How to pitch your documentary and get funding

Learn how to pitch your documentary idea at this practical workshop with the Guardian's head of documentaries

This interactive workshop teaches documentary-makers how to pitch their ideas with confidence. Designed as a follow-up to Charlie Phillips’ introductory course So you’ve got an idea for a documentary? it includes in-depth advice on different funding options and practical pitching sessions, where you’ll get feedback on your own work.

Charlie is currently head of documentaries at the Guardian, and has previously worked as deputy director of Sheffield Doc/Fest and editor of FourDocs for Channel 4. Using his vast reserves of experience and enthusiasm, he’ll share practical advice in a fun, informal and supportive environment.

During the course, you’ll be invited to share your documentary idea with Charlie and an industry expert, with feedback covering not only the quality of the pitch itself, but where you should look to get your documentary funded, including the possibility of the Guardian’s own commissioning arm. With plenty of time for Q&A and discussion, it’s the ideal course for anyone who is serious about getting their documentary idea onto the screen.

This course is for you if...

• You’re a documentary-maker who wants to learn how to pitch your ideas to funders
• You have ambitions to make a career in documentary
• You have already started work on your documentary, and are looking for feedback on your work and advice on funding options

Course preparation

• You should arrive with a specific documentary idea that you’ve conceived and researched
• You should bring along a one-page pitch document and a ‘teaser clip’ of footage to share with the group
• You can arrive with more than one idea, but in all cases you should be prepared to pitch your idea verbally to the group

Course description

This one-day workshop covers the essential skills needed to pitch a documentary idea to funders. Attendees will receive advice on the documentary market and the different funding options available, before getting involved in practical workshops where they pitch their ideas to the tutors for feedback. Topics covered include:

• How to pitch your documentary ideas in writing
• Compiling a pitch document to send to funding bodies
• How to pitch your documentary ideas verbally
• Tips for presenting with confidence
• What makes a good documentary ‘teaser clip’
• Where can you pitch ideas?
• Approaching different types of people in the industry
• Practical workshop: attendees have the opportunity to pitch their documentary ideas to Charlie and a guest expert for positive, solution-based feedback
• Regular opportunities for Q&A and discussion

You may also be interested in…

• So you’ve got an idea for a documentary?
• How to pitch a TV show

Tutor profile

Charlie Phillips is head of documentaries at the Guardian. He was previously deputy director at Sheffield Doc/Fest for seven years. Before that, he was editor of FourDocs for Channel 4. Guardian Documentaries is a new project to commission and acquire new documentaries from all around the world for one of the world’s most-visited serious online video platforms, the Guardian’s global website. Guardian Documentaries is currently looking to commission mostly short-form documentaries, with the occasional co-production on a longer doc. Docs they are looking for need to have brilliant storytelling and characters, focused on contemporary subjects that are relevant globally and feel very new.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website