2013

Television helps documentary filmmakers extend their audience and increase their budgets. Join Molly Thompson (A&E IndieFilms), Vinnie Malhotra (CNN Films), Sara Bernstein (HBO Documentaries), Julie Anderson (WNET), Diana El-Osta (Al Jazeera America Presents) and Lucy Kennedy (Fault Lines on Al Jazeera America) to discuss their involvement in documentary acquisitions. Moderated by Doug Block (The Kids […]

Animation, graphics, and other visual effects have become a standard feature of documentaries in recent years, helping to illustrate arguments and to capture the viewer’s attention. But designing and implementing these elements can be intimidating. Learn more about what’s possible from specialists in the field. Panelists include visual effects artist, Brian Oakes (Inequality for All; […]

Every documentary subject takes a risk being on camera. How do filmmakers live with that responsibility? Are your subjects safer on-screen than off? This panel features filmmakers who have had to grapple with these questions, from on-the-ground research and outreach, to strategic stylistic decisions and sensitivity at their film’s launch. Panelists include Academy Award-winner Sharmeen […]

Finding the right archival content for your documentary can be an enormous undertaking. This panel presents case studies that shed light on an otherwise mysterious process. Panelists include Frank Keraudren (The Dog), Shola Lynch (Free Angela), Tom Jennings (MLK: The Assassination Tapes) and Scott Norman, Content Manager, NBC News Archives. Moderated by Judith Aley, archival […]

How do you bring out the best in your material and gain the most from a partnership with a skilled editor? Esteemed editors Matthew Hamachek (If a Tree Falls; Gideon’s Army, winner of Sundance Film Festival editing award), Sabine Krayenbühl (My Architect; Mad Hot Ballroom), Alan Berliner (First Cousin Once Removed) share their experiences with […]

Cara Mertes recently joined the Ford Foundation as the director of its JustFilms program, a $50 million initiative at the forefront of social justice filmmaking. She previously served as the director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund and as executive producer of PBS’s “P.O.V.” documentary series. In this conversation, she’ll share her perspective on grant […]

Death Metal Angola (DOC NYC 2013), deepsouth (released 2013) and Detropia (released 2012) all deal with communities facing stark problems and being tested for their resilience. The filmmakers discuss how they established a network of contacts on the ground to tell these stories. This discussion explores how filmmakers can interact with policy makers to inform storytelling […]

Every doc maker wants to have a strong producer but what does a producer truly do from the production phase through post? What is the role of a producer during festivals and distribution? Producers Jeff Dupre (Half the Sky), Sandi DuBowski (Amichai Film Project, A Jihad for Love), and Julie Goldman (Gideon’s Army) enlighten us on […]

Vital contributors to shaping the tone and style of a film, documentary cinematographers have to be ready to adapt to unforeseen developments at a moment’s notice. Cinematographers Richard Rowley (Dirty Wars) and Kirsten Johnson (Here One Day, This Film Is Not Yet Rated) share their secrets of shooting under any and all circumstances. Moderated by […]