Pitch Deck for a Feature Length Documentary Film about

The Future of Design

An Invitation: Thank you for the opportunity to present our idea for a documentary film about the future of design: A look into how the art and science of design and architecture can contribute to a better world, showcasing researchers, practitioners, and students who are — or will be — shaping the world of the future.

This is our presentation to potential partners and collaborators. Among many things, it introduces the storyline and world of the film, it outlines topics and cast — but first of all — it displays why we believe this project is important and relevant. We hope that this pitch deck will pique your interest and will make you consider becoming part of the project towards the realization of the film. If you have any further questions, you are always welcome to contact me.

Copenhagen, March 2021

Thank you,
Martin Sønderlev Christensen,
Head of Institute, Institute for Visual Design
The Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design and Conservation

1. Prologue

The world is facing a wide range of threatening challenges across a broad area of topics. Climate, environmental, social, and health issues are growing in expanding populations all around the world. Many of these topics are interlinked and solutions require great competencies from a very wide range of industries and sectors. In particular, there is a renewed focus on the competencies of young designers and architects. But is the next generation of designers and architects capable of, at the crossroads between art, culture and science, designing future ways of living ? In reality, is it possible to combine aesthetics, inclusion and sustainability? And can green and digital transformations be bridged and blended? This feature length documentary film examines how designers, architects and researchers break silos as they connect innovation, creativity and design to citizen’s quality of life.

2. Background

Climate change, political polarization, and pandemics call for new design thinking: An approach that places human beings and the environment at the centre of solutions for the future. Historically, Denmark has had a strong foundation in terms of helping addressing these challenges. In addition, Denmark is famous for its design and designers who often match style with sustainability, circularity, and inclusion. In the last years, the Danish Royal Academy has begun to showcase its outcomes as aimed at crafting global and civically engaged youth who employ their creative capabilities to catalyze community and social change.
And it is not only in Denmark that the focus is on designers and architects in relation to solving the big problems the world faces. Speaking in her inaugural State of the Union address to the European parliament, Von der Leyen outlined her plan to create a "new European Bauhaus" to kickstart a cultural and sustainable movement in the European Union. "We will set up a new European Bauhaus – a co-creation space where architects, artists, students, engineers, designers work together," she said. The European Bauhaus, which takes its name from the hugely influential German design school founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, will be part of the €750 billion NextGenerationEU investment and recovery plan put in place following the coronavirus pandemic. German politician Von der Leyen, who became president of the European Union's executive branch in December 2019, explained that culture, as well as sustainability, will be the focus of the union's recovery plan. "Our current levels of consumption of raw materials, energy, water, food and land use are not sustainable," she added. "We need to change how we treat nature, how we produce and consume, live and work, eat and heat, travel and transport." The EU’s long-term budget, coupled with NextGenerationEU, the temporary instrument designed to boost the recovery, will be the largest stimulus package ever financed through the EU budget. A total of €1.8 trillion will help rebuild a post-COVID-19 Europe. It will be a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe.

3. Logline

A look into how the art and science of design and architecture can contribute to a better world, showcasing researchers, practitioners, and students who are — or will be — shaping the world of the future.

4. Synopsis / Brief Project Summary

Mission. This feature-length documentary film (+80 min) invites the audience on an eye opening journey into the mindset of designers, architects and researchers on the forefront of a social and green transformation. The film presents existing examples that represent the integration of the key values of this tranformation. By combining sustainability and aesthetics these designers and architects inspire discussions about, and the transformation of, the places where we live. This documentary film will inspire and spread the ideas and concepts — but first of all present the mindset of the future of design.

5. Topics Summary & Cast

This project is important, timely and relevant for many reasons. ----

'The Future of Design' revolves around a wide range of topics. However, the primary focus is on how outstanding design contributes to a better world.

