Spotlight on the 2014 projects
Summary
A year after the Mifa Pitch sessions, here's news about the development of some of the projects presented.
Feature Film Project
Heart of Darkness
Project leader, director: Rogério Nunes
Brazil, France
What was your Mifa Pitches experience like?
It was a very positive experience, starting with the advice Jean-Pierre Commin gave us to the presentation itself, and the results were immediate. We were very lucky to find a co-producer interested in the project (Les Films d’Ici), as well as meeting and hiring a French artistic director (Mathias Lachal) and a French animation supervisor (Clément Dufour).
What is the current status of the project?
The project is at the pre-production stage, even though we are still missing 60 % of the funding. It's very possible that we will find 40 % of these funds in France. We are also in negotiations for a French actor to play the leading role in the film.
A few words to sum up the Mifa Pitches
The Mifa is a big event, probably the biggest market specialised in animation in the world. It's a great place to find partners and find out more about different production models and the international animation market.
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Teaser
Short film project
Pépé the Walrus
Project leader, director: Lucrèce Andreae
France
Mifa Pitches 2014 partner prize: Arte France
What was your Mifa Pitches experience like?
It goes without saying that the Arte prize was very important and decisive. I also received positive feedback from producers and other attendees to the session. The exercise of pitching a project is always very constructive.
What is the current status of the project?
The scenario is more or less finished, we've decided on the graphics and I've made a mini trailer. I was able to work with a musician and test the final decor, the type of clean, the colours etc. I've since finished a version of the storyboard and I'm soon going to make a start on the animatic. With Caïmans Productions, we're waiting for a response from the Région Rhône-Alpes and we're about to try for the Ciclic residence.
What has the partner of your prize bought to the development of the project?
Arte pre-purchased the film, which represents a fair portion of the budget, as well as a strong argument for other partners. Hélène Vayssière was very involved during the rewriting of the scenario. We talked a lot at this time which was a great help. Her experience with short film is obviously very valuable.
A few words to sum up the Mifa Pitches
I can only recommend this experience. It's an opportunity to speak in front of a demanding public, test your skills as a public speaker, think about summing up your project effectively and transmitting your enthusiasm in a short lapse of time, see your project scrutinized by important people (partners that award prizes look at all the submissions and are only too happy to give professional and specific feedback), and obviously receive a prize that is more practical than a statue! In fact, all the prizes are very interesting and relate to the realities of filmmaking.
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Lucrèce Andreae
Transmedia project
The Reward – Tales of Alethrion
Project leaders: Mikkel Elkjaer Mainz, Kenneth Ladekjaer, Bo Juhl Nielsen and Charlotte de la Gournerie
Directors: Mikkel Elkjaer Mainz and Kenneth Ladekjaer
Denmark
Mifa Pitches 2014 partner prize: CITIA-IMAGINOVE
What was your Mifa Pitches experience like?
The pitch gave us the possibility to present our project and answer questions from a public of international professionals. We had some very constructive feedback and reassurance about the way the project should go.
The Q/A session after is very important, especially where transmedia projects are concerned. As this format is still relatively new, you have to explain the coherence of each platform, and the way they are connected. Annecy is the most important animation festival in Europe and to be present at it sends out a strong message about the project.
What is the current status of the project?
We've just finished the pilot episode of 18 minutes, which was financed both by crowdfunding and Danish public funding. We're in contact with Danish broadcasters to produce the rest of the series of 6 x 6', so we are attending other events like MIPTV and Financing Forum in Sweden.
What has the partner of your prize bought to the development of the project?
Getting the CITIA-IMAGINOVE prize was very encouraging for the team and confirmed the public's interest in wanting to see the project come to fruition.
The team were invited to attend the Forum Blanc, where we will present the case study of the project. This 45-minute presentation will give us the chance to explain in detail the singularity of the project, especially concerning the interaction with our audience, and also to explain what a transmedia project that strongly involves the public is all about.
Once again, being present at such an event as this gives out good signals that show that professionals are interested as well as being good advertising for the project.
A few words to sum up the Mifa Pitches
We are a young team and Annecy gave us the opportunity to pitch the project to industry professionals for the first time. After the pitch, we were invited to other European markets like Cross Video Days, Power to the Pixel or Filmteractive Festival, which are primarily events aimed at transmedia. There are very few animation festivals that give young creatives or producers the chance to come and defend projects that are at different stages of development.
Feedback from professionals is constructive and useful. They are curious and for the most part their comments are relevant. Pitching a project at Annecy is a professional exercise that I would recommend to any project leader that wants to get an assessment of their project.
Annecy gives you access to a professional audience and that's an opportunity not to miss.
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