Katy Roberts

Katy Robertshttps://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/about/contributors/katy-robertsKaty Robertshttps://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/film/tips-for-pitching-your-documentaryMaking your pitch stand out from a sea of others can make or break your documentary. Here's how to craft the perfect pitch. 2018-05-28T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/film/tips-for-pitching-your-documentaryhttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <p>As a documentary filmmaker, at some point, you will find yourself pitching your work in order to get it funded, produced, finished or in front of an audience. Here are some key considerations when pitching.</p> <ul> <li><a href="#oneliner">Have a One-liner</a></li> <li><a href="#access">Pitch with Access</a></li> <li><a href="#research">Do Your Research</a></li> <li><a href="#something">Have Something to Show</a></li> <li><a href="#creds">Share Your Creds</a></li> <li><a href="#followup">Follow Up</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="oneliner">Have a one-liner</h2> <p>It can seem reductive to distill your story into a single sentence, but it is a useful asset to have for <a href="/create/learn/writing/the-perfect-travel-story-pitch">pitching</a> in any environment. In-person, regardless of whether you regurgitate the line, the process of having to condense your story will help you to communicate it succinctly. On paper, your pitch may be reviewed by a commissioner or buyer alongside 50 others, so having a strong one-liner could decide whether or not they invest more time in reviewing your pitch.</p> <h2 id="access">Pitch with access</h2> <p>Don’t pitch your <a href="/create/learn/film/tips-for-aspiring-documentary-filmmakers">documentary</a> without confirming access to the key people, places or events that will appear in your film. Without this access confirmed, or at least in negotiation, it's difficult for anyone to support the project financially, as there is a risk it may never be secured. Be sure to communicate the status of the access when you pitch, even if it’s still in progress.</p> <h2 id="research">Do your research</h2> <p>Before you pitch, do some basic background research on the person you are pitching to, and the company they represent. Take some time to look through some of the work they have recently commissioned or been directly involved with. Research the types of stories they are attracted to, as well as the style and formats they’re told in. </p> <p>Through this process, you may realize that a few small changes to your project, or how you position the story, could make the pitch more attractive to the people listening to your pitch. If you haven’t had the opportunity to do this, asking them what they are looking for can be a good place to start.</p> <h2 id="something">Have something to show</h2> <p>A short video clip that demonstrates your pitch will fast-track the conversation and can be a huge advantage. Don’t get hung up on making a trailer; a short engaging scene of your central character or event is enough.</p> <p>Consider the quality of the video you’re sharing in relation to the experience your team has. If you’re a less-experienced team, make your pitch <a href="/explore/guides/travel-documentary-filmmaking">video </a>the highest quality you can deliver, as this will demonstrate your skillset. A more experienced team, with a strong track record of projects behind it, may be able to get away with a lower-quality video, that only demonstrates character or story.</p> <h2 id="creds">Share your creds</h2> <p>So they like your idea, and they know you have access – the next thing you need to pitch is yourself, and the team behind you. Do you and the team have the experience to produce the documentary you’ve pitched? Be sure to include short bios, but most importantly, include examples of your team’s work. Showcase your track record. If you’re working with an emerging team with fewer credentials, consider approaching a more experienced filmmaker to form part of your team, in a supervisory capacity.</p> <h2 id="followup">Follow up</h2> <p>Even if you weren’t successful with your pitch, closing the loop on your conversation appropriately is important. Whilst your pitch might not have been right this time, use this as an opportunity to establish a connection with who <a href="/create/learn/writing/think-like-an-editor">you are pitching to</a>, so you can build on it when you bring them, or their company, your next idea.</p> <p>Ask for feedback, if it hasn’t been offered already, and take these insights on board for your next pitch.</p> </div>Katy Roberts 0 A filmmaker on location

https://public-web-wn.uat.wng.me/create/learn/film/meet-katy-roberts-documentary-producer-at-viceShe's in the business of finding and sharing stories. Find out more about our new Travel Film Scholarship judge's work and her advice for aspiring filmmakers.2018-05-09T10:00:00Z https://wng-kosmos-wn-cms-uat.kaos.nibit.com.au:443/create/learn/film/meet-katy-roberts-documentary-producer-at-vicehttps://www.worldnomads.com<div class="scholarships-assignment-snippet segment-margin-break"> <h2><span>What does your job entail?</span></h2> <p>I creatively and operationally oversee VICE’s video output for Australia and New Zealand, across all our online digital platforms (vice.com, Facebook, Instagram etc). This begins with defining the editorial direction, strategy and priorities for the year <span>–</span> what topics we want to focus on, where our audience is and the formats and platforms we want to utilize to reach them. From there, I work with a team of really talented young producers to ideate the series and stories we can produce to fulfill that plan.