THE DOC SHOP

THE DOC SHOP

What is The Doc Shop?

The Doc Shop is a secure, password-protected market platform created to facilitate sales, acquisitions, and festival solicitations. Each year, The Doc Shop is accessed by hundreds of Hot Docs industry delegates, including broadcasters, distributors, sales agents, and festival programmers. The Doc Shop enables delegates to browse, search, and screen films, and to contact the associated rights-holders.

When will my film be available online once I submit it, and how long will it be online?

By default, your film will be available from April 25, 2019, until April 1 of 2020. If you wish to deactivate your screener at any point within that period, you may do so by contacting [email protected].

If I am submitting my film to the Festival, is it automatically included in The Doc Shop?

No. All entrants must choose to make their film eligible for inclusion in The Doc Shop via an option on the Festival submission form. If submitting via an online screener, entrants must also make this screener file available for download.

If you did not opt-in on your original submission form and would now like for your film to be included, please contact [email protected].

If I opt-in to The Doc Shop, can I choose to opt-out at a later date?

Yes, if you decide that you no longer want your film to be included in The Doc Shop at any time, please contact [email protected].

If I have opted into either of these markets, are there any extra fees to pay?

If your film is selected for the festival, it will be eligible for inclusion free of charge.

If your film is not selected for the festival, it may still be eligible for inclusion in The Doc Shop, subject to a placement fee of $75 + HST.

If selected for Hot Docs, how will my film be uploaded to The Doc Shop?

If submitting via an online screener, please ensure that your screener file is made available for download. The Hot Docs Distribution Manager will upload this file to The Doc Shop on your behalf. If you are unable to make your screener available for download, or if you wish to feature an updated version of your film, please contact [email protected].

Disc-based submissions will be extracted and uploaded to The Doc Shop by the Distribution Manager.

If my film is not selected for Hot Docs, how can it be included in The Doc Shop?

If you opted-in to The Doc Shop on your submission form but are not selected for the festival, the Hot Docs Distribution Manager will contact you with further information.

What are the technical requirements for using The Doc Shop Online?

The Doc Shop utilizes an HTML5 video player. Here are the recommended system requirements for optimal playback:

• Chrome 35+ (Windows Vista and higher, Mac OSX 10.9 and higher)
• Firefox 47+ (Windows Vista and higher, Mac OSX 10.9 and higher)
• Safari 8+ (Mac OSX 10.9 and higher)
• iOS 6+
• Android 4.3+

If my film is featured in The Doc Shop, how can I promote it to Festival delegates?

There are several ways you can promote your film:

If you are attending the Festival, you have access to our Online Community where you can contact individuals to set up meetings and/or let them know about your film.

Research each of the broadcasters/distributors and their specific programming/portfolio mandates. When you know which broadcasters/distributors would be interested in your film, contact them via their websites or the Online Community.

Do entrants give Hot Docs any distribution rights to the film by submitting it to The Doc Shop?

No. Opting-in to the Doc Shop does not grant Hot Docs any distribution rights. Your film will be featured on the Doc Shop for the specified availability period only, or until you choose to remove it.

Is Digital Rights Management (DRM) employed by Hot Docs to ensure someone cannot copy my film?

Yes, The Doc Shop uses DRM (Digital Rights Management) to protect your film by encrypting the media data. When your video is loaded into the Doc Shop player, the player communicates with a licensing service to obtain permission to play the video. This secured request is invisible to viewers. DRM prevents viewers from downloading your film without permission.