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KOTA KINABALU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (KKIFF) www.kkiff.com

REPORT – SABAH PITCHING TRAINING & AWARDS

and

SABAH FILM ACADEMY

KKIFF 2015

To: Rolf Stehle, Director, Goethe-Institut Malaysia

Jean-Pierre Dumont, Director, Alliance Francaise, KL

From: Jude Day, Festival Director KKIFF

June 2015

1

Report to Goethe-Institut Malaysia & Alliance Francaise- 2015 2

Report to Goethe-Institut Malaysia

&

Alliance Francaise

Sabah Pitching Training & Awards, 5-6 June

Sabah Film Academy, 31 May-7 June

In 2014, through the efforts of the Goethe-Institut Malaysia and the Alliance Francaise Kuala Lumpur,

funding was obtained from the Elysee Fund for the Sabah Film Academy.

Again, in 2015, because of the on-going efforts of the Goethe-Institut Malaysia and the Alliance

Francaise Kuala Lumpur, the KKIFF was given funding assistance – this time, for the Sabah Pitching

Training & Awards.

The KKIFF is very grateful for the on-going support and encouragement it receives from the Goethe-

Institut Malaysia and the Alliance Francaise Kuala Lumpur. Without the funds that bring filmmaking

experts to us to run the workshops and to sit on the pitching panel, as well as providing for the running

of the workshops, we would not be able to offer this incredibly rich opportunity to participants from all

over the ASEAN region.

This year, Rick Minnich (Germany) came as a director and panel member for the Sabah Pitching Training

& Awards and Thomas Robert (France) came as a sound designer and coach for the Sabah Pitching

Training & Awards. They both took their work seriously and contributed greatly to the participants’

experience and skills development. It was great having them in Kota Kinabalu.

The Sabah Pitching Training & Awards is an important part of the KKIFF as it brings together young

filmmakers from throughout South-East Asia, gives them training in pitching and the opportunity to

pitch for funds for a new documentary film project. This is also an invaluable opportunity for people in

the film industry throughout the region to network, building up connections that will add immeasurably

to their opportunities for financing and distribution of their movies in future.


Sabah Pitching Training & Awards - Panel: Rick Minnich (Germany), Park Hye-mi (Korea), Leo Koziol (New Zealand)

Winner of Best Feature-Length Documentary Award – Dwi Sujanti Nugraheni (Indonesia) – with Rick Minnich (Panel) and David Ngui (Goethe-Institut Malaysia)

Winners of Ministry of Resource Development & IT Award for Best Sabahan Pitch – Au Yong Seok Wun and Ineza Rousille - with Leo Koziol (Panel) and Moira David (Min of Resource Dev & IT)

Winners of Best Short Documentary Award - Nova Goh and William Chiang (Malaysia) – with Park Hye-mi (Panel) and Jean-Pierre Dumont (Director, Alliance Francaise KL)

A. SABAH PITCHING TRAINING & AWARDS (SPTA) – 5-6 June

a. See Appendix 1 for purpose and workshop outline

b. 20 applications were received, from throughout the ASEAN region: Indonesia, Thailand,

Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Malaysia

c. A contribution of RM500 was made towards airfares and accommodation was provided for 3

nights for each film project – up to 2 people could come for each pitching team. Transportation

to and from the venue was also provided for participants from outside KK.

d. The trainer/coach was Nick Deocampo (Philippines), joined by Thomas Robert (France).

e. The Pitching Panel consisted of: Leo Koziol (New Zealand), Park Hye-mi (Korea) and Rick

Minnich (Germany)

f. Airfares, accommodation and an honorarium were provided for members of the pitching panel.

g. Three awards were provided:

a. RM8000 – best feature-length pitch

b. RM4000 – best short film pitch

c. RM8000 – best Sabahan pitch – from the Ministry of Resource Development and IT


Comments:

a. A very successful event, providing invaluable networking opportunities for the participants.

