DOC NYC PRO: 2024 Winter Season

Worried your film’s marketing budget can’t make much of an impact? Think again! Award-winning digital marketing director Daniel Kaplan (Fever Content, DOC NYC’s digital marketing agency through four consecutive festivals) shares his approach to building grassroots audiences for documentary features with an innovative marketing approach that has earned $1M+ box-office grosses and been written about in Forbes and IndieWire. Learn best practices for marketing your film on social media, tactically planning your digital ad strategy, and making the most of limited resources to amplify buzz around your film. You’ll come away with tangible next steps to design an effective marketing campaign for your documentary, and the confidence that your project can find the audience it deserves.

Join therapists Jennifer Zelaya, LICSW and Carolyn Gartner, LCSW and filmmaker Amanda Mustard (Great Photo, Lovely Life) for an essential discussion on prioritizing the mental health of documentary participants. As filmmakers, it’s crucial to recognize participants’ symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and trauma throughout the filmmaking process. This panel will provide practical insights and guidelines on conducting interviews ethically, fostering a safe environment, and recognizing signs that someone requires support. Learn how to approach filmmaking with empathy, ensuring the well-being of both participants and your filmmaking team.

Dive into the heart of today’s documentary market in a dynamic conversation that reveals the essentials every filmmaker should understand, and why it matters. Discover actionable insights from Filmmaker Accelerator’s founder and director Lina Lyte Plioplyte (Periodical) on leveraging this knowledge for impactful pitches, audience building, and innovative strategies to get your film seen. An overview of the current landscape will be provided, sharing creative approaches to enhance your market positioning. Get inspiration from case studies about filmmakers who achieved success through novel approaches to promoting their work and building an audience.

Discover the power of using graphics and animation in documentary filmmaking. Animators and graphics designers Yasmin Mistry (Idesygn creative, LLC), Daniel Shepard (Being Mary Tyler Moore), and Sean Donnelly (Stamped From The Beginning) guide us through the intricate process of integrating visual elements into your storytelling, delving into the distinctions between graphics and animation and helping you determine if animation will enhance your narrative. Fundamental topics such as stylistic, budgetary and scheduling concerns will be addressed. Gain valuable insights into how these techniques can enhance the storytelling impact of your documentary, empowering you to make informed choices that captivate your audience.

Join us for an engaging exploration led by D Word Co-Host and filmmaker Erica Ginsberg, drawing from her insightful book, Creative Resilience. We’ll discuss innovative ways to navigate creative blocks, addressing common challenges like impostor syndrome, creative stagnation, and dealing with setbacks. Gain practical strategies for overcoming these hurdles and fostering a resilient creative mindset that empowers you to thrive in your filmmaking journey.