PRODUCERS SELECTED FOR FIRST EDITION OF ACE TRAINING DAYS NL

ACE Producers has selected 14 emerging producers for the first edition of ACE Training Days NL, a workshop aiming at strengthening upcoming producers from the Netherlands and the neighbouring countries Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Focusing on “The Essentials of International Co-Production & Finance”, it gives the  participants the opportunity to learn from established producers and film professionals and to further develop their network. The ACE Training Days NL is set up with the  collaborating partners Netherlands Film FundNAPAFilm Forward and Eye Filmmuseum.

The 2-day workshop (17 – 19 May 2021) will enable the selected producers to gain more knowledge on the international context of audiovisual production, concentrating mainly on the landscape of co-productions and financing a film internationally, but will also provide additional knowledge on the set-up of international markets and film festivals.

In the past, ACE Producers already organised the ACE Training Days workshops in the Czech Republic for producers from Central Europe and Finland for the Nordic territories.

Jacobine van der Vloed: “We’re excited about the great selection of up-and-coming producers for the first ACE Training Days NL! According to the main goal of ACE Producers, the ACE Training Days workshops create opportunities for international co-production and collaboration. Bringing emerging producers’ careers forward is the foundation for a successful and strong European film industry.’’

 

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE TRAINING DAYS NL:

Fabian Driehorst, Fabian&Fred, Germany
Roxana Richters, Chromosom Film, Germany
Aydin Dehzad, Freelance, Netherlands
Tom van Blommestein, Lemming Film, Netherlands
Maaike Neve, BIND Film, Netherlands
Max De Wolf, TopKapi Films, Netherlands
Emma Kuijper, DOXY, Netherlands
Chris Elize Stenger, Family Affair Films, Netherlands
Loes Komen, Room for Film, Netherlands
Charlotte Driessen, Harpy Films, Netherlands
Fee Buck, Pandora Film, Germany
Anna Werner, Komplizen Film, Germany
Tim Martens, Krater, Belgium
Neigeme Glasgow-Maeda, Wady Films, Luxembourg

Together with the ACE Mentoring Programme, the ACE Training Days NL 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

DUTCH PRODUCERS SELECTED FOR THE ACE MENTORING PROGRAMME

ACE Producers has selected 3 outstanding up-and coming producers from the Netherlands for the ACE Mentoring Programme 2021. Designed and developed in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund, NAPA, Film Forward and Eye Filmmuseum, the ACE Mentoring Programme aims to support Dutch emerging producers in reaching the next level of experience and developing their international network by matching them with a mentor from the ACE Producers Network actively working within the European film industry.

For this first edition, ACE Producers has matched mentors of the ACE Network according to the specific needs of the selected producers. The mentorship includes meetings throughout the year at international festivals and events, and online.

Jacobine van der Vloed: “We selected the 3 producers based on their track-record, motivation statements, and the stage they are currently at within their own careers. ACE Producers wants to assist in the further development of these promising producers’ careers in order to sustain strong independent European cinema. The ACE Producers Network with its established and successful members has all the knowledge and expertise to provide for that.”

 

SELECTED PRODUCERS FOR ACE MENTORING PROGRAMME:

Rogier Kramer, Dutch Mountain Films
Mentor: Alexander Wadouh (ACE 28), Chromosom Film – Germany

Hugo Naber, SNG Films
Mentor: Mariusz Wlodarski (ACE 27), Lava Films – Poland

Steven Rubinstein Malamud, IJswater films
Mentor: Sophie Erbs (ACE 28), Cinema Defacto – France

 

Together with ACE Training Days, the ACE Mentoring Programme 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 31 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Application deadline: 3 May 2021

Every year ACE Producers accepts 18 experienced film producers into the exclusive / renowned ACE Network after completing the ACE’s Annual Programme of executive education. Interested producers are asked to submit a project in development that is suitable for co-production and aimed at the international market along with their application.

