Silver Sessions
ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR CONFERENCE SILVER SESSIONS IS NOW CLOSED.
SIGN-UP FOR SILVER SESSIONS MUST BE DONE ON-SITE AT THE CONFERENCE DESK IN THE LEE BUILDING. THE LEE BUILDING IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF GEORGIA AVENUE AND COLESVILLE ROAD.
Silver Sessions are small group meetings with international development, programming and acquisition executives;
funders; theatrical, DVD and international broadcast distributors; and leaders of current and future media. Industry Passholders may pre-register for six Silver Sessions in advance. Once registered, please e-mail your top eight choices in order of preference to conference@silverdocs.com and six will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
One-Day Pass holders may pre-register in advance for two Silver Sessions for the day of their pass by e-mailing your top three choices to conference@silverdocs.com. All registered attendees may sign up on-site during the conference for Silver Sessions depending on space availability; however, SILVERDOCS Filmmakers, Platinum Package and Sterling Access Pass holders have priority access. Student pass holders may not sign up in advance. Each session is limited to 15 participants; a waiting list will be available.
Please note: the following schedule is as accurate as possible. But, the schedule is subject
to change and will be updated as sessions are added and times/venues change. During the Festival, please check at the Conference Desk in the Lee Building for the most up-to-date list or to be put on a waiting list for a session. Silver Sessions take place at Discovery World Headquarters and at Ceviche Restaurant in the downtown Silver Spring plaza. Please, check the schedule carefully.
Tuesday, June 17
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Liz Brach, Vice President of Production, Discovery Channel
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Joanne Levine, Executive Producer Programming, Americas, Al Jazeera
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ceviche
WGBH International is the worldwide co-production and distribution division of WGBH Boston, the largest producer of primetime programming for PBS in the United States. WGBH International licenses WGBH, PBS and independently-produced programs in the categories of Science, Arts & Culture, Current Affairs, History, Human Interest, Social Issues, Children’s and Lifestyle.
PRESENTER
Charles Schuerhoff, Director of Acquisitions and Sales, WGBH International
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Valentine Kass, Program Director, National Science Foundation
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Yance Ford, Series Producer, American Documentary|P.O.V.
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Discovery
How to Maximize the Relationship with your
Media Duplicator
DVD sales can provide a critical source of revenue. In addition to terrific content, you need to make sure that the authoring, design, production and fulfillment of the piece get equal attention. What are the steps needed to ensure quick turn-around and best ways to minimize mistakes? What are the pluses and minuses of working with one vendor throughout the whole process? What is the must-remember checklist on media packaging that will result in the highest-quality finished piece?
PRESENTER
David Ryan and Valerie Yoscak, Video Labs
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Jane Latman, Director of Development, Investigation Discovery & Military Channel
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. DISCOVERY
PRESENTER
Diana El-Osta, Manager, Development & Production, National Geographic Channels, International
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Lois Vossen, Vice President & INDEPENDENT LENS Series Producer, ITVS
3:30 – 4:15 p.m. Discovery
Pitch Session #1
Pitch Current TV Execs Your Short Form Ideas
Current TV is an Emmy Award-winning television network launched by Al Gore in 2005 with the mission of bringing fresh perspectives and original filmmaker and journalist voices to air. Current is now a global cable television network with distribution in over 50 million homes in the US, UK and Italy. We buy the content we play on our network directly from our viewers, and broadcast it on TV. We work closely with directors, providing creative freedom, exposure, and resources such as royalty-free music. Participation is easy! All it takes is an idea and the ability to shoot it.
At SILVERDOCS, we will be taking & discussing pitches for potential commission. Please keep ideas to strictly non-fiction, with stories that can be told in 10 minutes or less.
PRESENTERS
Alison Davis, Creative Executive, Current TV
Ben Stein, Creative Executive, Current TV
Sarah Evershed, Creative Executive, Current TV
4:30 – 5:15 p.m. Discovery
Pitch Session #2
Pitch Current TV Execs Your Short Form Ideas
(See Pitch Session #1, above, for details.)
Alison Davis, Creative Executive, Current TV
Ben Stein, Creative Executive, Current TV
Sarah Evershed, Creative Executive, Current TV
Wednesday, June 18
11:45 a.m – 12:15 p.m. CEVICHE
PRESENTER
David Weinstein, Senior Program Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Rick Holzman, Head of Programming and Scheduling, Animal Planet
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Discovery
Show Me the Money
Do you need to raise money for your next film? Are you a filmmaker trying to make sense of all the tools on the Internet or what “Film 2.0” really means in plain English? Are you interested in any of the topics below?
• Online Fundraising
• Audience Building
• DIWO (Do-It-With-Others) Filmmaking
• Online Viral Campaigns
• Self-Distribution
Join us to discuss the trends, the tools and the companies pioneering DIWO (Do-It-With-Others) Funding and Filmmaking. Today’s presidential candidates are each raising over $1,000,000 a day online in sub-$1,000 contributions. Through social networks and online distribution outlets, these leaders are converting new supporters by targeting niche audiences. In other industries, companies like Prosper, Kiva and Sellaband are democratizing fundraising as well. Isn’t it time you got some of the money?