</p> <p>I also play an outward-facing role for the company, forging relationships and partnerships with external filmmakers and collaborators. Most recently I spearheaded an exciting partnership with Screen Australia, giving local documentarians the opportunity to access funding to produce an episode of our tent-pole documentary series, <a href="https://video.vice.com/en_au/show/australiana" target="_blank">Australiana</a>.</p> <p>I’m lucky enough to work alongside an inspiring and dedicated team, without whom I wouldn’t be able to do this.</p> <h2><span>What inspires your work today?</span></h2> <p>Outside of my work with VICE, my love of <a href="/explore/guides/travel-documentary-filmmaking">documentary</a> has been further galvanized through some of the incredible docu-series that have come out over the last couple of years. Series like <em>The Jinx</em>, <em>Making a Murderer</em>, <em>Wild Wild Country</em>, <em>Flint</em> <em>Town</em> and <em>Wormwood</em> are not only challenging and evolving documentary form but are growing the appetite and industry by bringing in mass audiences.</p> <h2><span>What’s the most memorable documentary you’ve helped create?</span></h2> <p>Probably the most memorable documentary I’ve worked on was one I personally produced a few years back called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syroDHmd004&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">The Billion Dollar Cockfighting Industry</a>. It was a story I actually stumbled into whilst in The Philippines shooting on a different project. We were outside of Manila and drove past these vast fields littered by rows and rows of miniature huts that roosters lived in. This spurred an in-depth conversation with the local crew I was working with about cockfighting, which was not only a notable part of their history but a modern-day, billion-dollar, entirely <em>legal</em> industry.</p> <p>We ended up pre-producing and shooting the entire documentary within a five-day period, which was impressive considering the incredible access we got. I think this one sticks in my memory because it was a very intense but pure experience of documentary making, where the story just presents itself to you.</p> <h2><span>How do you choose which stories to tell? </span></h2> <p>There are definitely key things we’ll assess when considering any story. Specifically, for documentaries and VICE, access is a major consideration. Some pitches can be great on paper, but without confirmed access to the person, place or event that is essential to the story, it isn’t something I would move forward with.</p> <p>Another is character <span>–</span> the people you have confirmed to be in your documentary. I look for really strong, interesting characters that will be able to carry the story, and that are engaging to watch and listen to.</p> <p>And, of course, you need to consider whether the story will connect with your audience. At VICE, our core audience is 18-35, so we’ll assess whether the larger themes and issues the documentary is speaking to are relevant to a young audience.</p> <p>Lastly, you should always look at whether the story has been told before and whether you are adding a new angle or insight with your documentary.</p> <h2><span>Vice deals with issues such as drug addiction and mental health. What draws you to these subjects?</span></h2> <p>VICE has grown from very counter-culture beginnings, originally as a magazine. Whilst the company has evolved and expanded the types of stories it tells considerably, the drive to give voice to the marginalized is definitely still part of our DNA.</p> <p>Shining a light on ignored and overlooked issues in society through documentaries is a way to keep up people’s awareness of them. <a href="/create/learn/film/tips-for-aspiring-documentary-filmmakers">Documentary</a> is such an important tool to be able to do this. Reading about issues like drug addiction and mental health doesn't always carry the same impact as they do in documentary format. </p> <h2><span>Is it important to remain impartial when making a documentary?</span></h2> <p>Absolutely. You need to be able to approach a subject with your own personal opinions and preconceptions removed. However, you should also be well-researched and informed before you leave the desk to shoot anything. Having a thorough understanding of the topic is key to feeling confident in your decisions about where to point the camera, and which questions to ask.</p> <h2><span>How do online audiences differ from viewers watching on more traditional mediums?</span></h2> <p>Online audiences have so many more options compared to the traditional experience of watching television. These days online platforms offer viewers hundreds of thousands of options to watch <span>–</span> which makes holding a viewer’s attention significantly more competitive.</p> <p>This is why considering the audience and platform from the beginning of your project is so important. You need to know the behavior of both and let this inform what you shoot and how you edit. For example, if you know you are trying to engage a particularly young audience, you might consider creating some bespoke Instagram story assets during the shoot as a way to drive that audience to watch a longer documentary. </p> <p>My approach also has to consider the consumption habits of my audience. Online videos need to have an attention-grabbing first 10 seconds and use succinct storylines along with concise pacing to be successful. </p> <h2><span>What’s your advice for aspiring filmmakers?</span></h2> <p>Don’t be scared to work on a range of different projects when you’re starting out. Even if it’s not exactly what you want to be making in the long run, you’ll build skills, experience, and contacts. Once you have these in place, try to make the type of film you are passionate about, even if it's on a smaller scale. Your work will begin to form your CV and lead you from project to project.</p> </div>Katy Roberts 0 Katy Roberts on a motorboat