The question of livelihood in the documentary industry is unfortunately as topical and relevant as ever and affects filmmakers globally, both seasoned and the upcoming alike. During the conference that is a sidebar to the IDFA Film Festival in Amsterdam, this issue will be discussed from different perspectives. It will kick off with a keynote examining how concerns over livelihood are affecting the mental wellbeing of filmmakers in everyday production and in power relationships with financiers. Next up is a talk focusing on the experience of European film directors and findings from various European surveys examining issues such as income levels and pro bono work. This is followed by a talk discussing perspectives and experiences from producers globally and looking at whether it is at all possible to run a business based on producing documentary film – can we even call this an industry?

It might not be uplifting, but the question of livelihood is of utmost importance and chinks of light may emerge that can spark change. Whatever the case, continued knowledge-sharing is essential so we can inspire one another and build on the successes, and the mistakes, of other countries. 

Keynote: Rebecca Day (Film in Mind and DocuMentality)
Speakers: Jane Ray (The Whickers), Ida Grøn (The Association of Danish Film Directors), Peter Lataster (Dutch Directors Guild), David Bernet (AG DOK), Gary Byung-Seok Kam (Mirror & Story), Toni Kamau (We are not the machine), Alexandra Galvis (BF Distribution), Martichka Bozhilova (AGITPROP).
Moderator: Roisin Geraghty (The Documentary Film Council & Docs Ireland)  

15:00 – 15:20: Intro + keynote by Rebecca Day 
15:20 – 16:20: Focus on film directors in Europe
16:20 – 16:30: Coffee break 
16:30 – 17:30: Focus on producers globally

Held as part of IDFA. More details at https://festival.idfa.nl/en/composition/e42ccf63-e247-4456-ad16-c3eaeb6669f9/industry-talk:-livelihood-in-the-documentary-industry/.

The craft of editing can bring unique challenges, pressures, and emotional toll. DOC NYC’s Director of Industry and Education and co-founder of DocuMentality Malikkah Rollins joins editor Tyler Walk (Great Photo, Lovely Life), editor Jason Pollard (Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues), and editor Sara Wasserman (Great Photo, Lovely Life) to assess the issues, share coping strategies, self-care techniques, and ways of fostering a supportive editing community. Discover how to navigate the delicate balance between creating powerful stories and safeguarding your mental health and well-being. This discussion will include audience interactive elements.

Held as part of DOC NYC PRO Conference. More details.

Join DocuMentality co-founders Rebecca Day and Malikkah Rollins as they reveal research findings into the state of mental health in the documentary industry.

Taking place at Sheffield DocFest. More information here.

What is the emotional toll of documenting sensitive or traumatic topics? Do you feel the pressure to produce compelling work, on tight deadlines, working long hours with limited resources? Join DocuMentality co-founders Rebecca Day and Malikkah Rollins as they reveal research findings into the state of mental health in the documentary industry. The roots of the crisis and potential solutions from the audience are at the heart of the DocuMentality discussion.

Speakers: Rebecca Day (Film in Mind) & Malikkah Rollins - Co-Founders of DocuMentality

Content Guidance: This session may contain discussions about mental health and PTSD.

Join a panel of commissioners, filmmakers, psychologists and mental health practitioners as they discuss why broadcasters are challenged more than other platforms when it comes to certain issues.
Taking place at the Sheffield DocFest and open to Industry. Learn more.

At a time when mental health considerations and duty of care towards contributors and audiences are rightly paramount, this Channel 5 session will explore whether some documentaries should or even could be made now. Has journalistic compromise become inevitable or necessary when telling powerful and triggering stories? Have contributors a right to have a ‘stake’ in documentaries, even to the point of sharing the profits? Can or should people have a right to veto their story being told? And are guidelines from outside television making the telling of important stories harder?
 
Join a panel of commissioners, filmmakers, psychologists and mental health practitioners as they discuss why broadcasters are challenged more than other mediums when it comes to these issues, and explore if journalistic integrity and endeavour is threatened? Do we risk compromising projects and authenticity of the subject, and is there still a middle ground to tell the stories that filmmakers, contributors and broadcasters believe should be told.

Speakers: Andy Mundy Castle (Founder, Doc Hearts), Rebecca Day (DocuMentality),  Adrian Padmore (Commissioning Editor VP Non Scripted Originals, Channel 5/Paramount +), Lisa Selby (Director, Blue Bag Life), Rachel Harvie (Executive Producer, ANOREXIC) 

Moderator: Guy Davies (Commissioning Editor VP Non Scripted UK Originals, Channel 5/Paramount +)

Supported by Channel 5

Content Guidance: This session will contain discussions about eating disorders, mental health, PTSD and strong themes. 

2022’s Word of the Year “Permacrisis” fittingly reflects a dizzying sense of lurching from one trouble to another. The DocuMentality initiative is currently running a thorough research of the roots – and solutions for disproportionally high levels of stress, depression and sense of powerlessness in the nonfiction industry. Rebecca Day, one of the initiators of the project, will introduce the research and share potential outcomes for the documentary community. She and hosts Malikkah Rollins and Philippa Kowarsky will invite participants to be a part of research focus groups. Taking place as part of CPH:DOX presented in partnership with Documentary Campus. Learn more.