Documenting the ACLU In The Fight: A Case Study

Tue Jan 19, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel on the making of the 2020 Magnolia Pictures and Topic Studios release The Fight, which chronicles the work of the American Civil Liberties Union in the Trump era. Panelists include producer Kerry Washington (Scandal), directors Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, and Eli Despres (the trio behind Couples Therapy and Weiner), and Director of ACLU‘s Voting Rights Project Dale Ho, whose work to protect the franchise is one of the film’s main threads. The event is moderated by DOC NYC Artistic Director Thom Powers.

The film team will discuss how the protests against the Muslim ban galvanized them to tell the story of the ACLU, how they secured rare access and navigated four complex storylines, and the ways the events captured in their film can help outline a path forward to protect voting and other rights still under threat post-Trump. The Fight was hailed as a “high-stakes thriller” by Indiewire and selected for the DOC NYC Short List. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A.

Granted: Navigating Grant Funding for Docs

Thu Mar 18, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about grant funding opportunities for documentary filmmakers. Guests include David Weinstein, program officer specializing in documentary film funding at the National Endowment for the Humanities; Andrew Catauro, program officer overseeing direct film support at the Perspective Fund; Chloe Gbai of Field of Vision’s If/Then Shorts program, and others to be announced. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

Temperature Check: The Prognosis for Doc Distribution in 2021

Thu Mar 25, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about the new directions in documentary, nonfiction and unscripted content distribution in 2021. Guests include Keith Ochwat, founder of the new virtual screening platform Show & Tell; Arianna Bocco, the new president of IFC Films; Jihan Robinson, newly named VP of Alternative Programming at Disney’s Freeform; and Maria Zuckerman, new EVP of Topic Studios. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

Beyond Project Funding: Fellowships & Mentorships for Doc Filmmakers

Thu Mar 11, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about the organizations and programs that support filmmakers’ creative careers and professional development, beyond project-based funding–and the importance of such programs, particularly to women filmmakers, filmmakers of color, and other historically underfunded groups within the industry. Guests include Rodrigo Reyes, Co-Creative Director of the MediaMaker Fellowship at the Bay Area Video Coalition; Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer at JustFilms, The Ford Foundation; Debra Zimmerman, founder of Women Make Movies; Monika Navarro, Senior Director of Artist Programs at Firelight Media; and Rahdi Taylor, EVP of Artists in Residence at Concordia Studio. Panelists will discuss the mentorship, fellowship and career development programs they offer under the umbrellas of their own organizations, and discuss the broader role of such programs in advancing the documentary field. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

Zoom & The Art of Pandemic Producing

Wed Jan 27, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about producing–and bringing to market–documentary features and series during the Covid-19 pandemic. Guests include director and producer Ophelia Harutyunyan (Totally Under Control), Smriti Mundhra, (St. Louis Superman, Indian Matchmaking) and Nanfu Wang (In The Same Breath, One-Child Nation). Panelists will reflect on the challenges they faced–and innovations they tried–as they shot, produced, edited and brought projects to market in the last year. We’ll cover gear, remote directing and editing hacks, health and safety precautions, and ethical considerations. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A.

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

The Future of Doc Accessibility: Best Practices in Exhibition, Education & Beyond

Thu Feb 11, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about increasing access to the documentary field for D/deaf and disabled filmmakers. In a conversation moderated by filmmaker and FWD-Doc Founding Member Alysa Nahmias, panelists discuss a range of best practices, from enhancing accommodations in cinemas and festivals, to optimizing access to online industry events, to navigating options for captioning and audio-description of films. Guests include Cheryl Green (New Day Films), Andraea LaVant (Crip Camp), Michelle Spitz (Woman of her Word), and Amanda Upson (FWD-Doc). The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

Locked Off: Getting the Doc Interview

Thu Feb 4, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about perfecting the documentary interview. Guests include Judith Helfand (Love & Stuff); Jeff Orlowski (The Social Dilemma); Jehane Noujaim (The Vow); and Lauren Stowell (Tiger Woods: America’s Son). In a conversation moderated by DOC NYC’s Opal H. Bennett, panelists will discuss their approaches to inviting interviewees, making film participants comfortable in diverse interview settings; setting an interview tone and format; and approaches to interview cinematography. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net. 

Bringing Your Doc to the World: International Sales

Thu Feb 25, 1-2:30pm ET

Join DOC NYC PRO for a 90-minute panel about the evolving viability of documentary films in the international marketplace. Guests include sales agents specializing in doc features, shorts and series, including Aleksandra Derewienko, head of sales and acquisitions at Paris-based CAT & Docs; Philippa Kowarsky, managing director of international sales at Cinephil, in Tel Aviv; and Salma Abdalla, CEO of Autlook in Vienna. Panelists will discuss recent successes, the prognosis for worldwide doc sales in 2021, and the impact of pandemic-related industry disruptions on sales to broadcasters, theatrical distributors, and streaming platforms. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. 

Tickets for this event are $19, or get access to all ten events in DOC NYC PRO’s winter season by registering for the Winter 2021 Season Pass.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event, a written transcript, and a copy of the slide presentation after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable. 

If you have questions about registration, please email ticketing@docnyc.net. For questions about accommodations and accessibility, including requests for live ASL interpretation, please email accessibility@docnyc.net.