log in
dok.incubator BUZZ & IMPACT Academy
No film can reach its full potential without a clear vision of how to connect with and engage its audience.
The dok.incubator BUZZ & IMPACT Academy is an intensive, hands-on training programme designed to help filmmakers understand their audiences, sharpen their film's positioning and develop effective strategies for reaching the people their film is meant for. Thanks to the involvement of top-tier professionals, teams leave with a tailor-made strategy built specifically for the Czech market.
In its 7th edition, the Academy brings together six selected filmmaking teams, who will work closely with leading marketing and audience development experts.
Alongside the filmmaking teams, the Academy also welcomes a select group of 8 - 10 observers: filmmakers, industry professionals and marketing experts as observers, getting hands-on exposure to real projects at a critical stage of marketing and audience building.
The programme is conducted in Czech and is open to Czech and Slovak feature-length fiction, documentary and animated films that want to unlock their audience potential. Projects at any stage – from development to rough cut – are welcome to apply.
Find more information in Czech here.
Deadline: October 30 2026
Timeline
1ST session / Film DNA & Core Values: From Vision to Marketing / December 10, 2026
The goal of the first session is to move beyond theoretical marketing and build a strong strategic foundation from the ground up. We begin by exploring how the modern film market really works — from financing and audience design to the use of the “film card” concept as a tool for sharpening strategic thinking from an early stage.
A case study of Her Drunken Diary, together with a panel exploring different distribution paths — from traditional festival strategies to online releases, community building and simultaneous premieres — brings the discussion into the realm of real choices and challenges faced by filmmaking teams.
The day concludes with a hands-on Film DNA workshop, where the director and producer work together to define and align their shared vision for the film. Every discussion is captured and fed into an AI-driven knowledge base created specifically for the project.
By the end of the session, you will have laid the marketing foundation for your film — defining why it exists, who it is for, and what impact you want it to have on the world.
What to expect from the 1st session:
2ND session / AI Hub for Your Project / January 14–15, 2027
Session two tackles a question every filmmaker is asking: how can you turn AI from a source of generic advice into a genuine creative accelerator?
You’ll step outside the film industry bubble to discover how real audiences respond to your film, learning how to identify, segment and expand your audience through hands-on, real-world interviews.
From there, you’ll put generative AI to work — not to replace your creative instincts, but to help you develop, refine and stress-test your marketing ideas and assets.
By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearer understanding of your audience and new AI-powered tools to help turn your marketing strategy into action.
What to expect from the 2nd session:
3RD session / PR, Digital Marketing & Distribution / February 4–5, 2027
Session three is about ignition — turning your campaign into a self-sustaining movement rather than a one-off push.
You’ll focus on putting your digital strategy into action, building an active and engaged community well before the premiere. You’ll learn how to combine traditional PR with the latest digital marketing and performance strategies to create momentum, reach the right audiences and keep them engaged throughout the film’s journey.
Along the way, you’ll explore how to turn distribution into more than simply getting your film seen — creating meaningful audience engagement and building a community that actively supports your film.
By the end of the session, you’ll have the tools and strategies to turn your campaign into lasting audience momentum — from the first contact to the premiere and beyond.
What to expect from the 3rd session:
How we work
Over four intensive sessions, BUZZ & IMPACT turns marketing into an integral and creative part of your film’s communication strategy. The programme is conducted in Czech and is open to Czech and Slovak feature-length fiction, documentary and animated films, from development to rough cut.
We believe in real work on real projects. Across four in-person sessions and follow-up online consultations, six selected teams work closely with leading marketing and industry experts — developing their strategy, audience approach and concrete tools for their campaign.
The workshop takeaways:
Our mission is not only to help six selected films reach new, young audiences but also enrich the community of marketing experts who understand film and can translate its power into today's digital world. Emerging producers and marketing professionals can join the Academy as observers, selected through a motivation letter. Working alongside a film team from the first session, they gain hands-on experience and contribute their expertise without bringing their own project.
A select number of observer places are also available for FAMU students.
The workshop ensures participants that they can reach new, especially young audiences by using promotional and distribution platforms online and learning new digital tools.
How to apply
The workshop is open to Czech and Slovak feature-length fiction, documentary and animated films, from development to rough cut. Films must have their theatrical release planned for Autumn 2027 or later. The programme is conducted primarily in Czech.
The workshop is designed for film teams, with at least two members attending each session. The producer must attend the entire workshop, while the director is required for the first module. Teams are encouraged to include a distributor, marketing or PR specialist, or social media expert.
The Academy is limited to six film projects / 12 core participants.
What you should submit through the online selection platform:
We look for projects with strong marketing and audience potential, as well as teams that demonstrate:
You can fill in the application here.
Observers can apply here.
Fees & scholarship
For each selected project, the fee for 3 practical workshops and consultations is CZK 15.000. The fee for marketing specialists without a film project is CZK 6.000.