During the tumultuous year that the industry and wider world has been facing, the ACE Network has proved to be an incredibly valuable beacon for its producers. In this time of uncertainty, the need for establishing connections, building networks and learning new ways of adapting within an ever-changing audiovisual industry has proven to be more important than ever.

Four events make up the core of the training programme, held in four different locations. ACE Producers is currently still preparing these workshops to be held on site, however due to the current climate, ACE Producers is aware of the need to adapt to different forms of training if necessary.

OCTOBER – CONTENT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Pitching practice, individual meetings and group sessions analysing the concepts, dramaturgy and target audiences of producers’ projects; Plenary sessions on managing talents and maintaining creative dialogues; Discussions on marketing during the early stages of development and examining new forms and formats for audiovisual storytelling.
4th – 9th October 2021

NOVEMBER – FINANCING STRATEGIES WORKSHOP
Interactive sessions exploring international financing opportunities and strategies through detailed analysis of producers’ finance plans, with input provided by high-grade professionals from across the industry. 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.
15th – 20th November 2021

APRIL – BUSINESS PROSPECTS WORKSHOP
Sessions on business growth, designed to provide producers 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.
4th April – 6th April 2022

APRIL – ACE PRODUCERS ANNUAL REUNION
Held in a different country every year over a long springtime weekend, and open to all members of the ACE Network, this event is an occasion for experienced producers to share news, knowledge, opinion and practical advice in an informal but confidential environment. Warts-and-all case-studies, roundtable discussions, insider-information sessions, and more.
7th April – 10th April 2022

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS
• Be an owner, partner or associate of an independent production company;
• Have been the delegate producer (i.e. the principal responsible producer) of at least one theatrically-released feature film;
• Have a fiction feature film project in development which is designed to attract international finance and distribution – ideally in the form of a first draft screenplay or long treatment;
• Be available and make a commitment to attend a selection interview during the first week of September, the Content Development Workshop (October), the Financing Strategies Workshop (November), the Business Prospects Workshop and the Annual Reunion (both in April).

APPLY
If you are considering applying, please contact info@ace-producers.com to establish your eligibility and organise a meeting with producers’ liaison Al Williams.

Applications will primarily be evaluated on the producers’ track record and motivation, followed by the strength of the project and its co-production and collaborative potential.

Visit the Workshops section of the ACE Producers website for more information on the Annual Programme and application process.

PARTNERS
ACE Producers is supported by Creative Europe, the Netherlands Film Fund, Procirep, German Films, Téléfilm Canada, Screen Ireland, Focal and Rai Cinema.

SELECTED PRODUCERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2ND ANIMATION SPECIAL

ACE Producers has selected 17 experienced independent producers for the ACE Animation Special 2021. The intensive workshop is designed to deepen their knowledge of developing and producing long form,feature film and series animation production for an international audience including cinema, broadcast as well as streaming. Producers applied with animated features and series projects in early development. Originally set to take place during Animation Dingle it was postponed to late June 2021 in Dublin due to the current situation. The selected producers will kick off the workshop with an online session in March giving them the opportunity to benefit from the online Animation Dingle programme.

The ACE Animation Special is supported by Screen Skills Ireland, Screen Ireland, Animation Skillnet, BAI (Broadcasting Authority of Ireland) and Animation Ireland in close collaboration with Animation Dingle.

Of this year’s event, ACE director Jacobine van der Vloed said, “We’re thrilled to be joining with our Irish partners once again for the Animation Special. Of course, the fact that we’re not going to be in Dingle in March is disappointing for all involved, but after our experience last year, we’re confident of delivering a dynamic workshop that will offer our producers the key knowledge to make their way in the animation industry.”

