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.

How can I add my film to The Doc Shop?

The Doc Shop is an invitation-only platform. Participating titles are chosen from films that have been submitted to the Hot Docs Festival.

In addition, all entrants must choose to make their film eligible for inclusion in The Doc Shop via an option on the Festival submission form. If you did not opt-in on your original submission form and would now like for your film to be eligible for inclusion, please contact [email protected].

All submissions that are selected for Hot Docs 2020 will automatically be eligible for inclusion in The Doc Shop.

A limited number of films that are not selected for the Festival will also be offered the opportunity to be featured in The Doc Shop. These titles are identified by the Hot Docs programming team during the Festival selection process, and are eligible for inclusion in The Doc Shop’s Hot Docs Recommends section.

What is Hot Docs Recommends?

Hot Docs Recommends is a section of The Doc Shop featuring films that have not been selected for the Festival, but which have been identified by Festival programmers as exhibiting significant merit and sales potential.

If I have opted-in to The Doc Shop, are there any extra fees?

If your film is selected for the Festival and you have opted-in to The Doc Shop, there are no additional fees for placing your film in The Doc Shop.

If your film is not selected for the festival, but is invited to be featured in the Hot Docs Recommends section, a Doc Shop placement fee of $75 + HST applies.

When will I be notified of my film’s eligibility for The Doc Shop?

If you have opted-in to The Doc Shop and your film is eligible for inclusion, you will be notified by April 1, 2020.

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 30, 2020, until April 1 of 2021. If you wish to deactivate your screener at any point during that period, you may do so by contacting [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 selected for Hot Docs, how will my film be uploaded to The Doc Shop?

The Hot Docs Distribution Manager will contact you will upload instructions prior to April 1, 2020.

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

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.

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+

Do entrants give Hot Docs any distribution rights to the film by submitting 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.