Claire Chauvat will introduce the agency, its role and a rapid panorama of the french production of short films.
The Short Film Agency is an association governed by the 1901 law, created in 1983 by a group of film professionals (writers, directors, producers and distributors) in order to promote and facilitate the dissemination of the short film in France. It allows, for 30 years, to make the link between those who make short films and those that show. The Agency shall, with the support of the National Center of Cinematography, and under the control of its board of directors, a public service mission for the short film, its authors, its producers, movie theaters and the public. Through this editorial line, she hired a structured work "rehabilitation" of works to the public and professionals. Key figures of the association, steadily increasing year after year, are the tangible signs of the success of a proactive policy in favor of the promotion and dissemination of the short film. These indicators, quantitative and qualitative, are also an expression of great political articulations initiated by the Board of Directors and the management team.
CULTURAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSFUL TERRITORY
The establishment of a centralized copies of a programming service, and a documentation center, has fostered the emergence of a national distribution network, anxious to present the various works in the best public possible conditions (prints, posters, publishing, etc.). Today, with the help of operators (mainly those of the network "arthouse") and the associative fabric, short film actually exists in theaters. This diffusion can take various forms: festival, before the program, full-time program or event. It is important to note that if the Short Film Agency distributes films, it is not a distributor in the classic sense. The establishment of a commercial enterprise would have imposed to the detriment of movies, editorial decisions related to economic profitability prospects. She tries, whenever possible, to broadcast all the films entrusted to it by producers or directors, recognizing that each film has the right to exist and to meet his public. One of the great strengths of the Agency, in the animation of this network is to professionally respond to all requests from the field. It offers a range of services that goes from the programming support, to animation, to accounting treatment of revenue slips.
A POLICY TO SUPPORT THE EMERGENCE OF NEW TALENT
The success of many events, the RADI network., Different programming directly or indirectly initiated by the services of the Agency, in particular contribute to the public to discover young talent. It is also common to see in retrospective, or read in newspaper articles, the "path" in the field of short film directors recognized today. Far from being a necessary step, short film realization is finally recognized for what it is: the ability to produce works full, engaging real social issues and inviting to reconsider the cinematic discourse. The publication by the Agency Brief magazine exclusively devoted to this work, with a singularly critical approach, directly contributed to give a copyright status to short filmmakers. This working "rehabilitation" films as works found its continuation in the integration of comprehensive programs in the educational systems in the cinema initiated by the CNC These various operations have emerged with the active participation of 'Short Film Agency. This intervention is realized both on a plan "intellectual" (selection of films, participation of members of the team writing educational materials and training courses) and a practical level (circulation of copies, negotiations with rights holders, management of revenue slips, etc.). Today, short films are an integral part of the overall education policy to the image, with the particularity of promoting the encounter between a new generation of independent authors and a new generation of viewers.
A STRUCTURE OF A PROFESSIONAL POLICY AREA
The establishment of revenue administered by the Agency for lifts allowed the establishment of an economic system dedicated to short films. Financing, directly related to the exploitation of films, allow production companies to strengthen their political accompaniment of the authors. This structure also involves the creation of a resource center and documentation in the premises of the association. Such services offer producers centralization of information related to the distribution of films (regulations and listing requirements at festivals), but also for their production (information on aid for the creation, etc.). Programmers found the Agency all the elements to implement in their halls effective policy dissemination and cultural animation. These responses are both technical (availability of copies, negotiations with copyright holders, invoicing and transfer to the beneficiaries, etc.) as an artistic nature (programming support, movie pictures, etc.). Today, the Agency plays a special role in the French film landscape, a place which is characterized by action in conjunction with the professional and institutional. These developments have been the result of a consultation as part of community life, with all the partners involved in the promotion and dissemination of the short film. Over the years, the association has become a place, unique, exchanges, reflections and proposals on developments in the sector.
THE BOARD OF THE AGENCY
President: Philippe PILARD (Director)
Secretary: Catherine Baillache (operator)
Members: Marc BASCHET (producer) - Calmin BOREL (Clermont-Ferrand Festival) - CAPET Beaudoin (producer) - Alain CAROU (BNF) - Alexandre Charlet (producer) - Gilles COLPART (critical) - Philippe Dauty (Image House Basse-Normandie) - Jérôme Descamps (director) - Abdelhaq KASS (representative) - Jean-François LE CORRE (Producer) - Antoine Leclerc (Carrefour des festivals) - Thierry Meranger (critical & teacher) - Pascal PLATEL (operator) - Emmanuel Porcher (Images Centre) - Hélène RAYMONDAUD (représentatnte CNC) - Christian ROUAUD (Director).