29 and 30 June | Genesis Cinema, Mile End
1 July | 3 Mills Studios

WHAT IS MIND THE GAP?

Three days of carefully curated talks, workshops and events designed to offer every insight, top tip and wise word to anyone hoping to make a career in feature films. Whether you’re crossing over from shorts to features, television to film, debut to slate, or particularly in that transition between first to second feature and beyond, Mind The Gap is here to Help. EEFF’s panels, interviews, workshops and networking events will provide the roadmap that every filmmaker needs to avoid the pitfalls on the route to success.

Too many first time feature filmmakers never make a second film – lets change that!

Sessions include: pulbic vs. private finance | Get paid to make films | Setting up your own production company | Finding an agent | International festival strategy and more. For full schedule, see below.

Contributors confirmed so far include: Andy Paterson (Producer, Girl With The Pearl Earring, The Railway Man), Eddie Berg (Associate Director, EEFF), Nadia Denton (Film industry consultant), Helen De Witt (BFI), Will Massa (British Council), Valentina Brazzini (The Bureau Film Company), Ewan Thomas and Gerry Maguire (dir. and prod. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING), Jon Fairbairn (dir. SOHO CIGARETTE | Winner, EEFF Accession Award 2014), Paulette Caletti, (dir. THE CAKE MAKER), Beth Pattinson (BBC Films), Matt Smith (Lionsgate), Damian Spandley (Metrodome), Olivier Kaempfer (Parkville Pictures, prod. BORROWED TIME, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR), Tessa Inkelaar (Film London), Christopher Granier-Deferre (iFeatures), Jacqueline Wright (Film Fatales), Peter Buckingham (SampoMedia), Mia Bays (Missing in Action Films), Philip Ilson (LSFF), Corinna MacFarlane and Nicky Bentham (dir. and prod. THE SILENT STORM), Richard Holmes (Creative England), Campbell Beaton and Max McGill (Fortune Films), Faith Taylor (Entertainment One), Carl Rock (dir. NO PLAYGROUND FOR LITTLE COWBOYS), Lyn Burgess…

Plus workshops with: Mark Atkin (XO), Emily Man (Saatchi&Saatchi), Katie McCullough (Festival Formula), Anna MacDonald (London Film Academy), Xavier Rashid (Film Republic), Deborah Rowland (We Are The Tonic), Caroline Cooper-Charles (Creative England), Kate Wilson (Producer, Fundraiser and Lawyer), MoFilm, Blink Productions, Lyn Burgess (The Magic Key Partnership)… and many more to follow.

What can you get from Mind the Gap?

“Having pretty much the entire known UK film industry introduced to us, and us to them, hearing what they had to say, talking to them and all the rest, really it was like lifting a white blanket off a mysterious and un-nervingly large obstacle in the road up ahead. From the point of view of someone who is just finishing their first feature film, I feel compelled to use the word profound!” – Jon Fairbairn, director SOHO CIGARETTE, winner EEFF Accession Award 2014

“Mind the Gap was an informative and inspiring week for us as we were about to embark on our first feature. We went without knowing exactly how would fund our film and came away with a brilliant solution thanks to a session at the festival. The range of speakers was excellent and provided real food for thought, whilst the networking opportunities gave rise to meaningful and productive collaborations”. – Ewan Thomas, director THIS IS NOT HAPPENING

Thanks to Mind The Gap, I applied for the Women in Film and Television Mentorship and can proudly say I’ve been selected for next year’s scheme. Mind The Gap kicked started my career again in a new direction and gave me the confidence to take action. Thanks to all involved. – Paulette Caletti, dir. THE CAKE MAKER

OK and how much does it cost?…

3 day pass: earliest bird £105 (until 26 May) / earlybird £120 (26 May – 13 June) / full price £150
1 day pass: earliest bird (until 26 May) £38.5 / earlybird £44 (26 May – 13 June) / full price £55
Although you can come down for one day at a time, we highly recommend that you attend all three days to get the benefit of the full programme.

That’s reasonable. Any perks?

