Overview

In this pitch workshop and competition (the “Pitch Workshop”), a panel of television executives and producers will hear and evaluate pitches from up to five emerging documentary filmmakers who are hoping to sell an unfinished documentary work-in-progress. The judges will choose one filmmaker to win a $5,000 grant for the completion of their film.

In its sixteenth annual competition, the Paley Center will select up to five emerging documentary filmmakers as finalists to deliver pitches to a panel before a virtual audience (an emerging filmmaker is someone with two or less credits for directing feature documentary films, whether or not those films have been released.)

The Paley Center will choose these finalists based on a clip of five minutes or less that contest participants will submit to the Paley Center along with other required material.

The pitch workshop will take place virtually on December 8, 2020.

The final pitch before the panel will include both a verbal presentation (a pitch of no more than three minutes) and a visual presentation (a clip of no more than three minutes). Each finalist’s entire presentation must be limited to no more than six minutes, excluding the finalist’s answers to questions by the panel.

The online panel will critique both the presentation and the concept of each finalist’s pitch.

Selection: Based on the criteria of persuasiveness of the pitch, originality of the vision and viability of the project, the panel will select one finalist as the winner of a $5,000 grant to be used toward the finalist’s completion of the documentary pitched at the workshop. The decision of the panel will be final and binding.

In the event that the documentary concept is the product of a filmmaking team of two or more filmmakers, one member of the team will need to be designated as both the applicant and the “pitcher” for the team.

Submission

Deadlines and fees are as follows:

Regular deadline: September 18, 2020 ($30)
Late deadline: October 9, 2020 ($35)
Extended deadline: November 2, 2019 ($45)

Entrants should submit the following materials along with appropriate entry fees:
• A video link containing no more than five (5) minutes of footage from the project;
• A completed and signed copy of the attached entry form and submission agreement (the “Entry Form & Submission Agreement”);
• A synopsis of the entrant’s documentary/nonfiction concept;
• A brief history of the project, including the project’s current status, an indication of whether any funding is in place, and a bio of the filmmaker (or filmmaking team, as applicable); and
• Contact information, including email address, mailing address, and telephone number.

By submitting an entry to the Pitch Workshop, each entrant acknowledges that he/she has provided true, accurate, and complete information and is bound by the terms and conditions of the Entry Form & Submission Agreement, including the Pitch Workshop’s Official Rules attached thereto. Incomplete submissions will not be eligible for the Pitch Workshop.

If selected as a finalist and invited to advance to the next round of the Pitch Workshop, entrants will also be asked to submit, at their own expense, additional materials including a “screener” of three minutes or less. Materials submitted to or in connection with the Pitch Workshop, including but not limited to any additional materials requested by The Paley Center for Media, will not be returned. Multiple entries from the same entrant are permissible.

However, each entry requires a separate entry fee, Entry Form and signed Submission Agreement. Only one entry per entrant may advance to the final round. The same project may not be entered into the Pitch Workshop multiple times in a single year.