They were also very eager to learn.

b. Nick Deocampo, as advisor to the KKIFF, assisted in clarifying the SPTA in 2015 and providing a

protocol for the participants. He was as passionate in his teaching as usual.

c. Winners will be informed that they need to do the following when their movies are completed:

• Include in the credits: the Sabah Pitching Training & Awards and the KKIFF 2015

logo; logos for the Elysee Fund, Goethe-Institute Malaysia and Alliance Francaise;

Special Mention of the Ministry of Resource Development & IT for the Best Sabahan

Pitch and logo

• Screen their finished movies at the KKIFF 2016

Suggestions for the SPTA in 2016:

a. Open the SPTA to the ASEAN region and Korea in 2016

b. Schedule it on Sat-Sun so that the awards can be made during Awards Night

c. If possible, increase the amount offered as awards by finding sponsors

d. Potential funders: Ford Foundation, HIVOS, BMW, Proton

e. Contact funders and potential panel members in January

D. SABAH FILM ACADEMY (SFA) – 31 May-7 June

a. See Appendix 2 for Sabah Film Academy : Objectives, Purpose and Course Outline

b. SFA was launched at a press conference on 27 Jan and simultaneously on the KKIFF website and

facebook

c. 15 applications were received

d. 10 participants formed 2 teams, each working on a story proposed by the director of their team

– one participant pulled out at the last moment for personal reasons

e. Pre-production discussions took place throughout May, including shooting of movie footage

f. The first 4 days of workshops were held at The Sabah Society – editing was done at the hotel

where most of the mentors were staying (Jesselton Hotel)

g. The two 10-minute movies were screened at Awards Night, 7 June, and were very well received

h. The Sabah Cultural Board Mentors’ Awards of RM1000 each were made to Aw See Wee and

Aaron Hiew

i. Leo Koziol (New Zealand) has already requested that one of the Sabah Film Academy short films

be sent to imagineNATIVE, the largest indigenous film festival in the world, held in Canada and

Larry Johnson (Canada) also wants to distribute one of the films to film festivals.

Comments:

a. The SFA went more smoothly in 2015, due to the lessons learnt in 2014.

b. Clearer guidelines were given in the on-line application form about having a story that could be

shot in KK.

c. Although the SFA was open to the whole of Malaysia, most of the applications came from

Sabah.

d. Participants had a suitable background and their own equipment. They were mature and

worked independently.


e. The mentors were given a clearer idea of what was required from them in terms of their 3-hour

master classes and the importance of providing examples of their work for discussion, focussing

on their area of speciality. We felt that better use was made of the mentors and their expertise

during this year’s SFA.

f. The KL-based Co-ordinator was key to getting the participants to start working in their teams

and with their mentors (in France, Germany, Malaysia and the USA) during the month of May so

that when the Academy started on 31 May the participants were well prepared, bringing

footage with them that they had already shot.

g. The KK-based Logistical Co-ordinator was highly praised by everyone for her efficiency and

management skills.

h. Willin Chok of LumixAngel (Panasonic) was an angel and provided some extra equipment that

was needed for the film shoots.

i. Costs for vans were reduced as we all assisted with transporting the mentors.

Suggestions for the SFA 2016:

a. Approach film equipment houses regarding the provision of equipment for shoots and also as

prizes – Jeffri Yusof is prepared to help with this

b. Strengthen ties with Korea by inviting a Korean filmmaker as mentor

c. Approach the Japan Foundation about having a mentor from Japan

d. Cost in a tour for mentors on Day 5 (Thursday)

e. Set up an SFA archive on the KKIFF website, including the films from 2014 and 2015.

f. Prepare a cd for sponsors that includes all 4 films.

Jude Day

Festival Director KKIFF

26 June 2015


APPENDIX 1 – Sabah Pitching Training & Awards: Purpose and

Outline

Date: Friday, 5 June – Saturday, 6 June

Venue: GC Woolley Hall at the Sabah State Museum

What is it?

Sabah Pitching Training & Awards is an opportunity for young documentary filmmakers in the ASEAN

region to learn how to pitch new documentary projects, practice their pitches and then present them to

a panel of documentary filmmakers, film festival programmers, distributors and others. It is a platform

for filmmakers from within the region to launch their latest film projects and to find the right

connections to get their projects financed and distributed.

The SFTA also provides sizeable prize money to help the winning films get made.

Who is it for?

Producers/directors can pitch directly to the market (film festival programmers, potential buyers, co-

producers and financiers) from the region, raise the visibility and market viability of their projects, look

for co-producers, financiers, buyers, film festival screenings. The KKIFF is looking for 12 film projects to

be part of the Sabah Pitching Forum 2015.

