DOC NYC, NYC’s documentary festival, begins tonight, while its panel series, Doc-A-Thon, begins tomorrow with four panels exploring how filmmakers can “Get the Money.” Doc-A-Thon continues on Monday (“Shoot Your Doc”) and through the close of the festival on Thursday, November 15. Today’s post focuses on the Masterclasses presented at the IFC Center on Doc-A-Thon’s third day, Tuesday, November 13, under the theme “Finish Your Doc.” These sessions are for those filmmakers who can see the light at the end of the filmmaking tunnel. Don’t walk into post-production blind – learn from Day 3’s post gurus.
Finish Your Doc Panel Descriptions:
Masterclass: Editing:
10:30-11:45am
Documentary makers don’t have the same control over storylines as fiction filmmakers. But a great documentary editor can shape your footage into a compelling tale. Notable editors Sloane Klevin (MEA MAXIMA CULPA) and Andy Grieve (CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU) reveal their pivotal storytelling role through clips of particularly challenging assignments, and discuss the process of collaborating with directors and producers.
Masterclass: Music & Sound Design:
12:15-1:30pm
Co-presented by Chicken & Egg Pictures and featuring two Chicken & Egg Pictures supported films both at the final completion phase: AFTER TILLER and UNSTABLE ELEMENTS. This session is geared towards how directors translate – and might even struggle – to explain their ideas to a sound editor (Margaret Crimmins – TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE) and composer (Wendy Blackstone – PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY). The panel explores what the process looks like, how the back and forth works, how to prepare for this in the field while producing/editing, and what to strive for in this critical phase of film making. Audiences will witness “spotting,” how sounds are added to the work, and the process of moving from temp to final music, with real critique and input offered by professionals to filmmakers who are in the throes of it – or just about poised to mix. The session will also discuss the creative aspects of this process and the logistics around a film’s final mix.
Masterclass: Into the Archives:
2-3:15pm
Co-presented by NBCUniversal Archives. Archival footage can help bring non-fiction projects to life, providing relevant visual diversity to what otherwise might be the dry recitation of past events. Where can documentary filmmakers find quality archival material, and what does it take to license it? A panel of industry experts will discuss what’s involved with heading into the archives.
Masterclass: Animation & Graphics:
3:45-5pm
Animation, graphics, and other visual effects have become a standard feature of documentaries in recent years, helping to illustrate arguments and to capture the viewer’s attention. But designing and implementing these elements can be intimidating. Learn more about what’s possible from some of the go-to experts in the field in this discussion.
Why You Should Attend:
You can have a great topic or story, but if it looks terrible on the screen, or if the way you’ve assembled the film makes it completely unclear, you’re going to have a huge problem. Getting the most out of post-production can make or break your doc. Find out what you should be doing here.
More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the links from the panel pages by clicking on the individual titles above, or consider purchasing a DOC NYC Insider Pass, which grants access to all weekday films, panels, and events beginning before 5pm.
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