Development Lab inviting Filmmakers from Central Asian Countries

The lab comprises two educational programs: the producers section and the screenwriting section. The goal of the lab is to develop a project for its further presentation to potential partners and international film institutions, as well as clients and producers in the region.

The Development Lab is aimed at developing projects for further presentation to potential partners, international film institutions, customers and producers in the Central Asian region.

The Development Lab 2024 presents educational programs in 2 directions: the producers section and the screenwriting section. The producers section is devoted to the development of a project from a concept to a complete package of documents for any film funding agency. The screenwriting section is devoted to the development of a film script from the initial stage to the finished text.

The educational programs are conducted simultaneously and consist of 3 modules (2 offline and 1 online). Each module focuses on learning, developing and improving the wide range of filmmaking skills required to develop projects, including those with international potential.

Not more than 20 participants will be able to take part in the Development Lab 2024. The producers section is intended for a maximum of 10 people: 7 participants with projects, and 3 participants without projects. The screenwriting section is intended for a maximum of 10 people: 7 participants with projects, and 3 participants without projects

Who can Participate

• Filmmakers with full-length feature film projects in the early stages of development. Authors without projects but with experience in the film industry or creating audiovisual content in literature, journalism, playwriting, video blogging, or art may also participate in the program. Such participants will work on colleagues’ projects.

Eligibility Criteria

• Participants in the sections of the creative laboratory can be any capable citizens, over the age of 18, who meet all the general criteria listed below:
  • Citizens of one of the following countries: Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.
  • Individuals proficient in Russian and/or English, enough to understand oral and written speech.
  • Individuals having sufficient experience in one or more audiovisual professions as a producer, director, screenwriter or other, confirmed by a CV/filmography (description of previous jobs and projects in the production of audiovisual content, publications in professional press, etc.) and references to previous audiovisual works (of different genres, formats, types, timing, including video clips and experimental formats).
    • For candidates in the screenwriting section, sufficient professional experience can be considered: one or more written full-length scripts, one or more implemented short projects, publications, plays published and/or staged in the theater, a verified social media account or video channel.
    • For candidates in the producers section, sufficient professional experience can be considered: one or more produced films of different formats, work in the industry for more than 2 years, with proven experience in film production, but not necessarily as a producer and/or director.
  • Participants whose films are at the filming stage/have already been completed are not allowed to participate in the laboratory.
  • Participation in the laboratory is free. The program covers participants’ travel expenses (by rail or air in the economy category) to and from the program venue, accommodation (single occupancy in a 4-star hotel), consecutive or simultaneous translation from Russian into English and from English into Russian of program classes and materials, access to Zoom accounts of the program for the online module.

For more information, visit Alternativa Film Project.