workflow of a writers' room, explore our sidebar training program MIDPOINT Writers' Room.

Independent producers interested in shifting from feature films to series content, feel free to learn more about our yet another series dedicated program MIDPOINT Cold Open.

Dates

Workshop 1: May 2021
Workshop 2: summer 2021
Workshop 3: end of November 2021

Subject to change due to the pandemic situation.

Venues

Workshop 1: the Czech Republic
Workshop 2: TBA
Workshop 3: Tallinn, Estonia / in collaboration with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event

Subject to change due to the pandemic situation.

Who is it for?

* project team members
/ writer/s
/ producer

* junior (aspiring) development executives
/ already selected for the 2021 edition

Eligible countries

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

In case you're not sure about your eligibility, please contact us!

Deadline

* February 7, 2021

Fee

* 1.800 EUR per participant for the whole training

The tuition, board and accommodation is offered within the participation fee. Travel costs should be covered by the participants themselves.

Contact person

Katarina Tomkova
Program Coordinator Series
katarina.tomkova@midpoint-institute.eu

"An excellent program with excellent talent."

Steve Matthews, HBO Europe

General project methodology

MIDPOINT TV Launch focuses on the development of the 9 participating projects.

The projects go through a thorough and effective development process, and are built from the “bottom-up”: from a very early development stage, the creative teams are led to defining their series concept and theme and outlining their pilot scripts at Workshop 1, to completing their pilots and creating their season arc and season outlines, as well as pitching documents and a financing strategy at Workshop 2, to marketing and pitching their project and expanding their network at Workshop 3. The projects will be showcased and pitched within the Season Finale platform in Tallinn, Estonia.

The participants are divided into 3 groups per 3 projects, to ensure that all projects receive a significant amount of the group leader’s attention and guidance, but they will also have the option of receiving cultural exchange and feedback from their fellow participants.

Read more about the training in an interview about the new elements of the 2019-2021 editions.

Further information

The workshop uses group work, individual consultations, tutorial analysis, lectures and pitching as its methodological tools. The participants will also be actively writing during the workshop working days, under the supervision of the tutors. Thus, participants leave the workshop with actual results and progressed materials.

The working language of all MIDPOINT meetings and events is English, which is why a good knowledge of English is essential for participation.

Learning the "bedside manners" of series scriptwriting

General development executive methodology

The call for Development Executive participants will not be opened this year, since we will continue with the participants selected for the 2020 edition, who could not participate in the training due to program changes imposed by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

The entire development process is used as a platform to train the attending development executive participants, who will be trained for their future role of commissioning editors and development producers on real, existing series projects, acquiring skills needed for developing a diverse range of projects.

The development executives will be trained by a number of other TV Launch's tutors (mainly the group’s core tutors), to understand the different approaches and strategies that can be used while developing scripted series. They will be assigned to groups and will work closely with the projects in their group, following all sessions of the program.

By doing this, the development executive participants will learn how to read and give notes to a project, and most importantly, how to give constructive feedback to the creative teams to push them forward in their development. They will witness the different stages of development of the projects up to the final pitching event.

Read more about the training in an article introducing the new methodology or an interview with DE training graduates.

Further information

The workshop uses group work, individual consultations, tutorial analysis, lectures and pitching as its methodological tools.

The working language of all MIDPOINT meetings and events is English, which is why a good knowledge of English is essential for participation.

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

Please note that the detailed description on the requested materials is to be found within the submission form. You can save your form anytime and come back to it later without submitting it.

Required materials

/ basic info on the project
/ logline
/ short and long synopsis of the series
/ series pitch
/ description of 3 – 4 main characters
/ statement of purpose
/ moodbook – optional
/ writing sample of the writer/s on the team
/ bios and photos of the attending team

Intensive Sofia Meetings

Deadline: March 8, 2021

Learn more...

Feature Launch 2021

Check out the selected projects & participants!

Learn more...

TV Launch 2021

Stay tuned for the projects selection!

Learn more...

I have an idea of a series but it's still early development. Can I apply anyway?

Absolutely! The sooner in the development process you apply, the better. TV Launch is designed as a "bottom-up" training program, and will help you create your show from scratch.

What exactly is a "series pitch" or "statement of purpose"?

You can find a detailed description on all the requested submission materials on the first page of your submission form. You can access the form once you've created a profile at the MIDPOINT Visitor Page (see intructions in the "Application" folder). No worries! You can save the form anytime you like and come back to it later, and you can also save or submit any number of applications you like!

What the fudge is a development executive?

In our region, you might know the profession under the term "television dramaturg" or "commissioning editor". It basically is the script consultant and person who oversees the creative development of series. He/she stands on the broadcaster's side mostly, but could also easily be a development producer at a production company. Read more by clicking on the links stated in the "Overview" folder of this page, or simply ask us.

I'd like to apply with a limited series. Am I eligible?

Sure! But before you apply, take a moment and first think about why is a series format the one you're thinking of as opposed to a feature film. Is there an engine moving your story? Are you working with a more complex world? (...) Took that moment? Okay, so now apply.

Once selected, how much time should I allocate to the training?

Quite honestly - a lot. TV Launch is an intensive training, and apart from the assignments and work done during the residential workshops themselves, it operates with a system of tasks and deadlines in between the three workshops. So clear that calendar out a bit.

Can I apply with a short form series (web series/digital series)?

Not for this particular program. But brace yourself! We will be preparing a special session for the short form series (under 20 mins per episode) in the following period!

I'm developing a 90-minute 3-part mini-series. Am I eligible?

Sadly, no. Based on our experience, the series rules do not quite apply to formats running over an hour and tend to behave more like feature films. It certainly is a format finding its place on television, we've however opted to focus our training to projects that are series in their core.

I'm a writer. Can I apply myself?

Apply yes. But please note that to be able to enter the training, you'll have to partner up with an independent producer. This is important as the creative collaboration between the writers and producers represents the core of MIDPOINT Institute in general and moreover, it is an essential part of the development process. The only exception are series submitted as short form series. We'd still however strongly recommend applying in a team of writers.

Is there a possibility of applying as a development executive for 2021?

Sadly - not this year. This was caused by the cancelled stream of training in 2020, heavily influenced of us having to move the program online. We simply thought it's fair to give the opportunity of participating to the development executive participants selected for 2020. Wouldn't you agree?

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