The Scottish Documentary Institute Consultancies

Overview

The Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) was established in 2004 to nurture documentary filmmakers and audiences, and to advocate for the vital contribution of independent documentary to the film industry and wider society. The SDI Consultancies program offers free one-to-one sessions with SDI's team of experienced documentary professionals, providing filmmakers with direct editorial and strategic feedback on their projects at any stage of development or production.

The consultancies are not a cash grant. Their value is access: filmmakers receive substantive, personalized advice from professionals who work daily in the documentary sector, without the competitive application process that accompanies funding programs. SDI has trained and supported filmmakers whose work has gone on to major festival premieres and international distribution.

What the Consultancies Provide

Each consultancy is a focused one-to-one session with an SDI advisor. Filmmakers can bring projects at any stage -- from an early idea seeking editorial shape to a project in production that needs strategic advice about distribution and financing. Advisors offer feedback on:

• The project's editorial approach and narrative structure
• Strategies for accessing subjects and building a film's research foundation
• Development materials including treatments and pitch documents
• Financing strategy and the appropriate funds to target for the project
• Distribution options and how to position the project for international markets

To ensure fair access for all filmmakers, SDI requests that those who have had a consultancy in the previous three months allow others to book before returning.

Eligibility

The consultancies are open to documentary filmmakers at any career stage. While SDI's primary mandate is to support filmmakers in Scotland, the consultancy program is accessible to a broader international audience, particularly through online sessions. Filmmakers in Scotland are given priority. A separate bursary fund has historically been available to Scottish residents to support participation in SDI programs.

SDI's Broader Work

Beyond consultancies, SDI runs training programs, production support for Scottish documentary projects, and distribution and exhibition initiatives. The SDI website details the full range of programs, some of which are only available to Scottish-based filmmakers while others have broader international eligibility.

Who Should Apply

Documentary filmmakers at any career stage who want expert editorial and strategic feedback on their project without the pressure of a competitive application. The consultancy program is particularly valuable for filmmakers who are deciding how to develop a project, which funds to pursue, or how to approach a difficult production or distribution challenge.

See Also

For documentary filmmakers in the UK building a financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For understanding international documentary markets and distribution, see Distribution Deals: What Filmmakers Need to Know.