"Colors of Asia"

One of the biggest aims of Tokyo Docs is for Japanese producers and filmmakers to deepen connections with their counterparts in other Asian countries. Through joint copyright ownership and collaboration with planning, information and costs, the co-production of quality documentaries can be made possible. Moreover, we believe that a strong partnership of fellow Asian creators can help foster better cross-cultural understanding between countries.

With this in mind, the organizers of Tokyo Docs have put forward Colors of Asia - a project, which promotes co-productions between Japanese and other Asian documentary filmmakers. Colors of Asia focuses on common themes, which highlight the diversity and colorful richness of Asia.

• Colors of Asia is a documentary series for broadcast on television and other media, co-produced by Japanese and Asian producers from different production companies.
• A steering committee made up of the Japanese production companies on the Japan half of the co-production will select proposals, oversee funding provisions, and deal with broadcasting rights.
• The Japanese and Asian production companies will form a method of co-production. They will make a contract regarding project funding and production, and cooperate accordingly with their agreed obligations to complete the project.
• The completed Colors of Asia documentary will be the product of the two companies. Each company has the right to be compensated if the program is broadcast in their home country. As a general rule, the steering committee will take charge of global sales and will distribute the profits (outside of the commission fees) evenly amongst the companies involved.

1. Scope of Entries

   New documentaries for international co-production should be proposed.

   Entries consisting of completed films or the sale of format rights will not be accepted.

2. Theme for 2017

   “Children, Seize The Future!”

   Colors of Asia focuses on a set theme every year. The theme for this year is “Children, Seize The Future!”

   Theme description:

   This documentary series examines the world of children who live in the diverse world of Asia today. In the shadows of the prosperity of modern-day Asia, there are a wide variety of realities: disparities between the rich and the poor, poverty in education, the loss of identity, generation gaps, etc. We are looking for stories about children who are confronted with difficulties and try to overcome them to seize the future. The series will consist of four 25-minute documentaries focusing on children from separate Asian countries.

   

3. Eligibility

   Only production companies and individuals who have prior experience of producing television documentaries are eligible to enter. Proposals submitted by individuals should be accompanied by a list of past projects and a letter of recommendation from a broadcaster or television production company.

   Broadcasting companies should, as a general rule, apply in collaboration with a production company.

   Producers should also be resident in an Asian country and submit proposals related to an Asian country.

   No more than two projects may be entered per filmmaker.

4. Application Method

   Please fill out the application form here and send with the required photographic data.

   Applications by email or post will not be accepted.

   Entries exceeding the word count in each part of the on-line form or lacking the necessary information and data will also not be accepted.

5. Selection

   Project proposals will be chosen by the Selection Committee, which is made up of members of the Tokyo Docs Organizing Committee. Parties whose submissions are successful will be notified at the end of August.

   The number of projects selected is around 10.

   Selected filmmakers will be required to participate in the Colors of Asia pitching session, held on the first day of Tokyo Docs 2016 (Monday, November 7).

   In addition to the result of the pitching session, the final four projects will be selected through individual interviews and talks with the Selection Committee.

6. Selection Criteria

   The most important criterion is "a high-quality documentary that deserves international distribution". Selectors will also consider whether the documentary is "a project appropriate for realization through joint international production".

   Please bear in mind the Colors of Asia keywords: fresh, unknown and unique.

7. Submission Fee

   There is no charge for registration and initial project submission.

The production of three documentaries selected from Bangladesh, Laos, and India is already under way for broadcast on NHK in November 2016.