Ideas Generator

Documentary Commissioners: Searching for Gems in the Schedule

By Nicola Lees ⋅ August 24, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

Go to one of the major international documentary festivals and you’ll come away feeling that the genre is alive, kicking and having a party. ITV’s Jo Clinton-Davis said at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015 that the audience was searching for “gems in the schedule”, but of all the commissioner panels, the documentary session seemed to be the one where the commissioners had the most trouble articulating/least enthusiasm describing what it was that they wanted or needed in their schedules; they seemed to be suffering a strange collective ennui.

Arts Commissioners: Doing it, Not Just Talking About it.

By Nicola Lees ⋅ August 3, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

In order to be successful when pitching to TV commissioners, it’s vital to know what they are looking for. This is harder than it sounds, despite many broadcasters now sharing their commissioning briefs online (via their commissioning portals), because they are often vague and sometimes out of date.

Another way to get a sense of what commissioners want is to attend a panel in which they outline their current needs. These panels are common at TV conferences and festivals around the world. Some commissioners are refreshingly candid, whilst other remain coy and seemingly reluctant to give away their secrets; others appear more interested in scoring political points against their co-panelists than helping the audience of producers understand what they should pitch. So they can be a mixed bag. And so it was with the Arts Commissioning panel at Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2015.

How to Win a Commission for a Short Documentary on All 4

By Nicola Lees ⋅ July 22, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

All 4 is the new umbrella name for all Channel 4’s platforms, including online, which is the home to the Channel 4 Shorts strand.

At a recent Sheffield Doc/Fest panel, the Head of All 4 and Digital Content, Richard Davidson-Houston, and Shorts Commissioning Editors Jody Smith and Issac Densu explained their remit to commission original digital content and how their audience differs from a mainstream terrestrial audience.

Ovation Digital Arts Launched

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 25, 2015 ⋅ Post a comment

Ovation TV, has launched a unique multi-platform artist community that combines talented YouTube creators and the only television network in America dedicated to the arts. Ovation Digital Arts sets itself apart by carefully curating exceptional artists and helping them grow their brands and businesses through exposure on Ovation TV and highly personalized audience development support. […]

Three Ways to Develop Programme Ideas Using Twitter

By Nicola Lees ⋅ November 5, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

When labouring at the coalface of a development slate, you need as many tools as you can get your hands on to excavate those elusive gems that are eye-catching enough to catch the eye of a commissioning editor. During a Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014 session Dan Biddle (@DanBiddle), Twitter UK’s Head of Broadcast Partnerships, explained how producers can mine Twitter for breaking news stories, research, audience collaboration and marketing.

As you might expect of a digital platform, Twitter is all about the metrics, and has a host of audience user data that reveals information about Twitter users’ lives. For example, mentions of shopping indicate that Sunday is the biggest day for heading to the shops in the UK and more people go for (or talk about going for) a run on a Monday and Tuesday than they do at the end of the week, when the pub beckons.

But how does this help us in development? (Photo (C) TVMole)

Greenlit: Man vs Fly, The Sun Online

By Nicola Lees ⋅ October 9, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

Man vs Fly (15 x 3′) – Celebrity fly-swatting competition. Channel: The Sun Online Producer: Gogglebox Entertainment TX: October 2014 Source: Broadcast

Opportunities for Filmmakers on Alternative/Challenger Platforms

By Nicola Lees ⋅ October 1, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

It’s hard to get an idea commissioned as a large indie; it’s even harder if you are working solo. However, the changing media landscape means that there are an ever increasing range of outlets and platforms in need of content. At Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014 a panel of commissioners from emerging/alternative platforms outlined opportunities for more independently-minded filmmakers.

For anyone frustrated by the glacial decision-making and risk averseness of traditional broadcasters (and indies), new digital platforms offer filmmakers an number of advantages.

Show Don’t Tell: New Forms of Arts Programming

By Nicola Lees ⋅ September 17, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

One of the many commissioner panels at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2014 concentrated on arts programming and revealed a new trend among arts commissioners: the desire to see art in action. Most channels seem to be moving away from having a host or experts talking about art towards wanting to see artists actually performing and creating art, removing the barrier between artist and viewer.

