The NFB and Sheffield Doc/Fest announce 2009

A C$10,500/£5,000 development competition for creators of innovative content.

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Sheffield Doc/Fest are issuing a call for proposals for the third CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE.

The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE is a competition for innovative, interactive, socially engaged content with applications for mobile and broadband. The winning producer will sign a production development deal with the NFB worth C$10,500/£5,000. The deadline for entries is October 9, 2009. Three semi-finalists will be invited to present their projects at a panel session during the Sheffield Doc/Fest. The winner will be announced at the festival's Cross Platform program. Semi-finalists must finance their own travel to the festival.

Sheffield Doc/Fest takes place November 4–8, 2009, in Sheffield, England.

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
A global leader in developing content for new platforms, the NFB wants to ensure the digital future has room for artistic innovation and social relevance. The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE is one way of reaching out to potential new production partners.

The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE offers media makers an opportunity to develop projects that:

-Inspire an exchange of storytelling practices among diverse communities

-Use media innovatively to foster an international dialogue on issues with local roots

-Unleash the creative talents of alternative voices and communities


The NFB is interested in projects that use the versatility, mobility and borderless nature of new platforms to enable communities to talk to each other. Projects must be documentary based. The theme for the 2009 challenge is MIGRATIONS.

Eligible projects must be multi-platform, involving the best features of each medium to ensure maximum audience participation. Projects should take full advantage of the range of new platforms, with particular emphasis on those that are interactive, mobile and online. Projects must feature direct contact and interaction with communities as part of their development plan.

RESTRICTIONS

Employees of the National Film Board of Canada and Sheffield Doc/Fest, members of their immediate family and persons residing with them are not eligible for the CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE.


SUBMISSION DETAILS

Submitted proposals should be a maximum of two pages and provide a succinct overview of your project, a development plan and development budget summary along with any supporting audiovisual material. Proposals must be received by October 9, 2009.

Proposals (including your full name and address) should be e-mailed to:

Hugues Sweeney
Multimedia advisor and designer
h.sweeney@nfb.ca

All the audiovisual material must be accessible from a web site or a FTP server.

The winning project will be announced at the Cross Platform program at Sheffield Doc/Fest. For more information on Cross Platform at Doc/Fest, go to <http://www.sheffdocfest.com/view/digidocs>.

TIPS

A Web documentary must be:

-ACCESSIBLE  – presenting content that's accessible all over the planet for everyone, at all times.

-INTERACTIVE – the action of a mouse, camera or any peripheral is an integral part of the proposed content.

-VERSATILE –  text, photos, images, sound, video and user participation are all means of expression.

-GLOBAL –  the experience consists of the entire interface and not its individual elements.

-FLEXIBLE – production method must be flexible and integrated so content can go online quickly.

-IMMEDIATE –  following the progress of a phenomenon as it takes place.

-DYNAMIC – the experience grows and changes.

-VIRAL – users pass on the experience by sharing content ad infinitum.

Interactivity is:
–    Communication that depends on what the user does
–    Users participating in a work
–    Users modifying a work
–    Users actively contributing
–    A way for the public to get involved in a project

We are looking for proposals:
– from documentary filmmakers but also video artists, photographers, painters, cartoonists, designers, programmers, writers and any other creative person who wishes to observe real life in an interactive world

– that consider new communication platforms as engines for conversation, whether on the Web, a cellphone, an iPod or an interactive installation

For a better idea of how creativity and social issues come together in innovative cross-platform programming at the NFB, you may want to check out these NFB projects:

WATERLIFE 
FILMMAKER-IN-RESIDENCE

As well as these inspiring projects:

GAZA SDEROT

WE FEEL FINE   

SAVE THE WORDS

MONTRÉAL EN 12 LIEUX

VOYAGE AU BOUT DU CHARBON

GENERAL CONDITIONS
Any submitted proposal will not be returned.

All information submitted to the CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE from a participant will be used only for the purposes of conducting this Challenge unless otherwise indicated by participant.

Semi-finalists must be available to participate in a panel session at the Sheffield Doc/Fest (November 4–8, 2009) and pay their expenses to attend the festival. The festival will provide semi-finalists with a free day pass, if necessary.

The NFB will not be responsible for the participant's inability to get through on the Internet during the Challenge period.

Proposals are subject to verification and will be declared invalid if they are illegible.

The winner will receive a C$10,500/£5,000 development offer from the NFB. The winner must accept the terms and conditions of the standard production development agreement for the offer to be valid. The award must be accepted as is and cannot be transferred, substituted, or exchanged in whole or in part for money.

By participating in this Challenge, the winner relieves the NFB of all liability for damages the winner may suffer following acceptance of the award.

The winner shall consent, if required, to the use, without compensation, of his or her name, photo or voice, for publicity purposes related to this Challenge.

The NFB is not liable for computer system, software or phone line malfunctions; the loss or absence of network server connections; or any defective, incomplete, jumbled or scrambled computer transmissions or transmission failure by any computer or network that might restrict or prevent participation in the Challenge.

The NFB is not liable for any damage or loss caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the downloading of any software or form or by the transmission of any information in regard to the Challenge participation.

The NFB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, cancel or suspend the Challenge.

By submitting a proposal, participants agree to these rules.

Subject to all applicable laws and regulations, these rules govern all aspects of the Challenge and bind all participants.