The UK’s leading documentary festival and Climate Spring have announced a unique opportunity for creatives to pitch their climate-focused documentary ideas. This initiative aims to provide a platform for experienced producers, directors, and production companies to showcase their projects and secure development funding and support from Climate Spring.

Sheffield DocFest’s Managing Director, Mimi Poskitt, expressed her enthusiasm for this collaboration, stating that it will enable film makers to bring urgent and essential stories about the climate crisis to light. Climate Spring’s expertise will play a crucial role in supporting these filmmakers in developing their ideas into compelling narratives that resonate with a broad audience. The Climate Spring Documentary Pitch Competition will focus on the TV and streamer market, aiming to discover new and exciting content in climate storytelling. This competition will help to demonstrate how compelling narratives can inspire and entertain a diverse audience, making climate change a more engaging and accessible topic. The event is not looking for feature documentaries, but rather short-form content that could be returned as a doc-series, a bingeable box set, or a thought-provoking format. Two key categories will guide the selection process:

Justice

• Who is responsible for this crisis?
• How can ordinary people create justice against the odds?

Change

• Audiences want to know what responding to the climate crisis means for us all.
• What will the journey towards a better future look like?

The competition will be judged by experts in the TV and climate narrative spaces, including commissioners, producers, and funders. A panel of esteemed judges will review the pitches and choose the winning idea. The winning pitch will be announced on the day of the event, while the four shortlisted ideas will receive a festival pass and a contribution towards their travel and accommodation. To apply, applicants will need to submit an up-to-date CV, and a one-page text version of their documentary idea. The one-pager should have a strong and compelling topline followed by a bullet point format and narrative story arc. Applicants can also support their idea with an eye-catching image or poster.

“We’re thrilled to bring this new pitch competition to Sheffield DocFest — a festival that champions bold, creative storytelling,”

said Josh Cockcroft, Climate Spring’s Director. This competition is about finding those standout ideas that don’t just document a crisis but show how we navigate through it — how we build justice, resilience, and agency. We’re calling on brilliant creatives to show audiences what the journey to a regenerative future really looks like.
David Leach, Climate Spring’s Head of Unscripted, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that Climate Spring’s expertise will play a crucial role in supporting filmmakers in developing their ideas into compelling narratives that resonate with a broad audience.

The winning pitch will receive £10,000 in development funding and support from Climate Spring. The four shortlisted ideas will receive a festival pass and a contribution towards their travel and accommodation. This documentary development pitch aims to offer exposure and creative support for experienced producers, directors, and production companies with commercially viable climate stories for TV and streamers. The competition will be open to applicants from all over the UK, making it an excellent opportunity for creatives to showcase their projects and secure funding and support from a leading organization in the industry.

Applying for the Pitch Competition

• Submit an up-to-date CV
• Submit a one-page text version of your documentary idea
• Support your idea with an eye-catching image or poster

Applicants will need to submit their applications by a specified deadline. The competition will be judged based on the quality and originality of the ideas, as well as the applicants’ ability to present their projects in a compelling and engaging manner.

Key Benefits

• £10,000 in development funding from Climate Spring
• Support from Climate Spring
• A festival pass and contribution towards travel and accommodation

By applying for this documentary development pitch, creatives will have the opportunity to showcase their projects, secure funding and support, and be part of a prestigious organization in the industry. This initiative is open to applicants from all over the UK, making it an excellent opportunity for creatives to take their careers to the next level.