Event Preview: Sunny Side of the Doc Connected Edition

Instead of returning attendees to La Rochelle, France, the 31st edition of Sunny Side of the Doc is set to take place exclusively online, from June 22 to 25.

The 2020 Sunny Side of the Doc Connected Edition is in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, aiming to offer the funding opportunities, market intelligence and networking services that the event has provided in years past. Pitch sessions, one-to-one meetings, video resources and webinars are all on the agenda.

“The Connected Edition aims to cater to the needs of the industry at an unprecedented time,” says Mathieu Béjot, Sunny Side of the Doc’s director of strategy and development. “The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our sector, impacting production, advertising, scheduling and countless companies and individuals. As general lockdown is being eased in many parts of the world, there is an urgent need for projects to get off the ground and for buyers to source finished programs.”

“In the height of the pandemic, we received a record number of submissions to our pitching sessions, a clear sign of the producers’ aspirations to expose their projects,” Béjot added. “While we will definitely miss getting together in the magic setting of La Rochelle, we know that work habits have changed lately with everyone working from home for the last few months. We are convinced that our Connected Edition will provide the kind of interaction and business opportunities that you could expect at an onsite Sunny Side.”

This year, Sunny Side of the Doc will be structured around three main elements: Content First, Trends and Industry Focused, and Community Driven. Under the content stream, there will be pitching sessions across six categories: history, science, arts and culture, social and human interest, wildlife and digital experiences. The sessions “will be repeated every day to reach out to participants in various time zones,” explains Béjot. “An online screening room will offer a mix of projects in development and finished programs and will stay open for a few months after the event.” Selections for the international marketplace and pitching forum include 42 concepts for documentary and nonfiction media from 17 countries.

The industry trends element will aim to provide attendees a platform through which to exchange information on ways to navigate the international marketplace and the developments brought about by streaming’s rise. “The Connected Edition will feature several sessions and case studies, such as the co-production on 9/11 led by John Smithson (Arrow Media) for PBS (U.S.) and Channel 4 (U.K.),” says Béjot. Online meetings, matchmaking and networking events, and mentoring opportunities will support the event’s interaction branch.

Sunny Side 2020, with its focus on history, will include four workshops on archives (Sourcing, Restoration & Colorization, Costs & Negotiation and Marketplace & Audience) that will be led by Elizabeth Klinck, a producer and visual researcher. There will also be a panel on History and Winning Over Young Audiences, international co-production case studies and Meet the Executive sessions.

“Virtual booths are available for companies that seek more exposure and wish to have their own private meeting rooms online,” explains Béjot. “We have also confirmed several national pavilions which will host producers and sales agents from their respective countries.”

The fourth edition of PiXii Festival, a generator for digital co-production activities, is also going digital this year and will feature case studies, sessions and networking opportunities. “The call for digital experiences, which were to be showcased in La Rochelle, generated an increased number of applications from around the globe,” says Béjot. “We decided to offer the producers of the selected experiences a chance to introduce them online.

The 14 digital and narrative experiences in this year’s selection come from France, Germany, Israel, Canada, the U.S. and Australia. The lineup includes original stories focused on using digital technologies to take storytelling into new directions, with interactive and immersive components that use XR, VR, AR, 3D sound, smart objects, gaming and AI. Among the titles to be highlighted are Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass and Pompeii, the VR Experience. “PiXii will also look at the models for financing and distributing immersive works with key international stakeholders among museums and cultural institutions,” says Béjot.

To access Sunny Side of the Doc Connected Edition activities, participants can register on the event’s website and purchase an all-access pass, which will enable them to register up to three projects or programs in its screening room.”

“The digital format allows us to reach participants who may not have been able to travel to La Rochelle to attend the onsite edition, and we are already thinking of keeping some online presence when we hopefully revert to an onsite edition in 2021,” says Béjot. “Going digital is allowing us to keep our sessions online beyond the four days of the event, to make sure that everyone can access them at some point.”

“Sunny Side is committed to supporting the industry in the midst of the pandemic,” Béjot says. “The response of the industry has been extremely positive so far and we are confident that the Connected Edition will generate business opportunities. It has never been easier to attend, reach out to decision-makers, producers and sales agents from around the world, discover and source new projects and programs.”