This is an event designed for producers in particular. We welcome a maximum of two team members per project, which can include either one producer, two producers or a producer and a director.

The DOK Co-Pro Market is a co-financing and networking event that connects producers with colleagues to finance new creative documentary projects, offering exclusive access to the multifaceted German and international non-fiction markets.

The DOK Co-Pro Market consists of one-on-one meetings between the project teams, producers without a project looking to co-produce and decision makers. There is no public pitch or presentation of the projects. Instead, the financiers and producers receive the project catalogue in advance to select, whom they would like to meet. We plan between 15 and 25 individual meetings for each project over the two-day-period; 28–29 October 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.

• We are looking for creative, author-driven documentaries. Feature-length documentaries suitable for theatrical release, one- offs and series are all encouraged to submit.
• We only accept projects that are in development or early stages of production. Projects in post-production are not eligible.
• We are a market for projects that are interested in working with other producers early on to build co-productions. Please don’t apply if you are looking for finishing funds.
• Projects from all over the world are welcome to apply.

The DOK Co-Pro Market consists of individual meetings between the project teams, producers without projects and decision makers. The financers and producers are provided with the project catalogue in advance to select which projects they would like to meet with in individual meetings. The same goes for the participating projects – they receive the list of participating producers and decision makers and make meeting requests that will be scheduled if possible.

• For each project, we plan between 15 and 25 individual meetings over two days.
• Each individual meeting is 20 minutes long.
• We plan meetings between projects and a selection of invited producers without projects and we match-make you with the financiers, commissioning editors, distributors and sales agents who attend.
• Financiers, commissioning editors, distributors and sales agents receive the project catalogue in advance and have the first right to select projects to meet with. We further aim to schedule the wishes of selected projects wherever possible.

To help you prepare, here is a list of the materials and information you need for your application:

5.1 Project Information

• English Title
• Production Company
• Country
• Project Stage
• Length/s, Number of Episodes (if applicable)
• Genre
• Estimated Start of Production
• Estimated Date of Release

• Logline: max. 300 characters (summarise your project in 1 or 2 sentences)
• Synopsis: max. 4,000 characters
• Director’s Note: max. 2,000 characters (explain your personal connection to the story)

Trailer and Password

You must have some visual material. We recommend a 3-5 minute teaser, scene selection or research piece, preferably a Vimeo link. In some circumstances, we accept high-quality stills, please email us about this.

Project History

Please explain, where the project has already been presented, if you have won development or production awards, if you are working with an exec. producer, have done a campaign etc. – anything that is special about your project, but isn’t a part of the synopsis.

Please also specify if you have been selected for or pitched the project at a workshop or market, e.g. BDC Discoveries, Eurodoc, Esodoc; or have received support from Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, or are taking part in the Documentary Campus Masterschool, Ex Oriente Workshop or are an EWA member.

What is your goal at the Co-Pro Market? Which kind of partners are you looking for?

Please explain, in which ways the DOK Co-Pro Market can be of help in moving your project forward and finding financing and creative partners.

5.2 Financial Information

• Total Budget in EUR
• Confirmed Financing in EUR
• Requested Funding in EUR
• Financing Sought in EUR

Financing Plan

This is a hypothetical plan of how you would like to finance your film. We do not require an itemized budget, although you could include a top sheet (optional). Your financing plan should be preferably in the form of a table, yet a written paragraph will also be accepted. See examples and further descriptions in the Guidelines PDF.

Please take careful time to put this financing plan together. It is a guiding “roadmap” for the selection committee to see what kind of partners you are looking for. The more specific you can be, and the better you adhere to the two formats listed in the PDF, the better your chances of selection will be.

5.3 Production Team

• Director: Contact details, biography
• Producer: Contact details, biography
• Co-Producer: (if applicable) Contact details
• World Sales: (if applicable) Contact details

5.4 Attachments

You may optionally upload extra CVs of your DOP, editor or sound people or an extended treatment or a photo dossier if available. These are not a requirement.

Our selection committee of industry representatives in conversation with DOK Leipzig staff make the final decisions regarding the project selection. We will inform you of your selection by late August. Please note, we are not able to give feedback on why a project has not been selected.

If selected, we require you to be in Leipzig from the evening of Sunday, 27 October until Wednesday, 30 October (morning). Per selected project, two team members can participate in the DOK Co-Pro Market.

The participation fee is EUR 380 (ex. VAT) per project for up to two participants.
This fee grants you access to the following benefits:

• Inclusion of project in the official selection of our Project Book, having it displayed and published for more than 130 targeted decision makers and producers.
• Curated individual meetings with the decision makers and producers (between 15–25 meetings).
• The opportunity to win prizes and other grants
• Access to the DOK Co-Pro Market Open Programme with informational chats, mutual exchange and inspiration
• A preparatory get-together with the other selected projects designed to help you grow the impact of your participation
• Festival accreditations for the one or two project representatives.

Before starting your application, please read our FAQ with more details what’s good to know. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to call our namer [at] dok-leipzig [dot] de (email us).

We wish you the best of luck with your application. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.