The Boy Mir by Phil Grabsky (director) Lecture - Notes

• "When Channel 4 first started they were just looking for independent producers" - now it is a lot harder to get noticed

• Important to understand your market

• Need an economic and business brain

• Put 50% effort in production of a film / 50% effort in the business and marketing of a film

• 'Waterfall of distribution' - festivals, cinema, TV, DVD

• Be realistic

• Series' build up audience loyalty

• When you make a documentary, it's not your story - you are never sure of what will happen next

• Help inform people to come to decisions

• The audience wants to be entertained

• It's all about telling the story - although at first you may not be sure what the story is

• A documentary film will have an impact on the participants lives - you owe them a responsibility

• You can never target everyone

• Humour and entertainment are important