Calling all members to join DOC BC YT NT for our annual general meeting and celebrate DOC National’s 40th anniversary!
Please RSVP here if you will be joining us IN PERSON to attend our AGM and celebrate DOC National’s 40th Anniversary.
This is an opportunity to hear about the accomplishments in 2023, meet other documentary filmmakers, reconnect with your community, network, and celebrate our DOC BC YT NT members!
The event will start at 6:30pm PST and run until 11:00pm PST.
We hope to see you at our AGM! We look forward to celebrating you and our other members and sponsors!
Event is partially sponsored by Bell Media and Super Channel.
The DOC Hour will provide an opportunity for an intergenerational conversation on the topic of transformations in the Canadian and Quebec documentary world since DOC was founded in 1983. We’ll look back over four decades of DOC’s tireless efforts to preserve the vitality, funding and accessibility of documentaries in our society.
We’d like to mark this anniversary by reflecting on our history and looking to the future. We salute the growing diversity of our community, take stock of our challenges and celebrate our successes.
The panel will begin with an overview of the “Getting Real/Toute la vérité” report on the decline in funding for documentary production in Canada.
The Documentary Organization of Canada welcomes all to this no-charge event to help us celebrate our 40th Anniversary as an organization and the massive impact we have had in the documentary community for decades.
This “All Are Welcome” event will feature food, beverages, music, and plenty of networking time with a small interlude for a speaking panel made up of veteran producer and director, Connie Edwards (also former DOC National Board Chair) and emerging documentary writer and director Omar Mouallem, moderated by DOC Alberta Board Chair, Kelly Wolfert. The panel will reflect on how far DOC has come in 40 years, its impact in the community, and how, as the major voice for documentary across Canada, we are the organization best able to assist those starting out in the documentary industry.
After the panel, we will all be able to connect again and network. This event is perfect for experienced creators and DOC members to celebrate our successes over the past 40 years but it is an amazing opportunity for film/tv students, independent creators, emerging filmmakers, and scripted crew and technicians alike to meet and create lasting relationships.
DOC Members will receive 1 complimentary drink ticket with registration.
If you are interested in becoming a DOC Member head to docorg.ca/join-doc. DOC is currently offering a free two year membership to all new members that identify as BIPOC.
Join us for an exciting online event, Disability Employment Awareness in Documentary Film, on Sat Oct 14 2023, starting at 11:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time.
Learn from renowned filmmakers, disability advocates, and industry experts as they share their experiences, insights, and techniques for effectively capturing the stories of individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
Discover the challenges and triumphs faced by those with disabilities in the documentary film industry, and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusive employment practices. With a focus on authentic storytelling, we will explore how documentary filmmaking can shed light on the unique talents and capabilities of individuals with disabilities, challenging stereotypes and promoting equal opportunities.
Whether you’re a filmmaker, disability advocate, or simply interested in the power of storytelling, this event offers a valuable opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired.
DOC BCYTNT is grateful to RealWheels Theatre for their incredible support. For more information about RealWheels, check them out at https://realwheels.ca/
🕔11:00 AM – 11:55 AM: Brunch and networking
🕔12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Join Emily Grace Brook and Summer Pervez, Amy Amantea, Niall McNeil and John Bolton in discussion about accessibility, barriers and ways of co-creating and working with people who identify as having a disability.
DOC Business Leap will support six Canadian documentary producers with small to mid-sized production companies who have completed one or several funded projects, and who identify as one or more intersections of Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, living with a disability, Francophone outside Quebec or living in a rural or remote regions of Canada (remote being defined as oneʼs primary residence being 150 km from cities of over 500 000 people).
This program includes:
Monthly meeting with a producer mentor
Monthly consultations with a production accountant
Consultation sessions with an entertainment lawyer
$2000 of therapy
This program is designed for producers who want to grow their production company. Each participant is allotted a pre-paid block of time with specialized consultants that they can draw upon over the course of one year, beginning in January 2024. These regular consultations will help participants to better position themselves, their team and their company for long term sustainable growth.