 

SELECTED ACE ANIMATION SPECIAL PRODUCERS:

Simonetta Amenta (ACE Italy), Eurofilm

Emilie Blézat (ACE France), SCIAPODE

Maria Blicharska (ACE Poland/France), Donten et Lacroix/Blick Productions

Fiona Copland (New Zealand), Field Theory

Valérie Delpierre (Spain), Inicia Films

David Epiney (Switzerland), Alina film

Marion Guth, (Luxembourg), a_BAHN

Chris Hees (United Kingdom), Bridge Way Films

Niamh Herrity (Ireland), Pink Kong

Nicole Kellerhals (Germany), X Filme Creative Pool

Tamsin Lyons (Ireland), Ink and Light

Errol Nayci (Netherlands), Storytellers Animation

Kristy Neville (Canada), Wildling Pictures

Sébastien Onomo (ACE France), Special Touch Studio

Iris Otten (ACE Netherlands), Pupkin Film

Aleksandar Protic (Serbia), MIR MEDIA GROUP

Vanessa Robinson (Ireland), Little Moon Animation

 

Topics covered include story development, visual world building and asset creation, international production workflows in multi-country co-productions, financing strategies, physical line production, the integration of an animation department into an existing (film-) production company as well as an assessment of the demands and expectation of broadcasters.

Among the experts of this year’s edition are Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning Magic Light Pictures producers Martin Pope and Michael Rose (“Zog and the Flying Doctors”), BAFTA-winning producer Claire Jennings (“Coraline”, “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”) and renowned animation producer Simon Quinn (“Isle of Dogs”). The full list will be announced shortly. Last year’s expert line-up included Peter Lord founder of Aardman Studios, Chris Dicker, then head of development at Jam Media, Cartoon Network’s Sarah Fell, Michael Ryan of GFM Films and Jean Baptiste Babin of Backup Media.

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

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

A previous version of this post also included Michael Margulis (Ukraine – Kapi Animationas) as a participant. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from the workshop.

Call for Applications – ACE Training Days NL 2021

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the Training Days NL, which has been set up in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund, NAPA, Film Forward and Eye Filmmuseum.

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 & Finance”. The interactive workshop 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 co-production and financing, and who will share their knowledge and international expertise.

*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.

WORKSHOP DATES
29 – 31 March 2021

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

  • Participation is free of charge for Dutch producers;
  • For producers from Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, the participation fee for the workshop is €300;
  • ACE Producers will cover the subsistence during the workshop;
  • All travel and accommodation expenses that may arise will not covered by the organisation;
  • Non-Dutch producers can apply to their local/national fund to support these expenses.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Extended deadline: 5 February 2021 (12 places available)

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

  • A motivational letter;
  • 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

nff-logo-2019_cmyk_web
napa_logo_nlweb
Film Forward
eye_primary_lockup_black

Best Practice Exchange 2020 – Online Sessions

This year’s autumn meeting of Best Practice Exchange (BPX), normally held in Toronto during the film festival, took place online.

Split across three sessions the leaders of 24 national, regional and cross-border film funding agencies got together to discuss the effects of the pandemic and the initiatives undertaken by film agencies to adjust to the new world. Attendance included members from five continents.

They talked about new priorities and policies being actively considered by their agencies for implementation from 2021 onwards, to enable the production process, the distribution sector and audience development activities to return to creative and economic health.

BPX was started by  Simon Perry and Katriel Schory 8 years ago to encourage exchange and collaboration between the funds.

Of the online sessions, Simon Perry said, “Besides providing insight into the many ways in which film funding agencies are responding to the impacts of the pandemic on film production across the world, the online forums made it clear that public funding will henceforward be more vitally needed than ever in order to sustain independent film distribution and the survival of independent cinemas.”

BPX would like to thank for their contributions:

Alex Traila – CNC, Romania
Arben Zharku – Kosovo Cinematography Center
Bero Beyer – Netherlands Film Fund
Claas Danielsen – Mitteldeutscher Medienföderung, Germany
Claudia Triana de Vargas – Proimagenes, Colombia
Chris Payne – New Zealand Film Commission
Christa Dickenson – Telefilm Canada
Daniel Saltzwedel – Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany
Desirée Finnegan – Screen Ireland
Dita Rietuma – National Film Centre of Latvia
Graeme Mason – Screen Australia
Helge Albers – FF Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Jeanne Brunfaut – CFWB, Belgium
Karen Thorne-Stone – Ontario Creates
Laufey Gudjonsdottir – Icelandic Film Centre
Liza Dino – Film Development Council of the Philippines
Luis Chaby Vaz – ICA / Portuguese Cinema & Audiovisual Institute
Matti Paunio – Finnish Film Foundation
Neil Peplow – British Film Institute
Roberto Olla – Eurimages
Rolandas Kvietkauskas – Lithuanian Film Centre
Sarah Duve-Schmid& Berenice Honold – FFA / German Federal Filmboard
Sehad Cekic – Film Centre of Montenegro
Zuzana Bielikova – Slovak Audiovisual Fund

