The sixth edition of the Asian Side of the Doc (ASD) is coming up in March. It is one of the largest gatherings of professionals working in the Asian documentary space. If you are a producer from Asia, or you have a project that has a subject matter that originates from Asia, here are three key reasons why you must attend the market.

1. Networking

Asia does not have many events targeted specifically at the factual industry. ASD is one of the only forums where you can get a chance to meet Asian as well as global broadcasters all together in one space. And you also get an opportunity to meet fellow producers from all over the world. It is this chance to network that could help you put together your next co-production!

2. Inspiration

The event organizers make it a point to have workshops and talks on key trends facing the world of documentary filmmaking. For instance, for the last couple of years, I have attended sessions on interactive documentaries.

Attending this kind of session can give you the basic knowledge and tools about the cutting-edge material being produced in the global doc scene. So even though you might feel that your own country or broadcasting scene might not have the resources yet, it does not matter. These sessions are inspiring, and if not today, maybe tomorrow you can make a project the world will talk about.

3. Pitch a project

This is the key reason why you must attend the Asian Side of the Doc. Pitch a project for all the broadcasters together. Trying to set up meetings with individual broadcasters could take you months. You can pitch to all of them together in a span of three to five days. The call for projects is on, and you have a deadline to meet. The details are here.

Here is a tip, you might have a project that does not meet all the criteria, and may not qualify for public pitching. But do not be disheartened. You still have the chance to meet broadcasters in one-to-one sessions, and you can pitch a concept that is in an advanced stage of development during these meetings.

Good luck and hope to see you in Xiamen in China!