ACE Producers is pleased to launch the call for applications for the third edition of the ACE Animation Special, supported by Creative Europe MEDIA.

The workshop is for experienced producers that plan to diversify their activities to include animation production – primarily ACE Network members but also other producers/production companies with a similar intention and experience. Participants may also be already familiar with animation but looking to internationalise their network and knowledge.

16-18 producers will be selected for the workshop, with a long form/feature length/series animation project at concept stage. Focusing primarily on the creative and financial aspects of feature and longform animation production, the ACE Animation Special will offer sessions on animatic story development, international production workflows, the creative dynamics of animation production, financing strategies and international distribution. The workshop will also include one or more sessions on physical line production as well as case studies on completed animation projects and an insight into animation series production. Group sessions, plenary sessions and one to one meetings will together build a workshop where producers learn from each other’s experiences and those of key industry guests.

Topics covered include:

• Story development and defining the rules of the world of your story;
• Visual world building and asset creation;
• International production workflows in multi-country co-productions;
• Financing strategies;
• Strategically integrating an animation department into an existing (film-) production company;
• Marketing and sales on animation projects.

DEADLINE
24 February 2022
Up to 18 spaces available

DATES
30 May – 4 June 2022

LOCATION
European city, tbd.

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• To be an owner, partner or associate of an independent film/animation/TV production company;
• To be an ACE member or producer with a similar level of experience;
• To have a long form or feature length animation project at idea or concept stage; producers without a project are also welcome to apply but must demonstrate a clear motivation.

FEES
€2.500 (€2.250 for ACE Network Members).
The fee covers full board, accommodation and training during the workshops. Travel costs are not included.

HOW TO APPLY
For more information or to request an application form, please contact info@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the Training Days NL 2023, which will be taking place 27 – 29 March.

The ACE Training Days NL is a tailor-made 2-day programme designed for emerging producers at relatively early stages in their careers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary, and strives to make the industry inclusive and diverse.

For this workshop a total of 12 producers (6 Dutch and 6 from neighbouring countries) will be selected to join the workshop taking place in Amsterdam. As ACE aims to encourage international collaboration, the call is open to emerging producers from the Netherlands, as well as Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.

Scheduled over two days, the Training Days NL will be themed around “The Essentials of International Co-Production, Sales and Distribution”.

This interactive workshop will include plenary sessions and case studies, as well as group meetings provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in marketing and promotion of international co-production projects, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The ACE Training Days NL has been set up in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund.

WORKSHOP DATES
27 – 29 March 2023

LOCATION
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Emerging producers at a relatively early stage in their careers, with an interest in international co-production (this workshop will not focus on line-production);
• Producers should have at least one credit on a short film;
• Producers will best benefit from the workshop when already working on a feature length project in development;
• Producers would need to be committed to attend the entire workshop.

FEES

Send the following documents (in English and combined into one PDF) to
ace@ace-producers.com:

We have sadly lost our dear friend, ACE founding father Colin Young. Colin died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, November 27, 2021.

ACE was conceived by Colin, its first architect and Director, and we are still indebted to his vision which we strive to uphold: that of learning through sharing. These were values he had honed as a film educator having previously worked at UCLA and as founder director of the National Film and Television School in the UK.

Colin always stayed part of the ACE family, joining events whenever possible, including ACE’s 25th anniversary reunion where we also celebrated his 90th birthday.

As a Network we send love to his wife Conny, his children and all who loved him.

We feel lucky to have known his warmth and witty charm and are privileged to carry on his legacy by building and strengthening the ACE Network.

In memory of Colin, here below are some thoughts by other members of the ACE family:

Our dear Colin Young has sadly passed away at the respectable age of 94. I remember meeting him during my ACE training in 2008 and, while he was already 80 years old, the accuracy and kindness he would provide concerning our projects was extraordinary.
While he dedicated a good part of his life to education, it was never really about teaching, but more about sharing and as he puts it himself, the goal was actually to infect people with the virus of cinema, the only virus we’re all gladly infected with.
Last time we saw each other was at the 25th anniversary of ACE in Tallinn in 2018. This fantastic man of a thousand lives was sharp and thriving amongst all the gathered members of ACE. His visionary creation, our wonderful network, was around him to honour him and it was a great touching moment to celebrate his 90th birthday.
This is a sad moment for all the members who have known and cherished him along the years and for our members who didn’t have the chance to meet him, just know that without his vision and impulse, we probably wouldn’t be part of such a great gathering of spirits.
Our last annual reunion was in Scotland, his homeland and we did honour him with a taste of Scotch, his favourite drink.
Adieu Colin, rest in peace.
Antoine Simkine, ACE Producers’ President

