Industry Day

About FDF Industry Day

FDF Industry day is realised in collaboration with BFI Doc Society, Screen South and Klip Films. Panelists included The Guardian, Open City Docs, Dogwoof, Dartmouth Films, Berwick Film and Media Arts and The Whickers.

Industry Timetable

FDF Filmmaking Challange Screening

The competition was open to both professional and community filmmakers in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. and was an opportunity to have some fun with the form or try out something new. The three winning films were announced and screened at the Closing Gala at this year’s festival. The winners received a voucher for £1000 worth of free film shooting and post-production equipment hire from Screen South including cameras, sound equipment and editing suite.

Filmmaker Masterclass - Tamara Kotevska

We were delighted to welcome the director of our opening night film The Walk, Tamara Kotevska, to talk about her career in documentaries. Tamara Kotevska is the Oscar®-nominated director of HONEYLAND, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the Grand Jury Prize and Special Jury Award for Impact for Change. The Walk is her follow-up feature. 

This masterclass summarised the overall experience in achieving her lifelong dream in documentary filmmaking. Tamara spoke about her experience in documentary filmmaking. From finding the topic, to developing the structure and the characters, the process of shooting and post-production. She shared some of the experiences of how she started financing her own independent films, which was a valuable lesson for anyone who wants to start something of their own and has an idea they believe in.

The Producer-Director Relationship

Producers are crucial for the smooth running of a documentary production, but for directors used to working alone, finding the right one can be an intimidating prospect. So how do a producer and a director work together on documentaries, and what should they be looking for in one another? The panel featured some top UK producers speaking from experience, and a case study of new feature documentary Grand Theft Hamlet (SXSW Documentary Feature Jury Award).

Speakers: Laura Shacham (She Makes), Becca Wolff (Grasp The Nettle), Sam Crane (Grand Theft Hamlet), Tolu Stedford (Story Compound), Christo Hird (Dartmouth Films), Rebecca Mark Lawson (Tyke Films) and Chloe White (Whalebone FIlms)

Artists, Documentary Making and Celluloid

Many documentary makers started as moving image artists, and documentarists can often be as at home in the gallery as they are in the cinema. In this session, we heard from documentary makers, artists and exhibitors working with celluloid who discussed bridging the sapce between artists’ film and documentary worlds.

Speakers: Georgia Bradburn (Filmmaker, The Stimming Pool), Sapphire Goss (Filmmaker), Paul Daly (Filmmaker), Maria Palacios Cruz (Open City Docs), Dawn Bothwell (Berwick Film and Media Arts) - Hosted by Jo Nolan (Screen South)

Funder and Exhibitor Plenary

The panel spoke on documentary commissioning/funding, distribution and exhibition. Speakers included representatives from BFI Doc Society, Dogwoof, The Guardian, The Whickers, London Short Film Festival and Together Films.

Talent Mixer hosted by Doc Society and Screen South

Industry delegates had the opportunity of networking with creatives working across the South East, and to talk with the speakers from the day. The Talent Mixer took place at eclectic arts hub Kollectiv.

The industry day is made possible thanks to the support of our partners, Screen South and BFI Doc Society.