We had a brilliant response from film makers on the theme of Storytelling - surprising, imaginative films that took the theme in very different directions...I hope that some of you managed to watch their transmission on 3MW in January.  Congratualtions to Clarrie Pope and Tanya Singh, Richard Nockles, Brian Da Cal, and Anna Edwards.

So I'm now looking for another batch of FourDocs for transmission this Summer, and thinking about themes again. And the next one I'm setting you is 'My Family and Other Animals'

I often feel that I'm allowed to experience a filmmaker's world very directly on FourDocs so I'd really like to set the next focus on your
immediate world and those closest to you...with of course a nod towards the title of Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals.

There are already some fantastic films on FourDocs which focus on those nearest and dearest - Flora and Thieves, Vicky After Ted, Freedom Dance,  Northern Jew and The Most Disgusting Thing, for example, are all wonderful films that plunge you into a very compact world. Plus they all take different approaches to documenting your nearest and dearest - sometimes, it works to simply sit your characters in a chair and let them talk if they're really compelling, but often as viewers we need to see more in order to find a way in - their everyday objects, their hobbies, their pictures. Think of how to approach the topic in a unique way - and use the 'animals' bit too if you think you can - a doc like A Diary in the life of a Farmer's Wife covers animals and family in a witty style.

I hope that setting a theme is helpful. I don't want to try and limit your scope or imagination, but I do want the films to have a coherence when they transmit on C4 (even if it's very slight).

Remember, you can rally against the parameters set or engage and embrace them depending on your personal approach to being a documentary-maker - but as you can see by the ones we chose for 3MW FourDocs strand in January, really I'm looking for films which surprise and challenge, so please do approach the themes in this spirit.

Remember, the way you submit films to FourDocs has changed.  You can find out more in the About FourDocs section.

The deadline for this opportunity is Monday 19th May 2008. And if you've got any questions, email Becca at fourdocs@channel4.com