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RSL Terms And Conditions

The Red Sea Lodge program nurtures the next generation of filmmakers from Saudi, the  Arab world and Africa, in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab.

After a successful third edition, The Red Sea Lodge returns in 2023 better and bigger than  ever. The intensive 10-month program is devoted to emerging filmmakers on their first or  second feature; more established names with truly daring new concepts and approaches  will be considered. 

 

In 2023, the program will include six workshops – the first one exclusively addressed to  selected Saudi teams, and the other five to all the selected projects (please find dates  and descriptions below).

Following the intensive development process over 10 months, teams will have the  opportunity to pitch at the festival’s project market, and compete for the Red Sea Lodge  Awards: Winners will share a pot of 200K in award prizes, based on merit, and an Arab  Premiere at Red Sea International Film Festival.

 

Additional funding opportunities for the films will be available. More information to be  provided by the Red Sea Souk. Keep an eye out on our social media for more info.

Following the program, teams will have a fully developed project including a logline,  synopsis, treatment and script, plus budget, director’s statement, producer’s note,  production and post-production schedule, financing strategy and a financing plan. Each team will understand the process of project development and will be equipped with  the necessary tools to fully realize this and future projects. With the confidence to work  effectively in the international marketplace, it provides the filmmakers with the insight to  move their careers to the next level and get their films made.

 

A maximum of 12 teams will be selected among projects coming from Saudi Arabia, from  the Arab world and from Africa. Saudi projects are films with a Saudi/Saudi resident writer or director. A Saudi element in the  story is preferred.

 

Deadline for applications is Saturday, 21th of January 2023 at 11:59p KSA time.

Full terms, conditions, and application requirements are outlined below. For further  information contact: [email protected]

  • Applications must be made in teams, comprising:
  1. a writer-director and producer or
  2. a director, a writer and producer
  • The director should be Saudi/Saudi Resident or of Arab nationality/origin or of African nationality/origin.
  • Preference will be given to projects with producers and screenwriters of Arab nationality/origin, but projects with team members of other nationalities will be considered, provided the director is of Arab nationality/origin.
  • Aimed at first or second-time feature directors, applications from more established voices will be considered if they demonstrate daring new ideas and approaches.
  • The producer needs to have demonstrable production experience (previous work).
  • A screenwriter must have experience of realized scripts in any form, including shorts, TV, web series or theater.
  • The team must confirm their full availability for all the workshops and sessions as per the schedule outlined below, as well as at the Red Sea International Film Festival, once  the dates are announced.
  • The working language of the workshops, meetings, and events is English; therefore, English proficiency is a must.
  • Arab projects, directed by an Arab director with an Arab story.
  • Saudi projects should be directed by a Saudi/Saudi Resident director, with a Saudi Element in the story.
  • African projects, directed by an African director with an African story. Submissions can be for any film form – fiction, creative documentary, experimental animation, or any other.
  • Considering the prize award, the producers will be able to demonstrate suggested funding for the remainder. funding for the remainder.
  • Selected participants will follow an intensive project development program scheduled across 10 months (duration is subject to change depending on the to-be-announced  festival dates and the global health situation). The program will explore projects from all  perspectives including script consultations and work with experts in the fields of  directing, cinematography, sound, editing post-production, financing and sales, and  audience engagement. Producers will enjoy a dedicated program tailored to their development. 
  • All training will take the form of group and one-to-one sessions, and include presentations, masterclasses, screenings and case studies.
  • All team members must be committed to participating in the full duration of the training, including attendance at all sessions, meeting the demands of the program as outlined  by mentors and course moderators, as well as making themselves available to work on  their projects between workshops and meeting the required deadlines. If for any  unforeseen reasons the participant is unable to attend, they should communicate with  the Labs department for evaluation of the situation to provide assistance.
  • All team members must be committed to participating in the full duration of the training, including attendance at all sessions, meeting the demands of the program as outlined  by mentors and course moderators, as well as making themselves available to work on  their projects between workshops and meeting the required deadlines. If for any  unforeseen reasons the participant is unable to attend, they should communicate with  the Labs department for evaluation of the situation to provide assistance.

The selected 12 project teams will attend the workshops, as listed here below:

Prelude : 110th – 14th February 2023 (5 days in person in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia); For Saudi projects only. Introduction to the key aspects of project development. A wider number of projects will be selected for review, which will then result in narrowing the number into 5 projects only.

