Media Guidelines and Benefits

Conditions for Press Accreditation:

Press accreditation for the 5th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is reserved for members of the press/media who will cover DIFF 2008 for the publication, news agency, broadcaster or website that they represent. Requests for accreditation may be made as of September 1, 2008.

Any request for accreditation made at the DIFF Headquarters during the festival will require 48hrs for processing. There will be NO immediate or same day accreditations issued.

Profession Categories eligible for accreditation requests:

  • Photo Agency
  • Press Agency
  • Print Media
  • Broadcast - Radio
  • Broadcast - Television
  • Freelancers
  • Online Press

Before Accreditation is accepted, the online application must be completely filled in with your personal data as well as any other requested documentation, such as your C.V. and/or information about your company (in DOC or PDF format). A photograph at least 5cm x 5cm saved in JPG format @ 300dpi is also required.

Accreditation is strictly personal and non-transferable. Each participant may request only one accreditation for a single professional category. The Dubai Film Festival may accept or turn down an application for accreditation at its sole discretion.

Required supporting documentation:

Please send by post all the supporting elements required for your accreditation request.

For all media:

You can send the supporting documents listed in the section regarding your profession by post to our PR agency A’Sidrah at the following address:
Majid Wasi
A’Sidrah
Dubai Press Club
First Floor- Al Thuraya Tower
Dubai Media City
Dubai, UAE
+971 (4) 361 3882

PRINT MEDIA:

Reporters and Photographers

  • An official letter, with the periodical’s letterhead, signed by the chief editor or the director who assigns the journalist/photographer to cover the Festival
  • A recent copy of the publication for newly launched titles
  • For first-time accreditation requests: 3 recent entertainment articles bearing your signature

Photographers can only be accredited if assigned to the Festival by a media company.

Please note: Accreditation is open to a total of 4 reporters and 2 photographers for daily publications; 2 reporters for each magazine title and 2 photographers from the associated publishing house.

BROADCAST MEDIA:

Television

  • An official letter, with the media company’s letterhead, signed by the supervising producer or content director, assigning you to cover the Festival
  • Please detail the nature of the coverage you intend to dedicate to the Festival (name of the programme, periodicity, time of the programme, audience, number of repeats, live coverage)
  • Please also provide a brief description of your television company: audience, broadcasting zone, main means of broadcasting (terrestrial, cable, satellite, TNT, Internet)

Please note: Accreditation is open to 1 team, comprising maximum 4 members including the presenter, from each channel under your media group.

Radio

  • An official letter, with the media company’s letterhead, signed by the programming director, assigning you to cover the Festival
  • Please detail the nature of the coverage you intend to dedicate to the Festival (name of the programme, periodicity, time of the programme, audience, number of repeats, live coverage)
  • Please also provide a brief description of your radio station: audience, broadcasting area, main means of broadcasting (terrestrial, cable, satellite, Internet)

Please note: Accreditation is open to 1 team, comprising maximum 2 members including the presenter, from each channel under your media group.

NEWS WIRE:

Press Agency
For all media:

  • An official letter, with the media company’s letterhead, signed by the chief editor or the director who assigns you to cover the Festival
  • Please provide details regarding the size of the agency you represent (geographical diffusion area, list of media companies subscribing to the agency) as well as what the media company intends to cover

Please note: Accreditation is open to a maximum of 2 reporters per agency.
For first-time accreditation requests: 3 recent entertainment articles bearing your signature or that of the agency.

Photo Agency

  • An official letter, with the media company’s letterhead, signed by the chief editor or the director who assigns you to cover the Festival
  • Please provide details regarding the size of the agency you represent (geographical diffusion area, list of media companies subscribing to the agency) as well as what the media company intends to cover (types of reports, photo calls, “gala screening”, red carpet pictures)
  • a list of the media companies that used your photo reports of the previous years’ Festival

Please note: Accreditation is open to a maximum of 2 photographers per agency.

ON-LINE MEDIA:

Fan sites, Web logs, and personal Web sites do not qualify for media accreditation
For all media:

  • An official letter, with the media company’s letterhead, signed by the chief editor or the director who assigns you to cover the Festival and providing details regarding the size of the company you represent (number of hits, average number of pages read) as well as what the media company intends to cover (periodicity, type of report)

Please note: Accreditation is open to a maximum of 2 reporters per website/portal.

For first-time accreditation requests: 3 recent entertainment articles bearing your signature

FREELANCERS:

Those who freelance occasionally and are employed by non-news organisations are not eligible for media registration unless provided with an official letter from the media outlet they are representing.

  • An official letter, with the periodical’s letterhead, signed by the chief editor or the director who assigns you to cover the Festival on their behalf, with information concerning the circulation and the periodicity of the publication as well as what the publication intends to cover

For first-time accreditation requests: 3 recent entertainment articles bearing your by-line

Special Cases

If you represent several media companies we invite you to provide information about each one of them and to clearly state which of them you wish to be accredited for, as the press department does not give out multiple accreditations.
If you have changed Media Company since last year, please send us an official letter on letter-headed paper signed by your editor-in-chief detailing the characteristics of your new company (periodicity, circulation, audience, expected coverage…), your coverage from last year as well as a recent copy of your new publication if written press.

Additional accreditation requests may be made, but will be accepted on a case by case basis.

Picking up your accreditation

Accreditation may be picked up upon presentation of the acceptance email which will be sent to all confirmed and accepted registrants, as well as a valid photo ID at the Industry Registration Centre located at the DIFF offices in the Madinat Jumeirah conference centre.

The exact address, dates, and opening hours of the office will be provided in the email confirming your accreditation.

Benefits of Accreditation:

Upon approval, your accreditation badge will allow you access to all special press screenings as well as press conferences with attending filmmakers and talent. It will also give you free access to all festival screenings (subject to seat availability), with the exception of gala screenings. This badge will allow you to use the press center and the viewing library at the festival headquarters at Madinat Jumeirah.

The accreditation is valid for the duration of DIFF (December 11-18, 2008); it must be clearly displayed and shown upon request to personnel in all areas of the Festival. Badges remain the property of DIFF and must be surrendered upon request.

Accreditation for 2009

Please note that you MUST submit your 2008 DIFF coverage by June 1, 2009 to be considered for the 2009 Dubai international Film Festival. Failure to do so will make you and your company ineligible for future accreditations

All 2008 coverage must be sent to: Majid Wasi
A’sidrah, Dubai Press Club
First Floor- Al Thuraya Tower
Dubai Media City
Dubai, UAE
+971 (4) 361 3882

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