Editing Day (Nov. 14)

EDITING DAY – SUNDAY , NOV. 14

Case studies from prominent editors will elucidate the craft and help build your editor’s toolkit. A special panel launches the Alliance of Documentary Editors’ new guidelines and their BIPOC editor’s initiative.

Editing Day is dedicated to the memory of Lewis Erskine (1957-2021).

Editing Day is co-presented by:

The day starts with Breakfast (9-10 AM) and ends with a Happy Hour (4:15-5:15 PM) co-hosted by Signature sponsor Cquence and community partners The Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship and the Alliance of Documentary Editors. 

10 am – 11:10 am

ADE Launches Guidelines and BIPOC Editors Initiative

The documentary edit room faces many issues: stressful working conditions, unrealistic edit schedules, lack of equity and access, and a need for mentoring, amongst many others. This panel will examine these challenges and highlight the mission of the community-led Alliance of Documentary Editors to tackle them. We welcome representatives of the ADE, Carla Gutierrez (Julia, RBG), Bo Mehrad (The Boiling Point) and Andrès Arias (The Trade, Season 2), and independent producer Alisa Payne (Between the World and Me) to share this important work. This panel will be moderated by filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir (Through Our Eyes).

 

11:30 am – 12:40 pm

Case Study: Summer of Soul

Stunning musical numbers from the greatest performers of all time. A free multi-day concert in Harlem. Lost archival footage. An exploration of  Black culture and politics at a crucial moment in time. In conversation with Jevon Heyliger, Senior Editor at Discovery, Josh L. Pearson gives us a front row seat to his editing feat in Summer of Soul, the chronicle of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival showcasing stars of R&B, jazz, blues and soul.

1:30 PM – 2:40 PM

Case Study: The Rescue

Go in-depth with veteran editor Bob Eisenhardt (who also collaborated with directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin on the Oscar-winning Free Solo) on the monumental effort to create the team’s nail-biting new epic. Using never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews, Bob’s quest to tell the story of a youth soccer team caught deep in flooded caves in Thailand comes to life in this discussion led by filmmaker Judith Helfand (Love & Stuff).

 

3 pm – 4:10 pm

Finding and Shaping Your Main Character

Editors including Rebecca Adorno (Homeroom), Katharine Garrison (Refuge, United Skates) and Pax Wasserman (Becoming Cousteau) reveal their process for creating main characters.  Moderator Judith Helfand leads a robust conversation exploring themes such as developing audience empathy for your character (especially if they are unlikeable) and finding a character arc in relation to story and theme.

 

 

To experience the DOC NYC PRO lineup, purchase an individual PRO Day Pass (via the purchase button above) to hone in on a specific subject, or benefit from discounted pricing when you purchase Multi-Day Pass Packs to an assortment of topic strands.

All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while attending DOC NYC events. For the latest information, please review our policies here.

DOC NYC PRO is co-presented by:

Doc Series Day (Nov. 15)

DOC SERIES DAY – MONDAY, NOV. 15

Unpacking the nuts and bolts of creating, selling, and distributing a doc series. Hear from both leading executives and filmmakers.

Doc Series Day is co-presented by:

The day starts with Breakfast (9-10 AM) and ends with a Happy Hour (4:15-5:15 PM) co-presented by National Geographic.

10 am – 11:10 am

Should My Project Be a Doc Series or Feature?

Moderated by distribution consultant Louise Rosen, doc series producers including Rudy Valdez (Netflix’s We Are: The Brooklyn Saints) and Ben Selkow (National Geographic’s Trafficked) and Esther Dere (Empires of New York) provide tips and insight into what makes a project best suited for a series.

Rudy Valdez

Rudy Valdez

Executive Producer (We Are: The Brooklyn Saints)

Louise Rosen

Louise Rosen

Distribution Consultant, International Documentary Association

11:30 am – 12:40 pm

How to Pitch and Sell a Doc Series

What makes a winning pitch for a doc series? What is the path towards selling your film, and who should be on your team? Executives Adam Neuhaus (30 for 30/ESPN Films), Jonathan Schaerf (Propagate), Julia Bodner (WME), and filmmaker Neha Shastry (All In: The Fight for Democracy) discuss with Sara Bernstein (Imagine Entertainment) how to present your access, creative team, samples and more.

Adam Neuhaus

Adam Neuhaus

Senior Director of Development, ESPN Films and ESPN+

Co-presented by:

1:30 pm – 2:40 pm

Things I Wish I Knew When Starting a Doc Series

Producing a doc series involves many unexpected twists and turns. Established series producers Maro Chermayeff and Jeff Dupre (Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, HBO Max) set expectations for production and deliverables in the doc series world. Veteran Director/producer Ross Kauffman will moderate the discussion.