Call for Applications – ACE Animation Special

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the call for applications for the second ACE Animation Special. The workshop, which will be held in Dingle* during the 2021 Animation Dingle festival, is organised in close collaboration with the festival, Screen Skills Ireland and with additional support from Screen Ireland, Animation Skillnet and Animation Ireland.

The workshop is aimed at experienced producers who want to diversify their activities to include, and/or deepen their knowledge of developing and producing long form/feature film animation production for an international audience (cinema, broadcast or streaming).

16 producers will be selected for the workshop, preferably with a long form/feature length 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 anamatic 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. 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.

*ACE Producers and ACE Animation Special partners 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.

WORKSHOP DATES
21st – 26th of March 2021

LOCATION
Dingle, Ireland

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.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
1st December 2020
16-18 places available

HOW TO APPLY
Visit www.ace-producers.com/animation-special

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information please contact Head of Specials, Al Williams at
animation@ace-producers.com

ACE Producers adapting and advancing with online edition

Following the selection of eighteen experienced international producers for the ACE 30 programme, ACE Producers is gearing up to hold the session’s first workshop online from the 5th to the 10th October 2020.

Previously planned to be held in Mallorca thanks to the Mallorca Film Commission, the workshop will now be held in an online environment, due to the continued international situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The eighteen producers, based in fifteen different territories, will participate in their first workshop, concentrating on content development, specifically of the project that they each bring to the programme.

The decision was made to not postpone the workshop allowing the producers to already start benefitting from their shared knowledge. Of the decision, director Jacobine van der Vloed said, “The true importance of training and networking has become very apparent over these past months, with producers offering each other advice and support in these difficult times. We felt that we were well placed to adapt to the situation and allow the ACE 30 producers to meet each other as soon as possible and start their training.”

The workshop will offer carefully tailored sessions, which will aim to stimulate and engage the producers online, with group sessions and individual meetings, analysing the concepts, dramaturgy, and target audiences of the producers’ projects.

ACE Producers has previous experience of online events from holding regular
Networking and Support sessions for members of its Network and setting up an online version of the ACE Animation Special in mid-March, one of the earliest examples of adapting to an online environment seen in the audiovisual industry.

ACE Producers is based in Amsterdam and is supported by Creative Europe
MEDIA, The Netherlands Film Fund, Procirep, Téléfilm Canada, German Films, Screen Ireland and Focal.

ACE 30 Producers Selected

Muayad Alayan – Palcine Productions – Palestine
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” directed by Muayad Alayan

Jacqui Davies – Primitive Film – United Kingdom
“After London” directed by Ben Rivers

Stefan Eichenberger – Contrast Film – Switzerland
“Good Boy” directed by Matthias von Gunten

Brian J. Falconer – Out of Orbit – United Kingdom
“Harvesting” directed by Michael Lennox

Jessie Fisk – Feline Films – Ireland
“So, Perfect” directed by Nathalie Biancheri

Erik Glijnis – Lemming Film – The Netherlands
“Sweet Dreams” directed by Ena Sendijarevic

Lauren Grant – Clique Pictures – Canada
“Mush Hole” directed by Lisa Jackson

Anna-Maria Kantarius – Garage Film International – Sweden
“The Land of the Fern” directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark

Marta Lewandowska – Friends with Benefits Studio – Poland
“Symetry of the Island” directed by Anna Kazejak

