1. What is Docs for Sale?
2. What does it mean to have a film in Docs for Sale?
3. What kinds of films are eligible for Docs for Sale?
4. What facilities does Docs for Sale offer?
5. How long will my film be online?
6. What can I do with my online subscription?
7. Help! It isn’t working. What’s going wrong here?
8. What are the technical specifications for the DVD of my film?
9. How do I know that nobody can copy my film?
10. Which hardware configurations are recommended for playback?
11. Which operating systems and browsers support Flash Player 10?
1. What is Docs for Sale?
Docs for Sale is IDFA’s marketplace for creative documentaries. During the festival, buyers, sales agents, and festival programmers can view documentaries in Amsterdam. Since December 2008, Docs for Sale has an online version as well. This is a year-round marketplace that offers video streaming for professionals. On the Docs for Sale website, buyers, sales agents, festival programmers and other exhibitors can watch documentaries throughout the year, whenever they want, from wherever they are.
2. What does it mean to have a film in Docs for Sale?
Having your film in Docs for Sale means that it can be viewed by hundreds of potential buyers and festival programmers. If your film is selected for Docs for Sale, it will be included in the catalogue in Amsterdam as well as in the online catalogue. Your film will be placed in a secure online environment where potential buyers can view it all year long. If you do not want your film to be included in the Docs for Sale online catalogue, you can indicate this on the entry form.
3. What kinds of films are eligible for Docs for Sale?
Docs for Sale focuses on creative documentaries. Non-fiction genres such as nature documentaries, corporate films, travelogues and informational films are not eligible for selection. Of the films that are ultimately admitted to the market, many of them are also presented at IDFA in competitive and non-competitive sections. Others include films that Docs for Sale selects itself, on the basis of submissions that we believe could be interesting for buyers and sales agents. If your film is older than one year, it will not be accepted for the Docs for Sale catalogue but can still be potentially selected for placement online.
4. What facilities does Docs for Sale offer?
Viewing reports
During Docs for Sale in Amsterdam, you can ask for an up-to-date screening report any time you want. This will show you who has viewed your film and what they thought about it. After Docs for Sale is over, you will receive the viewing report by e-mail. For documentaries in the Docs for Sale online catalogue, you can log in any time to check if someone has viewed your documentary and if they left any comments. Once you’ve logged in, you can find the viewing list under the tab Docs for Sale Online.
Meet up with buyers or festival programmers in Amsterdam
Face-to-face meetings are often the best. Docs for Sale in Amsterdam facilitates a lounge where you can meet with potential buyers. The Docs for Sale staff is always willing to help you meet the right people, but it’s also important to study the market beforehand. You should know what kind of film you are trying to sell and who might be interested in it. You can find the Docs for Sale guest list on our website, so you know who will be attending the market in Amsterdam.
Contact registered buyers directly
You can suggest your documentary to registered buyers by sending e-mails to the ones whose profile corresponds to your film. Spamming everybody is not a good idea. Instead, do your homework to find out who might be interested in your film.
The profiles of the potential buyers and their contact information are not yet available on the website. If you need any contact details, we will be more than happy to provide them to you. You can send us an e-mail at docsforsale@idfa.nl.
Grant viewing permission
You can also show the film to someone who doesn’t have a Docs for Sale online subscription. Once you are logged in, you can grant viewing rights by clicking on “Grant viewing permission.” Provide the e-mail address of the person you want to see the film, and he or she will receive an e-mail containing a link. After activating the link, the person can view the film as often he or she likes for two weeks.
5. How long will my film be online?
Your film will be online for one year. After a year has passed, you can renew your subscription.
6. What can I do with my online subscription?
Docs for Sale online gives buyers access to a wide range of documentaries from anywhere in the world. This online documentary platform contains award-winning titles selected for IDFA 2008 as well as other important documentaries that shouldn’t be missed. You can watch documentaries online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You’ll be able to browse through the catalogue or perform a search – by subject, genre, length, sales agent, etc.
Contact the sales representative of the film directly
You can contact the sales representative of the film directly by clicking on the person’s name.
Leave comments or request extra information
We also encourage you to submit comments for the films that you view. This can be done by contacting the sales agent directly or by leaving your comments on the website. These comments are only visible to the sales agent.
7. Help! It isn’t working. What’s going wrong here?
• You are not logged in. Log in at the top right of the screen.
• Firewall’s settings are too strict. To watch a video, ports 1935, 443 and 80 should be open. The video is streamed by means of the RTMPE protocol.
• Your version of Flash player is older than Flash 9.0.115. Download the new version.
8. What are the technical specifications for the DVD of my film?
• The DVD must have integrated subtitles and one audio stream. No language menu.
• Each video should be on a separate DVD. The DVD should not contain a menu with different video files.
• The DVD should not be copy protected.
• The DVD shouldn’t begin with a black screen or test chart.
• The DVD should have the highest possible encoding options. Please use two-pass MPEG2 encoding.
General requirements
• The film should be the final cut, not a work in progress or rough cut. Color correction and sound mix should also be final.
• The DVD has to be in English or with English subtitles.
9. How do I know that nobody can copy my film?
All streaming videos are encrypted, and the video does not get saved on the local hard disk. Docs for Sale uses the RTMPE protocol to stream the films, which means that the video gets streamed by a cluster of Adobe Flash Media Servers. Small Web Format (SWF) verification ensures that only the Docs for Sale Fabflows Player can connect to the Flash Media Server.
10. Which hardware configurations are recommended for playback?
The following minimum hardware configurations are recommended for an optimal playback experience:
Windows
Intel Pentium 4 2.33GHz, AMD Athlon™ 64 2800+ processor (or equivalent); 128MB of RAM; 64MB of VRAM
Macintosh
PowerPC G5 1.8GHz or faster processor; Intel Core Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor; 256MB of RAM; 64MB of VRAM
Linux
Intel Pentium 4 2.33GHz, AMD Athlon™ 64 2800+ processor (or equivalent); 512MB of RAM; 64MB of VRAM
11. Which operating systems and browsers support Flash Player 10?
Flash Player 10 is supported on the following minimum operating systems and browsers:
| Windows |
| Platform |
Browser |
| Microsoft® Windows Vista® |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or later, Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x, AOL 9, Safari 3.x |
| Microsoft Windows XP |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x, AOL 9, Opera 9.5 or later, Safari 3.x |
| Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or later, Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x |
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or later, Firefox 3.x |
| Microsoft Windows 2000 |
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x, AOL 9, Opera 9.5 |
| Macintosh |
| Platform |
Browser |
Mac OS X v10.4 or 10.5 (PowerPC)
|
Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x, AOL for Mac OS X, Opera 9.5, Safari 3.x. |
| Mac OS X v10.4.x or 10.5 (Intel) |
Firefox 2.x, Firefox 3.x, Opera 9.5, Safari 3.x |
For more information, see the
system requirements for Flash Player 10 on the Adobe website.