Maro Chermayeff

Maro Chermayeff

Director, Producer (Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered, The Lost Children)

Ross Kauffman

Ross Kauffman

Filmmaker (Born Into Brothels, What Would Sophia Loren Do?)

Co-presented by:

3 pm – 4:10 pm

Case Study: Welcome to Earth

Go behind the scenes of the new Disney+ original series Welcome to Earth, hosted by Academy-Award nominee Will Smith. Executive producers Jane Root (Nutopia) and Ari Handel (Protozoa Pictures), and co-EP and showrunner Graham Booth (Nutopia) discuss with National Geographic executive Matt Renner what it took to create this blockbuster adventure series.

Matt Renner

Matt Renner

Vice President, Production, National Geographic Channel

To experience the DOC NYC PRO lineup, purchase an individual PRO Day Pass (via the purchase button above) to hone in on a specific subject, or benefit from discounted pricing when you purchase Multi-Day Pass Packs to an assortment of topic strands.

All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while attending DOC NYC events. For the latest information, please review our policies here.

DOC NYC PRO is co-presented by:

Cinematography Day (Nov. 13)

CINEMATOGRAPHY DAY – SATURDAY, NOV.13

A deep dive into various aspects of cinematography including case studies from noted DPs.

Cinematography Day is co-presented by:

The day starts with Breakfast (9-10 AM) and ends with a Happy Hour (4:15-5:15 PM) co-presented by SONY and community partner DCA.

10 am – 11:10 am

Introducing the Documentary Cinematographers Alliance

The Documentary Cinematographers Alliance (DCA) is a community of professional documentary cinematographers working together to elevate the craft, improve career sustainability, and promote visibility and recognition of the collaborative nature of the work we do. DCA advocates for fair wages, inclusive hiring practices, and safe working conditions for all. In this panel, the DCA will introduce themselves through their work in nonfiction cinematography and explore how they collaborate with directors and filmmaking teams. DCA representatives include Jenni Morello (Made in Boise) and Nausheen Dadabhoy (Not Done: Women Remaking America)  and Jerry Risius.

 

11:30 am – 12:40 pm

Case Study: Cusp

In conversation with Nicole Galovski (Culture House), co-director Isabel Bethencourt delves into the cinematography behind the award-winning Cusp, shot in vérité style by a two-woman team that also included co-director Parker Hill. Explore how the film’s cinematic metaphors mirror the lives of its three main subjects: teenagers living in a Texas military town confronting the dark corners of adolescence. 

3 pm – 4:10 pm

Case Study: Faya Dayi

In conversation with Grace Remington (UnionDocs), Director Jessica Beshir describes her visual approach filming in black and white for Faya Dayi that takes a dreamlike approach to documenting a rural town in Ethiopia, winning festival awards at Hot Docs and Visions du Réel. 

 

1:30 pm to 2:40 pm

Cinematographer and Director Relationship

Two established director and DP teams, Penny Lane and Naiti Gámez (Listening to Kenny G) and Emelie Mahdavian and Derek Howard (Bitterbrush), will peel back the layers of successful collaborative relationships. Led by moderator Grace Remington (UnionDocs), they will explore the collective process around building themes, crafting visual references, capturing interviews and more.

 

To experience the DOC NYC PRO lineup, purchase an individual PRO Day Pass (via the purchase button above) to hone in on a specific subject, or benefit from discounted pricing when you purchase Multi-Day Pass Packs to an assortment of topic strands.

All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while attending DOC NYC events. For the latest information, please review our policies here.

DOC NYC PRO is co-presented by:

Audience Engagement and Distribution Day (Nov. 17)

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION DAY – WEDNESDAY, NOV. 17

Join us to delve into practicalities and case studies to help build your audience on the road to distribution.

Audience Engagement and Distribution Day is co-presented by:

The day starts with Breakfast (9-10 AM) and ends with a Happy Hour (4:15-5:15 PM) co-presented by Hulu.

10 am – 11:10 am

How to Build Your Audience From Scratch

Building a community around your film is a tried and tested way to create impact and engagement. In a conversation moderated by Caitlin Boyle, DOC NYC’s Director of Filmmaker Development, learn concrete steps to develop your community from two indie filmmakers, Natalie Pattillo and Daniel A. Nelson (And So I Stayed) and insider perspective from executive Jim Hu (Participant).