Patrice Nezan – Les Contes Modernes – France
“War with the Salamanders” directed by Catherine Maximoff

Sébastien Onomo – Special Touch Studios – France
“Mami Wata” directed by Askia Traoré

Evelin Penttilä – Stellar Film – Estonia
“Beatrice” directed by Ain Mäeots

Giovanni Pompili – Kino Produzioni – Italy
“The Beautiful Summer” directed by Laura Luchetti

Radim Prochazka – Kuli Film – Czech Republic
“In a Storm and Winds” directed by Lukáš Masner

Marija Razgutė – M-FILMS – Lithuania
“Fake News” directed by Karolis Kaupinis

Milan Stojanovic – Sense Production – Serbia
“When the Kids Sing the Hits” directed by Mina Djukic

Joanna Szymańska – Shipsboy – Poland
“Politics of Love” director TBD

Vladimir Yatsenko – Limelite/Forefilms – Ukraine
“U are the Universe” directed by Pavlo Ostrikov

ACE Producers is pleased to announce the eighteen producers selected to participate in the 30th ACE Session (2020/2021) who will go on to join the ACE Network.

The selection committee was made up of members of the ACE board, ACE consultants, president Antoine Simkine and director Jacobine van der Vloed. Of the selection, Jacobine van der Vloed said, “We were overwhelmed by the number of applications this year. Faced with a year of unprecedented disruption and change, it’s heartening to see that producers are determined to forge forward, concentrating on training and development. We’re confident that the selected producers will learn a lot from each other and will be excellent additions to the ACE Network”.

The selected producers will attend three workshops with a project in development. Fifteen different territories are represented in the selection: Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Four events make up the core of the training. The first workshop, dedicated to content development, will take place online in early October with carefully tailored sessions which will aim to stimulate and engage the producers in an online environment. The Content Development Workshop will include group sessions and individual meetings, analysing the concepts, dramaturgy, and target audiences of producers’ projects.

In November, the second workshop, which offers the producers advice on possible financing strategies for their projects, will take place in Belgrade, Serbia, with the support of Film Center Serbia. 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. The workshop will integrate new elements specifically for this year, to help producers adapt their business models to face the challenges brought forward by the global pandemic. 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 2021 will be held in Edinburgh, with the support of Screen Scotland, after the postponement of the 2020 edition which was due to be held there.

ACE Producers is supported by Creative Europe MEDIA, The Netherlands Film Fund, Procirep, Téléfilm Canada, German Films, Screen Ireland and Focal.

Board Announcement

We are pleased to announce the results of the ACE Board elections.

Eight members were re-elected while five new members are welcomed onto the board: ACE producers Jonas Dornbach, Danielle Guirguis, Marc Irmer, Rajko Jazbec and Marleen Slot.

Here is the list of the ACE Board 2020 – 2021.

ACE PRODUCERS EXECUTIVE BOARD

Ido Abram – Eye Film Institute – The Netherlands
Aleksi Bardy – Helsinki Filmi – Finland
Sébastien Beffa – Playtime – France
Bruno Bettati – Jirafa Film – Chile
Signe Byrge Sørensen – Final Cut for Real – Denmark
Tom Dercourt – Cinéma Defacto – France
Jonas Dornbach – Komplizen Film – Germany
Eve Gabereau – Modern Films – United Kingdom
Raimond Goebel – Pandora Film – Germany
Danielle Guirguis – Smarthouse Films – The Netherlands
Marc Irmer – Dolce Vita Films – France
Rajko Jazbec – CognitoFilms – Switzerland
Jelena Mitrovic – Bas Celik – Serbia
Dries Phlypo – A Private View – Belgium
Martin Pope – Magiclight Pictures – United Kingdom
Antoine Simkine – Les Films d’Antoine – France
Marleen Slot – Viking Film – The Netherlands
Ada Solomon – Hi Film – Romania
Karla Stojakova – Axman Productions – Czech Republic
Cecilia Valmarana – Rai – Radiotelevisione Italiana –  Rai Movie – Italy