Greenlit: 13 Days of Blood, Xbox

By Nicola Lees ⋅ June 3, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

13 Days of Blood (6 x ) – Interactive docudrama that tells the story of Roman emperor Commodus and a gladiatorial event that saw 13 days of fighting at the Coliseum in Rome that interweaves interviews, dramatic sequences and play-along fight segments. Channel: Xbox Producer: Stephen David Entertainment / Xbox Entertainment Studios TX: 2015 Source: […]

Greenlit: Russell Brand: Give It Up, BBC3

By Nicola Lees ⋅ April 3, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

Russell Brand: Give It Up (1 x 60′) – Following on from his critically acclaimed documentary From Addiction To Recovery, Russell has spent the last 18 months finding out more about addiction treatment around the globe, and investigates how we might best improve treatment for addicts in the UK. The film sees Russell concentrate on […]

Greenlit: The Feed, FYI

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 14, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

The Feed w/t (6 x 60′) – Part road show, part buddy comedy, part talk show – this is a deliciously inventive new series celebrating food in all its creative, ingenious glory. Three unique and distinctly opinionated hosts – culinary expert and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons; rock star super-chef and The Taste judge Marcus Samuelsson; […]

Greenlit: HGTV Handmade, YouTube

By Nicola Lees ⋅ January 22, 2014 ⋅ Post a comment

HGTV Handmade – A new collaborative crafting channel that features some of YouTube’s top tastemakers. HGTV.com’s Marianne Canada (WeekdayCrafternoon), Meg Allan Cole (MeganAllanColeCrafts), Karen Kavett (xperpetualmotion), Ann Le (Anneorshine) and Julia Wycliff (SimpleDIYs) each host a weekly how-to vlog that features fun DIY projects such as how to create fashion accessories, handmade jewelry and home […]

Greenlit: Dumping the Alien, Xbox

By Nicola Lees ⋅ December 27, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

Dumping the Alien (1 x ) – Documentary that unearths story of a mass burial of ET the Video Game in a grave in New Mexico in 1983. Channel: Xbox Producer: Lightbox TX: 2014 Source: Broadcast

Documentary Funding: The Need to Be Cunning… and Funny

By Nicola Lees ⋅ April 21, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

“The more idealistic you are about your work the more cunning and savvy you have to be about the business side” of it says, Ira Glass, presenter of NPR’s This American Life. In this lecture to journalism students he describes what makes good journalism, and how to tell important stories in a way that does them justice. Some of his other observations include:

Don’t wait for permission to make the work you want to make… just start
Be super-ambitious – keep trying things until luck kicks in and you find your story
Amuse yourself – it’s not enough just to be idealistic, you have to love your work if it’s going to move the audience and ultimately make a difference to the world. Provoke a reaction – and humour is a good reaction.
It should be your goal to make memorable work – people remember things that make them smile (Photo by JD Hancock CC BY 2.0)

BBC Launches Expert Women YouTube Channel

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 19, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

The BBC has launched of a new resource for programme makers looking for female specialist contributors: the BBC Expert Women database and YouTube channel. The database contains details of the 60 women who have so far received training via BBC Academy Expert Women Days, a series of free events designed to address the lack of […]

In: Alex Moore, Director of Digital Development, Twofour

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 18, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

Alex Moore has been appointed as Director of Digital Development at Twofour in London, reporting to Spencer Conway, Head of Online. Read more: C21

Twitter: Why Should Filmmakers Bother?

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 13, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

The world seems to be split into two: Twitter Evangelists and Twitter Rejecters. Although I think it might be fairer to say that the world isn’t so much divided, as at the two ends of a continuum. Most people start as a Rejecter, but given the time and opportunity, will become an Evangelist and will […]

Asif Kapadia Explains Why Senna Isn’t a Documentary

By Nicola Lees ⋅ March 5, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

When you pitch a TV show you have to be able to describe it so that potential funders know what you are talking about. One way of doing that is to use short-hand words, such as format, reality competition show, or more recently occu-reality (shows based in the work place) and comedy-reality (real characters in real situations, cut for humour). One of the most contested genres is documentary with purists insisting that it is one thing (pure observation with no intervention from the director, perhaps) to others playing more fast and loose with the term, happy to include biopics, essay-films and character-driven narratives. Here, Asif Kapadia, director of Senna, one of 2011’s best documentaries, explains why he doesn’t consider it to be a documentary (and why I think it might be a super-hybrid-documentary).

Give Me the Money and I’ll Shoot! Finance Your Factual TV/Documentary Project by Nicola Lees

By Nicola Lees ⋅ January 6, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment

Building on the success of Greenlit, this book is the most accessible guide to the traditional, emerging and creative funding models being exploited by factual TV producers and documentary filmmakers in an ever-changing international market. It introduces you to ten different kinds of funder – from international broadcasters to ordinary individuals – and reveals their very different motivations for funding non-fiction films and TV series.
Advice from industry insiders – producers, buyers, media agencies and film funding bodies – is combined with a range of case studies that illustrate the benefits and drawbacks of each source of funding. Packed with practical, actionable tips and examples of successful written proposals and grant applications (along with tales of caution), this book explains exactly what TV commissioners, grantors, brands and investors are looking for in a pitch.

Greenlit: How Money Works, Yahoo!

By Nicola Lees ⋅ November 23, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

How Money Works (20 x ) – Animated original web series that looks at the world of finance, both personal and global. Channel: Yahoo! Producer: 360 Productions / Group M Entertainment TX: TBC Source: Broadcast