Editor's Notes
The view from here
Sparks Network to shop Battle of the Blades globally
BuzzTaxi's factual entertainment and docs drive sales
Orbita Max and Explora Films to distribute 'Arabia' internationally
Windfall Films adds to its development team
Compact Media Group renews pact with All3Media International's for secondary rights rep
ITV Studios NY signs deal with Joseph Livecchi
Screen Australia's Indigenous Department head leaves
Screen Australia revises documentary programs
September Films returns to the 'Exterminators' for A&E
Outright sells U.S. 'Who Do You Think You Are' to eight territories
OWN adds to its executive team
Passing up cable TV to watch online
Documentary maker analyses ethics in edit suite
Actor and 'Two Coreys' star Corey Haim dies
Mayor of Taiji, Japan protests 'The Cove' Oscar win
Oscar nod doesn't guarantee increased audiences for docs
Huffington Post talks Oscar docs
Founder of Babelgum and Fastweb arrested
BBC to make major cuts: report
Wildlife filmmaker Chris Palmer says to look, but not touch after SeaWorld deathThe view from here
Random musings on the non-fiction biz
Our take on current and past film and TV projects
Industry experts offer their take
Wall to Wall, a Shed Media Group company, has had great success with its genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are in the UK and various other territories. The prodco's CEO, Alex Graham, spoke with realscreen about revamping the series for an American audience and why NBC took a big risk when it greenlit the program. continue
The SXSW 2010 festival starts tomorrow in Austin, Texas, with its film component featuring a large assortment of doc screenings and panels geared towards non-fiction filmmakers. Conference co-ordinator and SXGlobal programmer Jim Kolmar spoke with realscreen about seeking out docs for the international program and giving audiences the unexpected. continue
Former Tiger Aspect executive producer, Jago Lee, and former Raw Television head of development, John Farrar are teaming up to found a new UK indie prodco, New Entertainment Research and Design (NERD). continue
The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival has announced the line-up for this year's Toronto Documentary Forum (TDF), which will take place May 5 and 6. continue
The Tribeca Film Festival released its documentary selection yesterday, revealing 12 titles that cover a range of topics from spirituality, through to the Rwandan genocide and falcon smuggling. The news follows Tribeca Enterprises' announcements of its distribution initiative Tribeca Film and a comprehensive online venture, the Tribeca Virtual Film Festival. continue
Toronto-based film distributor Mongrel Media has been bringing fiction and non-fiction theatrical fare to Canadian audiences for the past 16 years. Tom Alexander, Mongrel's director of theatrical releasing, talks to realscreen about why doc-lovers should make the effort to see non-fiction on the big screen, and what sorts of projects Mongrel is looking to snap up. continue
As announced during its TCA presentation in January, Planet Green is now gearing up to introduce a 24-hour schedule and launch Verge, its new primetime programming block. continue
Adrian Bracken is founder of Spanish indie Marbella Productions. Marbella is currently in the process of completing a historical documentary on the life of Brendan Bracken, Winston Churchill's right-hand man (and perhaps a distant relation of the filmmaker). Bracken took a few moments to share three things with realscreen that the industry might not generally know about him. continue
While MTV is moving further into scripted territory, Tony DiSanto, its president of programming and development, says reality is still key. Here he shares some tips for hitting the right note for the channel with realscreen. continue
Last night, director Louie Psihoyos and producer Fisher Stevens won the Best Documentary Oscar for their acclaimed film The Cove at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. Though Psihoyos didn't get a chance to say anything from the stage at the ceremony, he did speak with realscreen during the Realscreen Summit about the effect The Cove has had in Taiji, Japan and the reasons he went into documentary filmmaking. continue
It's been a busy 2010 already for Los Angeles-based Participant Media, with the release of four documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival and an Oscar nomination for its acclaimed Food, Inc. Courtney Sexton, Participant's director of documentary production, discusses the company's reaction to the nomination, the social change inspired by Food, Inc., and the plans for moving forward. continue
Just before Oscar weekend we put the call out to a couple of documentary bloggers for their takes on the Academy Award's doc categories. Here, Jay Cheel from The Documentary Blog and The D-Word's Doug Block tell realscreen which docs they'd like to see win on Sunday night, and which ones they think will win. continue
Doc-maker Morgan Spurlock has moved from super-size to snack-size with online short film portal Cinelan. Realscreen spoke with Spurlock and Cinelan CEO David Laks about the key to creating three minute docs for the web. continue
Danika Porter is marketing manager at Beyond Distribution. Born and now based in Australia, Porter has worked around the world, starting her career in television at the prodco WagTV in London. Porter shared three things with realscreen that the industry wouldn't generally know about her. continue
It's been nearly four years since Julie Bristow, executive director of factual entertainment at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), helped to launch the department. Bristow spoke with realscreen about what works for the public broadcaster and the challenges of budgeting for factual programs. continue
CBS took a gamble on the new reality show Undercover Boss by giving it a prime spot for its premiere - right after the Super Bowl. That gamble paid off, with 38.6 million viewers, and has translated into a continued strong presence on Sunday nights. The show's creator, Studio Lambert CEO Stephen Lambert, talks to realscreen about the differences between the show's UK and U.S. versions, and about his jam-packed slate. continue
Stella Stolper tapped into the niche celebreality market when it was in its infancy; first by helping to launch the genre as VH1's senior vice president of celebrity talent development, then by co-founding Ish Entertainment with Michael Hirschorn. Now focusing on her new Reveille-backed company Wikked Entertainment, Stolper tells realscreen what makes a celeb a good fit for Wikked, and for reality programming. continue
Canamedia is a Toronto-based producer/distributor that has been in the business for over 30 years. Lee Harris, North American sales and acquisitions, and Andrea Stokes, the international sales manager, tell realscreen about where the company's heading, what it's looking to acquire for distribution and what it's bringing to MIPTV. continue
Execs from AETN International, the BBC, CBC, ITVS and RAI will be on hand in Cannes to judge entrants to the sixth annual MIPDoc Co-production Challenge, presented by realscreen and Reed MIDEM. continue
Running from February 23 to 26, the Australian International Documentary Conference aims to gather the global doc community in Adelaide for discussion, networking and the launch of the First Factual Films Festival. continue
>>
Now in its second year, The Factual Entertainment Forum: The Real Deal brings stakeholders in the reality TV/factual entertainment industry together for a day and half of inspiration, discussion about the current state of reality/factual TV and where it’s going, and of course, networking.
Register today for the Factual Entertainment Forum for only US$450* (includes admission to conference and the Factual Entertainment Awards presentation).
Register online or by calling Joel Pinto at 1-416-408-2300 ext. 650.
Early Bird offer expires on Friday, March 26, 2010.
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