Charlie's Blog 29 Sept 08

Another rather frazzling couple of weeks for us here at Doc/Fest, hence my tardy blogging. The MeetMarket deadline closed on September 12th with an amazing 385 entries, which is pretty much three times last year's number. We're just at the end of the process now of whittling that down to 50, which is as you can imagine a mammoth process, particularly for me, who knows at least 50% of applicants personally and has overseen a lot of their project applications, whether through our pitch workshops or just from around the documentary world. We have a committee of 7 wise men and women and the joy of that is that no personal feelings can triumph - you stay totally professional. But it's bloody hard having to say no to people and projects you think are ace. Honestly, at least 250 of those 385 deserve a crack of the MeetMarket whip. Guess we'll have to make it even bigger...not sure how that would work in terms of my sanity though.

We didn't get a massive number of North East applications, I have to say, so I'm afraid I might be inflicting myself on you for the next round of pitch workshops to make sure that you get your ideas into us next year. I know the amazing talent up there so I'm coming to find you and get you to pitch to me. You can't hide, North East people.

This week the Flipside site was brought to my attention -http://www.northeastmovies.co.uk/flipside - now that is a good idea and shows that talking heads can be done in a creative way rather than just for the sake of it. The intensity of one person in front a of a camera is something special, and I particularly like the "What keeps you awake at night?" section, which is like a metanarrative of 21st century tension and pressure. A bit like a documentary horror-movie in miniature when you take them all together (honest).

Back on the main NEM site, I came across Boxing Day - http://www.northeastmovies.co.uk/films/120/boxing-day - which is a great spot of Northern revenge. We all like to see the little man fight back, and here...well, you'll see. I shouldn't condone violence but sometimes, it's a bit satisfying...

 

 

 

September 29 2008

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