Resources and Links
Organizations
German Documentary Filmmakers Association
International Documentary Association
Technical Resources on the Web
Apple's Final Cut Pro Discssusion Board
Los Angeles Final Cut Pro Users Group
SF Cutters San Francsisco Final Cut Pro Group
2-pop.com Forums An extensive bulletin board with forums examining a number of areas of filmmaking.
Creative Cow Forums Another extensive set of technical forums.
Resources
39 Steps A useful guide for approaching funders and donors. This PDF is provided courtesy of United States Artists and its authors: Katharine DeShaw, James Toscano, and Becky Glass of United States Artists.
Archive.org A huge archive of footage and much, much more, including the internet itself.
Association of Film Commisioners International (AFCI) provides information about film commissions around the world. It also has information about production incentives available in various regions.
Budgeting Article "An Introduction to Documentary Budgeting" and an excel template for doing documentary budgets.
Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University (Durham, NC) provides training in video, audio, oral history, photography and certificate program in documentary studies.
Center For Independent Documentary A Massachusetts-based organization that provides a wide range of support for indie documentarians. Has an excellent links page.
Center for Nonprofit Management in Southern California - Resource Library A great place to research funding sources in downtown Los Angeles. The library also offers a free orientation in "Grantseeking Basics".
Center for Social Media showcases and analyzes strategies to use media as creative tools for public knowledge and action. It focuses on social documentaries for civil society and democracy, and on the public media environment that supports them. The Center is part of the School of Communication at American University.
Current Online Site of the biweekly newspaper that covers public TV and public radio in the United States. See their links page.
The Current State of the International Marketplace For Documentary Films An excellent article by Diana Holtzberg and Jan Rofekamp hosted at the Center for Social Media's website. A must-read.
CyberTimes Navigator A collection of resources sugggested by the NYTimes
Docos.com "World's largest documentary information system."
DOCspace.ca was launched 2 years ago by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) as a free resource for DOC members and the public at large to raise awareness and improve access and availability to Canadian documentary films. Filmmakers can upload trailers and clips from their docs with information about how and where to purchase the films or post info about their new projects. DOCspace.ca also provides news, events and classified postings and networking capabilities to filmmakers and fans.
Documentary Channel "A new digital cable channel dedicated to airing, exclusively, the works of the independent documentary filmmakers."
Documentary Cinema Institute (DCI) is devoted to the study, practice, and exhibition of documentary cinema. Based in Denver, CO, we engage the public interest in documentaries and provide services and opportunities to independent filmmakers.
Documentary Filmmakers Group (DFG) is the national organisation working to promote documentary filmmaking talent and innovation in the UK. We are the leading provider of training for documentary filmmakers and offer a range of information and resources for those looking to get ahead in documentary.
Documentary
Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use
and other resources
on copyright and fair use on the Center for Social Media site. The
Center is part of the School of Communication at American University.
Documentary Films.Net Another source for documentary-related links
DocuSeek A search site for independent documentary, social issue, and educational videos available from several leading documentary distributors in the U.S. and Canada.
DOXA is a Vancouver, BC curated and juried festival comprised of public screenings, workshops, panel discussions and public forums, presented by the Documentary Media Society, a Vancouver non-profit devoted to presenting independent and innovative documentaries to Vancouver audiences.
Educational Video Center (EVC) Teaches young people how to make documentary video, and holds summer training institutes for teachers/nonprofits to bring doc into the classroom/organization. (NY)
EIDC / Los Angeles Film Office
FESPACO/PRAI The Pan African Film and Television Festival, Ouagadougou, (FESPACO), held biennially in Burkina Faso, is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in Africa. The Diaspora Prize offered by FESPACO, at each festival AKA the "Paul Robeson Award" is coordinated by the United States based, Paul Robeson Award Initiative (PRAI).
Footage.net A one stop shop for searching for stock footage
Foto Search allows users to search from more than fifty quality stock photo and footage vendors at one site.
Fiscal Sponsor Survey This is a draft of a survey of various Fiscal Sponsors compiled by Doculinker Peter D. Coogan
The Foundation Center A great site for grantseeking on the web
From the Heart Productions Home of the Roy W. Dean Grants
International Documentary Library Service An extensive library database devoted exclusively to documentary film, television and radio
LA 411 A resource directory for film production in Los Angeles
Maysles Cinema A nonprofit documentary theater that has several screenings a week, frequently with the filmmakers in attendance.
The National Film Board of Canada's mandate is to produce and distribute distinctive, culturally diverse, challenging and relevant audiovisual works that provide Canada and the world with a unique Canadian perspective. The NFB works with film making talent in all regions of Canada and to nurture emerging filmmakers.
OZDOX - The Australian Documentary Forum - OzDox has been established as a joint initiative from documentary filmmakers, industry bodies and academics, to foster, promote and provide a monthly forum for documentary culture.
"REACH OUT! PLANNING A FUNDRAISING HOUSE PARTY IN YOUR COMMUNITY" is a practical guide to doing community fundraisers for your film.
Doc/Fest Sheffield is where the international documentary family gets together under one roof for a week of intense deal-making, docwatching and debate. It is the UK's premier documentary festival/conference and a must-attend event on the industry calendar. Sheffield Doc/Fest also hosts the MeetMarket, a unqiue forum for filmmakers, producers and content developers to pitch ideas to buyers in a supportive, structured setting.
SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival A six-day festival and conference that takes place in June in the Washington, DC area, where politics, media and the arts converge.
Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program Each year, the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program awards more than $1.5 million in grants to support documentary films focused on contemporary social issues. Deadlines are July 7th and February 5th. For the rest of the story or to apply online, visit: www.sundance.org/documentary or www.sundance.org/DocSource
The United Nations Association Film Festival celebrates the power of international documentary films and videos dealing with human rights issues, environmental survival, protection of refugees, famine, homelessness, racism, and other issues important to the UN.
The Visual Researchers’ Society of Canada was formed in September, 2006 by a small group of professional visual researchers who came together to share stories and ideas on the industry. The site provides resources for members and contact information and research interests for anyone looking for a professional researcher.
Women Make Movies is a multicultural, multiracial, non-profit media arts organization which facilitates the production, promotion, distribution and exhibition of independent films and videotapes by and about women. The organization provides services to both users and makers of film and video programs, with a special emphasis on supporting work by women of color.
Morrie Warshawski's website contains an extensive fundraising bibliography for filmmakers; he is the author of The Fundraising Houseparty and Shaking the Money Tree: How To Get Grants and Donations for Film and Video.
Training Programs
The Documentary Institute at the University of Florida offers a two-year graduate program in documentary production. The Institute is headed by working professionals in the industry.
Langara
College Documentary Production Training
A 12 week intensive professional training with award winning Instrutors
in Vancouver, Britich Columbia.
Stanford Documentary Program The Master of Fine Arts program provides a historical, theoretical, and critical framework within which students master the conceptual and practical skills for producing nonfiction film and video.
UC Berkeley School of Journalism – Documentary Film Program is grounded in the values of professional journalism—accuracy, eloquent clarity, aggressive research and reporting, fine writing, ethics, and analysis—combined with fundamentals of solid filmmaking.
University of California Santa Cruz Master's Program in Social Documentation. The Master of Arts degree program in Social Documentation at UCSC is a two year program that leads to a Master of Arts degree. The program focuses on the development of expertise in the understanding and production of social documentaries in the genres of video, film, photography, audio pieces, radio programs, public ethnographies, installations, and museum exhibitions.
Links
to DOCULINKer Sites
C. Alvarez www.sosdocumentary.org
D.
M. Anderson www.movieinabox.com
R. Bergan www.renegadepix.net
E. Blozan betty-vision.com
T. Boekelheide www.tobomusic.com
M. Boetschi www.yumepictures.com
P. Bonilla www.peterbonilla.com
J. Borum www.jeremyborum.com
K. Campbell www.guavafilms.com
C. Carson www.ReverieProductions.com
S. L. Chiang www.tesseractfilms.com www.walkingiris.com
R. Clark www.kiwicafe.com
G. Conway www.sonic-alchemy.com
M. Cutler www.miriamcutler.com
M.L. Gambale www.veradonnafilms.com
W. Gazecki www.williamgazecki.com
D. Glazer www.evolutionofdad.com
A. Gersh www.gershpost.com
D. Gott www.gottcolor.com
D. S. Hamilton www.davidhamiltonmusic.com
B. Hanifan www.brucehanifan.com
CM Hardt www.cmhardt.com
S. Hernandez www.caljo.org
D. Hoffman www.lastfrontierfootage.com
L. Hogarth www.dolfilms.org
C. R. Jaramillo www.eyedeamedia.com
T. H. Jones www.sts-media.com
A. Kao www.wiseorchid.com
B. Kelly www.charlieslake.com
A. Kirilenko www.technostorks.com
S. Laffey www.envirofilms.com
J. Lacocque www.yearzerodoc.com
L.S. Liu www.leshengliu.com
T. Loong www.everydayisaholiday.org
J. Lorenz www.districtline.ca
I. Magal www.ikemagal.com
K. Maemura www.filmgarden.tv/greenhouse
E. Meyers www.eyesoftheworldproductions.com
L. Murray & M. Stawnychy http://www.infactfilms.com
K. Murphy www.614films.com
P. Musurlian www.globalistfilms.com
M. Ney www.sensoryimage.net
S. Peterson www.scrabylon.com
J.E. Reed www.ohmyproductions.net
M. Riley www.ShieldsPictures.com
L.Romano www.music-eastwest.com
R. Rotondi www.archivalfilmresearch.com
L. M. Sewell www.cuzinsista.com
B. Shadid www.beingmedia.com
A. Sommer www.pissantprod.com
R. Sotile www.TraipsingThruFilms.com
T.H. Strain www.thefilmposse.com
C.Sade Turnipseed www.csadeturnipseed.com
T. VandeSteeg www.myrunmovie.com
J. Vent www.atozmedia.com
C. Vogl www.brokenenglishprod.com
J.D. White www.picturestartedit.com
A. Yee www.decemberpictures.com
Services
Note that we used to have a section that included links to particular companies and their services. This section has been removed because it became a bit like offering free advertising and problematic in terms of "opening the floodgates". We hope to revamp this area and/or offer classifieds in the future.
If you have suggestions for additional links or resources, please e-mail them to Robert at rbahar10 [at] yahoo.com. Please note that links are provided for informational purposes only. We do not endorse merchandise, organizations, or people, nor have we taken any steps to confirm the accuracy or reliability of any of the information contained in such third-party sites or content. For more detail, please read our Terms of Use.
