Project Description: The job shadowing program was carried out in collaboration between the Talas TIRV Collective and the Midpoint Institute, an international organization for audiovisual training and networking that offers a wide range of programs focused on script and project development, as well as post-production. One of their programs is the Midpoint Series Launch, a residency training program for serial format projects, primarily selecting creative teams from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Baltic States, and the broader Mediterranean region. Nine selected teams of screenwriters, producers, and directors had the opportunity to develop their projects under the guidance of internationally recognized and experienced experts. Two interns from Serbia, Anđela Lazić and Sara Sarić, were chosen for the exchange, which began with a workshop in Prague. There, they were introduced to the “writer’s room” method, which was crucial for further developing the pilot episode of their series under the mentorship of a long-time executive producer of HBO Europe. The next workshop focused on production aspects, such as financing models, European project co-productions, the rapid expansion of the television and series industry in Europe and the region (especially in the context of developing and distributing new and diverse LGBTI+ narratives), the role of artificial intelligence, sustainability in production, and more. The final workshop was held in Tallinn, as part of the largest film festival and industry market in the Baltics, and was dedicated to the final evaluation of accompanying materials and meetings with potential partners. Throughout the job shadowing program, the two interns learned not only how to develop a story and meaningfully divide it into episodes within a season but also how to authentically and respectfully represent marginalized character groups. To ensure the long-term and broader impact of this exchange, the Talas Collective organized a workshop in Belgrade upon the interns’ return, aimed at 10 queer activists and cultural and artistic professionals interested in creating new and different LGBTI+ narratives through creative methods. The target group of the workshop included queer screenwriters and producers, with a focus on writing queer characters for domestic television, ways of regional co-production of queer content for television, and public presentation of projects. Inspired by the success of the workshop, the Talas TIRV Collective plans to assist in the near future in creating initial concepts that can apply to other Midpoint Institute programs, such as Intensive Queer.
Grant amount: 350.000,00 RSD
