DOC NYC PRO: MASTERING YOUR CRAFT: EDITING DAY

DOC NYC PRO: MASTERING YOUR CRAFT: EDITING DAY

Open to these badge holders: All Access, DOC NYC PRO, DOC NYC PRO First Half, Mastering Your Craft: Editing Day Pass. To buy a pass click here.

DOC NYC PRO is co-presented by Amazon Studios.

The first of two days focusing on the craft of nonfiction filmmaking. Saturday’s sessions will break down and delve into all aspects of documentary editing.

BREAKFAST 9:00 AM-10:00 AM

MORNING MANIFESTO 10:00AM-10:30AM
Filmmaker Amy Berg (Janis: Little Girl Blue, Deliver Us From Evil) offers her insight about the craft of documentary storytelling.

COMPOSING & SOUND DESIGN 10:30AM-11:40AM
Music and sound are essential elements in nonfiction storytelling. How can you successfully utilize sound design in a documentary? Hear from Rachel Grady and T. Griffin (co-director and composer, One of Us), Paige Tolmach and Nathan Halpern (director and composer, What Haunts Us) and others as they present case studies of innovative collaborations. Moderator: David Teague (The Departure; Life, Animated)

GETTING CREATIVE WITH ARCHIVES 12:00PM-1:10PM
In documentary filmmaking, archival footage can serve as evidence for arguments as well as elucidate the dialogue that exists between the past and the present. Sierra Pettengill and Francisco Bello (co-director and editor, The Reagan Show), Alice Elliott (Miracle on 42nd Street), Dan Lindsay (LA92), and Bill Howard (Pond5) share insights about using archival material effectively.  Moderator: Garret Savage (Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship). Co-presented by National Geographic Documentary Films

WRITING FOR NONFICTION 2:00PM-3:10PM
The craft of writing for documentary is a complex and advanced skill. When piecing together a story to include voiceover, images and sound, strong, effective writing is key. Filmmakers Yance Ford (Strong Island), Cecilia Aldarondo (Memories of a Penitent Heart), David Riker (Dirty Wars), and Sarah Burns (Central Park Five) talk about their process and the unique challenges that come with the craft. Moderator: Jenna Bond (Writers Guild of America, East). Co-presented by Writers Guild of America, East

TALES FROM THE EDIT ROOM 3:30PM-4:30PM
What do documentary editors do when the pieces don’t fit? Editors Maya Mumma (O.J.: Made in America), Fiona Otway (Iraq in Fragments, Hell and Back Again) and David Teague (The Departure; Life, Animated) share storytelling secrets and examples from their work. Moderator: Tom Roston (Doc Soup).

POWER & PERSPECTIVE IN STORYTELLING 5:00PM-6:00PM
Documentary filmmakers explore communities and people, as both insiders and outsiders, with respect to class, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality. But who gets to tell the story and how do filmmakers navigate the process? Renee Tajima-Peña (No Más Bebés) leads the conversation with Nadia Hallgren (Motherland), Stephen Maing (High Tech, Low Life), Geeta Gandbhir (Armed With Faith) and Edwin Martinez (To Be Heard), who share their experiences on both sides of the lens. Co-presented by A-Doc (Asian American Documentary Network) and Ford Foundation | JustFilms.

RECEPTION  6:00 PM-8:00PM
Co-presented by A-Doc (
Asian American Documentary Network) and Ford Foundation | JustFilms

Open to these badge holders: All Access, DOC NYC PRO, DOC NYC PRO First Half, Mastering Your Craft: Editing Day Pass. To buy a pass click here.