Checklist for IDFA Forum entry

The online entry form is available starting June 17 through MyIDFA in the section ‘My Entries.’ There are 2 entry forms: The IDFA Forum entry form for linear projects and the IDFA DocLab Forum entry from for new media projects. All information must be provided in English.

The selection procedure consists of three phases: general entry, pre-selection and final selection. There are separate entry forms for each step in this process.

Phase 1: Entry

To fill out the entry form for this phase, the following information is required:

Project details

• Project (working) title
• Logline (max. 30 words): a few sentences that capture the essence of your film
• Synopsis (max. 400 words): a clear and simple description of your story line. What is it about?
• Category (choose between Pitch or Rough Cut Screening)
• Genre (choose from a list of options)
• Project description (max. 700 words): a project description can include background information, details about protagonists, information about access to subjects and locations, visual approach, director’s statement, etc.
• Arts & Culture description (if applicable – max. 250 words)

Technical details

• Visual Material: Vimeo link to a trailer, rough cut, or other sample material:
  • For a public Forum presentation: preferably a trailer (max. 3 min), or a sample of previous work (max. 10 min) in case you don't have a trailer yet, or selected scenes in case you are in production (max. 10 min)
  • For DocLab Forum: sample material; a trailer, teaser clip or pitch deck to showcase the general look of your project
  • For a Rough Cut Screening: rough cut material (the total rough cut with a timecode selection of maximum 20 minutes to watch or a 20 min. selection). If you are selected you must deliver the full rough cut by Monday, October 21, 2019; we advise to keep the length of the rough cut as condensed as possible.
• Single project or series
• Type of experience (DocLab Forum)
• Anticipated length
• Formats (original format and planned screening format)
• Production schedule, including (planned) start of production, (planned) end of production, (planned) release date
• Current status of production
• Other submissions: any other training program/pitching event where this project was presented (year, place/event, program, project title)
• Previous applications to the IDFA Forum with this project, if applicable (year, project title)
• Previous applications to the IDFA Bertha Fund with this project, if applicable (year, project title)
• Previous applications to the IDFAcademy Summer School with this project, if applicable (year, project title)
• Previous applications to the IDFA DocLab open call

Budget Details

• Total amount of budget, financing in place, and amount still required
• Target: what are you looking for? Are you looking for co-producers only? Or are you looking for development funding, or only broadcasting partners? In case of a new media project: are you looking for exhibitors and/or tech partners? This will help us in see which presentation set up would best cater to your project.
• Finance Plan for production and post-production: here you can fill out the financing required; the presumed investments (company, amount) for your project (max. 250 words).
• Please note: 'In kind' contributions do not count as financing

Credit details

• You will need to provide names and contact details, as well as previous credits (max. 3 projects) for the following persons involved: Producer, Co-producer (if applicable), Director(s), Artist(s), Scriptwriter, Editor, Distributor/Sales agent, and/or creative team in the case of a new media project
• A short biography of the director(s), artist(s) and information about the producer(s)/production company (max. 350 words). For a new media project please also provide names and country of the other creative team members.

Phase 2: Pre-selection

All projects which make it through the pre-selection for IDFA Forum will be asked to fill out a second form. This second form is available on September 9; the deadline for submitting it is September 12. For DocLab Forum and Arts & Culture projects, the form is available on September 2 and the deadline for submitting it is September 6. To fill out the entry form for this phase, the following information is required:

Budget Details

• This excel sheet allows you to provide a finance plan (differentiating between requested, confirmed, and still required finance). If you are selected, this information will be printed in the Forum catalogue.

Credit details

• Confirmed financing in place provided by broadcasters, film institutions or other financiers: You have to specify the investor and provide a contact person and contact details. It may seem like you are asked to do this twice, but for us it is important that you fill out the credit details of all confirmed financing.
• You need to provide letters of commitment from of all types of financing. Letters of commitment from broadcasters and financiers need to be in English and signed.
• 'In kind' contributions do not count as financing.

Visual materials

• Two stills of the project. Format: JPG. Resolution: 300 DPI. Size: 21cm x 14.8 cm/5.8 x 8.3 inches (A5). Orientation: Landscape. Please do not upload other formats than .JPG because we cannot process these.
• Two passport-size photos of the pitch team: the director/artist and the producer(s). Additional photos of co-director and co-producer. Format: JPG. Resolution: 300 DPI. Size: 2.5 x3.5 cm; 1 x 1.4 inches (minimum). Orientation: Portrait.
• For the DocLab Forum: You will need to upload a sample of your presentation/pitch.

Phase 3: Upon selection

To optimally present the selected projects in the Forum catalogue, the pitch teams will be asked to fill out a third form, which will be available for two days only: October 9 and 10. To fill out the entry form for this phase, the following information is required:

• Final project details, to be used in the printed Forum catalogue and IDFA website:
  • Logline (max. 30 words).
  • Synopsis (max. 400 words).
  • Project description (max. 700 words).
  • Biography of the director(s), artist(s), and information about the producer(s)/production company, creative team (max. 350 words).
• Information about your pitch team and visual materials.

At the end of this form you will be asked to pay the applicable participation fee, which are detailed in our Regulations. After selection the Forum team will contact the pitch teams about the public presentation and discuss how this is going to look like.