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Here's The Pitch: 100% Woman
Vancouver International
Film Festival Television Trade Forum
29th September 2002
Both the second and third pitches, Diana Wilson's 100%
Woman and John Ritchie’s Ties
That Bind, observational documentaries about individuals overcoming
various trials and tribulations, underlined the importance of including
a "taster tape" or visual material to support a project pitch.
"You've got to spend hours and hours with these people. It's a lot of
time to spend with someone when you could be cleaning the oven or something,"
quipped Klein, bringing a wave of laughter from the audience. McCarthy
reiterated that he would be looking for "anything visual that lifts it
off the page".
Wilson, who brought a display board with photos of the subject personality
(too small for the audience and the panel to make out) went in depth into
the issues that could be drawn into such a doc. Her character is a trans-gender
metalworker from Vancouver who competes in mountain-biking competitions
and who since her operation has performed very well in female competitions.
Naturally, there was outcry from her competitors who say she has the strength
of a man. Can a transgender woman be a real woman? Does a woman who was
raised as a man have cultural advantages? Such questions would be addressed,
said Wilson, who gave an elaborate history of the subject’s life.
"Too much detail," said Klein. "The concept was sold in the first two
minutes," added McCarthy. Both said they wanted more on execution and
structure. "Less is more" seemed the message for Wilson who managed to
bury some of the most important information about the doc - like the fact
that it is to be an hour-long - in the dense presentation. The panel’s
curiosity had been aroused but something was missing. Nick Jones said
it was the kind of thing that Channel 4 was interested in but "I want
to know more about this person". Taster tape time.
Read on: no mercy for
project about disabled man
More VIFF coverage
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