Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab

A project development lab for creative producers from East and West Africa

About

The Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab is a 5 day film development program that aims at broadening the professional networks and producing expertise of participants through a series of hands-on workshops and one-on-one sessions with local and international industry mentors. The residential program is designed to hone emerging producers’ creative instincts and evolve their communication and problem-solving skills at all stages of their next feature film project.

The last two editions held in 2021 & 2022 were a resounding success hosting producers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda & Burundi.

This 2023 creative producers lab edition features key developments:

- Inclusion of West African producers created within the framework of the DEENTAL program, launched by the CNC with the financial collaboration of the European Union and the support of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) States organization, in collaboration with DOCUBOX (Kenya), FOPICA (Senegal) and the Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab (Kenya).

- An introduction to a documentary producers workshop that's tailored towards producers with projects at the development stage in project partnership with Documentary Africa

Vision

The Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab aim at bringing together producers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi & Rwanda. This program is meant to address some of the challenges that exist in our eco-system where the role of the creative producer is not well understood.

Mission

The Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab aim to increase the number of creative producers as well as their skills inorder to create greater opportunities and access to the global markets.

Fiction Producers:
Who Can Apply

The Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab is open to any producer formally attached to a full-length, fiction feature film.Five (5) producers from East Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and 5 producers from West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) will be selected to take part in this two-session program: the first will be held in Nairobi from November 6th to 10th, 2023 and the second in Saint-Louis-du-Sénégal the last week of April 2024, during the Saint Louis Docs festival.

The two sessions will focus on production & financing. Topics will include developing a project, how to put together a financing plan, best practices, advantages and disadvantages of co-production, standard documents required for applications to international funding, distribution and sales strategies, etc.

Two of the participants in this workshop will be selected to participate in the "DEENTAL@Cannes" program during the 77th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival in May 2024. Nevertheless, all candidates will need to apply to the program in a regular way.The application deadline for the program is September 1st, 2023.

Documentary Producers:
Who Can Apply

The Great Lakes Creative Producer Lab is open to any producer formally attached to a documentary film. Applicants must own the IP rights to the project with which they apply and must have a director attached to the project.

The call is open to producers from one of the following countries; Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.One producer per country will be selected for the Documentary Lab. The lab will be held in Nairobi from November 6th to 10th, 2023 in Nairobi.

The program will launch into making the projects market ready for a global platform through a series of meetings that will cover the crucial aspects of the development process. This will feature sessions on story, market placement, financing and distribution approach, social and legal relations with the core teams & contributors. The sessions will feature both group and one on one sessions that will allow for project specific consultations that are tailored to the unique aspects of each project.

The application deadline for the program is September 1st, 2023.

How to Apply

Fiction Producers

Selection:

The selection of the participants in the program will be made by the teams of CNC, DOCUBOX, FOPICA and Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab. The results will be given in October 2023.

Application file (in French or English) which is composed of:

The completed application form

Along with the following documents:
An application letter & Video in English (maximum 3 minutes) outlining the producer's background, a short presentation of current project (format, stage of development, needs), as well as his/her motivations, objectives, and expectations for participating in the programme.
The synopsis and logline of the film.
A narrative treatment (maximum 10 pages).
Project status and history.
Look book (if available).
The producer’s note of intent (maximum 1 page).
The curriculum vitae (focused on the filmography) of the producer.
The presentation of the production company.
Budget top sheet and finance plan (in local currency and in euros).
A copy of the passport of the producer to determine proof of citizenship.
A highresolution image of the producer.
A Vimeo or Youtube link from the director’s last film, subtitled in French or
English (short films and feature films are accepted).
Chain of Title

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Click Here to Apply

Documentary Producers

Selection:

The selection of the participants in the program will be made by the teams of DocA, DOCUBOX & Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab. The results will be given in October 2023.

Project dossier composed with the following:

Logline, synopsis, treatment, artistic approach & project timeline
The producer’s note of intent (maximum1page)
The director’s note of Intent
Description of the distribution/marketing approach
Fundraising strategy
Proof of access
Bio/CV of the core team of the project including the director
Budget top sheet
A trailer of 5-10 minutes: Vimeo or Youtube link
Director’s work sample for their prior work; Vimeo or Youtube Link subtitled in French or English
3-5 minute motivation video from the producer: A Vimeo or Youtube link
Copy of the producer’s passport for proof of citizenship
A high resolution image of the producer

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Click Here to Apply

Gallery - 2022 Lab Edition

Key Milestones - 2022 Lab Edition

Projects selected for further development

Development Grant:

Federation Middle East, Africa & Carribean gave a development grant to Collins Akunga (Kenya).

Development Support:

Margaret Wacera (Kenya) and Wilson Nkya (Tanzania) were selected by Statement Africa for further development of their project that would involve consulting sessions on script editing & project presentation.