TIFFCOM, MPA and DHU to co-host “Masterclass Seminar and Pitching Contest 2021”, targeting young filmmakers. July.21.2021

Co-sponsored by TIFFCOM, an affiliated market of the TIFF held during the 34th Tokyo International Film Festival, and Digital Hollywood University (DHU), Motion Picture Association (MPA) will again this year organize “MPA/DHU/TIFFCOM Masterclass Seminar and Pitching Contest 2021”, which is to be released at TIFFCOM from Monday, November 1st.
This seminar and pitching event aim to build platform for young filmmakers’ overseas expansion, and this is our fourth year.

■Outline of the event

Date: available on on-demand from Monday November 1, 2021
Venue: Online
Main Contents: Master Class Seminar (approximately an hour duration), Pitching Contest (approximately 2 hours duration)

First Session: Master Class Seminar
Speaker：Emile Sherman／Australian film producer
He won his Academy Award in 2011 for The King’s Speech directed by Tom Hooper.

Second Session: Pitching Contest
Five finalist filmmakers will be chosen and will be asked to pitch. MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION (MPA) will invite the Grand Prize winner chosen by the judges to a five-days Film Immersion Course in L.A. (not accompanied by interpreter)

Departure is scheduled in November 2022 in accordance with the American Film Market 2022. It would surely be Hollywood soaked five days having opportunity to meet producers from Hollywood film industry, talent agents and entertainment lawyers, to visit screenwriters and producers’ union.
The winner of the Special Recognition Prize will be invited to the Asia Pacific Screen Award held in Brisbane, Australia in November 2022. (travel expenses for one person included, not accompanied by interpreter)

Please note that due to the Novel Coronavirus, it may be difficult to travel abroad/hold an participating event. In that case, an alternative opportunity will be offered.

■Details for the Pitching Contest

Any theme is accepted. Based on synopsis within 2,000 characters, first screening would be through application document, final screening on the day of the event with five minutes slide presentation at the venue.
Professionals involved in film industry will be the judges for this event. We look forward to an appealing presentation that will incline us to see the visualized work. Previously released work accepted, however, copyright must belong to the applicant. Both professionals and amateurs accepted, for all ages.
Regarding the result of the first screening, successful candidate will be contacted via e-mail in September 2021 to the address provided on the application form.

This year, the contest will be recorded in advance. Shooting will take place in Tokyo metropolitan area in mid-October.

Application deadline:
Monday September 6th, 2021, reception on the day accepted as valid
Rights of submitted works:
Copyright of the work belongs to the creators, and we will not demand attribution to the organizers.
Announcement of the result for the first screening: the end of September

■Application method

Please write your name, address, age, gender, occupation, telephone number, e-mail address (mobile address not accepted), title of the work and from which media you learned about this contest, and send it to the URL shown below along with your resume (any format) and synopsis (within 2,000 characters). Please be aware, we do not accept applications by post.
Entry form ; https://www.secure-cloud.jp/sf/business/1625812559TPZeunMO
“Masterclass Seminar and Pitching Contest 2021” is one of the projects for the “Tokyo Project & Pitching Forum (TPPF) held during the TIFFCOM 2021.
“TPPF” is a general term for the following three projects, including this contest.
(1) MPA/DHU/TIFFCOM Masterclass Seminar and Pitching Contest
(2) Japanese Movie & Animation Pitching
(3) Tokyo Gap-financing Market 2021

■Inquiries regarding the Seminar and Workshop

Film Workshop Office
pitchingcontest@jimca.co.jp (We cannot reply on weekends and holidays)

The 2018 Grand Prize winner of this contest, Producer Noriko Yuasa’s trip to L.A. is on view. Please enjoy this as well.