The Whickers Cost of Docs survey launched its seventh edition on 16 September during the AJD Industry Days in Sarajevo. The Whickers’ editorial consultant Jane Mote was on site to introduce the survey and announce a new partnership with Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, which will translate the survey into Arabic and help distribute it in order to increase the range of respondents.

The survey is conducted in partnership with Sheffield DocFest and the International Documentary Association (IDA), and was created in 2016 “to ensure The Whickers’ £100,000 top prize for first-time documentary makers is still the game changer it needs to be”, as The Whickers writes.

The survey allows The Whickers and users including academics and documentary organisations globally to follow emerging trends and provide data about the effect of major events such as Brexit, COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis. This year's survey deals with issues connected to mental wellness and safety. 

All survey respondents will be entered into a draw to win two complimentary industry passes for Sheffield DocFest. The deadline to submit the answers is 4 October.

The survey can be accessed here, and the results of previous editions can be found here.