Every month, participants will have a two-hour meeting with a veteran producer consultant. These regular check-ins are to help to keep their company and projects on track. Participants have regular access to legal consultants, to help with their company structure, to set up their standard production agreements, and any other support that is needed to establish the correct legal frameworks for the company as it prepares for long term growth. Participants have access to production accounting consultants, to help the company review and refine its systems for accounting, payroll, managing tax credits, and other key financial elements. Participants also have pre-paid sessions with a therapist – a key recommendation from DOC’s “DocuMentality” report released in May 2023.
Please fill out the form below to apply for DOC Business Leap before November 17, 2023.
This program is supported by
Eligibility Criteria. YOU ARE:
A producer who creates documentary content
The majority shareholder of a production company incorporated within Canada
The majority shareholder of a production company that has produced at least one documentary production in Canada that has received Federal tax credits
The lead producer on a documentary that has had one or more of: Telefilm funding, CMF production funding, a production license with a Canadian broadcaster, a coproduction with the National Film Board of Canada
Working with a bookkeeper and / or production accountant on at least a part-time basis
Interested in growing your company and producing documentary content at a higher volume
An individual who is part of at least one of the communities prioritized by Business Leap
Able to commit to up to five hours of meetings per month with the program’s mentors and consultants
This is a pilot program that is mostly being offered in English with some French elements.
Q: Do I have to be working exclusively on documentaries?
A: No. You can be producing a variety of genres and formats, but need to have documentaries on your slate of projects
Q: Why is this program open only to documentary producers who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, living with a disability, Francophone outside Quebec or living in a rural or remote regions of Canada (remote being defined as one’s primary residence being 150 km from cities of over 500 000 people)?
A: This program is supported by the Canada Media Fund’s Sector Development program, that supports industry initiatives that seek to address gaps in our sector for the groups prioritized by this program.
Q: How much time will I be required to spend on this program over the course of a year?
A: Every month, participants will spend 1-2 hours with their producer mentor, and 1-2 hours with their production accountant. These meetings do not have a fixed date and time and are set up to be flexible considering everyone’s busy schedules. The legal consultations and therapy sessions are according to each producer’s needs, and can be utilized until the bank of hours has been depleted.
Q. When will know if I’ve been selected for the program?
A: Participants will be notified by December 6, 2023
Q. Why is this program not offered in French?
A: DOC is running this program as a pilot with some bilingual elements: the legal consultations and resulting Agreements are available in French, and participants can choose a Francophone therapist. Should DOC be able to run a second, more expansive version of this program it will be a fully bilingual offer.
This informative session, in collaboration with DOC Québec and DOC Canada, will be hosted by the Forum RIDM team. It’s an opportunity to learn more about our professional market and different activities within our program. After the presentation, there will be time for a Q&A, in order to help you better navigate during the event.
The activity is planned for 1 hour and will be held :
Spotlight Conversation & Mixer at Lunenburg Doc Fest!
Join Atlantic region documentary creators for a conversation exploring changes in the documentary ecosystem over the past four decades as we envision the future, followed by oysters and wine to celebrate DOC’s 40th anniversary. This event is sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada and is free and open to the public.
To commemorate this important occasion and to highlight the release of “Getting Real 7”, we are pleased to partner with the Toronto International Film Festival for a celebration during the festival.
Overlooking King Street and the Toronto skyline at sunset, the 40th anniversary celebration will take place in the heart of the festival on the Rooftop of TIFF Bell Lightbox at 5pm on September 12th.
Join us for a 5@7 to commemorate DOC’s history and bright future, and our wonderful community!
DOC extends our heartfelt gratitude to the evening’s sponsors for their generous support:
At the height of a dramatic reconfiguration of Canada’s film and television funding, the Documentary Organization of Canada releases a major report on the state of documentary production in this country. In this session, DOC will share their findings for the first time, and explain why this latest edition of their “Getting Real” reports could be a game-changer for documentary filmmakers.
The panel will feature Kadon Douglas, Executive Director of BIPOC TV & Film, Owen Sherman, Senior Analyst at Nordicity, and Sarah Spring, Executive Director of DOC. The event will feature a special presentation by Mehernaz Lentin, National Director of Feature Film, Telefilm Canada.
