Deadline: 13-Dec-22
Global Short Docs Forum (GSDF) is open to applications from all parts of the world, for documentary projects up to 30 mins, either in production or post-production, with existing footage. 16 filmmakers will be selected to attend a series of online workshops, mentoring, and one to one pitches.
GSDF 2023 will have a special focus on solutions oriented stories about people who are responding to social problems, with experiences they can learn from. They will dedicate 50% of the Forum places to such stories – stories that show us what works, what doesn’t, with evidence and context.
To help filmmakers develop their projects, and to encourage a solutions approach, they will open their Call for Applications with worldwide workshops. GSDF Labs is a 3-day series of free events on short documentary storytelling, screenings and one-to-one consultations, online and around the world.
The Global Short Docs Forum is a dedicated event to bridge the gap between the growing number of online media platforms looking for documentary shorts, and short doc filmmakers:
- Dedicated to shorts: Pitching and development forum wholly dedicated to documentary shorts: GSDF is the first of its kind.
- New and diverse voices: Fresh and unique narratives offering original perspectives on the dominant digital platforms.
- Meet the gatekeepers: Curated workshops, pitch training, and networking opportunities between the experts and the makers.
- Access to market: Access for diverse filmmakers to the growing market of online platforms seeking untold stories.
- Positive storytelling: They have a special interest in stories that have a social, political or cultural narrative, take a solutions journalism approach or give us a new perspective on the changes they want to see in the world.
Why Solutions?
- For their next edition, they will dedicate half of the Forum places to stories of people solving social problems. Stories that show us what works, what doesn’t, with evidence and context.
- They are focusing on solutions journalism because they recognise that global south stories can be dominated by war, conflict, crime, corruption and poverty. Solutions journalism provides a framework to change this narrative by focusing on what’s being done to respond to the problem, instead of repeating what the problems are. This is an important approach particularly in the areas of health, education, climate, science and technology, where sharing information and ideas could have a tangible impact.
What’s New?
- They will be pioneering training efforts on solutions focused filmmaking in the global south, by partnering with key players in the field and developing specialised training with regional hubs.
- Solutions journalism tends to be more common in print and digital media, and geographically in the US and in Europe. There is increasing awareness and training in many parts of the global south. Yet there are much fewer examples in the short documentary format, and no dedicated training for global south filmmakers. they will build on the existing knowledge of solutions-oriented media but filling a significant gap for filmmakers, especially in the global south.
- They are collaborating with the Solutions Journalism Network, Transitions, Egab and Inkline among others, to further existing efforts and reach more people.
Eligibility Criteria
- GSDF is open to proposals from anyone, anywhere in the world. Their focus is on films that have a social, political or cultural narrative, take a solutions journalism approach or give us a new perspective on the changes they want to see in the world. they prioritise filmmakers from areas with low production capacity or little global visibility, as well as underrepresented filmmakers in geographical areas of established media production.
- They are especially looking for stories from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia or the Post-Soviet States.
For more information, visit https://oneworldmedia.org.uk/global-short-docs/how-to-apply/