ACE Annual Reunion, Tallinn, April 2018

Colin’s gift as an educator was always to inspire, never to instruct. Without ever teaching in an academic sense, he created environments in which aspiring filmmakers developed the openness, eagerness and confidence needed in order to learn – to learn from great practitioners, artists and professionals, and also from each other. ACE was Colin’s concept, and his genius still finds expression in the spirit and practice of ACE 30 years later. In our workshops, we still hear his voice.
Simon Perry, ACE Senior Consultant, ACE Producers’ President (1993 – 2018)

It seems astonishing to me that Colin isn’t still with us, that an email isn’t going to pop up any moment with some slightly scurrilous story and signed off: ‘Onwards’. He was always looking ahead and the creation of ACE was visionary, but now we can look back to see the huge impact he had on hundreds of us producers, as well as so many filmmakers. He was a good friend and a profound influence with his twinkling eye, his determination that filmmakers should be “missionaries for a better life” and his belief that sharing was at the heart of life-long learning about film and indeed about life.
Martin Pope, ACE Producers’ Vice President

ACE 1 Opening Dinner 1993

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the ACE Mentoring Programme. The ACE Mentoring Programme aims to support Dutch producers in managing their careers and developing their international network, by providing them with the opportunity to learn from established mentors actively working within the European film industry.
The goal is to help these emerging producers reach the next level of experience, and help them in the development of their international network.

Each year three Dutch producers will be selected for the programme. After selection each producer will be matched to a mentor according to their specific needs. Throughout the year the producer will have up to 4 meetings with their mentor, either at international festivals and events where both are present, or online.

To best benefit from the programme, we ask producers to have a full-length project in development. This can be fiction, animation or documentary.

The ACE Mentoring Programme has been set up in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund, NAPA, Film Forward, and Eye Filmmuseum.

PROGRAMME DATES
February – December 2022, with meetings held throughout the year.

LOCATION
Online and at international festivals and markets.

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Emerging Dutch producers with some experience in production, who are looking to expand their knowledge of international co-production, feature film financing, production, sales, distribution, marketing and business development;
• Producers should have at least one credit on a film or TV series, without necessarily having a full production credit;
• Producers need to have a full-length fiction, animation or documentary project in development;
• Producers would need to be committed to the programme for the entire duration.

PARTICIPATION

• Participation is free of charge;
• All travel and accommodation expenses that may arise will not be covered by the organisation.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Extended deadline: 9 December 2021 (up to three places available)

HOW TO APPLY
Send the following documents (in English and combined into one PDF) to
info@ace-producers.com:

• A motivational letter;
• A company profile;
• Producer’s biography & filmography;
• List of current projects in development (with information and status on each project).

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Maegene Fabias at maegenefabias@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers has selected 16 experienced independent producers for the 3rd edition of the ACE Series Special.

Anthony Alleyne – United Kingdom –  Born Wild
“Odessa Dating Club”
Showrunner – Roman Rozengurt
Writers – Nick Grygorashchenko, Anna Bulatova

Francesca Andreoli – ACE Italy – Cinedora
“Dinners”
Writers – Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli, Carlotta Corradi

Jacques-Henri Bronckart – ACE Belgium – Versus Production
“Chavirer”
Showrunner – Delphine Girard
Writer – Delphine Girard

Ellen De Waele – Belgium – Serendipity Films
“Is a Woman”
Writer – Maaike Neuville

Sophie Erbs – ACE France – Cinema Defacto / GAIJIN
“Whyte Lies”
Writers – Pia Marais, Willem Droste

Nicole Gerhards – ACE Germany – NiKo Film
“Echoes”
Writer – Kai Gero Lenke

Tudor Giurgiu – Romania – Libra Film
“Trixy”
Writers – Cecilia Stefanescu, Tudor Giurgiu

Edyta Janczak-Hiriart – France – Kometa Films
“Judicaël”
Writer – Julie Benegmos

Giorgos Karnavas – ACE Greece – Heretic
“The Thread”
Writer – Alexi Campbell

Oliver Neumann – ACE Austria – FreibeuterFilm
“Purgatory”
Showrunner – Oliver Neumann
Writers – Oliver Neumann, Malina Nwabuonwor, Thomas Reider

Arabella Page Croft – ACE UK – Black Camel 
“Underneath”
Writers – Steve Barker, Rae Brunton, Marcus Harben

