"Imagine" competition
„Imagine” is Warsaw's Watchout Film Studio’s competition, founded by Piotr Woźniak-Starak. The Watchout team has taken the initiative to spot unusual film ideas. „Imagine” is a film treatment competition. The Starak Family Foundation has assumed honorary patronage of the competition.
The „Imagine” competition of film ideas was organised by the Watchout Studio production house, which has produced films such as Bogowie („Gods”), Sztuka Kochania („The Art of Loving”), Ukryta Gra („Hidden Game”) and Prime Time. "We are aware that without stories there is no cinema," says Krzysztof Terej, the Competition’s organiser and Producer, "Our job (as producers) is to capture those that will mesmerise audiences and stir their imagination. We created this initiative in order to listen to the stories and connect the originators with the best producers in the industry. We are looking for ideas where the story is central - and adds - It's not the genre that counts, it's the story and the expressive characters. Stories can entertain or move us. They can touch on important themes and make the audiences think. They can comment on contemporary times and provoke social discussion directly or indirectly."
The competition recognises and develops unusual film ideas that could potentially be released on cinema screens in the future. Screenwriters, filmmakers, writers, journalists, students and amateurs were invited to participate. As well as selecting and awarding the best authors, the competition is a unique mentoring platform for the finalists to develop their ideas under the guidance of experts and gain a real chance of the awarded ideas being screened.
The Piotr Woźniak-Starak Award of the Polish Guild of Producers for Producer of the Year 2021
The only such award in Poland was presented at the Gala by the Polish Guild of Producers, which brings together audiovisual producers who create artistic and commercial cinema, including feature films, documentaries, animated films and series. Each member of the Polish Guild of Producers could cast their vote for a producer and his or her film title which had its cinema premiere in Poland or on streaming platforms in 2021.
ORGANISER AND PARTNERS
Watchout Studio is an award-winning, one of the leading production houses in Poland, having produced well-received films such as Bogowie („Gods”), Sztuka Kochania („The Art of Loving”), Ukryta Gra („Hidden Game”) and Prime Time. In addition to full-length features, it also produces series and commercials. It collaborates with some of the most acclaimed and progressive filmmakers in the country.
The Starak Family Foundation inaugurated its activities in 2008. The Foundation's mission is to support and promote young, talented people, create optimal conditions for their development and help them realise their passions and ideas for life.
The Polish Guild of Producers was established out of a need for constructive dialogue as a platform for developing good practices and consolidating the producer community in Poland. The Polish Guild of Producers’ ambition is to represent the interests of producers by cooperating with other film organisations in the development of optimal working standards in our industry. They want to take initiatives - both bottom-up and at the legislative level - and inspire each other - sharing experiences, insights, problems and methods of solving them. All those producers can participate as fully as possible in the filmmaking process, build a positive image of the profession and shape the audiovisual production market in Poland.
StoryLab.Pro is an activity focused mainly on scriptwriters, on the professional strengthening of their workshop and awareness of functioning in today's audiovisual industry. The organisation focuses on three main activities: professional education for scriptwriters and script consultants, literary development and support for networking between scriptwriters and the film industry.
The "Imagine" Competition for film ideas, organised by the Watchout Studio production house, has been announced. The idea behind the "Imagine" Competition is to create an opportunity to bring submitted stories to life and present them to a global audience. In addition to identifying and rewarding the best authors, the initiative will create a bridge between authors and representatives of the film industry.
The "Imagine yourself" is a competition for the best film ideas, organised by the Watchout Studio production house. The idea behind this event is to bring the submitted stories to life and give them a chance to be presented to a global audience. The initiative, apart from selecting and rewarding the best authors, is to connect authors and representatives of the film industry.
Being in contact with ambitious cinema is an important factor shaping the personalities and worldviews of both filmmakers and viewers - young people and formed consumers of film art. Film education and its various forms: festivals or workshops disseminate knowledge about film, make the reception of the condition of film art in a given place or time, shape the skills of critical reception of the art of film and learn to discuss the problems it raises and the emotions it evokes in contemporary cinema.
The first edition of the Imagine Competition has been completed. The organisers received 726 entries. 436 treatments, submitted by 440 authors, qualified for the second stage. The Competition Jury, consisting of Ewa Puszczyńska (Chairwoman of the Chapter), Tomasz Kot, Edward Miszczak, Allan Starski, Grażyna Torbicka, evaluated the best works and selected 12 finalists.
On Saturday, 25 June 2022, the Finale of the 1st edition of the "Imagine" Competition for the best film treatment and the presentation of the Piotr Woźniak-Starak Award granted by the Polish Guild of Producers for the Best Producer 2021 took place.