PRESENTER
Slava Rubin, IndieGoGo
RESOURCE ROOM
www.indiegogo.com/misc/IndieGoGo_DIWO_Guide.pdf
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Discovery
WITNESS is a nonprofit organization that uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations, transforming personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice and to promote public engagement and policy change. We have just launched a new website called the Hub which is the first website dedicated to human rights related media. Anyone, anywhere can upload video, audio and photos of human right issues, provide context for the content, share it and create campaigns for change using the media as a catalyst. We are currently exploring how to engage billions of mobile phone users around the world with image-capable devices, as we look to bridge the digital divide.
PRESENTERS
Matisse Bustos Hawkes, Communications & Outreach
Coordinator, WITNESS
Sameer Padania, Manager, HUB, WITNESS
RESOURCE ROOM:
hub.witness.org
www.witness.org
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Discovery
Specialty Studios has a track record of turning ambitious environmental and other special interest films into self-sustaining and profitable long-term projects. Our approach to producer-enhanced distribution and marketing centers around two key questions. How can you harness the power of broadband and the cooperative support of the major affinity groups who have unparalleled outreach to your target audience? And once you have that support, how do you make your film an indispensable tool for your buyers, and not just a nice DVD to pick up if they have a few extra bucks? Combined with our distribution to the US, international and educational markets, this approach greatly increases the project’s profile and the longevity of its profitable distribution. There are a lot of new tools for reaching the audience that is looking for your film. Let’s talk about some of them.
PRESENTERS
Doug Zwick and Steve Michelson, Specialty Studios Entertainment
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Nancy Abraham, Vice President, Original Programming, HBO
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Cara Mertes, Director, Documentary Film Program, Sundance Institute
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Nancy Abraham, Vice President, Original Programming, HBO
Thursday, June 19
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
National Black Programming Consortium
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Luis Ortiz, Program Manager, Latino Public Broadcasting (invited)
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Discovery
Getting International Crew & Production Support on the Road
Find out all you need to know about booking and hiring the best “local” crews, gear and production support for your documentary, whether you’re traveling and shooting in your own country or internationally.
PRESENTER
Jay Schlossberg, President, Media Central
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ceviche
CINELAN
As non-fiction filmmakers, you are constantly exploring new ways to get your stories out to an audience. While the theatrical market for documentaries may be less than robust, the emergence of new technologies and enterprising new companies are presenting more opportunities for filmmakers than ever before. Join us as we discuss one of these new companies and our plans for getting your three-minute stories shown on multiple platforms around the world.
PRESENTER
Mark Rabinowitz, Acquisitions, CINELAN
11:15 – 11:45 a.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Kim Baca, Marketing Director, Native American Public Telecommunications
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
David Weinstein, Senior Program Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities
12:00-12:30 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Center for Asian-American Media
12:45-1:15 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Ruth Boland, Executive Director, Pacific Islanders in Communications for Asian American Media (invited)
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Discovery
PRESENTER
Liz Ogilvie, Head of Programming, Docurama Films
3:30 – 4:15 p.m. Ceviche
LinkTV broadcasts programs that engage, educate and activate viewers to become involved in the world. These programs provide a unique perspective on international news, current events, and diverse cultures, presenting issues not often covered in the US media. Come and hear our programming and acquisition interests.
PRESENTER
Kim Spencer, President, LinkTV
3:30 – 4:15 p.m. Discovery
Licensing in the Digital Era: ACSIL Grid 2.0
This session will discuss footage licensing in the 21st century. The Association of Commercial Stock Footage Licensors (ASCIL) presents their forward-looking Licensing Grid and how it can be effectively implemented in footage licensing. The key to this new licensing proposal is to remove the confusing terms that focus on multi-technical systems, gizmos and formats, and instead simply determine the usage, the audience and the funding. In addition, the session will discuss the PLUS system (designed for the photographic stills industry), how the ACSIL grid compares to that system and the strengths and advantages of each system. Whether you’re new to licensing or active for decades, ASCIL’s goal is to shape the future of footage licensing for you and establish a model that will be forever future-proof and ahead of technology.
PRESENTERS
Jessica Berman-Bogdan, Global ImageWorks, LLC
Max Segal, HBO Archives, ACSIL Co-President
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Discovery
Youth Filmmaking
Young people throughout the world are already creating and presenting their films. Our international film festival, THE
SHORTIE AWARDS: FILM AND NEWS FESTIVAL, began seven years ago to promote, assess, support and award the creativity of young filmmakers ages 7-18 and their teachers. THE SHORTIE AWARDS celebrate imagination and creativity and we’ve witnessed tremendous growth in filmmaking skill and expression. Young filmmakers are telling powerful stories and we’ve got the films to prove it! See some of the amazing films and meet some of the filmmakers.