7. Artistic Approach

Personal Storytelling. With a dedication to powerful storytelling and a state-of-the-art visual style it is our ambition to delve into the wonder of design simultaneously embracing the poetic narrative about passionate designers and architects. The film team has an extensive experience with film projects that see storytelling as an integral element in advancing our joint mission. With more than fifteen years of experience in producing films that achieve high levels of community education, self-efficacy and beneficial behavior change, award-winning director Simon de Tusch-Lec aims for stories that have the power to motivate and inspire. Producer Jacob Levin Krogh ensures a high production value and a process where all competences and resources come into play in the best possible way. With our experienced and acclaimed cinematographer, Benjamin Kirk, DFF we ensure a strong and present visual expression. The visual style of ''The Future of Design' is characterized by cinematic techniques contributing to a high-end production value: Wide-angled tableaus. Cinematic movements using dolly grip. Evocative, lyrical and sensuous sound design. Fascinating and exclusive locations. A distinctive color grade. Straight-to-camera interviews using a mirror box for an intimate and personal style. Please, go to section 21 for relevant references.

8. Audience Engagement and Social Impact

Change. Documentary films can help fuel change and drive impact. 'The Future of Design' operates at the intersection of the field of education, entertainment and storytelling. The aim is to advance the use of film as a powerful tool to reach, engage and influence audiences. Using creative storytelling, documentary techniques and innovative artistic approaches, the documentary film will be working on making an impact. We look for a social return on investment. Personal stories of being human in this world, told through talent, passion, dreams and experience will enable us to produce an engaging and inspiring documentary film that leaves a lasting impression. Audience Engagement is a strategy designed to activate audiences and constituencies toward a specific goal.

It is our aim with this documentary film

1. to increase awareness in the field of design and architecture
2. to inspire a new generation of architects and designers to reimagine sustainable living in Europe and beyond
3. to influence the mindset of architects and designers towards creating solutions for a better world
4. to present and disseminate good ideas and concepts to a broader audience
5. to share knowledge between practitioners on the best available methods, solutions and prototypes
6. to convey the importance of research and that education contributes to a positive societal change
7. to convey the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation
8. to support the emergence of lead markets for new ways of living in buildings that are in harmony with the natural environment and the climate
9. to bring citizens, experts, businesses, and Institutions together and facilitate conversations about making tomorrow’s living spaces more affordable and accessible.
10. to mark and promote Danish designers and architects in a movement that has already begun in Denmark

As this film will be suited for social engagement, we aim for viewers to take action after seeing our film. Potential activities could include organizational partnerships, educational guides, targeted stakeholder/community screenings, social media strategies, multi-platform activity, or social change campaigns.

9. Audience

Intended Audience. When looking for a social return on investment, it is absolutely crucial that we know exactly which target groups we want to reach. Based on the aim of the documentary film, described in section 9, the intended audiences are (1) the broad population and (2) the group of young people who can potentially choose an educational and career path in design and architecture.

1. A Broad Audience. This film tells a universal story and caters to a broad national and international audience. There are a number of smaller audiences that may have particular interest in the film's subject. However, to activate audiences and constituencies toward the goals described in section 8, it is absolutely crucial that the film does not only cater to esoteric groups with prior interest in and knowledge of the subject. This orientation towards a very large group is of great importance both for how the film communicates and how the distribution plan is organized.

The focus on targeting the film to a broad audience — that does not have prior knowledge of the topic — is of great importance to how it communicates the topic. Particular emphasis will be placed on the film having the power to fascinate and entertain. There is also a focus on the didactic elements, where important concepts must be conveyed in a way that is understandable for most. Both the creative team and the cast have been selected based on their skills to educate, engage and influence audiences.

Age. We aim for film with appeal to young people all the way down to the age of 13.

10. Captions/subtitles

Inclusion. To make 'The Future of Design' available for people with hearing problems, captions will be included. In order to make distribution in other countries possible, subtitles in 15 different languages will be made. In case of interviewees with heavy accents, subtitles will clarify what is being said.

11. Interactive Elements

Engagement and Reach: The project will be enhanced through multi-platform and ancillary elements. Nine short film portraits (2 min.) of the cast will be excerpted from the long documentary. This film format has proven to be ideal for sharing on social media. These personal testimonies are aimed at presenting trustworthy and relatable stories. This format is suitable for sharing from partner and sponsor's social platforms and for disseminating via partners. In addition, we wish to generate social engagement by creatively harnessing the technological innovations of Voices of Europe; a social network and mobile application. Read more, www.voicesof.eu/community.

