MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 20 OCTOBER 2023 — To provide opportunities for filmmakers to elevate their film projects to their highest potential and reach international standards, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Tatino Films open call for applications for Full Circle Lab Philippines’ (FCL PH) 6th edition to be held in March 2024.

Full Circle Lab Philippines is a capacity-building program aimed at supporting Filipino and Southeast Asian filmmakers. Through conducting various film labs ranging from the stages of pre-production to post-production, the program enhances selected projects and participants to encompass the diverse voices and cultures within Southeast Asia.

Full Circle Lab Philippines is open to filmmakers from the Philippines and Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

The program’s four film labs are as follows:

• Fiction Lab - eight (8) projects in development (feature films, series, animation)
• Creative Producers Lab - eight (8) producers with or without project/s in development 
• Story Editing Lab - three (3) script editors
• First Cut Lab - three (3) projects in post-production (feature films and documentaries)

Fiction Lab

The Fiction Lab is the central lab of the program that focuses on the development of original and world-class film projects. It welcomes eight (8) projects at various stages of development with formats ranging from feature films, series, and animation. 

This lab is composed of a script consultant and a production consultant for each group of four projects. The director/writer and producer of each project must attend all Fiction Lab sessions.

Creative Producers Lab

Recognizing the essential role of a creative producer in enhancing the production value of films, the Creative Producers Lab welcomes eight (8) producers who will receive mentorship on the key areas of production: project development, legal and financial issues, and company development. 

Producers with or without affiliation to production companies are eligible to apply. 

Story Editing Lab

The Story Editing Lab aims to train film professionals who are capable of accompanying authors and directors in the creative process of scriptwriting. This lab is open to aspiring script consultants, scriptwriters, heads of development in production companies, or commissioning editors of broadcasters.

Three (3) selected participants shall work hand-in-hand with the Fiction Lab, with one Story Editing Lab participant per Fiction Lab group. They will also receive training from mentors specializing in script development and production.

First Cut Lab

The First Cut Lab is a comprehensive training and consultancy program supporting feature films and documentaries at the editing stage. It aims to help creative teams in achieving their artistic vision and potential for international circulation.

Three (3) projects will receive expert advice from editor consultants and industry advisors chosen according to the specific needs of each project. The director and editor of each selected project must also attend the whole duration of the First Cut Lab.

After the workshop, First Cut Lab participants will receive a memo report that can serve as guidance for further editing. Moreover, an online follow-up session will take place around 6 weeks after the workshop where participants will receive feedback on their film cuts.

Fiction Lab, Creative Producers Lab, and Story Editing Lab applications are open until November 24, 2023. Meanwhile, First Cut Lab has two deadlines: documentary requirements must be submitted on or before December 8, 2023, while film cuts must be submitted by February 1, 2024. 

Selected projects and participants will be announced by February 2024 while the lineup of industry experts who will serve as mentors will be released soon.

To check the complete guidelines and list of requirements, visit FCL PH’s Facebook page.

Launched in 2019, the Full Circle Lab Philippines was designed by Tatino Films’ CEO Matthieu Darras in collaboration with the FDCP. To date, almost 200 film professionals and more than 80 film projects have undergone FCL PH under the mentorship of esteemed international advisors and industry experts from Southeast Asia, Europe, South Africa, and Latin America among others.

Stay tuned to FCL PH’s and FDCP’s social media pages for more news and updates.