CONSULTATION

Montreal / Athens

Since 2018, Films Transit has taken a new direction. After a successful career spanning close to 40 years as a documentary world sales agent, I now act as a Consultant and Exec Producer to assist filmmakers realize, market and launch their documentaries.

Consultation:

In 2018 I started to offer international sales and marketing strategy consultancy to filmmakers and producers. I have around me a pool of important documentary producers in North America and Europe, with whom I consult in matters of international strategy and sales.

Here are some of the most common tasks:

– Help determine a pre-sales strategy and make connections

– Help determine a launch/festival strategy and make connections

– Being involved in the creation of shorter, tv versions

– Being involved in the creation of PR materials, posters, selection of stills, making of trailers, writing of tag lines and synopsis

– Reading of sales proposals and contracts, co-prod contracts and other important documents

– Finding the right co-production partners or a sales agent for a film

I will continue to go to film festivals, attend project pitch events, many now held online, take part in workshops and sit on panels to give free advice to a younger generation of filmmakers eager to be part of this exiting but increasingly complicated doc world. I feel there is a strong need for smart, strategic information that is tailored towards each individual production. You can find me if we are at the same event where I will make time to talk with you about your film and your plans/ideas.

I have discovered over the years that so-called DE-BRIEFING is very important. Filmmakers and producer pitch at an event, have numerous one-on-one meetings where more or less solid interest is discussed …and then… no replies to emails. It happens all the time.

I meet producers or talk on skype AFTER their pitch and AFTER they had their one-on-one meetings. During these talks we analyze what happened, who they talked to, their reactions, we set priorities, but also talk about the film, trailer, synopsis, loglines, etc. I have come to realize that producers after attending pitches and meetings are full of questions: next steps, priorities, urgencies, etc. I know a lot of people in the doc business who I can send emails to, make introductions and make recommendations.

Sales and Releases:

I also consult and sometimes exec produce a small number of docs and bring them to market. These are films with a very strong international appeal and films I feel passionately about.

During the year you will find me at the Berlinale, CPH Dox, Thessaloniki Doc Festival, Visions du Reel in Nyon, Hotdocs, Docs Barcelona, Sunny Side in La Rochelle, Medimed, Leipzig and IDFA to name a few.

In 1982 I moved from Amsterdam to Montreal and started Films Transit International. Today I live in Athens, Greece, and work from here. However, my office is still in Montreal. Internet makes this all possible.

Although I am quite an active Facebooker, I do not do any business via FB or any other social media. If you would like to reach me please use classic email. Emails are easy to file and easy to organize and retrieve. I am not on any other social media platform except Whatsapp for phone calls and Signal if it has to be strictly confidential.

Email: janrofekamp@filmstransit.com

Phone: + 31 6 5392 6555

Hope to see you around!

Jan