Jim Hu

Jim Hu

Executive Vice President, Audience, Participant

Co-presented by:

11:30 am – 12:40 pm

Nuts and Bolts of Distribution

The world of distribution has turned upside down since 2020. Consultants Mia Bruno (Fourth Act Film), Alece Oxendine (Film Distribution Consultant and Director of Industry Outreach at Columbia University) and Dan O’Meara (NEON) will provide guidance, perspective, and clear-eyed vision for how to navigate this new landscape. Join us for this conversation moderated by DOC NYC’s Director of Filmmaker Development Caitlin Boyle.

Mia Bruno

Mia Bruno

Distribution Consultant, Fourth Act Film

Alece Oxendine

Alece Oxendine

Director, Industry & Festival Outreach, Columbia University

1:30 pm – 2:40 pm

Choices in Distribution

One year after their DOC NYC premieres, two film teams, Tom Hurwitz and Duana Butler (Can You Bring It: Bill T Jones) and Sian-Pierre Regis (Duty Free) reflect on their diverse paths to distribution and what considerations filmmakers make as they vet options and potential partners. Moderator Caitlin Boyle, Director of Filmmaker Development, DOC NYC will contribute insight from her years of distribution experience..

Tom Hurwitz

Tom Hurwitz

Co-Director and Director of Photography (Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters)

Duana C. Butler

Duana C. Butler

Producer (Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters)

3 pm – 4:10 pm

Success?

Join Iyabo Boyd (Brown Girls Doc Mafia), Jeanelle Augustin (NBC Universal), and Chloe Walters-Wallace (Firelight Media) and other thought leaders as we unpack the elusive nature of success in the landscape of distribution.

To experience the DOC NYC PRO lineup, purchase an individual PRO Day Pass (via the purchase button above) to hone in on a specific subject, or benefit from discounted pricing when you purchase Multi-Day Pass Packs to an assortment of topic strands.

All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while attending DOC NYC events. For the latest information, please review our policies here.

DOC NYC PRO is co-presented by:

No Ordinary Man: A Case Study in Cross-Border Collaboration

This event was recorded live on Thursday, July 15, 2021.

DOC NYC PRO and The Consulate General of Canada in New York present a 90-minute case study on new documentary No Ordinary Man, the story of revered American jazz musician Billy Tipton. For decades, Tipton’s life story was framed as the triumph of an ambitious woman who passed as a man in order to pursue a music career. In No Ordinary Man, Canadian directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt, American co-writer Amos Mac, and Canadian producer Sarah Spring, reimagine Tipton’s story, painting a portrait of a musician and celebrated trans icon. Through the film, the filmmakers and Tipton’s son Billy Jr. reckon with Tipton’s complicated and contested legacy: how do you tell the story of someone who was hiding in plain sight yet desperate to be seen?

In this session, filmmakers Chin-Yee, Joynt, Mac and Spring join us for an intimate conversation about the film’s production and funding journey, exploring topics critical to any film team considering cross-border creative collaboration or funding, including:

  • navigating cross-border doc collaborations, from team development to production funding to distribution
  • understanding Canadian funding structures, including pairing Canadian funding models with American talent
  • building a representative film team and advocating for trans representation among above-the-line crew

Live captioning will be provided. All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event and a written transcript. Tickets are non-refundable.

Session co-presented by the Consulate General of Canada in New York.

Tickets for this PRO session are $19; a combo ticket, good for the PRO event and a theatrical screening of No Ordinary Man at IFC Center in New York City (opening Friday, July 16), is available for $25*.

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.

No Ordinary Man opens for a limited engagement at IFC Center on Friday, July 16. A national release from Oscilloscope Laboratories will follow.

*Combo ticket purchasers will receive a redemption code allowing them to book a ticket for any screening (space permitting) of No Ordinary Man at IFC Center for no additional cost. Redemption codes will be sent out and redeemable when tickets go on sale, approximately 6pm on July 12. Codes will not allow access to sold out shows.

Equity Financing 101

DOC NYC PRO and Impact Partners present a 90-minute workshop on equity financing for documentary filmmakers. Featuring perspectives from Impact Partners Executive Director Jenny Raskin and filmmakers Jennifer Brea and Megan Gilbride, who have used equity financing to fund their projects. This session offers clear-eyed guidance for any film team considering equity financing as a component of their funding strategy.

Featured topics covered in the workshop include how to determine whether equity financing is right for your project; deal models for equity financing; approaches for negotiating your contract and designing your waterfall structure; and navigating and sustaining a healthy financier-filmmaker relationship. Beyond expertise on financing itself, the session will also discuss how equity financiers become long-term partners on a film team, contributing to projects’ creative development and distribution trajectory. Following a panel format for the first hour, the session will also include 30 minutes for audience questions.

