AIDC 2019 Reveals Funding for Unscripted Content Creators

The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) is this year offering A$270,000 ($192,000) in project development, commissioning and professional development funds to support the creation of new factual content.

The AIDC has aligned with partners Google News Initiative, Audible, SBS, BBC Studios, Create NSW and Beach House Pictures. With A$180,000 ($128,000) in funding committed to AIDC marketplace pitches, and A$90,000 ($64,000) in professional development initiatives for Australian documentary and nonfiction practitioners, the partnerships and programs developed for AIDC 2019 are meant to facilitate new work, new talent and new pathways to industry growth.

The AIDC marketplace has three new pitching initiatives for Australian creators. AIDC’s first-ever audio documentary pitch, Sound it Out, with Amazon company Audible is offering up to A$10,000 ($7,000) in development for new original audio documentary series. An AIDC-first data journalism pitch, Raw Data, Real Stories, with Alphabet company Google News Lab, is putting forward A$60,000 ($43,000) to commission an innovative new data journalism work. SBS joins AIDC to offer documentary practitioners the opportunity to pitch for up to A$60,000 ($42,000) in development funds for one-hour documentaries for season five of the Untold Australia series.

The VICE/Screen Australia short documentary initiative Pitch Australiana returns for a second year, offering up to A$50,000 ($36,000) for the winning project.

This year, AIDC is also offering professional development opportunities totaling A$90,000 ($64,000). This includes the Unscripted International Producer Placement, in which BBC Studios and Create NSW are providing A$50,000 ($36,000) to support a NSW-based documentary practitioner to work with the BBC Studios U.K. documentary team.

AIDC CEO and Conference Director Alice Burgin said, “AIDC’s vision is not just to exist as a marketplace or a conference, but rather to stand out as the hub for new creative Australian nonfiction work to thrive! With this in mind, we have worked hard to find new pathways to funding and professional development opportunities, and, with the overwhelming support from new and returning partners, we are excited to be bringing these to AIDC 2019.”