Oh yes. 3 day pass-holders gain free entry to our Opening Night Gala screening. All pass-holders get free tea, coffee and wifi throughout the day at Genesis, discounts to EEFF live film and music events, as well as entry into the daily ballot for festival ticket allocation (up to 3 free tickets per passholder, depending on availability). And many more lovely benefits to follow.

Who is this course for?

Our central aim is to collectively unpick the reasons why it can be so difficult for first time feature filmmakers (narrative or documentary) to move into their second project. We’ve teamed up with industry icons and leading organisations to share their knowledge and offer their support and services. It’s also a great opportunity to share your successes and frustrations with a like-minded peer group.

Who can attend?

Anyone at any stage of their career – the sessions are designed to give you insight to the internal workings of the film industry and allow pause for thought, planning, re-evaluating, expert and peer feedback and more.

Pass Options3 day pass £150.00 GBP1 day pass Monday £55.00 GBP1 day pass Tuesday £55.00 GBP1 day pass Wednesday £55.00 GBP

Sessions include:

THE COLOUR OF MONEY:
PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE FINANCE
FINDING AN AGENT
SALES AGENTS:
WHAT DO THEY DO AND HOW DO I GET ONE?
SETTING UP YOUR OWN PRODUCTION COMPANY
GET PAID TO MAKE FILMS
WRITING TO SCALE
WHEN MAKING MOVIES IS MIND OVER MATTER
MAKING DISTRIBUTABLE FILMS
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL STRATEGY
and more! For full schedule, see below.

PROGRAMME 2015

DAY 1

Monday 29 June | Genesis Cinema, Mile End | 9:30am – 6:00pm

STOP EVALUATE AND LISTEN

This first day of the programme is designed to encourage filmmakers to stop, breathe and look at how far they’ve come – something we don’t take time to do often enough. These sessions will enable you to look at where you’ve been, what you’ve learned and will help to prepare you for the next steps in your career.

WHY THE GAPS?

10:00 – 10:50
Key experts across varying strands of the film industry debate ‘the gaps’. What can we, as an industry do to support filmmakers heading for a career transition? What do filmmakers really need to know, even before they pick up a camera, to avoid falling off the edge? And why, in the 21st Century is there still such a lack of diversity in the sector?

Huge thanks for today, what a lovely audience and such a smoothly run event, hats off to you and the team for making it such a great festival.
– Fiona Nielson,
Producer ’24 Hour Party People’

MEET THE FILMMAKERS

10:55 – 11:40
Participants will get a chance to introduce themselves and their projects and discuss their greatest challenges and aspirations. This is also your opportunity to share your skills and your project needs: find that producer, VFX supervisor or editor!

Writing to Scale with Story Campus

11:40 – 12:20
The Story Campus session will look at micro budget feature filmmaking from the entry point of story development, with a view to creating a slate to scale which will enable your career to grow. Facilitated by David Pope and David Keating from Story Campus.

When making movies is mind over matter

2:15 – 2:55
In this interactive session, Lyn Burgess of The Magic Key Partnership (UK’s number one life coach for film and television) will offer participants insights to the particular issues which affect filmmakers in transition. Understanding the issues of confidence and clarity which affect ‘creatives in business’ this session will empower you to make decisions which will change your direction and focus.

Followed by an afternoon of 30 minute drop-in clinics. Concessionary payment of £15 per 1 to 1 session. To book a session, please email [email protected]

FILM FATALES

3:05 – 3:45
Film Fatales is a collective of female filmmakers who have directed at least one feature narrative or documentary film and meet regularly to support each other, collaborate on projects and discuss topics in film.

FINDING YOUR VOICE with London Short Film Festival

4:00 – 4:50
LSFF is renowned for its celebration of emerging unique voices, unafraid to take risks, embracing technologies new and old, interested in pushing the boundaries of film in the interest of self-expression, political engagement and social change. This panel investigates what it takes to have this kind of faith in your own creative output.