Radim Procházka – ACE Czech Republic – Kuli Film
“Utopia Bata: Family Saga of a Dream”
Writers – Magdaléna Bittnerová, Jan Bušta

Elias Ribeiro – South Africa – Urucu Media
“Zaddy”
Writers – Silas Miami, Tshepo Moche

Ada Solomon – ACE Romania – microFILM
“Export Only”
Writer – Cristina Iliescu Marcel Visbeen

Denis Vaslin – ACE Netherlands – Volya Films
“Staphorst 1971”
Writer – Marcel Visbeen

Paul Zischler – ACE Germany – Zischlermann Filmproduktion
“Murder Squad M.U.K”
Writers – Michael Henrichs, Max Annas
Additional producer – Michael Henrichs

The intensive workshop is designed to help integrating a series division into the producers’ companies and deepen their knowledge of developing and producing TV drama series for an international audience. All selected producers have applied with a series in development. The Series Special will take place in Brussels in early December.

With an increasing demand for content and with a market that is changing daily, producers are looking for new ways of working and diversifying their output. Focusing primarily on the creative and financial aspects of TV series production, the ACE Series Special offers sessions on working with broadcasters, marketing, audiences, international approaches, and business strategies.

The workshop will give producers a chance to work on their projects through one-to-one meetings with experts and group sessions with their peers benefiting from good practices and advise with regards to different territories, specific legal and financing structures, and business insights.

ACE director Jacobine van der Vloed: “The demand for series continues to increase and the landscape of series production is constantly developing. We’re glad to be able to offer these demonstrably talented producers a chance to gain further insight into the industry and to get their projects to where they need to be”.

Thanks to VAF and CFAP for their valuable support, to our media partner Variety and Variety Intelligence Platform and also to the international series festival, Series Mania for the fruitful partnership!

 

A previous version of this post also included Xavier Rombaut (Belgium – Polar Bear) as a participant. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from the workshop.

ACE Producers and Independent Film Foundation have selected 12 emerging producers for the first edition of ACE Training Days Poland, a workshop aimed at strengthening upcoming producers from Central Eastern European countries. Focusing on “The Essentials of International Co-Production”, it gives the participants the opportunity to learn from established producers and film professionals and to further develop their network. The ACE Training Days Poland is set up with thanks to the support of the Polish Film Institute.

The 1,5-day interactive workshop (17-18 November) will include plenary sessions and case studies, as well as group meetings provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in international financing, co-production, sales and distribution, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The Training Days Poland is connected to the ACE 31 Financing Strategies Workshop
(15 – 20 Nov, Warsaw), which is a workshop within the ACE Annual Programme organised for the selected 18 experienced producers from Europe and beyond.

In the past, ACE Producers already organised ACE Training Days workshops in the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway.

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE TRAINING DAYS POLAND:

Agnieszka Dziedzic, Koi Studio, Poland
Izabela Igel, Harine Films, Poland
Alzbeta Janackova, Silk Films, Czech Republic
Leonid Kalitenya, Running Turtle, Lithuania/Belarus
Dionis Papadhimitri, Papadhimitri Film Production, Albania
Adina Sadeanu, Axis Media Production, Romania
Kamil Skalkowski, Kalejdoskop Film, Poland
Svitlana Soloviova, Svitlofor FILM, Ukraine
Elena Stanisheva, VEDA FILM Productions, North Macedonia
Marta Szarzyńska, Kinhouse Studio, Poland
Magdalena Sztorc, Before My Eyes, Poland
Aneta Zagorska, Krakow Film Klaster, Poland

Together with the ACE Mentoring Programme, the ACE Training Days Poland is part of ACE Springboard, a combination of programmes focusing on emerging independent producers to strengthen careers at an early stage. ACE Springboard provides participants with the tools needed to be adaptable and innovative in an ever-changing film industry – for a successful new generation of independent producers!

Please find more information here:
https://ace-producers.com/springboard

For more information please contact:
maegenefabias@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers has selected 14 emerging producers for the first edition of
ACE Training Days Norway, a workshop aimed at strengthening upcoming producers from Norway. Focusing on “Developing and Marketing Your Projects in an International Context”, it gives the participants the opportunity to learn from established producers and film professionals and to further develop their network.
The ACE Training Days Norway is set up in collaboration with The Norwegian Film Institute, Filmkraft Rogaland, Mediefondet Zefyr (and with support from Stavanger commune, Rogaland Fylkeskommune and The Norwegian Producers Association Virke Produsentforeningen).

