Pitches wanted from Scottish/Scotland-based writers (film) | £500 per article

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Deadline: 16 July 2023

Film culture is not static, and a vibrant film culture is one that embraces many perspectives. In 2023, the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) will publish a series of publications showcasing writing by Scottish and Scotland-based writers.

The inaugural EIFF Critical Writing Commissions seek bold and eclectic pitches that engage with film culture and find expansive ways to explore a central theme or provocation. In 2023, in light of EIFF’s own changing nature, the theme is cinema and metamorphosis. We are also keen for writers to engage with the EIFF 2023 programme thinking through the films, filmmakers, craft and art of the films that will be presented.

The programme will invite nine mid-career cultural critics, reviewers, or writers to work with a professional editor to produce a piece of writing to be published. An additional event during the festival will give space for feedback from international press guests, to develop participants’ voice and their understanding of the publishing industry, and to support them in reaching an international audience.

Seeking to go beyond genre, we welcome pitches from mid-career (3-5 years experience) cultural critics, reviewers, poets, programmers, artists, graphic novelists, and fiction writers, for a series of publications that will showcase an enticing range of contemporary film writing from Scotland-born or based talent.

With acknowledgement of the barriers for progression for people with protected characteristics to engage in cultural leadership, we particularly encourage applications from those currently under-represented in film writing, inclusive of global majority voices, those from low-income/socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, women and non-binary folk, and disabled or d/Deaf applicants.

Deadline for applications: 6pm BST, Sunday 16th July 2023.

DETAILS

Successful applicants will:

• Receive a £500 fee for their commission
• Work with an editor
• Have their work published in a printed anthology, to be distributed internationally

Who can apply? Essential criteria:

• Scotland-born or Scotland-based writers
• Mid-career writers who have a minimum of 3 years of experience of publishing and meeting deadlines (online or in print) and collaborating with editors.

Writers do not need to have film culture as the primary subject of their previous writing, but should demonstrate an interest and aptitude for engaging with the theme in their application.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants can apply by:

• Sending the two documents outlined below, as pdf or Word files, via email to criticalwriting@edfilmfest.org.uk, and
• Completie the online equal opportunities monitoring form here.

Document 1 Please address the following points in your application:

Pitch (max. 300 words).

An outline of the piece of writing you would like to produce in response to the theme: Cinema and Metamorphosis. We are not expecting final ideas, as commissions will be defined in discussion with an editor, but we would love to know what your interest is, and how you would approach the theme. The full EIFF 2023 programme is announced on 6 July and if you are interested in engaging with particular films filmmakers or themes in the programme, please indicate.

Biography (max. 500 words)

This programme is aimed at mid-career writers with at least 3 years of experience of meeting publication deadlines (online or print). Your biography should briefly

outline your professional experience and achievements, and how/why this programme would be valuable at this stage in your career.

Recent reading (max. 150 words)

Name a piece of writing about film/film culture (by a writer that is not yourself) that you have read recently that has excited or inspired you, tell us why. Include a link if it is available online.

Please name this Document: YourName_Pitch_Biography_Reading +

Previous writing sample (max. 2,000 words)

This can comprise a single piece, several shorter pieces, or an extract from a longer piece. If it is an extract please contextualise how it fits with the longer work Your writing sample can be something published or unpublished, and does not need to relate to the theme, but should give a strong sense of your writing style and interests.

Please name this Document: YourName_Title_WritingSample

Please note:

• All applications will be received in strict confidence.
• Unsuccessful applications and all materials will be disposed of safely and in confidence.
• No information submitted will be returned
• No feedback will be given.

DEADLINE & APPLICATION PROCESS:

Please apply by 6pm BST, Sunday 16th July 2023.

You will receive receipt of your application within 3 working days.

ELIGIBILITY

I am Scottish but not based in the UK. Can I apply?

Applications are encouraged from Scottish writers living anywhere, and writers from anywhere who live in Scotland.

Are there any restrictions on who can apply?

Applicants must be over 18. Full-time students are not eligible.

Further questions What’s the word count?

We are not being prescriptive at this stage, as we anticipate the publication holding different forms, but as an indicative amount, we would be looking at circa 2,000 words for an essay.

What’s the deadline for the finished writing?

Commissioned writers will be expected to present a first draft by 11th August, with final texts being presented by 28th August.

Why mid-career writers?

We anticipate the publication being distributed in international spaces where film books are sold, and for the writers’ work to reach new audiences. We are keen to engage with writers who already have a sustained practice of writing, but are looking for a stretch in the form or direction of their work.

Why ‘beyond genre’?

We acknowledge that much of the most exciting writing about cinema is currently being found beyond traditional outlets for criticism, for example in Substacks, newsletters, poems, festival websites, novels, exhibition catalogues, fanzines and comics, and in varied genres encompassing autotheory, art writing, memoir, fiction and hard-to­classify hybrid-style essays. We welcome a variety of approaches to considering the anthologies’ theme, in addition to more standard forms of cultural criticism, and also welcome proposals from writers with a practice of working with images.

I am interested in writing about films or filmmakers in the EIFF 2023 programme but I haven’t seen the films yet. How can I know if they will be of interest?

We will enable selected writers to view films as appropriate to their pitches and interests.

I have an existing dissertation / Phd thesis that fits the bill!

Great! However, while we magine the anthology being a valuable resource for film and media scholars, (and especially those engaged in curatorial education, cultural/critical studies and film festival studies), an academic audience will not be the primary readership. So if you are interested in working with an existing scholarly text, make sure to tell us how you would adapt it for a non-academic readership.

Why should I select a piece of writing that I like, that is not by me?

We are looking forward to engaging with writers who are also readers. Ultimately the publications will be formed by the community of contributors, so this is a great way for us to understand the work, style and ideas that are currently exciting you, and the kind of publication you would want to read.

Do I need to attend the festival in August?

During the Festival an invited group of international press guests will be engaging with the project to give feedback to writers and attend a round-table event. A bursary is available to support Scottish travel to participate.

Will I receive feedback on my application?

No, we do not have capacity to offer feedback on any materials sent to us We acknowledge the labour that goes into applications and have endeavoured to ask for as little new work as we will need to be able to assess your writing. We are hugely grateful to all who engage with the project.

When will I know if I have been selected?

We will be contacting all applicants by 31st July at the latest

For further information, please contact: criticalwriting@edfilmfest.org.uk

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

Questions/submissions: criticalwriting@edfilmfest.org.uk

Website: https://www.eif.co.uk/edinburgh-international-film-festival/

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