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C21's Factual Week is the definitive round-up of news in the genre from across the TV world
C21's Factual Week: Hot Docs
Measuring success With Hot Docs set to kick off this week in Toronto, Jenn Kuzmyk speaks to festival programmer Sean Farnel (left) about what the term 'successful feature documentary' really means. Sure, March of the Penguins, Michael Moore's films and Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me hit with mainstream audiences and set box office records, but they were anomalies, and the industry should not necessarily hold successes like these up as ideals, says Hot Docs' Farnel. "There is a bit too much emphasis on the successful film being measured strictly by its ability to get a theatrical distributor to release it, and I think it builds up an expectation that is ultimately disappointing for filmmakers," he says, noting that just a few of the dozens of feature docs that screened at Sundance this year will actually have theatrical releases. According to Farnel, searching for that needle in the haystack – a doc that can make a box office dent – should not be an industry pre-occupation. "I don't think it's the right game for anyone to be playing, because while you could win big, you can also miss big when you do that," he says, adding that the key is to focus on measured success. "Good, smart distribution strategies built around patience are the best ways to serve the films and the filmmakers. It's about finding your audience, and in terms of one-off documentaries, each film determines its own path." More often than not, the 'path' is rather traditional, including broadcast and/or a city-by-city strategy for limited theatrical screenings, coupled with online and live-event DVD sales. Having moved over earlier this year from his post as head of the documentary programme at the Toronto International Film Festival, this is Farnel's first go round with Hot Docs. He has assembled what he calls a "feisty programme" for the 13th edition of Hot Docs, which rolls out from April 28 to May 7. "This year's programme has films that are political, engaged and socially relevant, but also entertaining. Documentary is a really fluid form, so we want to show all of the different aspects within that," says Farnel. This year, Hot Docs will encompass 99 films from 23 countries, including Spotlight on France, Made in Japan and RealTeens programmes, as well as a focus on Québec filmmaker Serge Giguère. Farnel is particularly excited about Hot Docs' opening night film, The Railroad All Stars (right), from Spanish director Chema Rodriguez. It follows a group of Guatemalan prostitutes confronting prejudice and controversy as they train to form a winning football team, and gain acceptance in their community. The Canadian Spectrum will feature Academy Award-nominated director Larry Weinstein's Mozartballs (Rhombus Media), designed in a light-hearted way to commemorate the composer's 250th birthday, and Jean-Daniel LaFond's American Fugitive: The Truth about Hassan, which follows David Theodore Belfield, who is on the FBI's most wanted list for the 1980 killing of an Iranian diplomat. Other Canadian films slated for a Hot Docs premiere include the world premieres of Bombay (Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal, Canada), which follows several characters at an upstart call centre in Bombay; Uganda Rising (Jesse James Miller and Pete McCormack, Canada) about the Acholi people of Northern Uganda, who have been caught in a two-decade civil war; and Mystic Ball (Greg Hamilton, Canada), in which the filmmaker journeys deep into the little known culture of Myanmar and its national sport, Chinlone. "I think increasingly we are seeing Canadian filmmakers telling international stories, ones that can succeed and be relevant outside our borders," he says. Several special presentations will also roll out in Toronto next week, including the North American premiere of Atom Egoyan's Citadel, the international premiere of Nick Broomfield's His Big White Self, and An Evening with Werner Herzog, an onstage interview with the legendary filmmaker and this year's recipient of Hot Docs' Outstanding Achievement Award. Looking ahead over the next year, Farnel feels that copyright will continue to be a 'hot-button' issue. "It's affecting not only the business of documentary filmmaking but also the art of it," he says. Farnel highlights concern over the consolidation within the stock footage business, and the difficulty of grappling with rights across territories and platforms, which he feels has led to a marked fall in the number of historical documentaries being made. Another issue sure to be talked about at Hot Docs, and specifically the Toronto Documentary Forum (May 3-4), will be the relationship between feature-length documentaries and international broadcasters. Canadian channels like the CBC and The Documentary Channel have made a strong commitment to feature-length docs, but Farnel says that for channels in the US and throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia, there is still a a chasm between supply and demand. "Right now there is not a lot of alignment between broadcasters and producers about what to do with feature-length docs. I think most commissioning editors have a desire to fund one-off feature-length documentaries but they don't really have a place to put them. They usually want the hour-long cut, and that doesn't really mesh well with the films," he says. When it comes to new distribution platforms, it's still new ground and most often involves a very complex set of rights negotiations, but Farnel says: "The good thing is there are a lot of options, so you can tailor something for your own film. You can work with other companies, or you can do it yourself. Essentially it's about finding the best fit, and knowing what you have and being realistic about it," he says.
