Join us for an intimate one-on-one conversation with Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, whose credits include Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and Mea Maxima Culpa, playing at DOC NYC. Find out the secrets behind his prolific output.
Documentary makers don’t have the same control over storylines as fiction filmmakers. But a great documentary editor can shape your footage into a compelling tale. Notable editors reveal their pivotal storytelling role through clips of particularly challenging assignments, and discuss the process of collaborating with directors and producers.
Co-presented by NBCUniversal Archives. Archival footage can help bring non-fiction projects to life, providing relevant visual diversity to what otherwise might be the dry recitation of past events. Where can documentary filmmakers find quality archival material, and what does it take to license it? A panel of industry experts will discuss what’s involved with heading into the archives.
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 some of the go-to experts in the field in this discussion.
Fair Use—the royalty-free utilization of content—is still the subject of confusion for both filmmakers and some attorneys. In this session moderated by attorney Dan Satorius, he and other legal experts explore conceptions and misconceptions around Fair Use.
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and RocketHub have been popular in recent years, connecting filmmakers with individuals willing to donate to projects for honorary credits or other incentives. With the passage of Obama’s JOBS Act, the door has been opened to expand crowdfunding to investors, not just donors. This panel, moderated by attorney Dan Satorius and includes attorney Susan […]
Co-presented by Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard. Revenue sources for documentary filmmakers are evolving. Once-reliable sources like DVD and broadcast are giving way to VOD and other streaming opportunities. This panel, moderated by CDAS partner Andrea F. Cannistraci, explores this changing landscape and what filmmakers need to know to maximize their potential revenues and not lose out on royalties […]
While the avenues for getting your film out in the world have increased, the theatrical release remains the brass ring for many filmmakers. With fierce competition for theatre screens and audience attention, what do theatrical distributors look for in documentaries? Ryan Werner (IFC Films/Sundance Selects), Eamonn Bowles (Magnolia Pictures), Nancy Gerstman (Zeitgeist Films), Richard Lorber (Kino Lorber), Paul Marchant […]
Increasingly, recognizing the challenges of traditional theatrical distribution, documentary filmmakers are deciding to tackle it on their own. The rise of D.I.Y. or hybrid distribution has opened a space for films to find audiences that may otherwise not have had a chance to play in theatres. But filmmakers don’t need to do it completely alone. Experts Richard Abramowitz […]
Co-presented by Chicken & Egg Pictures. What can documentary filmmakers do to become part of a national conversation or a public policy debate that catalyzes concrete social change? What kind of tools are social-issue filmmakers using to reach their core constituencies, niche audiences and — beyond? What are their strategies for spreading a message, building […]