MIZ-Format Festival 2016-Application Package - MIZ

An aquarium full of triops reports its own story. An idea which seems quite absurd. In the beginning, I just had
some crazy idea about primordial soup reports. But during the MIZ Format Festival process in 2015 it quickly grew
into a full crossmedia format concept for sensor-based live coverage. Design Thinking, coding and pitching simply
cannot be replaced by desk work.
Jacob Vicari, Science Journalist of the Year 2015 (medium magazine) and winner of the MIZ Format Festival 2015
CALL FOR CREATIVES!
MIZ-Formatfestival. 2016.
The MIZ Format Festival awards journalistic format ideas for the young target
group (age 14-29) boardering TV, radio and online media within a four-month
development process.
Pitching. The MIZ Format Festival addresses journalists, hackers, trans-media
storytellers, format-strategists, producers, conceptionists and broadcast
revolutionists! Convince our judges and realize your idea subsequently. During the
»Round Table« on June 21st five ideas among all submissions will be chosen to
participate in the Format Festival. Submit your ideas from 15th of April until 29th
of May! Additionally it is possible for the applicants to participate in a creative
workshop on May 11th at MIZ-Babelsberg.
Development. On August 2nd and 3rd the subsequent Protothon will offer each of
the final project teams the opportunity to turn their concept into a representative
prototype with the help of professional programmers. In order to encourage the
development process the projectteams will receive demand-oriented coaching from
31st of August until 1st of September as well as constructive feedback from the young
media consumers throughout the whole development process (babelsberger
filmgymnasium and Film University KONRAD WOLF).
Winning. The participants have to submit the final prototypes and concepts to the selection committee by
October 16th 2016. In the course of the official award ceremony at the MIZ-Babelsberg on November 10th 2016
the judges will award a prize money of 5,000 euros and an option for a MIZ innovation funding to the
strongest crossmedia concept for the young target group.
The Judges.
Christian Beetz – Executive Director, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion
Dr. Bettina Brinkmann – Media Consultant
Ralph Caspers – moderator and author
Helge Haas – Head of Radio Bremen
Johnny Haeusler – blogger, journalist and author
Sebastian Horn – Chief Editor, ze.tt
Alexander Knetig – Chief Editor, ARTE Creative
Christoph Krachten – Executive Director, Videodays
Mounira Latrache – Managerin, YouTube Space Berlin
Christian Nienaber – Executive Vice President Digital, RTL 2
Imke Pässler-Strauß – Head of project editors new media, ZDF
Petra Schmitz – Program Coordinator ZAP & program development FS, rbb Fernsehen
Siegfried Steinlechner – Editor and project manager, ORF
Info and Submission. Submit your idea in the period from April 15th to May 29th 2016 in form of a max.
two-page outline. Emphasize the pilot’s cross-media character as well as the trend-setting usage scenarios and
innovative narrative structures. Please email your outline, workshop registration, information on you or your
team (name, contact and a brief CV) and the completed form (available on www.miz-babelsberg.de) to Sophie
Hausig format@miz-babelsberg.de. If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via
0331 / 58 56 58 88.
You’ll find more details on the program and the conditions of participation at www.miz-babelsberg.de.
CALL FOR CREATIVES!
MIZ Format Festival. 2016.
Application guideline
1
Summary
The MIZ Format Festival seeks and awards journalistic cross-media formats for young
media consumers with broadcasting reference.
From April 15th until May 29th you are called upon to hand in your innovative, journalistic format
concepts bordering TV, radio and online media. At the beginning of the festival 15 to 20 journalistic
project ideas will be pre-selected, which then - as part of the "Round Table Pitch" on June 21st –
will be presented to an eleven-member panel composed of influential broadcasting representatives,
producers as well as print and online journalists. The panel will select the five most promising project
ideas with a focus on the young target group, which then are going to be developed further within
the festival process. Part of this process is the two-day "Protothon" on August 2nd and 3rd, under
which a prototype for each concept shall be developed jointly with hackers and developers.
The two-day Protothon will be followed by demand-oriented coaching and workshops with media
production companies and programmers. This development phase is additionally supported by the
technical infrastructure of MIZ-Babelsberg, which will be available to participants at any time.
The four-month concept period will conclude with an official award ceremony in November 2016,
in which all five format ideas and the corresponding prototypes will be presented to and evaluated
by the panel. The strongest cross-media journalism concept for the young target group will be
awarded. The team will receive a prize money of 5.000 euros for the further implementation of
their idea, as well as, an option for MIZ funding.
2
Intention
The MIZ Format Festival serves the initiation and implementation of genre-crossing
innovation processes with interdisciplinary teams within the broadcasting industry.
The MIZ Format Festival‘s aim is to pool innovative approaches, which show the creativity potentials
of young project authors. A special focus is placed on the initiation and stimulation of new
interdisciplinary development and production networks, whose relevance for radio stations, TV
stations and especially production companies increases within the competition of ideas and new
formats. The cooperation of journalists and IT specialists is highly appreciated.