Official Rules 

The Paley Center for Media virtual pitch workshop contest (the “Contest”) is operated by The Paley Center for Media (the “Paley Center”), 25 West 52 Street, New York, NY 10019. The period for registration and submission opens for registration and submissions on September 9, 2020, at 12:01:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), and ends on November 2, 2020, at 11:59:59 p.m. (ET) (such period, the “Contest Period”).
BY SUBMITTING AN ENTRY TO THE CONTEST, ENTRANT (A) FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES TO ACCEPT AND BE BOUND BY THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND BY ALL DECISIONS OF THE PALEY CENTER, A&E (the ‘SPONSOR”) AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DESIGNEE(S) (WHICH DECISIONS SHALL BE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL RESPECTS), INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DECISIONS REGARDING ELIGIBILITY, SELECTION OF FINALISTS AND THE WINNER, AND THE INTERPRETATION OF TERMS USED IN THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND IN THE ENTRY FORM & SUBMISSION AGREEMENT, AND (B) REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY ENTRANT IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST IS TRUE, ACCURATE, AND COMPLETE.
1. ELIGIBILITY. AN ENTRY FEE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER. VOID OUTSIDE OF THE ELIGIBILITY AREA (DEFINED BELOW) AND WHERE OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Participation in this Contest is open to any current legal resident of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia or U.S. citizen living abroad, (excluding every national, state, local, or other jurisdiction in which it is prohibited or restricted by any law, statute, regulation, or other appropriate authority, and in particular Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. territories and U.S. military installations located in a foreign country), who is eighteen (18) years of age or older as of the date of entry and has no more than two (2) directing credits for completed documentary feature films, whether released or unreleased (hereafter “Entrant”). Employees, consultants, representatives and agents of the Paley Center and Sponsor or other sponsors as designated by the Paley Center and their advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of and persons domiciled with any such employees and agents, and any judges or other parties involved in any aspect with the creation, production, operation, execution and fulfillment of the Contest, and the immediate families or household members of each are not eligible to participate. The Paley Center, Sponsor, their affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, prize providers, officers, employees, and subcontractors do not warrant that this Contest may be entered legally in any particular jurisdiction. The Paley Center is the final arbiter of all decisions regarding Entrants’ eligibility for the Contest.

2. HOW TO ENTER.

a. ENTRY. To enter the Contest:

(1) Review the documents entitled “PaleyDocs2020 Pitch Workshop — Overview” (the “Overview”) and “PaleyDocs2020 Pitch Workshop — Entry Form & Submission Agreement” (the “Entry Form & Submission Agreement”), as well as these Official Rules, available from the link entitled “PaleyDocs2020” on the Paley Center’s site at http://www.paleycenter.org. 

(2) Complete, sign, and date the Entry Form & Submission Agreement without any changes to the Submission Agreement and submit entry fee.

(3) Submit a video link with no more than five (5) minutes of material from the Entrant’s film along with the completed, signed, and dated Entry Form & Submission Agreement and all
other required submission materials described in the Entry Form & Submission Agreement 

b. SUBMISSION MATERIALS. Submission Materials (as defined below), with the exception of any materials requested solely from Finalists, must be received by the Paley Center by the end of the Contest Period in order to be eligible for the Contest. Submission Materials must include an online video link with no more than five (5) minutes of material from the Entrant’s film. Submission Materials (with the exception of any materials requested solely from Finalists) received in whole or in part after the end of the Contest Period, or that are (including any materials requested solely from Finalists) incomplete, illegible, corrupted, or damaged, will be discarded and deemed to be VOID. Each Entrant who is selected as a finalist in accordance with Section 3(a) below (each a “Finalist” and collectively the “Finalists”) will also be required to provide the Paley Center, at his or her own expense, with a “screener” clip of not more than three (3) minutes in length from the documentary that is the subject of the selected entry, in a format specified by the Paley Center at the appropriate time. Entrants may also be asked to submit additional written materials in order to be deemed eligible for the Contest (such “screener” clip, any additional written materials requested, and a participant’s Entry Form & Submission Agreement shall be referred to collectively as the Entrant’s “Submission Materials”).

c. ENTRY GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS. An individual may enter the Contest more than one (1) time, provided that (i) such individual must complete a separate Entry Form & Submission Agreement and submit a separate set of Submission Materials for each entry submitted; (ii) the same project (i.e., the same documentary or materials) may not be the subject of multiple entries into the Contest; (iii) only one (1) entry per Entrant may advance to the final round of the Contest and (iv) such individual also submits an additional fee for each additional Contest entry. Any Submission Materials that are submitted in violation of these Official Rules will be disqualified and deemed to be VOID. No changes to any Submission Materials will be permitted once such Submission Materials have been submitted. By entering the Contest, Entrant agrees that his/her Submission Materials shall not be deemed to be his/ her confidential or proprietary information. The tangible embodiments of all Submission Materials shall become the property of the Paley Center, and no Submission Materials will be acknowledged or returned.

