Dhaka DocLab is An Asian platform for pitching and mentoring documentary filmmakers. Dhaka DocLab organizes an annual event of pitching for South Asian documentary filmmakers.
The seventh edition of Dhaka DocLab will be held from 18th to 22nd August 2023 at Liberation War Museum, Dhaka.
General Rules of submitting project
Documentary Filmmakers from Asia, who have a particular project, in any stage of development or production phase, can submit in Dhaka DocLab.
There is no entry fee for submitting the project. Only the selected project participant needs to pay the participation fee (as mentioned in detail later).
The Project must be submitted online by filling up the given submission form on the official website (www.dhakadoclab.org/).
Only projects that are submitted online (as mentioned above) will go through the final selection phases.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to clear all content of the project from any and all actual or potential legal claims and issues, including, without limitation, claims based upon theories of libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of confidential relationship, and breach of express or implied contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”). The authority expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any content or materials within or relating to the submitted project that is or may be the basis for any Third Party Claim(s) based upon any of the foregoing legal theories or others. The authority reserves the right to disqualify any project that is or may become the subject of any Third Party Claim(s). In the event that any Third Party Claim(s) shall be asserted by any person or entity, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend the authority and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any and all fees and expenses.
Upon completion of the selection process, Dhaka DocLab authority will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the project’s acceptance status. The authority disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that all the contact information provided on the submission form is accurate.
Project(s) which is not selected will not be the subject of notification. Only the selected project(s) will be notified by official mail.
The decision of the authority regarding the selection of the project will be considered as final and binding on all and will not be subject to discussions.
Project(s) once submitted and selected for mentoring and pitching, will not be allowed to withdraw under any circumstance.
Participation in the event would imply acceptance of the event’s guidelines.
Project Submission Rules: Some Specifications
The Applicant must fill out the submission form as it requires. The authority reserves the right to disqualify any submission that is not filled properly.
For the convenience of the applicants, a short list of requirements is stated below –
➤ Name of Project
➤ Logline (maximum 30 words)
➤ Synopsis (maximum 400 words)
➤ Director’s statement (maximum 200 words)
➤ Treatment (maximum 800 words)
➤ Director/Producers profile (maximum 100 words)
➤ Production/Financial Plan (maximum 200 words)
➤ Budget (in USD)
➤ Production status (maximum 50 words)
➤ Teaser/Clip/Visual material (maximum 3 minutes)
➤ Director and Producer headshot (Size 500×400 Pixel)
➤ Contact Details of the Director and producer (Phone Number with active Whatsapp, Email, and Address)
The teaser/visual material needs to be uploaded to Vimeo or Youtube or any other web storage as the applicant feels convenient. Please ensure that your link is password protected, remains active and is downloadable till the end of the selection process.
No hard copy of the Teaser/Clip/Visual material is allowed to submit. Only soft copy uploaded with the submission form is allowed.
Teaser/Clip/Visual material will be acceptable with the following particulars only:
File format – MP4,
Aspect Ratio – 4:3 or 16:9,
Image Resolution – 720*1080 or 1920*1080
As a wide variety of Mentors & Decision Makers from different parts of the world will be present during the event, Teaser/Clip/Visual material should contain on-screen hard-coded English subtitles, regardless of any language film. Individual files for subtitles with the Teaser/Clip/Visual material will not be accepted.
A maximum of two participants can apply for a single project. In that case, one participant would be considered as 2nd participant (this needs to be decided by the applicant by himself/herself) and would have to pay the designated participation fee for his/her participation as 2nd participant.
Additional Requirement for Work-In-Progress/Rough-Cut Category Applicants
Work-In-Progress/Rough-Cut Category applicants need to submit 10-minute visual material of his/her project during the submission of the project application.
Guidelines for Observer
Any person with a keen interest in documentary film, or documentary filmmaking or have a project/thinking of a project that he/she wants to pitch in the near future can participate as an observer in Dhaka DocLab for better understanding.
There is a submission form for participation as an observer (www.dhakadoclab.org/). The Applicant must fill out the submission form as it requires. The authority reserves the right to disqualify any submission that is not filled properly.
Upon completion of the selection process, Dhaka DocLab authority will attempt to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form to notify the Applicant of the project’s acceptance status. The authority disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any failure to contact the Applicant using the contact information provided on the submission form. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that all the contact information provided on the submission form is accurate.
The applicant as an observer who is not selected will not be the subject of notification to the applicant. Only the selected applicant will be notified by official mail.
The decision of the authority regarding selection will be considered as final and binding on all and will not be subject to discussions.
Participation in the event would imply acceptance of the event’s guidelines.
Submission Deadline: 30 June 2023
Additional Information
The Participation fees are as below –
A participant with a project (International) – US $200
2nd participant (International): US $150
A participant with a project (Bangladesh) – US $100
2nd participant (Bangladesh): US $80
Observer (International) – US $100
Observer (Bangladesh) – US $50
The participation fee will be collected during the event. On the first morning of the event, there will be a registration session where the participants can pay the fee at the venue.
For further information or any inquiry regarding participation in Dhaka DocLab 2023, please contact – dhakadoclab.coordinator@gmail.com
If selected, the participants and observers will be notified through official email by 20th July 2023
Selected Participant/Observer should confirm his/her participation in the event by 31st July 2023