THE SHORTIE AWARDS are produced by MHz NETWORKS, an independent, non-commercial television broadcaster delivering international educational and arts programming and providing diverse cultural perspectives for a globally-minded audience.
PRESENTER
Elizabeth Pringle, Education Director, MHz Networks
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Ceviche
Truth, Justice and Documentary Ethics
Documentary scholar Pat Aufderheide hosts a discussion about ethical standards and current practices in the field. Aufderheide, also the head of the Center for Social Media at American University, draws on three sources: her legal research on copyrights; recent Center research on ethical practices; and her recent book, Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction. Aufderheide will also sign copies of her book after the session. Copies will be available for sale at the concession stand in the AFI Silver lobby.
PRESENTER
Pat Aufderheide, Professor and Director, Center for Social Media, American University, School of Communication
Friday, June 20
9:30 - 10:15 a.m. Discovery
Group Therapy: New Media Advice from AFI Digital Content Lab
The AFI Digital Content Lab is the premier R&D incubator for new forms of digital entertainment. The director and supervising producer of the lab will hold an open consultation session for attendees to receive advice about new media opportunities tied to their film and TV projects. Many people are grappling with the same issues and befuddled by the numerous options and sometimes jargon-centric nature of the new media industry. This session provides a forum to learn from other productions and draw on the presenters’ 20 years of digital media production experience.
PRESENTERS
Lisa Osborne, Supervising Producer, AFI Digital Content Lab
Suzanne Stefanac, Director, AFI Digital Content Lab
10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Discovery
Small Grants: Big Impact
The mission of The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting is to promote in-depth coverage of international affairs, focusing on topics that have been under-reported, mis-reported, or not reported at all. We provide travel grants to reporters working in all media, usually pairing print and visual elements together to maximize the impact of the story and take advantage of cross-platform distribution. The Pulitzer Center is the principal supplier of short (5-8 minute) INFOCUS video documentaries that comprise a key element of the public television program FOREIGN EXCHANGE WITH DALJIT DHALIWAL. The Center accepts proposals on a rolling basis from videographers covering international issues. If accepted, we will work with you to distribute your work across platforms to reach the widest possible audience. We want to work with you!
PRESENTER
Nathalie Applewhite, Associate Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
RESOURCE ROOM
www.pulitzercenter.org
http://pulitzercenter.org/openmenu.cfm?id=7
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PulitzerCenter
11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Steve Cheskin, Senior Vice-President, Programming, WE: Women’s Entertainment
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Discovery
See Your Distribution Future: An Interactive Workshop
Distribution strategist Peter Broderick will help filmmakers visualize their distribution futures. He will improvise hybrid distribution strategies designed to help you make the most of both traditional and innovative distribution techniques. Come prepared to pitch your project, prioritize your goals, and identify your core audiences.
PRESENTER
Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting
11:15– 11:45 a.m. Discovery
Argot Pictures is a distribution company for independent films. We work with filmmakers to set up limited engage- ment theatrical releases at theaters around the country. Argot believes that filmmakers should be actively involved in the promotion and distribution of their work. We step outside the traditional way that films are released theatrically and work to set up discreet, low-cost, limited engagements that are designed to generate publicity, box office and increase the value of films for television and DVD sales. We believe strongly in using the Internet and viral marketing techniques to connect with audiences and in some cases to sell films directly to the public.
PRESENTER
Jim Browne, Argot Pictures
RESOURCE ROOM
http://www.argotpictures.com/
11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Mary Smith, Program Officer, National Endowment for the Arts
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Discovery
Being a Producer in 2008: What Do You Need to Watch Out For?
Has there ever been a more challenging time for television producers? Not only do you have to be a good producer and a good storyteller, you also have to be skilled in business and technically astute. As linear television continues its fragmentation, with more distribution outlets arising as a result of broadband, what do today’s producers need to know to stay in business in 2008? And what kinds of opportunities are being presented to the savvy producer by the technological changes happening every day?
PRESENTERS
Clark Bunting, President, Discovery Emerging Networks
Matt Tombers, President, Intermat
2:30 – 3:00 p. m. Ceviche
PRESENTER
Steven C. Beer, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP
3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Discovery
Emerging Pictures is a filmed entertainment company for the digital age. Representing the fusion of independent film methodology and the latest digital technology, Emerging Pictures will be a major supplier of original content to traditional media outlets and a pioneer in aggregating content for future delivery systems, including its own network of digital theaters that are being created inside of existing arts institutions— Emerging Cinemas. Emerging Pictures develops, represents and distributes a wide range of content for current and future delivery systems.
PRESENTER
Josh Green, VP Distribution, Emerging Pictures
3:45 – 4:30 p.m. Ceviche
ITVS Outreach
This session will focus on the national outreach methodology of the Independent Television Service. ITVS’ flagship outreach program Community Cinema includes collaboration with leading nonprofit and community-based organizations, and its landmark Community Engagement Campaigns support television programs before they’re broadcast on Independent Lens, along with other ITVS-funded content.
PRESENTER
Dennis Palmieri, Director of Communications, ITVS and Independent Lens