Project Development & Production – An introduction to the program, the tutors and all the selected project teams (Saudi, Arab, African). Exploring dramatic  potential of the projects; an overview of the role and business of the producer.

When? 14th of March to 20th of March

Where? Saudi Arabia (city to be confirmed).

Following the completion of this workshop participants will be given assignments to  continue developing their projects for a deadline in advance of the next workshop.

Visualization – taking the script from the page to the screen working with film professionals including directors and cinematographers to understand how to visually  realize the script. Production program and script development work continues.

When? 2nd of May to 6th May, according to the Saudi Film Festival Dates (Saudi Film  Festival will start on May 4th) 

Where? Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Following the workshop participants will continue to work on their treatments/scripts and  production documents for a deadline in advance of the next workshop.

Production and Post-Production – participants have the opportunity of discussing their projects with editors, sound-designers, and post-production specialists.  Production program and script development work continues.

When? 17th of July to 21st of July

Where? Online

Participants continue to work on the scripts, production documents and materials for the  Book of Projects and Red Sea Souk Competition.

Pitching Preparation – participants will start working on their pitches in preparation for the last workshop and the Festival meetings at the Red Sea Souk.

When? 25th of September to 29th of September

Where? In Turin (Italy)

Following this session participants will have the opportunity to update their script and  Project Dossier to submit them for Award consideration. 

Festival preparation, getting ready for pitching and meeting industry professionals before launching your project at the Red Sea Souk.

When? 30th of November-9th of December (TBC depending on the confirmed dates of the  Red Sea International Film Festival)

Where? Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Outcomes

  • By the end of the program the teams will have all the necessary documents to approach potential regional and international partners towards realizing their feature  film project. 
  • All the participants will have an in depth understanding of the project development process from creative, production and marketing perspectives and have developed  skills and knowledge that they will be able to use in further projects. 
  • At the end of the Lodge program, teams will present their projects to an audience of international producers, sales agents, and other film industry professionals at the Red  Sea International Film Festival.
  • During the Festival, the teams will also have one-on-one meetings with key decision makers and will gain visibility through The Book of Projects and network.
  • Winners will share a pot of $ 200.000,00 in award prizes, based on merit. The awards will be announced during the Festival.
  • A committee of international jurors of professionals will make the award selection.

Acknowledgement & Credits:

  • Projects that are developed at the Red Sea Lodge:

Are committed to crediting the Red Sea Lodge in the film’s opening credits and verbally acknowledge the Lodge at festivals, in awards speeches, or in any press engagements where the film is discussed.

Will have the GCC premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival.

  • Projects that win the Red Sea Lodge award and cash prize, or if they win any awards from the Red Sea Lodge’s Partners:

The winning project will give the Red Sea Lodge the credit agreed at the participation acceptance. (co-producer credit.)

Award winners from Red Sea Lodge official partners will list the Red Sea Lodge as agreed at the participation acceptance. (Co-Producer.)

Award winners will have the ARAB premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival.

Documentation required to apply to the Red Sea Lodge – to be presented in English, if  documents are written in Arabic, a translated copy to English should be submitted  alongside the original one. If your script is written in Arabic, submit it as is, however, you  might be asked to translate it or a part of it at a later stage.

  • Synopsis (1,000 characters with space).
  • Treatment (5–10 pages, max 18,000 characters) that fully outlines the narrative of the project.
  • Director’s vision represented by a mood board, a project-book (pages of a storyboard, a color script, a series of drawings, or photographs) or by a video (max 3 minutes). These should visually complement the written concept and explain the project through images.
  • Biography and filmography of the director, writer, and the producer. The biography is a general written description about a person’s career and accomplishments.
  • The filmography must comprise: all previous works including the title, year, length of the film, genre (documentary or fiction) and role in the production.
  • Casting idea (1 page, max 1,800 characters).
  • Budget sheet.
  • Financial Plan, the producers will include a Financial Strategy document which demonstrates suggested additional funding sources for the remainder of the amount.
  • Production company profile.
  • Introductory Video by the director – video message from the director presents themselves and their work (max 3 minutes) in English.
  • Producer-Director agreement: Signed document between the producer and the director; List of training courses and events where the project has previously circulated; Director’s intention (Why do you want to tell the story).
  • Script (optional) it is not necessary to have a script for the project to be considered by the Red Sea Lodge, but if one is already written, a copy may be submitted in English or  In the initial stages of the program participants will work in treatment form so  please ensure that your treatment is a good reflection of your script if you have one.