3. FINALISTS, WINNER, AND PRIZE.

a. SELECTING FINALISTS AND THE WINNER. The Paley Center will select up to five (5) Entrants from the pool of all eligible Entrants (such five (5) Entrants based on the criteria of persuasiveness of the pitch, originality of the vision, and viability of the project (the “Criteria”), to make pitches virtually to a panel of judges (the “Panel”) at a Pitch Workshop currently set forth to take place on December 8, 2020 online (the “Pitch”). Finalists will be notified by phone or by email at the email address provided in the Entry Form & Submission Agreement that they have been selected to participate in the Pitch. To be eligible to participate in the Pitch, any Entrant selected as a Finalist must notify the Paley Center either by phone or by email at docpitch@paleycenter.org no later than November 15, 2020 at 11:59:59 p.m. (ET), that he/she is able to participate in the online event. Entries and Submission Materials of any Finalist who (i) notifies the Paley Center that he/she will be unable to attend the Pitch, (ii) fails to notify the Paley Center by the foregoing date that he/ she will be able to attend the virtual Pitch, or (iii) fails to attend the virtual Pitch, shall be deemed disqualified and deemed to be VOID. If any Finalist is unable to attend the Pitch, the Paley Center has the right, but not the obligation, to select an alternate Finalist to attend the Pitch from among the remaining pool of eligible entrants. If an alternate Finalist is selected
by the Paley Center, such alternate Finalist will be notified by email at the email address provided in the Entry Form & Submission Agreement that he or she has been selected to participate in the Pitch, and will be required to notify the Paley Center by email at docfest@paleycenter.org that he or she will be able to attend the Pitch. At the Pitch, each Finalist will be required to “pitch” the project idea described in his/her Submission Materials before the judges , which pitch will comprise (i) a verbal presentation of no longer than three (3) minutes delivered by the Finalist, and (ii) a visual presentation, comprising a clip of no longer than three (3) minutes from the Finalist’s documentary. The entire presentation of each Finalist may not exceed six (6) minutes, excluding responses to Panel questions. The Panel will critique both the presentation and the concept of each Finalist’s pitch online. At the conclusion of the Pitch, and based on the Criteria, the Panel will select one (1) Finalist as the winner of the Contest (the “Winner”). All judgments and decisions of the Panel shall be final and binding.

b. PRIZE. The Winner will be awarded a five thousand dollar (US $5,000.00) grant by Sponsor (the “Prize”), which Winner may use solely toward the completion of the documentary pitched by Winner to the Panel at the Pitch. Only one (1) Prize will be awarded. As between Sponsor and the Paley Center, Sponsor shall be solely responsible for the distribution of the Prize to the Winner. The Winner may be required to sign additional agreements with, and provide additional information to, Sponsor or the Paley Center prior to receiving the Prize. The Winner agrees to acknowledge the Paley Center in the closing credits of his/her finished film or any other finished work comprising or based on the documentary represented in the Submission Materials and presented during the Contest, in the manner directed by the Paley Center. The Prize is nontransferable and nonrefundable. All taxes (including, without limitation, federal, state, and local taxes) on or in connection with the Prize, and the reporting consequences thereof, are the sole and exclusive responsibility of Winner. No substitution of the Prize will be permitted.

