Vancouver: Western Canadian documentary filmmakers will get a regional shot at pitching their ideas to commissioning editors and distributors at Hot Doc’s Forum – West, a highlight of the inaugural DOC TALK conference in Vancouver, Oct. 27-29.

Organized by the Vancouver branch of the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly the Canadian Independent Film Caucus), with the assistance of Hot Docs’ at the Toronto Documentary Forum, DOC TALK will bring together 100 documentary filmmakers from the four western provinces and an international selection of commissioning editors and distributors, with a focus on the U.S. and Asia.

Prospective pitchers for Hot Doc’s Forum – West have until Sept. 8 to apply for a pitch slot. About 20 projects will be pitched to a daylong roundtable moderated by Montreal-based distributor Jan Rofekamp of Films Transit.

Eligible pitchers need not have any credits to apply, but they must be independent producers from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba with documentary projects at any stage of development. They get seven minutes to present and eight minutes to discuss their projects’ merits with the editors.

Attendees will also participate in industry seminars and one-on-one meetings. Panel discussions include creative financing opportunities with the U.S. and other foreign markets, the state of international distribution and future markets for documentaries. In addition, there will be exhibits and demonstrations of the latest in high-definition technology from Japan through seminars and case studies organized with MediAtelier Productions from Tokyo.

Event sponsors include Western Economic Diversification and Canada West (a partnership of Alberta Film, British Columbia Film, SaskFilm and Manitoba Film & Sound).

The event has two goals, say organizers: to highlight the Western Canadian documentary production community to broadcasters from around the world and to promote Western Canada as a ‘center for excellence’ in leading-edge documentary production.

There is no entry fee to apply for a pitching slot, but conference delegates have to pay $275; $225 if they are DOC members.

For more information, e-mail doctalk@bcfilm.bc.ca or visit www.bcfilm.bc.ca.