Head of the Documentaries department @ RTBF
Company profile: RTBF – Belgian national Public Service R-TV channel French speaking
Job Description: coproducing and buying documentaries.
Strand Profile: we coproduce about 50 documentaries/year and buy or pre buy about 200/year.
We broadcast the documentaries on our 3 channels called « La Une- La Deux- La Trois ».
Three weekly slots on the first (main) channel:
- On Tuesdays, by 10 pm : Investigation/current affairs
- On Fridays, by 10:30 pm: History
- On Sundays afternoon: Wildlife
One weekly slot on the second channel:
- On Tuesdays, 8:20 pm (prime time): Human interest
Different (floating) slots on the third channel for cultural or more “author” productions
All these slots welcome programs from minimum 45’ to 90’ (or more) but we don’t broadcast short films
Documentaries can also be broadcasted off the regular slots or grids, depending on particular situations.
Specifically, the Investigation/current affairs slot gives priority to programs that the News don’t (or rarely) cover. “Behind the altar” is a good recent example, also the Roundup trial, the nuclear terrorist threat, etc. Topics must be relevant for a large audience (not too narrow focused).
The human interest slot considers any type of social/society issues, including miscellaneous, crimes…
Themes: anything except sciences (because we have already a science’s weekly program that produces itself what it needs).
Main activities: acquisitions and pre-buys but I also collaborate in the coproduction’s.
Latest produced or coproduced titles: Inkotanyi, La rançon, L’or vert…
What I’m mainly looking for at MIA DOC: finding new contacts for future coproductions or acquisition programs.
