Channel 4 Online is providing eight paid for producer placements for TV and digital companies as part of Fuel4, our year-long programme of events for the creative community running throughout 2012.

Companies can apply to take part in the programme which will see multiplatform executive producers placed into four television production companies; whilst TV development producers will be embedded into four digital companies. The aim is to encourage companies to develop multiplatform ideas, which will be pitched to Channel 4 at the end of the placements.

How the placements will work

• Eight producer placements: four for TV companies, four for digital companies
• Individual producers will be embedded into the companies and they will be paid for by Channel 4 Online
• For the four successful TV companies, they each will have a multiplatform executive producer
• For the four successful digital companies, they each will have a TV development producer
• The placements will be for 20 work days; it will be agreed between each successful company, Channel 4 and the individual producer how these days will be spread over four to 12 weeks
• This ideas originated will be owned by the individual companies
• At the start of the programme, creative sponsors from the successful companies will have a session with Channel 4 and the individual producers to frame the placement programme
• Throughout the duration of the programme, there will be support offered by Channel 4 to both the companies and the producers
• The successful companies will have a plan for their existing teams to work with their embedded producer to develop a range of multiplatform ideas
• At the end of the placement, the company with their embedded producer will pitch their ideas to the relevant commissioning editors at Channel 4, although C4 will be under no obligation to commission any of the ideas

By the end of the placement programme all of the companies will have gained new skills in how to originate multiplatform ideas.

What type of ideas is Channel 4 looking for?

These ideas should be fully multiplatform from inception: working across multiple platforms and always including television.

These ideas can be across any TV genre, and involve any group of platforms or formats as long as one of them is television, for example, television plus:

• Websites, social networks, products and services
• Devices such as connected TVs, tablets, smart phones
• Formats can be content, interactive experiences or games
• Interactive components synchronised with TV via telephony, VOIP or smart device
• Emerging technologies such as connected TVs, augmented reality or motion sensors
• Real world events.

What companies can apply for the programme?

The producer placements are for companies with a proven track record in origination in their field, but who are yet to originate and produce across TV and digital platforms:

• TV production companies with network broadcast credits
• Digital companies with a track record in idea origination and content. This placement is not suitable for agencies that focus on delivery of pre-existing ideas.

The successful companies will have an aspiration to get into multiplatform origination and production, but don’t already have existing multiplatform capabilities. This includes:

• TV companies without a digital team or existing multiplatform capabilities (this includes companies part of a larger group with a digital division or company)
• Digital companies without TV production experience or a formal relationship with a TV company.

Only companies based in the UK can apply.

What is the Application Process?

Please fill in our online form on FormSite which includes asking for your contact details as well as answers to the following:

• What is your company’s track record in producing your own originated ideas?
• Why do you want to branch into multiplatform origination?
• How do you see this helping your business?
• What challenges does your company have that this producer placement will help solve?
• Please describe how you plan to use this person?
• Who would work with this person?
• Who is the creative sponsor within the company (the senior creative person who is supporting this application for a producer placement)?
• What involvement will the creative sponsor have with the person over the six week placement?
• What TV genres are you looking to develop ideas for?

The closing date is June 15th at midnight.

What is the decision making criteria?

A group within Channel 4 will be deciding on who will be the successful companies for this programme. The purpose of these placements is to acknowledge that successful creative companies have a knowledge gap in the area of multiplatform they haven’t had experience of (so TV for digital agencies; and digital for TV companies).

The successful companies will be those that best demonstrate they are marketing leaders in their existing fields; and who are ready and keen to make a leap into multiplatform origination.
 
We are hoping some of the successful companies will be based outside of London (both nations and regions). We also are hoping that the successful companies will include some we have never worked with before.

However, as this is the first time Channel 4 Online has run a placement programme such as this, we will need to wait and see which companies apply and what the applications say.

If you are unsuccessful, we will give you feedback on your application.

If you have any questions about the Producer Placements, please get in touch with Jen Topping Business Manager for Channel 4 Online: jtopping@channel4.co.uk.