Sabah Pitching Training & Awards – programme outline

June 5 (Fri)

9.00am-12noon Prepare your pitch Workshops – hands-on training –

Nick Deocampo

1.00pm-4.00pm Practise your pitch Tutorials – personal coaching

June 6 (Sat)

9.00am-12noon Practise your pitch Tutorials – personal coaching –

Thomas Robert joins

1.00pm-5.00pm Present your pitch Pitching - to the Sabah Pitching Training

Panel

Sabah Pitching Panel:

1. Leo Koziol (New Zealand)

2. Park Hye-mi (Korea)

3. Rick Minnich (Germany)

4. Sharmin Parameswaran (ASTRO)

Saturday, 6 June - 3.30pm: Datuk Siringan, Minister of Resource Dev and IT to present award


Awards:

1. Best Pitch for feature-length documentary (60 mins+) – RM8000

2. Best Pitch for short documentary (up to 15 mins) – RM4000

3. Best Pitch by a Sabahan – Ministry of Resource Development and IT Award – RM8000

What to pitch?

New documentary film projects

Either shorts (up to 15 minutes long) or feature-length (60 minutes+)

Incentives to join the Sabah Pitching Forum in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah:

1. A contribution of RM500 towards airfares from home country to KK return.

2. Accommodation for 3 nights in Kota Kinabalu for 1 or 2 people on each film project being

pitched.

3. Free transport to and from the venue.


APPENDIX 2 – Sabah Film Academy: Objectives, Purpose, Course

Outline

The Sabah Film Academy is an important component of the KKIFF

2015.

OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the creation of a pool of young filmmakers who will form the foundation of a

filmmaking industry that is Sabah-based

PURPOSE

1. To provide an intensive hands-on experience of the whole process of making a movie under the

supervision of filmmaking experts

2. To involve those young people who have already shown an interest in movie-making by joining

previous KKIFF filmmakers’ competitions or through being enrolled in a course of study that involves

filmmaking

3. To draw out the potential of those in the Sabah Film Academy through the interaction and guidance

they have from experienced mentors

4. To bring together young people and established filmmakers in a dynamic learning experience with a

viewable, discussable, tangible outcome that provides an opportunity for reflection on the process,

as well as the product

5. To promote filmmaking among young Sabahans as a creative career option

6. To develop an indigenous film industry in Sabah – so that the 30+ indigenous groups that are

uniquely Sabahan start to find their voice through film

7. To build up a network of vibrant professional connections among the individuals and groups

involved in the movie industry throughout the ASEAN region and beyond

8. To provide a transition for locals from amateur to professional, therefore nurturing talent to

become producers

OUTLINE OF THE SABAH FILM ACADEMY 2015

Course outline: By end of April – participants submit a short film and either a short script or a

script idea

Beginning of May – selection of 10 participants (in 2 teams of 5)

Programme:

1 – 31 May Pre-production - in teams, with David Ngui and mentors

31 May &

1 June

Sun-Mon

9.00-10.00

10.00-1.00

Registration and light breakfast (31 May only)

Master Class (Rick; Jeffri)

1.00-2.00 Lunch

2.00-5.00 Pre-production discussions

2 & 3 June

Tues-Wed

10.00-1.00 Master Class (Thomas; Larry)

1.00-2.00 Lunch


2.00-5.00 Pre-production discussions

4 & 5 June

Thu-Fri All day Shooting

6 & 7 June

Sat-Sun All day

Editing – Final Cut screening on Sat, 6 June

Premiere Screening at Awards Night on Sun, 7 June, 6.00pm

Mentors:

1. Dean / Director: Rick Minnich (Germany)

2. Cinematographer: Jeffri Yusof (Malaysia)

3. Editor: Lawrence Johnson (USA)

4. Sound/music designer: Thomas Robert (France)

Coordinators (KL/KK):

1. David Ngui, Goethe Institute-Malaysia

2. Nova Goh

KK Logistics:

1. Tracy Egol

Composers:

1. Asif Pishori

2. Andrew Poninting

Project Partners: US Embassy

Goethe-Institut Malaysia

Alliance Francaise

Plans for the SFA

movies: The budget for the SFA includes an allocation to send the movies made at the

SFA to documentary film festivals in the region for competition and screening

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