Please note that access is limited to TIFF Industry and Conference passholders.
Thank you to our generous partners who have sponsored Getting Real 7!
DOC is extremely grateful to Nordicity for creating this report
For the second consecutive year, you are invited to a documentary community meetup presented in collaboration with DOC Québec and Pour la suite du doc, to support the improvement of working conditions for documentary filmmakers in Quebec. This is the perfect opportunity for filmmakers to meet, as well as to create a space for exchange between the general public and professionals in the documentary field.
We invite you as of 4:00 PM at Laurier Park, where you can enjoy specialty beers from Cinéma sous les étoiles by Microbrasserie Les Grands Bois and enjoy an uplifting musical atmosphere.
VENUE PARTNER Plateau-Mont-Royal Borough
COLLABORATING PARTNERS Doc Québec Pour la suite du DOC
DOC will be present at Gimli International Film Festival!
Growing from DOC’s wonderful meetings with local filmmakers at the Available Light Film Festival this past winter, DOC is looking forward to hear from Manitoba doc-makers as part of DOC’s Strategic Goal to connect with and work to strengthen local Chapters. In this session, DOC National Executive Director Sarah Spring will receive feedback from documentary filmmakers in Manitoba. This will be an opportunity to share ways that DOC National can better serve the documentary sector in the region as DOC shapes the next round of National programs to support filmmakers.
DOC will be present at Gimli International Film Festival!
Growing from our wonderful meetings with local filmmakers at the Available Light Film Festival this past winter, attending Gimli to connect with Manitoba doc-makers is part of DOC’s Strategic Goal to connect with and work to strengthen our local Chapters.
DOC’s National team will be at Johnson Hall between 10:00am – 12:00pm, Friday July 28. Drop by with questions, comments or simply to say hello! Laura Dueñas can answer any of your questions about how to join DOC and all our member benefits, and Esmé Tierney can let you know how DOC’s Festival Concierge and Business Concierge programs work and how to access these national programs. DOC’s Executive Director, Sarah Spring and Operations Manager, Tazeen Ahmed would love to hear your ideas on what DOC can do for you, and how to advocate for Manitoba’s filmmakers!
DOC will be present at Gimli International Film Festival!
Growing from our wonderful meetings with local filmmakers at the Available Light Film Festival this past winter, attending Gimli to connect with Manitoba doc-makers is part of DOC’s Strategic Goal to connect with and work to strengthen our local Chapters.
Having launched an initiative to normalize conversations about mental health in the Canadian documentary field in 2022, the Documentary Organization of Canada and the team at DocuMentality, with the financial support of the Canada Media Fund, conducted a series of focus groups to assess well-being among documentary industry professionals nationwide.
This report is Canada’s first in-depth analysis of mental health and well-being in the production sector. This session will share the results of the DocuMentality report with filmmakers in Manitoba and seek input for what filmmakers want to see change in order to center well-being and good mental health in their work.
DOC will be present at Gimli International Film Festival!
Growing from our wonderful meetings with local filmmakers at the Available Light Film Festival this past winter, attending Gimli to connect with Manitoba doc-makers is part of DOC’s Strategic Goal to connect with and work to strengthen our local Chapters.
DOC’s principal mandate is to advocate on behalf of documentary creators for a sustainable, equitable, inclusive, fair and functional film industry. This discussion aims to ensure that filmmakers in Manitoba are informed of Federal Policy changes that affect them at ground zero, such as Bill C-11 and changes on the horizon for the cultural funds from Heritage Canada. This discussion will also be led by Joy Loewen, CEO of National Screen Institute
About the National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI)
Propelled by a visionary network of donors, private and public organizations, board members and staff, the National Screen Institute supports creators from across Canada to tell unforgettable stories. Through industry-informed training and mentoring in film, television and digital media, students and alumni find their voice and place on the global stage, inspiring us to shape a better world.
We are committed to training participants from a diverse community of voices including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+), people with disabilities, those outside large urban centres, those from regional and remote areas and various religious groups.