DAY 2

Tuesday 30 June | Genesis Cinema, Mile End | 9:30am – 5:30pm

YOUR PLACE ON THE HORIZON

Leading on from Day 1, our programme shifts into future thinking. We know where you’ve been, but where are you going? How do you get there and who on earth is going to pay for it? We’ll take you through some key steps on the journey…

I absorbed a mammoth amount of useful information at the Industry Programme last week, and do feel as a result that I know what I’m doing, which isn’t always the case. My focus is honed – thank you! – Isobel, MTG 2013

Keynote interview with Ross Clarke (dir. DERMAPHORIA | Opening Night EEFF 2014)

10:15 – 11:15
Our panel will look at how to develop a long term career in filmmaking by creating a convincing and realistic slate of well-developed scripts and projects. We’ll look practically at how one project can feed in to the next, what it’s like to work with a mentor and what film funders really look for when investing long term.

It was an honor to be a part of the festival. Even from far away and through a staticky Skype connection , I could sense the vigor in the room, and the amazing atmosphere you created for filmmakers. You should be enormously proud. – Nick Gonda, Producer TREE OF LIFE

MAKING DISTRIBUTABLE FILMS

11:30 – 12:20
Distribution channels have diversified enormously with the advent of digital, but what is the right channel for you? What do audiences really want to see and how do filmmakers find their audiences successfully?

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL STRATEGY

12:30 – 1:30
Film festivals are often the first opportunities for your early films to find their audience, their champions and potentially distribution.

CELEBRATING THE PRODUCER

3:30 – 4:20
Finding the right producer can be the greatest challenge to an emerging filmmaker, and subsequently the most rewarding relationship of their careers. In this session, we will look at finding a producer to suit your ambition, what to expect from this collaboration and ways to make it work for you.

London Film Academy presents finding an agent

4:35 – 5:45
In this session, participants will be taken through the steps involved in getting an agent, how to work with them to create a dynamic and engaging showreel, and what to expect as a working filmmaker.

London Film Academy presents Directing Actors

5:45 – 6:45
The relationship between directors and actors marks an essential collaborative partnership in the filmmaking process. Clear, precise and meaningful communication between them helps to save time on takes and is imperative to the making of a quality film. This workshop will cover: how to communicate effectively with actors in their own language, what actors expect from directors, working with actors of differing levels of experience, different approaches to acting and how you use them to help your actors, understanding vocabulary you need to get the performances you are looking for.

DAY 3

Wednesday 1 July | 3 Mills Studios

SHORT TERM ACTIONS FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS

Whether you’re a director, producer, editor, make-up artist, lighting technician etc. life can still get in the way of art! These sessions will articulate best practices for creative practitioners and freelancers when it comes to business planning, cash flow management, social media, networking and so on.

Keynote Interview with Andy Paterson

10:00 – 10:45

THE ART OF DEVELOPMENT

10:55 – 11:40
Our panel will look at how to develop a long term career in filmmaking by creating a convincing and realistic slate of well-developed scripts and projects. We’ll look practically at how one project can feed in to the next, what it’s like to work with a mentor and what film funders really look for when investing long term.

HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF MARKETABLE THEN MARKET YOURSELF

11:50 – 12:20
The most superficial but often most valuable area of creative work is in our public face: as painful as it may be to say it, but you could call it your ‘brand’. This session will walk you through 360 degrees of successful marketing for yourself, your project and your business.

SALES AGENTS: WHAT DO THEY DO AND HOW DO I GET ONE?

12:45 – 1:30
Finding a sales agent to represent your film can mean the difference between securing finance, getting into the right festivals and finding your audience and… not doing those things. But how do they do this, and where do you meet this perfect partner?

Putting A Business Head on Creative Shoulders

2:30 – 15:20
This workshop will offer empathetic yet practical advice for the artist who is struggling to find their business head. You will look at business planning, investment, goal setting and other vital skills needed to survive the early stages of your career. Make sure that you don’t lose sight of the end game!

SETTING UP YOUR OWN PRODUCTION COMPANY

15:30 – 16:20
A detailed look at setting up your own production company with a long term strategy to build upwards from shorts through a slate of films whilst also working in the industry you love.

GET PAID TO MAKE FILMS

16:35 – 17:30
This panel asks, and answers the question: how do you make a living doing what you do best – make films – and still be able to pay your rent at the end of the month?