4. DISQUALIFICATION/INELIGIBILITY. Without limiting any other provision of these Official Rules, the Paley Center reserves the right, at any time and in its sole discretion, to disqualify and/or deem ineligible to participate in the Contest any individual or team it suspects: to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest; to be in violation of these Official Rules or the Entry Form & Submission Agreement; to have failed to complete or submit any required or requested Submission Materials; to be acting in bad faith, or in a non- sportsmanlike or disruptive manner; or to be annoying, abusing, threatening, or harassing any other person in connection with the Contest (each such activity, a “Prohibited Activity”). Furthermore, the Paley Center reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disregard and/or deem VOID any or all of such entrant’s Submission Materials. ANY ATTEMPT TO DAMAGE, TAMPER WITH, OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES AS WELL AS APPLICABLE LAWS. SHOULD THE PALEY CENTER BELIEVE OR BECOME AWARE THAT SUCH AN ATTEMPT HAS BEEN, IS BEING, OR WILL BE MADE, THE PALEY CENTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DISQUALIFY ANY ENTRANT(S) THAT THE PALEY CENTER DEEMS TO BE INVOLVED THEREIN, AND TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES FROM ANY RESPONSIBLE ENTRANT(S) AND OTHER RESPONSIBLE PARTIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.


5. RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, ENTRANT (A) RELEASES AND HOLDS THE PALEY CENTER, THE SPONSOR, AND ADDITIONAL SPONSORS AS DESIGNATED Y THE PALEY CENTER AND THE PANEL, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “CONTEST ENTITIES”) HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSSES, DAMAGES, RIGHTS, CLAIMS, AND ACTIONS OF ANY KIND ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THE CONTEST OR PARTICIPATION IN THE PITCH OR ANY OTHER CONTEST-RELATED ACTIVITY, OR RESULTING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE AWARDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, AS WELL AS CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY AND (B) INDEMNIFIES AND HOLDS HARMLESS THE CONTEST ENTITIES FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, LOSS, OR LIABILITY OF ANY KIND THAT MAY BE ASSERTED AGAINST OR INCURRED BY CONTEST ENTITIES AT ANY TIME IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION MATERIALS OR OTHERWISE ARISING FROM, OR RELATING TO, ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST.
6. DISCLAIMERS; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. The Contest Entities make no warranties, and hereby disclaim any and all warranties, express or implied, concerning the Contest, the Prize, or any other information, materials, or prizes furnished or made available in connection with the Contest. No responsibility is assumed by the Contest Entities for lost, late, incomplete, stolen, misdirected, mutilated, postage-due, illegible, unreadable, inaccurate, incorrect, inaccessible, corrupted, or unusable entries or Submission Materials. Although the Paley Center attempts to ensure the integrity of the Contest, Contest Entities are not responsible for the actions of Entrants or other individuals in connection with the Contest, including Entrants’ or other individuals’ attempts to circumvent the Official Rules or otherwise interfere with the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest. If, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned due to causes which, in the sole opinion of the Paley Center, could corrupt, compromise, undermine, or otherwise affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, viability, or proper conduct of the Contest, the Paley Center reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to modify these Official Rules and/or to cancel, terminate, reschedule, modify, or suspend all or any part of the Contest (including, without limitation, the Pitch). IN NO EVENT WILL THE CONTEST ENTITIES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE CONTEST. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE CONTEST, THE PRIZE, AND ALL MATERIALS PROVIDED CONCERNING THE CONTEST ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

7. MISCELLANEOUS.

a. GOVERNING LAW. The Contest, the Entry Form & Submission Agreement, and these Official Rules are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, without regards to its principles of conflicts of law. Entrant agrees to personal jurisdiction by the federal and state courts located in the County of New
York in the State of New York, United States of America with respect to any dispute arising out of or in connection with the Entry Form & Submission Agreement, these Official Rules, or the Contest, and waives any jurisdictional, venue, or inconvenient forum objections to such courts.
b. WINNER INFORMATION. For information concerning the Winner (available after December 8, 2020), please check the Paley Center website at http://www.paleycenter.org.

c. INTERPRETATION. In the event of any conflict between any information provided on the Paley Center’s web site or in the Overview, on the one hand, and the Entry Form & Submission Agreement and these Official Rules, on the other, the Entry Form & Submission Agreement and these Official Rules shall govern.
These Official Rules ©2020 The Paley Center for Media. All rights reserved.