Regulations

 

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Every year, European Short Pitch selects 12 short film projects in development and 2-4 works in progress. It is open to animation, live action and documentary.


European Short Pitch is open to individual authors or creative teams developing international short film projects. It is therefore open to writers, directors, and producers. Writer-directors developing a project on their own are very welcome to participate in the programme. Yet it is strongly advised to already have a national production company interested or attached to the project, especially at the time of the Coproduction Forum.

European Short Pitch is open to everyone and we strive to welcome a diversity of projects at each edition. We encourage all underrepresented voices to apply in order to foster and promote plurality in the sector, against discrimination.

European Short Pitch is aimed at emerging writers, directors, and producers working on international short films. Writer-directors developing a project on their own are very welcome to participate in the programme. Yet it is strongly advised to already have a national production company interested or attached, especially at the time of the Coproduction Forum.

The author’s nationality or country of residence should be one of the member states of the Council of Europe.

The working language of European Short Pitch is English; thus, a good knowledge of English is essential in order to participate.

CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMME

Scriptwriting workshop

The main overall aim of this first session is to enhance the quality of the script and to prepare participants to present their project in an international context.

Throughout this 5-day workshop, the authors work intensively on the projects under the guidance of a script tutor, alternating collective and one-to-one sessions. Pitching is an integral part of the process since the beginning: participants are encouraged to use it as a development tool, while getting more and more acquainted with it through practice. This session also includes individual consultations for all the projects with a guest producer, as well as a case study about European short film coproduction, and an inspirational talk with a director.

The tutors and consultants - many of them returning regularly to ESP - are experienced and well-connected international film professionals coming from different fields: you can have a look at the pedagogical team for European Short Pitch 2023|24 here.

Intermediate session

Participants benefit from an additional round of feedback from their tutors on their rewriting (based on the discussions of the scriptwriting workshop), with the aim of having a new version of the script ready for the Coproduction Forum. 

At this stage they also meet with a distributor and, for the works in progress, with a film editor providing advice on the rough cut too.

Coproduction Forum 

The aim of this session is to create a platform of promotion for the projects selected, to encourage encounters and collaborations between film professionals and to initiate short film coproductions.

Participants prepare and rehearse their pitches under the guidance of a dedicated trainer. The moderated pitching and Q&A session is followed by one-to-one meetings with invited professionals (producers, fund representatives, broadcasters, distributors, sales agents, festivals & markets). 

At the end of the event the European Short Pitch Award is assigned by a professional Jury, and the ESP partners offer several in-kind prizes.


PARTICIPATION FEE

The fee for projects in development is €700 per participant.

The fee for works in progress is €350 per participant.

The fee covers the tuition costs, the accommodation and subsistence for residential session(s). The fee doesn’t cover travel costs.

Many countries support such training costs. We advise participants to apply for scholarships through their national film funds or other cultural support institutions.


REQUIRED MATERIAL                               

The required application materials (all in English) for projects in development are: 

  • Synopsis

  • Author’s intention note

  • Motivation letter and goals for taking part in ESP

  • Artistic bio and filmography of the scriptwriter/director

  • Bio and filmography of the producer + presentation of the production company attached (if applicable)

  • Producer’s note (if applicable)

  • Script (a treatment is not applicable) - only for projects in development

  • Rough cut screener - only for works in progress

  • Any other material available like visual references, estimated budget, etc.

The scripts must be entirely original; borrowing, in any way whatsoever, of any pre-existing work protected by copyright or any other legal protection, or violating the rights of third parties is not permitted.


SELECTION PROCESS

The projects will be selected in two steps. A preselecting reading committee composed of professional readers (scriptwriters, producers, European Short Pitch alumni, festival and market representatives etc.) will consider all the applications. The shortlisted projects will be reviewed by the selection committee composed by the European Short Pitch team and other external advisors.