C21's Factual Week: Producer profile
Launching into lifestyle Omni Lifestyle is a new production arm launched this week by the Canadian indie behind scripted series such as Alice I Think and Robson Arms. Jenn Kuzmyk speaks with the division's new chief, Heather Hawthorn-Doyle, about what's in development. Hawthorn-Doyle (left) knows what it takes to cultivate successful lifestyle brands, having led production of W Networks' cheeky consumer smarts show The Shopping Bags, which was also picked up by Fine Living in the US. Fronted by two of Canada's most recognisable lifestyle TV personalities, Kristina Matisic and Anna Walner (below), it is one of W's flagship series, in addition to having spawned an accompanying book and a considerable web presence. On the doc side of things, Hawthorn-Doyle also produced CBC's documentary series Make Some Noise, which looks at altruistic initiatives undertaken in different countries by young people. Now she is ramping up Omni Lifestyle's development slate, and is assembling a core team of researchers, producers and directors that can work across the full stable of the company's shows. "I'll not only be developing new programmes but will also have an active hand in running them," she says. Based at Omni's Vancouver offices, Hawthorn-Doyle's goal is to have at least three series produced each year, focusing on stylised, hip, personality-based content. She is currently pitching Alliance Atlantis's cable lifestyle net HGTV on The Modern Girls Guide to Crafting (below), which will be fronted by Wendy Russell. "A lot of people have a preconceived idea of what 'crafting' is," admits Hawthorn-Doyle. "But we want to blow up the idea of two old ladies knitting. This is not your mother's macramé." Kitschy projects include turning your boyfriend's old t-shirt into a purse or making sexy marabou trimmed boudoir slippers. Currently in talks with crafting superstore Michael's about involvement in the show, Omni is also considering releasing a DVD of the series, which would be packaged along with DIY craft supplies connected to projects on the show. Hawthorn-Doyle is also prepping a home fix-it series that will be fronted by Canadian weathercaster Tamara Taggart, a favourite CTV news personality in the Vancouver market. Dubbed How Hard Can it Be?, the series will take a tongue-in-cheek but realistic look at home renovations. "The title is really appropriate, because the funny thing is, some of the stuff is actually quite hard. Life isn't simple, and home reno isn't always either, but it can be fun," says Hawthorn-Doyle. While ancillary products are top of mind for all of Hawthorn-Doyle's projects, Omni will also naturally be targeting multiple platforms. Currently in the works are mobisodes involving tips on shopping and parenting.
C21 Weekly: Click headlines to read the week's news from C21Media.net
ITV veteran joins BBC Factual  27 Apr 2006 The BBC has completed the team for its Factual and Learning division's nine new production units by hiring the ITV factual chief who quit the commercial channel in January.
Mentorn names new fact-ent head  27 Apr 2006 NEWS BRIEF: Tinopolis-owned indie Mentorn has poached ITV Productions' executive producer of factual Dan Barraclough to become its new head of factual entertainment and features.
At It joins RDF Rights party  27 Apr 2006 NEWS BRIEF: UK indie At It Productions and RDF have signed a first-look deal, covering international TV and consumer product rights for At It's factual and fact-ent shows.
Gulf War docudrama tops Ten Alps slate  27 Apr 2006 Among the £6.1m (US$10.4m) of new TV and radio commissions announced by UK indie Ten Alps today are docudramas about the Gulf War, Bali and Hurricane Katrina.
Hot Docs reveals novel secrets  26 Apr 2006 NEWS BRIEF: Toronto's Hot Docs will be showing a work-in-progress version of filmmaker Jonathan Stack's new documentary Secrets of the Code, following a sneak peek unveiled at the recent Tribeca Film Festival in New York,.
Five to air nostalgic World Cup doc  25 Apr 2006 NEWS BRIEF: UK producer and distributor TWI has been commissioned by terrestrial channel Five to produce a TV documentary about England's 1966 World Cup victory.
La Sexta to air Spanish inquisition after HBO docs  24 Apr 2006 Granada International has sold a package of HBO documentaries to new Spanish free-to-air channel La Sexta.
ID serves up US sale for royal special   21 Apr 2006 ID Distribution has notched up a US as well as a Belgian sale for UK channel Five's one-hour special Secrets of the Royal Kitchen in time for the Queen's 80th Birthday today.
ID signs Landmark factual deals  20 Apr 2006 NEWS BRIEF: ID Distribution has returned from MipTV with deals for Landmark Films' factual titles Fat Pets (1x60'), Real Wife Swaps (3x60') and Big Red Bus (8x30').
NGTI secures raft of post-Mip deals  20 Apr 2006 National Geographic Television International has closed several deals for programming it launched at MipTV.
CBC appoints doc veteran  20 Apr 2006 Canada's pubcaster is continuing to shape its new executive team, having appointed acclaimed veteran documentarian Mark Starowicz as executive director of documentary programming for CBC Television.
C21's Factual Week is edited by Jenn Kuzmyk. To contact her email C21's Factual Week Editor

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