Next Talent Program

Next is a talent program for those who make innovative creative visual representations and explore the boundaries of the moving image.

Next was initiated in 2016 by Playgrounds as a result of our efforts for talent and talent development in our festivals. We wanted to sustain these efforts in a new program. Next was the first talent program in The Netherlands that guided in an interdisciplinary way, with animators, illustrators, XR artists to documentary filmers and fiction filmers. Visual artists that work cross disciplinary to tell their story are the core of Next.

Playgrounds Next is also the official film talent hub for the Province of Noord-Brabant.

 

Next level for film and animation talent in Noord-Brabant

We want to boost the creative industry in the region of Noord-Brabant by allowing talents the resources, people and knowledge to kick-start their careers, initiate and produce new projects and create or broaden their (inter)national network.

What is Next and what is in it for you?

With Next we created a broad program for film talent in different stages of their career.

Next consists of several program items:

Next Talks
We believe in sharing. Every month we dive into a different subject: how to make content for children, how to create a trailer, what is the journey of a successful DOP like Richard Spierings, an evening with the creators behind Mocro Maffia. Place to be: Natlab Eindhoven, watch our socials (@next.playgrounds) and website.

Filmhelpdesks
Every 3 weeks you can ask us anything about your film plan, funding of your film, finding your crew, setting up your commercial practice. Anything goes! Partners: BROET and Kunstloc/KONKAV.

Next Talent Program
Every year we guide eight selected talents from all disciplines in a tailor made program.

Talents for this program are forwarded by the national and regional industry. The partners in Next, consisting of representatives from the industry and former Next talents selects eight talents per trajectory. A program, tailored to the specific needs and wishes of each talent, is set up.

For at least one year these talents commit themselves to their personal talent-program and work together with coaches, professionals and advisors to nourish their needs for knowledge and skills in all kinds of fields and levels. The needs of the talent are leading and will result in tailor-made programs with which we support and co-construct a track record for each of our talents.

Next x Netflix Writers Room Training
Together with Netflix, Willem Bosch, Saar Pensioen and Matthijs Bockting we created a training for writing fiction series in writers rooms. A skill not yet developed fully at art and film academies. In the fall of 2024 the third edition will take place.

Next XR Talent Program
New in town: in 2024 we will launch a program for XR talents coordinated by XR specialist and producer Nienke Huitinga. More to be announced.

Plan Feedback Coaching 
Creating a good application for funding and translating your visual language into words is almost an art form on itself. In 2024 we will launch one-on-one coaching sessions to help Brabant filmmakers and animator to get their funding applications to the next level. More to be announced.

Playgrounds is part of Screen Talent NL

Within Screen Talent NL we share ideas with other national  talenthubs and together we strive to create a national view on talent development in film, documentary and animation.

History

This talent program was created in 2016, on the initiative of Playgrounds. Playgrounds already had a number of talent development activities, such as workshops, awards and the development of new work, but wanted to formalize this and gain more visibility for talents and the need to invest time and budget in talent development. In Next, the connections that Playgrounds has made for more than a decade between talents and the professional field are structurally embedded and supported by a broad network.

Nowadays the Next trajectory is supported by 10 partners: Playgrounds, BROET, Submarine Channel, The Panics, Herrie Film & TV, Noise Film & TV, Art Academy St. Joost, Natlab, Studio Biarritz, BredaPhoto and Kaboom animation festival.

Financial support

Next is kindly supported by Provincie Noord-Brabant, FilmFund, Netflix and all involved partners.

Playgrounds Next is funding partner of Screen Talent NL together with New Noardic Wave and CineSud.

Image header: Josefien van Kooten

Past Next activities

27 January 2023
Next Academy: masterclass Pitchworthy Characters by Netflix’s Chris Mack
30 September 2022
Next Academy: master talk by screenwriter Amira Duynhouwer (Dutch spoken)
14 July 2022
Next Academy: Mastertalk by Mascha van Erven (Disney+)
Insights in drama series
2 July 2021
Next Academy: Masterclass script writing by Jolein Laarman
26 February 2021
Next Academy x KONKAV: Online Masterclass ‘All about the film producer’
29 January 2021
Next Academy: Online Masterclass Immersive Storytelling by Nienke Huitenga
16 December 2020
Next Academy: Research for film by Manon van der Sluys
25 September 2020
Next Academy: masterclass by Jurjen Blick
23 August 2020 - 9 October 2020
Next Academy x CineSud: Writers Room Documentary
SOLD OUT
23 August 2020 - 9 October 2020
Next Academy x CineSud: Writers Room Fiction
SOLD OUT
19 October 2019 - 26 October 2019

I LIKE YOU AND YOU LIKE I by DION SOETHOUDT
an inquiry into living productivity - performance @DDW
13 September 2019
Next Academy – workshop Riso printing by Wobby.club
28 June 2019 - 14 July 2019
Playgrounds Expo // Outside the line by Jelle van Meerendonk
19 April 2019 - 19 May 2019
Playgrounds Expo // Dreamscape by Iris Frankhuizen
15 March 2019
WORKSHOP TIME MANAGEMENT
Next Academy
22 February 2019
WORKSHOP WHO I AM & WHAT I WANT
Next Academy
26 January 2019
WE ARE NEXT – NEXT TALENTS EXPOSED
expo @ Cultuurnacht Breda
21 June 2018 - 15 July 2018
Playgrounds Expo // Niels Hoebers, Loek Vugs and Marleine van der Werf
EXPO
1 October 2017 - 31 March 2018
Playgrounds Expo // Visionary Villages
By Bram Knol and Vera van Wolferen
6 July 2017 - 24 September 2017
Playgrounds Expo // Vera van Wolferen

For Next partners from all sides of the industry are involved:

AKV Sint JoostBroetHerrie Film & TVKaboomNatlabSubmarine ChannelThe PanicsBredaphotoKunstloc BrabantProvincie Noord-Brabant
Playgrounds

Funding partners

Provincie Noord-BrabantFilmfondsKunstloc Brabant
Netflix

Network partners

CinesudNew Noardic WaveBeeld en geluidKONKAVStudio Biarritz