Session co-presented by Impact Partners.

Tickets for this event are $19. Live captioning will be provided.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event and a written transcript. 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.

Protecting Your Project: LLCs, Contracts and Other Legal Issues Every Doc Maker Should Think About

DOC NYC PRO and the UCLA Documentary Film Legal Clinic present a 90-minute workshop on the legal issues every doc maker should think about as they bring their project to market, particularly in unpredictable times. Featuring presentations and advice from the legal team behind UCLA Law School’s Documentary Film Legal Clinic, this session provides both practical guidance for filmmakers seeking to protect their work, team, participants and production companies–and ample time for audience questions.

Throughout the pandemic, entertainment attorneys have observed a sharp decrease in requests from filmmakers to form LLCs and other business entities; to draft and finalize contracts; and to complete the other legal steps required to reduce a film team’s personal liability, protect rights in their projects, and secure their financial interests. As the world re-opens and production schedules pick up their pace, the attorneys behind UCLA’s Documentary Film Legal Clinic offer a checklist of crucial legal concerns every filmmaker should consider. Special attention will be paid to pandemic-related legal issues, including the additional legal preparation required of documentary filmmakers as they anticipate in-person filming, navigate strict requirements from locations and local governments, and consider the safety and security of their teams and participants.

Tickets for this event are $19. Live captioning will be provided.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event and a written transcript. 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.

Grant Writing Secrets: A Two-Part Workshop with Tracie Holder

DOC NYC PRO presents a two-part intensive workshop on grant funding for documentary filmmakers. In two 90-minute sessions, this workshop offers filmmakers a roadmap to successful grant funding, including best practices for creating proposals for key documentary funders, from government agencies to foundations to private philanthropists. 

Taught by seasoned producer, grant writer, and grant panelist Tracie Holder–who has raised millions in grant funding for her own and others’ projects–this workshop reviews all aspects of a successful documentary grant writing process, including: 

  • the critical components of a successful grant proposal
  • how to convey ideas visually
  • how to strike a balance between the big, broad brushstroke ideas behind your project and the small details that make your project come alive on the page
  • the common mistakes filmmakers make when submitting proposals–and how to avoid them
  • insights into the panel of reviewers judging your proposal

Over the course of two sessions, offered one week apart, attendees will come away with a comprehensive framework for proposal writing and the confidence to execute a competitive proposal.

Tickets are $59 and include both 90-minute sessions.

All registrants may participate in the live sessions, and will also receive access to the recorded event and a written transcript. Tickets are non-refundable.

Workshop participants also have the option to sign-up for individual 45-minute consultations with Tracie Holder for an additional $125 fee. The number of consultations are limited to 25 and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, choose the consultation option at checkout. Tracie will follow up to schedule an appointment.

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

The Director-Producer Partnership: Conversations with CRIP CAMP & THE MOLE AGENT

DOC NYC PRO, in partnership with the Documentary Producers Alliance 2021 initiative #ProducersAreFilmmakersToo, explores the magic of the producer-director relationship in this 90-minute panel featuring the Oscar-nominated teams behind CRIP CAMP and THE MOLE AGENT.

In a moderated panel discussion, we’ll uncover the necessary steps film teams must take–from the very beginning–as they create a director-producer partnership that can withstand the trials and triumphs of a multi-year film production and release. We’ll explore the secrets to sustaining a fruitful film “marriage”: from development to production, and throughout the rigors of the festival and awards circuits. And we’ll discuss the importance of uplifting and crediting the critical work of producers in an industry that has historically shone the brightest spotlight on directors. We’re joined by CRIP CAMP director-producers Nicole Newnham and Jim LeBrecht and producer Sara Bolder, and MOLE AGENT director Maite Alberdi, producer Marcela Santibáñez, and executive producer Julie Goldman. The panel discussion will include a 30-minute moderated Q&A. Live captioning will be provided.

Tickets for this event are $19.

All registrants may participate in the live session, and will also receive access to the recorded event and a written transcript. 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

DOC NYC Friday Fix (Ep 6)

Recorded live on Fri, Jun 5, 2020

 

DOC NYC Friday Fix is a weekly series covering documentary film, hosted by Thom Powers. 

On Episode 6, Oscar-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens (The Cove) discusses his new film And We Go Green about Formula E racing with electric cars. Oscar-nominated filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground) discuss their film On the Record, which follows women in the hip hop world as they go public accusing Russell Simmons of rape. Firelight Media President Marcia Smith will discuss new initiatives at the Harlem-based organization that supports filmmakers of color.

Viewers are invited to share comments during the live show. The episode will be taped for later viewing.