
JETS stands for Junior Entertainment Talent Slate and unites 1st, 2nd and 3rd feature film filmmakers with South African, Norwegian, Irish, Canadian, German, Austrian, British and US producers, sales agents, finance and distribution companies during a pitching session with the aim of Co- Production during the International Film Festival Berlin 2023 (venue to be announced at later date). 20 24 projects from filmmakers will be selected for the JETS Initiative.
The JETS Co-Production Initiative organised by WEP Productions & JETS Filmverleih & Vertrieb (Distribution) is funded and supported by NFVF South Africa, Screen Ireland, Telefilm Canada, nordmedia,, FI-Austrian Film Institute, Filminvest Norway, HessenFilm & Medien.
Conditions of Participation
Projects can be submitted by a producer/director team from the following countries: South Africa, Norway, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Austria and UK. The producer/director team must be in their first 15 years of their film/TV career. An exception can be granted to the Producer: She/he can have up to 20 years experience in the film business and/or has only produced a maximum of two feature length films.
All projects submitted must be fictional films (feature film length animation incl.) that are still in the project development or financing stage. Completed films will be not accepted. All projects must have a duration of 80 minutes or more.
Producers/directors wanting to participate in the JETS Initiative must send an email to info@wepfilms.com with the heading JETS 2023 + name of submitting person and country including supporting materials (see page 3) by the 31st of October 2022.
Each producer/director team must ensure to supply safe links of previous work i.e. short films, commercials, 1st or 2nd feature film (in case you supply a project that should be considered as your 3rd feature film production). These should be password-protected.
If the script should not be in the English language, the filmmakers must supply a three page treatment in English.
2022 WEP FILMS
The total Co-Production budget for one project may range from 300,000 to 5,000,000 (for animation projects up to 8,000,000). The max. budget for a 1st feature film project should preferably not exceed 1,200,000.
Only projects with complete information can be considered for the pre- selection process.
Materials to be submitted via emailMust be included:
Producer/Director CV's and contact details (Name, Address, Phone number, email)
Any other creative crew members attached
Web links to previous work from the Producer and Director
Statement if it is 1st, 2nd or 3rd feature film project
Advanced Script Draft of story submitted
Treatment (3 pages), if script is not written in the English language
A detailed Synopsis
Cast Propositions / Letters of Intent (if available)
A basic production and marketing plan
Budget calculation (estimate) Top Sheet
Additional Material if applicable:
Financing Plan
Any third party partners involved?
Any other relevant supporting material
All materials must be submitted in English. If the original script is not in the English language, a three pages treatment in English must be supplied. All participants must be aware that they have to translate/rewrite their script in the English language, if their project should fall under selected ones by the Jury.
All materials have to be numerical assigned and clearly labelled. If all materials are submitted in one pdf document, please ensure that you include a table of contents.
Selection Process
The 20-24 projects with high potentiality of development and realisation will be selected by WEP Productions.
WEP Productions has the right to include projects by invitation.
All projects submitted will be treated confidential. Once a project is selected, the filmmakers agree to allow WEP Productions to publicise the participation of their project and its representatives at the JETS event on any platform or media where appropriate.
All selected projects will be published on the website www.wepfilms.com in the news section latest by the 16th of December 2022. The selected South African filmmakers will be contacted by email by the 8th of November 2022.
2022 WEP FILMS
Once your project has been selected you must confirm your attendance via email latest by the 14th of November 2022. If you fail to do so you will be not able to attend the JETS Initiative as we will select a runner up project instead.
Pitching Session
The materials of the selected 20 24 projects will be send out to a participating industry Jury of 12-16 members who will be able to have an insight of each project before the actual event.
Each accepted producer/director team has to make a 5-minute film project pitch to the jury members and other participating peers on the event day.
Each producer/director team will receive a summary of each accepted project for the JETS Initiative. Each team will preselect three other participating teams as potential Co-Production partners for an exchange talk (15-20 minutes) monitored by one or two jury members on the day.
Each producer/director team will receive feedback on their project by the jury members.
The 12-16 Jury members will decide at the end of the day which 6-10 film projects are best to be pursued and considered for possible financing/ funding.
Further Information
SA Participants of the live JETS event will receive travel, accommodation and EFM accreditation from the JETS Initiative programme (subject to terms and condition as agreed with the nfvf-South Africa)
Please be aware that English will be the main language of communication and all participants should have a good to excellent command of the English language.
As part of the JETS 2023 Initiative you are cordially invited to attend the breakfast networki