GENERAL
The Black Nights Discovery Campus is an international continuing education programme organised by Black Nights Film Festival and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event (I@T&BE), in collaboration with a variety of prestigious international partners that allows young film professionals to pursue, complement and integrate their studies in filmmaking.
At the campus, they can discover the new skills needed to improve, upgrade and update their knowledge in their field of work and meet new mentors, contacts and fellow talents to keep an eye on. Our official motto is to learn from the mistakes of our mentors, so you don’t make them yourself! Discovery Campus unites established talent programmes Script Pool project competition, Black Nights Stars, Music Meets Film, Black Room and Frame within a Frame.
The Script Pool competition, established in 2017, is part of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event film market activities and Discovery Campus educational program. Each year it highlights five international projects and the team behind them—director-scriptwriter, and producer. The aim is to gather first time filmmakers and their projects with international potential, high distribution value, a first draft of script in place, and some development financing secured.
Focusing on the script and the overall project presentation, the projects and their teams will be presented to the international industry decision-makers (sales agents, financiers, and co-producers) whose contribution will increase their sales and distribution potential.
All projects will be competing for the Best Project Award and the winner will have the chance to attend The Write Retreat to maximize their script while working with industry experts in a comfortable environment with everything a screenwriter needs to get the work done.
GOALS
FORMAT
Script Pool consists of a preparatory phase that takes place both online and physically, plus a public pitch (competition and industry meetings) during the participants’ stay in Tallinn. Participants also get to take part in workshops that focus both on the business side of production and the creative side of the project, working with both a script doctor and a pitching mentor who will assist the team in presenting the project in front of an audience.
The programme is completed by the Discovery Campus workshops, masterclasses and interesting panels. Participants will meet other Discovery Campus participants and all events organised by Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event are mandatory.
In 2023 and 2024, the participants will have the opportunity to receive innovative training by EU project CresCine, with strong focus on script and project development, and training on decision making, maximising the chances of success.
ELIGIBILITY AND SUBMISSIONS
The applicants are required to fill in the online application form on the submission website providing all the requested information and documents, from April 28 to June 30th 2025. Late applications will not be taken into consideration.
Only teams of director-screenwriter and producer can apply with a full treatment of the project and script which will be read after pre-selection. The project needs to be the director-screenwriters first feature film. The director-screenwriter needs to have either completed Film studies or built some experience in the film sector. The film must have some development financing secured.
Please find the submission link — with all the required submission information.
The final selection of the projects will be announced by August 15th at the latest directly to the participants as well as communicated further via the festival/industry press. Submission of the project is considered as acceptance of special conditions.
For more information please contact triin.tramberg@poff.ee
PROCEEDINGS AND PROJECT SELECTION
All properly filled and complete applications shall be reviewed by the Selection Committee composed of experts appointed by the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event management.
The main selection criteria are the artistic quality and distribution potential of the project based on the originality and international appeal of the story and its potential of production (feasibility).
Around 20 projects will be selected for the second round. These will have to provide English language scripts in standard format accompanied by a cover letter on the film/project to enable the final selection.
A maximum of five projects will be selected to take part in the final script contest, which will include preparatory workshops, meetings with the international jury (consisting of a sales agent, producer and financier), and a public pitch.
RIGHTS AND THE CHAIN OF TITLE
The Applicant guarantees that it holds the rights relating to the Project, for which the Application is being submitted. In case the Project has numerous producers they amongst themselves have to elect one producer that will serve as the Applicant in regard to these Regulations and will represent them in relations with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event.
In case the Applicant is the author of the Project, and it is a case of a project co-authorship, the Applicant is required to possess settled property relations over the Project as well as authorization of representation from the other authors. The competent law for the regulation of copyrights in relation to these Regulations is the Law on Copyright of the Republic of Estonia.
APPLICANT’S OBLIGATIONS DURING INDUSTRY@TALLINN & BALTIC EVENT
Each Applicant that gets chosen to participate in Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event is required to cooperate with the employees and persons of responsibility of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event during its entire course. In case the
Applicant without justification violates any of his/her obligations stated in these Regulations which he/she had accepted by submitting the Application Form, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event management may disqualify the Applicant from further participation in the event.
APPLICANT’S OBLIGATIONS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT
In the event the Applicant’s Project is approved for Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the Applicant guarantees the following:
The project that has participated in Script Pool competition shall have an Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event logo accompanied by the following text in English in the closing credits: “Developed in cooperation with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event”.
The project that has won one of the presented awards will have additional requirements according to the Contract regulating the use of the Award, which will be concluded after the event between the winner and provider of the Award.
FINAL PROVISIONS
The official language of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event is English. In regard to all matters not expressly settled by these Regulations good business practices and current regulations of Estonia and its entities are to be applied. Any amendments and supplements to these Regulations shall be made by Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event management. By submitting an Application the Applicant agrees to all provisions of these Regulations.
These Regulations come into effect from the day of their publishing on the webpage of Industry@Tallinn, and are effective beginning on April 28 2025.
Approved by Marge Liiske, Head of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event