Friday, October 10, 2008

Content: Does ITVS have any specific requirements regarding content for AMERICAN VISIONS that I should be aware of?

ITVS encourages filmmakers to express their independent vision, thus AMERICAN VISIONS is non-prescriptive in regards to specific story content. The references in the RFP and the above FAQ to specific current events or stylistically similar projects are used as examples, and are not to be interpreted as content requirements. However, series cohesion is a critical component of this initiative, and ITVS requires that projects adhere to the broader thematic framework of the series (as articulated in the RFP) and to the ITVS mission (www.itvs.org).


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7 comments:

Unknown said...

Is it possible to share a sample treatment with us? Thanks, Valerie

Karim said...

Unfortunately no, we do not have any sample treatments to share. However we suggest you focus on clarity of storyline. Pitch the story from beginning to end with an eye toward development of specific themes, character arc and overall structure and throughline.

Karim said...

Additionally, even though these films are primarily designed for digital distribution, given the possibility of an eventual broadcast (on PBS), we recommend that producers consider FCC regulations in regards to content.

Unknown said...

Can you please clarify the following statement: "All storylines must adhere to ITVS' mission statement to present diverse voices and serving underrepresented communities."

Anonymous said...

All programs that ITVS considers for support, be they fiction or non-fiction should be aligned with the ITVS mission. For this series, we would hope that writer/directors develop story treatments reflective of ideas and points of view not usually represented in traditional commercial films. "Underrepresented communities" refers to the many segments of our society that rarely have their stories told on television.

Unknown said...

Since we may be describing future societies, "underrepresented communities" may be less relevant as we are dealing with humanity as a whole. Will we be penalized for creating stories without reference to underrepresented communities?

Karim said...

In response to Valerie: no, you will not be penalized for proposing a project that doesn’t directly reference an underrepresented community, ethnic group, etc. We encourage filmmakers to imagine the future through the lens of diverse communities, but direct reference to these communities is not a requirement for each submission. With AMERICAN VISIONS, ITVS is interested in presenting both stories about specific communities as well as the nation as a whole. We do, however, strongly encourage filmmakers to consider how their proposed project presents an underrepresented perspective and stimulates civic discourse around current events.