The 2-day interactive workshop (6-8 October) will include plenary sessions as well as group meetings provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in international development, co-production and financing, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The Training Days Norway is connected to the ACE 31 Content Development Workshop (4 – 9 Oct, Stavanger), which is a workshop within the ACE Annual Programme organised for the selected 18 experienced producers from Europe and beyond.

In the past, ACE Producers already organised ACE Training Days workshops in the Czech Republic, Finland and the Netherlands.

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE TRAINING DAYS NORWAY:

Siw Angell-Olsen, Tallfilm
Ingvil Berger, Motlys
Jarle Bjørknes, Incitus AS
Ingvild Evjemo, 4 1/2
Andreas Fløisand, Hummelfilm
Hege Hauff Hvattum, Monster Scripted
Lina Helvik, Freelance
Oda Kruse, Mer Film
Maria Lavelle, NOET AS
Petter Onstad Løkke, Maipo
Rebekka Rognøy, Ferdi Film
Lotte Sandbu, Maipo
Nicholas Sando, Filmbin
Anita Vedå, Smau media

Together with the ACE Mentoring Programme, the ACE Training Days Norway is part of ACE Springboard, a combination of programmes focusing on emerging independent producers to strengthen careers at an early stage. ACE Springboard provides participants with the tools needed to be adaptable and innovative in an ever-changing film industry – for a successful new generation of independent producers!

Please find more information here:
https://ace-producers.com/springboard

For more information please contact:
maegenefabias@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers and Independent Film Foundation are pleased to announce the call for applications for the Training Days Poland, which has been set up thanks to the support of the Polish Film Institute.

The Training Days Poland is a tailor-made 1,5-day programme especially designed for emerging producers, who are looking to expand their network and learn more about the international context of the audiovisual industry. The workshop welcomes producers working in fiction, animation and documentary, and strives to make the industry inclusive and diverse.

For this workshop a total of 12 producers (6 Polish and 6 from neighbouring Central and Eastern European countries) will be selected to join the workshop taking place in Warsaw*. As ACE aims to encourage international collaboration, the call is open to emerging producers from Poland, as well as Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, Montenegro, North-Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

Training Days Poland, organised with to the support of the Polish Film Institute, will be themed around “The Essentials of International Co-Production”. The interactive workshop will include plenary sessions and case studies, as well as group meetings provided with the help of ACE consultants and producers who have notably strong track-records in international financing, co-production, sales and distribution, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

The Training Days Poland is connected to the ACE 31 Financing Strategies Workshop (15 – 20 Nov, Warsaw), which is a workshop within the ACE Annual Programme organised for the selected 18 experienced independent producers from Europe and beyond, and attended by a large group of international experts.

WORKSHOP DATES
17 – 18 November 2021
(arrival before 13:30 on Wednesday 17 November and departure Friday 19 November 2021)

LOCATION
Warsaw, Poland*

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS

• Emerging producers with an interest in international co-production;
• Producers will best benefit from the workshop when already working on a feature-length project in development;
• Producers would need to be committed to attend the entire workshop;
• Producers are required to have sufficient level of understanding of the English language, as the entire workshop will be presented in English.

PARTICIPATION DETAILS

APPLICATION DEADLINE
30 September 2021

HOW TO APPLY
Please fill in the submission form here. The obligatory attachments to the submission form are:

1. – A motivational letter (of max. 1 page);
   – Producer’s biography, filmography and company profile;
   – List of current projects in development (with information and status on each project);
   – ALL ABOVE in English and merged into one PDF.

Strengthening independent producers, ACE Producers uses the power of the ACE Network’s collective knowledge to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities in an everchanging industry. ACE Producers enables profound collaborations through honest dialogue in the safe trusted space of the ACE Network and fosters valuable exchange of high-level knowledge about the independent audio-visual industry in Europe and beyond. ACE Producers provides top quality executive education in European creative producing and entrepreneurialism.

Independent Film Foundation from Warsaw, Poland promotes creativity and the production of films of high artistic value, and creates opportunities for artistic and professional development of filmmakers, i.e. organising the activities of the Polish Film Academy and running the European master scriptwriting programme ScripTeast.

The Polish Film Institute has been the main public funding body, supporting development of Polish film productions since 2005. It has also created a variety of incentives and financing schemes geared towards supporting international co-productions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Yamie van Wijnbergen at Yamievanwijnbergen@ace-producers.com  or Violetta Kaminska at violetta@nff.org.pl

*ACE will be paying close attention to the ever-changing international situation and will make any adaptations to the workshop necessary to ensure the safety of participants and guests.