Seite 1 von 3
3
Requirements, target audience and deadlines
Wanted: cross-media format ideas with broadcasting reference for a young target group
(age 14 – 29)
The journalistic formats must include innovative usage and application possibilities. This may mean
interactive supplement of content with apps, the individual remixing of technological application
forms, as well as, the collaborative planning or innovative agenda setting. Furthermore, an
individualized playout of content on different platforms should be possible in correspondence to user
preferences, locations or content.
The MIZ-Babelsberg addresses in particular aspiring journalists and IT specialists at the beginning of
their career, and supports the early networking of these two occupational groups.
The format Ideas must be submitted as PDF documents:
-
max. two DIN A4 pages
12pt
2.5cm margins (top, bottom, left, right)
1.5 line spacing
Names and contact information of all participants (team applications are possible)
Additionally: brief biography (300 characters) of all participants
Completed questionnaire (download at www.miz-babelsberg.de)
Your application must be submitted electronically between April 15th and May 29th 2016
to: format@miz-babelsberg.de. Please understand that incomplete submissions or applications
that do not match the criteria above will not be considered.
The organizers reserve the right to exclude applications from the competition. The decision is final.
4
Modules
The MIZ Format Festival consists of seven different, successive modules. The applicants have the
possibility to join a non-compulsory Creativity Workshop on “Design Thinking” and Storytelling during
the starting phase proposals on May 11th. During this workshop they can work on optimizing their
concepts, formats and storytelling aspects. This Workshop is followed by the Pitch in front of the
Jury (Roundtable) on June 21th. At this kick-off the 15 to 20 applicants with the most compelling
format ideas will be invited to convince the panel with a pitch of their idea. Five projects ideas will be
chosen for further development. On August 3rd and 4th the subsequent Protothon offers the five
final candidates the possibility to develop representative prototypes of their ideas with programmers
at the MIZ-Babelsberg. In order to encourage the development process the project teams will receive
demand-oriented coaching from 31st of August until 1st of September as well as constructive
feedback from young media consumers during presentations at babelsberger filmgymnasium and
Film University KONRAD WOLF.
In addition, the MIZ-Babelsberg supports the further development of the concepts by provision of
office space, technical equipment, the use of the MIZ radio and TV studios, and creating the
network, to discuss the ideas and implementation possibilities, respectively, starting points to market
and distribute the finished concepts.
At the end of the MIZ Format Festival stands a public final event on November 10th 2016, in
which all pilot concepts will be presented and the best concept will be awarded.
Seite 2 von 3
Dates and deadlines 2016:
April 15th – May 29th
May 11th
June 21th
Aug. 02rd – 03rd
Aug. 31st – Sept. 1st
Oct. 16th
Nov. 10th
Entry deadline: submission format ideas
Creativity Workshop: creative methods - Design Thinking and Storytelling
Round Table Pitch at the MIZ-Babelsberg
Development of a prototype in the course of the Protothon
Coachings at the MIZ-Babelsberg
Entry deadline: submission prototypes and format concepts
Closing event plus award ceremony
All travel expenses are the responsibility of the applicants and participants of the Format
Festival.
5
The Awardees
The most compelling project at the end of the design phase will be awarded. The panel will award
prize money of 5.000 euros for the most innovative format. The MIZ will offer free participation in
the cross-media stage program and coaching in funding for the second- and third-placed teams.
6
Jury
Christian Beetz – Executive Director, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion
Dr. Bettina Brinkmann – Media Consultant
Ralph Caspers – moderator and author
Helge Haas – Head of Radio Bremen
Johnny Haeusler – blogger, journalist and author
Sebastian Horn – Chief Editor, ze.tt
Alexander Knetig – Chief Editor, ARTE Creative
Christoph Krachten – Executive Director, Videodays
Mounira Latrache – Managerin, YouTube Space Berlin
Christian Nienaber – Executive Vice President Digital, RTL 2
Imke Pässler-Strauß – Head of project editors new media, ZDF
Petra Schmitz – Program Coordinator ZAP & program development FS, rbb Fernsehen
Siegfried Steinlechner – Editor and project manager, ORF
7
Contact, organizer and partner
The MIZ Format Festival can be reached by e-mail to format@miz-babelsberg.de or telephone
0331/58 56 58 88 (Sophie Hausig).
The MIZ Format Festival is organized by the Media Innovation Centre Babelsberg (MIZ).
Seite 3 von 3
Mit freundlicher
Unterstützung von:
CALL FOR CREATIVES!
MIZ-Formatfestival. 2016.
Questionnaire
Please enclose this completed questionnaire (max 150 words per question)
in your application.
1. Please explain the innovation value of the format in content and technology.
2. Is your format adressing young media consumers?
Mit freundlicher
Unterstützung von:
3. Which practical experience did you gain with professional IT-developers?
4. What do you expect from participating in the MIZ Format Festival?