MASO Short Film Training Programme

MASO #1, the first edition of the programme, will give up to eight creative teams, sixteen participants in total, the opportunity to create their shorts under the supervision and guidance of international experts.

MASO is exclusively for creative teams formed by a director/screenwriter and a producer backed by a production company (maximum 2 participating professionals per creative team), who have an idea for a short film with a low budget that they want to develop from story to completion. Short films using different styles of mise-en-scene (fiction, animation, hybrids) are accepted.

Funding Information

• The MASO #1 participation fee is covered by a EUR 5,000 grant from a specific institution sponsoring one of the projects.
• MASO #1 organizing partners will provide accommodation and two meals per day for each selected creative team for the on-site workshops and pitch. Travel expenses will not be covered.

Preferred Projects

• The total number of projects selected for each edition of the programme is 8. For the 2024/2025 edition, henceforth MASO #1, projects will be selected according to the following dispositions:
  • 1 project backed by a production company based in South Tyrol (Italy), to be sponsored by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen
  • South Tyrol through IDM Film Commission Südtirol;
  • 2 projects backed by a production company based in any country in the world, to be sponsored by IDM Film Commission Südtirol;
  • 1 project backed by a production company based in Austria, to be sponsored by the Federal Ministry Republic of Austria for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport (BMKOES) and the Austrian Trade Association Fachverband der Film- und Musikwirtschaft (FAMA);
  • 1 project backed by a production company based in Land Hessen (Germany), to be sponsored by Hessen Film & Medien GmbH; – 1 project backed by a production company based in Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region (Italy), eligible for the Fondo per l’Audiovisivo del Friuli Venezia Giulia funding support;
  • 1 project backed by a production company based in Centre-Val de Loire Region (France), to be sponsored by Ciclic Centre-Val de Loire;
  • 1 project backed by a production company based in Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark Counties (Norway), to be sponsored by Nordnorsk Filmsenter-North Norwegian Film Centre.

How is it structured?

• MASO is structured into five phases:
  • Selection Process
  • Short Film Development
  • Short Film Pre-Production
  • Short Film Production
  • Short Film Promotion

When is it scheduled?

• MASO #1 takes place according to the following schedule:
  • The story development workshop takes place from November 26th to December 3rd, 2024.
  • The scriptwriting phase takes place from December 2024 to March 2025. Online meetings with tutors will be scheduled for each project individually during this period. Each meeting will be scheduled every three to four weeks. Each meeting will last a few hours, depending on the needs of each project.
  • The production development workshop will be held in April 2025. More precise dates will be announced by the end of 2024. The pre-production and production phases of the short films will take place according to the requirements of each project, starting at least in April 2025.
  • The expected completion date of the film projects is at the end of 2025. The completion date will be discussed and agreed with the MASO team on an individual basis.
  • The distribution phase will start from the completion date of each project.
  • The MASO team will inform participants of any changes in date and time as soon as any new information becomes available.

Where is it located? 

• MASO #1 takes place in several locations, on-site and online.
• The story development workshop takes place in Norway, at FilmCamp Norway in the town of Øverbygd. The scriptwriting phase will take place online.
• The production development workshop takes place in Italy during the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen in the city of Bolzano at ZeLIG – School for Documentary, Television and New Media.
• The pre-production, production, and distribution phases of the short films will take place according to the needs of each project. Online follow-up meetings with the MASO staff will be scheduled for each project individually.
• The MASO team will inform participants of any location changes as soon as new information becomes available.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants with little experience are also encouraged to apply.
• Participants from all over the world can apply.
• Each submitted project must be supported by a production company at the time of application and throughout the making and completion of the film.

Languages

• All accompanying documents must be submitted in English.
• Workshops, meetings, and the pitch of the projects will be held exclusively in English.
• The working documents of the short film projects will be written in English.
• The final short film script and final project can be developed in any language.

For more information, visit IDM Film Commission Südtirol.