A unique convening of documentary filmmakers, private and public media, educators, distributors, development executives, media innovators, and the philanthropic community.

 

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

• Five days to explore the craft and business of documentary storytelling
• Fresh perspectives on funding, distribution and how to engage new audiences, in over 60 panels and workshops – all within the context of a world-class festival
• One-on-one access to critical decision-makers and experts
• Access to the full SILVERDOCS Festival Program
• SILVER SESSIONS: Conference registrants may sign up on a first-come, first-served basis for small group meetings with international media executives
  

FEATURED SPEAKERS (TO DATE)

Sheila C.  Johnson, CEO Salamander Hospitality, President WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Philanthropist and executive producer of A POWERFUL NOISE.  Thursday, June 19.

Alternative Distribution guru Peter Broderick, President, Paradigm Consulting.  Saturday, June 21.

CONFERENCE THEMES

HUMAN NATURE 3.0: STORYTELLING IN AN ‘ALWAYS-ON’ WORLD
An exploration of the possibilities, challenges and realities of Web 3.0 interactive tools and their influence on documentary storytelling, with special emphasis on youth, education and the next generation of media artists.

• Does Public TV Have a Future? (Presented by the Center for Social Media)
• Free is the New Window: Success Stories from the Digital NEXT
• Generation Digital: Award-Winning Shorts from GenNext
• Groundbreaking Content on the Web for Educators
• The Digi Future with the AFI Digital Content Lab
• It’s Not Just a Game: Storytelling in the Virtual Space
• Marketing ‘Brand You’: Self-Branding Online  
• Student Pitch: Young Filmmakers Pitch the Pros
• Technology of the Future in Today’s Classroom

THE DOCUMENTARY IN ACTION  
A series of provocative discussions that cast a critical eye on new trends, opportunities and pitfalls as social activists, philanthropists, nonprofits and documentarians forge closer ties.

• Has the Documentary been Hijacked by the Social Change Agenda?    
• HSUS/Animal Content in Entertainment Program - Grant Pitch for $25,000
• Is It Propaganda? Using Media as a Tool for Social Change
• The Many Shades of Green Media
• The Power of Story: When Social Entrepreneurs & Documentary Filmmakers Unite

CRAFT AND BUSINESS IN THE NOW

• Cinematography Master Class with Ellen Kuras
• The Legal 411 on Film and Media in the Classroom
• “How To Pitch” Seminar with Cynthia Lopez, American Documentary|P.O.V.

DISTRIBUTION ESSENTIALS

• Distribution Now: Strategic Thinking for the Feature Doc
• ‘Old School’ is New Money: Opportunities in the Educational Market
• Public Broadcasting: Your Source for Independent Opportunity
• International Co-Production: How To with the Experts
• The Big Picture: Factual Programming Budget Forecast

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

SCHOOL DOCS: HARNESSING THE POWER OF MEDIA FOR EDUCATION
A strand of hands-on workshops, panel discussions and films showcasing innovative practices in visual education.  Expert presenters include John Golden, Dr. Renee Shea, and Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick. Wednesday, June 18 with hands-on sessions scheduled for Thursday, June 19.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL MARKETING:
A GAME PLAN FOR FILMMAKERS
A Half-Day Hands-On Workshop with Dennis Palmieri and Duong-Chi Do, ITVS
Sign-up Required, Limited to 50 participants
Saturday, June 21 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

Don’t miss this nuts-and-bolts curriculum on designing your project’s community engagement strategy, and how to leverage that strategy into an effective social marketing campaign that maximizes community impact and strong promotional value.  Attend these sessions and walk away with an outreach and social marketing plan for your next project!  There is no additional fee, but you must be a registered pass holder.  Advance sign-up is required; please reserve your seat by e-mailing conference@SILVERDOCS.com

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

Argo Pictures
A&E Television Network
AFI Digital Content Lab
Al Jazeera
American Documentary | P.O.V.
AMERICAN MASTERS
American Public Television
Animal Planet
Apple
Arts Engine
Bay Area Video Coalition
Center for Asian American Media
Center for Social Media
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Current TV
Discovery Channel
Discovery Education
Discovery Planet Green
Ford Foundation
HBO
HSUS/Animal Content in Entertainment
Indie Go Go
International Documentary Association
ITVS
Latino Public Broadcasting
Link TV
Media Central
MHz/Shorties Film Festival
National Black Programming Consortia
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channels International
Native American Public Telecommunications
NETA
Netflix/Red Envelope
New Video/Docurama
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Pacific Islanders in Communication
Paradigm Consulting
Participant Productions
PBS
PRX
Rutgers University
Salamander Hospitality
Shooting People
Skoll Foundation
SNAG Films/AOL True Stories
Sundance Channel
Sundance Documentary Institute
Tribeca Film Institute
TV One
WE: Women’s Entertainment
WGBH
WITNESS

BUY A PASS

For School Docs information, click here.