Melanie Andernach – MADE IN GERMANY – Germany
“Love Ghosts” directed by Benjamin Heisenberg

Peter Badač – BFILM – Czech Republic/Slovakia
“Backwoods” directed by Evženie Brabcová

Nicky Bentham – Neon Films – United Kingdom      
“Brides” directed by Nadia Fall

Inese Boka-Grūbe- Mistrus Media – Latvia  
“The Bomber” directed by Pauls Kesteris

Fran Borgia – Akanga Film Asia – Singapore 
“If I Had Two Lives” directed by Ash Mayfair

Claire Charles-Gervais – In Vivo Films – France      
“Death Has No Master” directed by Jorge Thielen Armand

Nina Frese – Freelance – Germany   
“Night Sweats” directed by Maria Solrun

Miia Haavisto – Tekele Productions – Finland
“Get Hartmann” directed by Antti Heikki Pesonen

Tomas Hruby – nutprodukce – Czech Republic
“Forest” directed by Petr Kazda and Tomas Weinreb

Lana Matić – Propeler Film – Croatia
“Before the Summer” directed by Danis Tanović

Annabella Nezri – Kwassa Films – Belgium
“Transition” directed by Zoé Wittock

Hany Ouichou – Coop Video de Montréal – Canada
“Buy Your Way to Heaven” directed by Mathieu Denis

Luisa Romeo – Frida Films – Spain   
“Pinkala” directed by Juanjo Gimenez

David B. Sørensen – Apparatur – Denmark
“Replica” directed by Jacob Thomas Pilgaard

Marica Stocchi – Rosamont – Italy
“A Woman’s Diary” directed by Daniele Vicari

Janine Teerling – AMP Filmworks – Cyprus  
“The Well” directed by Marios Piperides

Nikolina Vučetić Zečević- Biberche Production – Serbia    
“Rattlesnakes” directed by Nikola Ljuca

Joram Willink – BIND – The Netherlands      
“Stranded Assets” directed by TBD

ACE Producers has selected 18 experienced independent producers to join the ACE Network after completing the 31st edition of its Annual Programme. The selected producers from 17 different territories will attend three workshops throughout 2021 and 2022 moving the projects with which they applied forward.

The selection committee consisted of members of the ACE board, ACE consultants, president Antoine Simkine and director Jacobine van der Vloed.

“We are excited about the new group of producers joining the ACE Network. With each of these experienced independent producers and their individual expertise and know-how, the ACE Network will grow stronger, providing a solid basis for successful European collaborations”, Jacobine van der Vloed commented.

Four events make up the core of the training. The first workshop, dedicated to content development, will take place in Stavanger, Norway in early October and will include group sessions and individual meetings, analysing the concepts, dramaturgy, and target audiences of producers’ projects. The workshop is supported by The Norwegian Film Institute, Filmkraft Rogaland, Mediefondet Zefyr, Stavanger Municipality, Rogaland County Municipality and The Norwegian Producers Association (Virke Produsentforeningen).

In November, the second workshop, which offers the producers advice on possible financing strategies for their projects, will take place in Warsaw, Poland, with the support of the Polish Film Institute and in collaboration with Independent Film Foundation. The week-long workshop will be made up of interactive sessions exploring international financing opportunities and strategies through detailed analysis of the producers’ finance plans, with input provided by high-grade professionals from across the industry. The sessions offer a uniquely open exchange of experience and ideas which sheds light on the evolution of co-production practices, of public and private funding schemes, and of the global marketplace in the digital age.

The third workshop will look at the producers’ business strategies, providing them with models of sustainable company management and ways to build businesses that have real value. Group sessions and panel discussions guide the producers through keener applications of marketing techniques and diversified commercial activities. The Business Prospects Workshop will take place in Amsterdam with the kind support of the Netherlands Film Fund and is immediately followed by the ACE Annual Reunion, were the new producers will be officially welcomed into the ACE Network.

The Annual Reunion 2022 will be held in Gdansk, Poland with the support of the Polish Film Institute.

ACE Producers is supported by Creative Europe, the Netherlands Film Fund, Screen Scotland, Film Center Serbia, Polish Film Institute, Procirep, German Films, Téléfilm Canada, Screen Ireland, Screen Skills Ireland, Focal, Rai Cinema and APA – Audiovisual Producers Association.