Masterschool FAQ

The Masterschool - Frequently Asked Questions

When can I apply for the Masterschool?

  • As each Masterschool year starts in the first months of a new calendar year, usually in February, the application process is open from June/July to September/October of the preceding year. As soon as the Call for Entries is launched, application forms and the application deadline will be available on our homepage. The application deadline is always a poststamp deadline!

The project I apply with - how far developed can/should it be?

  • The applicant should submit project ideas which require research and are suitable for intensive script development. Important is that the projects should have a strong storyline that does not only appeal to a small, special-interest audience but might attract viewers with varied backgrounds from different cultures and countries.

  • The applicant should not submit an idea that needs to go into production before the end of the 10-months course.

  • Before the Final Pitching Session of the Masterschool, the project should not be pitched to a broader range of commissioners.

  • The applicant has to hold the author’s rights of the entered project(s).

  • If the project idea is e.g. a biography or a project where archival footage is needed, the applicant has to prove exclusive access to its protagonist/s or the archive.

When I apply as an author or director, is it necessary or recommendable to have a producer committed to the project?

  • Generally, it is not necessary that the applicant has a producer at his/her side for the project to get selected. Documentary Campus will provide support to find a suitable producer.

  • If the applicant applies as a new-talent or with less experience, it is recommended to apply with an experienced producer at his/her side.

How many projects am I supposed to submit?

  • The applicant can apply with one or with two projects.

Can I apply with a team partner?

  • Yes. If you do so, please state this in the application form. The 4 Masterschool workshops can be attended with a team partner, but you should have clearly defined separate roles – i.e.: director and producer or director and writer – and you should clearly state who is doing what.
  • If you apply with 2 projects, you can apply with a different team partner for each project - if applicable.

Who is going to select the projects for the new Masterschool year?

  • The 15 participants of the Masterschool, plus 1 participant from an East European country which is not yet part of the MEDIA programme, will be selected by a selection committee composed of renowned commissioning editors from European broadcasters. In recent years, the members came from ARD, ARTE, BBC, Discovery Channel, France 5, HOS, ORF, Pro7, RTL, Spiegel TV and VRT.

When and how do I get information about the results of the selection committee?

  • As soon as the selection of the Masterschool participants is official (which will presumably be in mid-December) all applicants will receive an email telling them if their projects have been accepted or rejected. The applications and proposed non-fiction projects will be treated confidentially. All rights on the developed projects naturally remain with the participants.

How many times can I apply for the Masterschool if unfortunately my project is not selected this time?

  • There are no limitations. The applicant can apply as often as necessary. However, if your project is selected you can only attend the Masterschool once.

Do I have to move to Munich to take part in the Masterschool?

  • No. Each of the four one-week Masterschool workshops takes place in a different European city. Between the workshop and internship phases, the participants pursue their regular work at home. Supported by their tutors, the participants do their individual research, write and plan their Masterschool projects.

Who are the tutors?

  • The tutors of the Masterschool are some of the most distinguished producers and distributors in the international non-fiction sector as well as high-profile TV executives from broadcasters such as the ARD, ARTE, AVRO, BBC, Channel 4, Discovery Channel, Discovery Networks Europe, France 5, Humanistische Omroep, Knowledge Network, NDR, ORF, Spiegel TV, SVT, The Documentary Channel, TVOntario, VRT Canvas, WGBH International, YLE, TV2 and ZDF.

  • The tutors are specially selected for each project to perfectly suit the needs of the respective participant: one is a production or distribution expert, the other is an experienced commissioning editor.

  • Please check the following link to find out who the tutors were in the last years: Masterschool Tutors

Is there a guarantee that my project will be realised after attending the Masterschool?

  • No, we cannot give you that guarantee. BUT it is our biggest ambition to help realise the Masterschool projects, and to do so, Documentary Campus offers all necessary contacts and know-how. However, in the end it is up to the applicant’s motivation to make his/her project happen.

Which projects of previous Masterschools have already been realised?

  • Generally speaking, up to 70% of the projects developed each year at the Masterschool are produced.

  • Please check the following link to get an overview of the Masterschool films that were realised so far:
    Masterschool Films

What happens when my project will never go into production? Do I have to repay the €15.000 to Documentary Campus?

  • No, in this case no repayment has to be effected.

  • When the developed project goes into production, the project development and vocational training costs (amounting to €15.000 per participant) will have to be repaid to the funding bodies. As the repayment is made out of the production budget, market-based project development costs are expected to be part of the final production budget. This means that the repayment does not come out of the applicant’s own pocket.

Is there an option to apply for financial support regarding expenses incurred ( e.g. travel, accommodation, etc.) during the Masterschool workshops? Where can I apply for it?

  • Three Masterschool students from countries participating in the MEDIA Plus Programme, who are in special need and otherwise could not afford to take part in the training course, may apply for a grant to support their travel and accommodation costs during the four workshops. At the beginning of the Masterschool year, grant application letters can be sent to Documentary Campus. After a careful examination of all letters, the recipients will be notified.

  • The local MEDIA Desks and other local funding institutions also offer grants for travel and accommodation. A personal application is needed.

Is there an option to attend the Masterschool workshops or Open Training Sessions if I am not a participant of the Masterschool?

  • The admission to the Masterschool workshops is restricted to Masterschool participants.

  • Documentary Campus symposia, so-called Open Training Sessions (OTS), are weekend-long conferences accessible to a broad, professionally interested audience. They consist of presentations, case studies and panel discussions and offer outstanding networking opportunities. Six weeks prior to each OTS, we open up registration for the event. To secure a seat, you have to register in time and pay a modest participation fee. Registration forms, the programme and list of experts are available on our website.

Is there a possibility to apply for the Masterschool if I am not a citizen of a EU member country?

  • Yes, there is a possibility. You can attend the Masterschool as a team partner together with a producer, author, director who has citizenship of a EU member country or a member country of the MEDIA Plus Programme. This person submits the project(s) together with you and will be the one to sign the contract with us.

The following countries are members of the MEDIA Programme:

All EU members (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK) and Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway. Switzerland - the agreement for participation in the MEDIA 2007 Programme has been signed.

Filmmakers coming from East European countries not (yet) part of the MEDIA Programme are encouraged to apply as there should be special funds available for their participation in the Documentary Campus Masterschool.

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