12. Distribution Strategies

Distribution and Marketing Strategy. Film festivals are at the top of the list for jumpstarting the process of distributing the film. Film festivals are a great way to get exposure for the film, building a buzz and creating a lever for disseminating PR-stories. It’s a golden age for documentaries. This is primarily due to streaming services like Netflix. Our goal is to partner up with Netflix or a similar streaming service for the purpose of achieving a tremendous international reach. We will draw on social media to advertise the film and tease with above mentioned short films. We will use the Facebook marketing tools, enabling us to target groups in society we particularly want to reach.

Digital distribution of documentary films, through download and streaming, is rapidly becoming the standard method for distribution. We plan to release 'The Future of Design' on a major digital distribution platform (Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, Hulu, Pure Flix, RightNow Media, Google Play). We have budgeted for the initial cost to establish distribution these platforms. However, possible distribution contracts may be negotiated, which would offset this cost.

13. Details / Executive Summary

Working Title: the Future of Design
Subtitle: — — —
Presented by: The Institute of Visual Design, The Danish Royal Academy
In Cooperation with: — — —
Production Companies: Move Copenhagen
Length: Feature Film / 80-90 minutes
Genre: Documentary Film
Total Cost of Production: DKK — — —
Scheduled Release Date: — — —
Country: Denmark
Language: English
Filming Locations: — — —

14. Key Personnel

Director: Simon de Tusch-Lec
Producer: Jacob Levin Krogh
Director of Photography: Benjamin Kirk Nielsen, DFF
Executive Producer: Martin Sønderlev Christensen
Script & Creative Consultant: Andreas Kofoed
Editor: Rasmus Stensgaard Madsen
Composer: Sergey Cheremisinov
Colorist: Kai Ivanovic

15. Advisory Board

— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —

16. Credited Cast

— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —

17. Knowledge Partners

— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —

18. Network Partners

— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —
— — — — — — —

19. About The Institute of Visual Design at The Danish Royal Academy

The Institute of Visual Design at The Danish Royal Academy provides a setting for one of Europe’s leading educational, research and development environments in the fields of visual communication and cross-media design.
We regard the wide scope of the Institute as a major strength in terms of tackling the challenges posed by the society that surrounds us. The Institute challenges the way we think about visual communication and experience design. The visual media are constantly changing, so development processes, user interfaces and content must keep pace. Teaching, research and practice are closely linked, and studies aim to train designers, who can enrich society, professions and industries. Graduates combine technical, artistic and academic skills, including critical thinking, in holistic solutions, which strive to set new standards.The Institute wishes to attract the best students, teachers, practitioners and researchers and, through an inspiring and highly professional educational environment, to develop knowledge and skills. This is done in collaboration with national and international partners from the areas of research, business and artistic practice.

20. About Move Copenhagen

Move Copenhagen is a creatively driven production company. Move Copenhagen advance the use of film as a powerful tool to reach, engage and influence audiences. Move Copenhagen shape stories, provide production and distribution and create strategies for outreach and engagement. With non-profit organizations, funders, businesses and social entrepreneurs, Move Copenhagen work on projects that see storytelling as an integral element in advancing our joint mission. Move Copenhagen produce and distribute documentary films and new media products used in schools, social networks, public cinemas and brought to citizens at large through our growing network. Move Copenhagen is a creative agency promoting worthy causes. Somewhere between social marketing and social entrepreneurship we use creativity and innovation as a force for good. Our goal is to improve society by producing documentary films and creative advertising campaigns that achieve high levels of community education, self-efficacy and beneficial behavior change. We produce and distribute documentary films and new media products used in schools, social networks, public cinemas and brought to citizens at large through our growing network. Documentaries can help fuel change or can be incorporated into larger established campaigns to drive impact. We work at the intersection of storytelling and social change. We advance the use of film as a powerful tool to reach, engage and influence audiences. We shape stories, provide production and distribution and create strategies for outreach and engagement. With non-profit organizations, funders, businesses and social entrepreneurs, we work on projects that see storytelling as an integral element in advancing our joint mission.

21. Relevant References

22. Timeline

23. Budget

24. Funding to Date

Funding. All sources and amounts raised to date distinguished between potential sources of funding and secured amounts. Status of other sources of funding currently under consideration, whether to be applied for or pending: DKK — — — — — — —

25. Thank You

Thank you for the opportunity to present our idea for a feature film. We hope that this pitch deck has piqued your interest and you will give us the opportunity to present the ideas at a meeting. We are confident that a collaboration will enable us to fully elevate the idea.

26. Contact Information

27. Links, References and Litterature