The rapidly changing distribution landscape has brought with it a whole new vocabulary and a seemingly mind-boggling array of different options for delivering films to audiences (link takes you to our new Distribution Terminology Guide). But where do you, the filmmaker, fit in? Just like you needed to train yourself to make a film, you need to learn how to distribute one. Because this new digital world can at times be confusing and overwhelming, we gathered a diverse group of folks together for our May Doc U on digital distribution to help you sort out what’s what. Peter Broderick, who consults with filmmakers and has studied this arena extensively, moderated our panel that included filmmaker Jen Chaiken (Inequality for All, Afternoon Delight), Chris Horton (Sundance Institute), Melanie Miller (Gravitas Ventures), and Erick Opeka (Cinedigm Entertainment). We culled through the evening’s discussion to come up with our top five takeaways you need to know to help mount a successful and individualized distribution strategy.

1. Always Grow Your Audience

Our panelists highlighted numerous marketing strategies for audience development such as maintaining a strong online presence, crowdfunding, and building email lists. Email lists are key; they can become the core market for advertising films, selling merchandise, and making pre-sales to people who have indicated that they’re interested in what you’re producing. Some filmmakers offer free products on their documentaries’ websites and collect names and emails in exchange, which they can use in the future. Crowdfunding is another great tool. As Chris Horton said, crowdfunding is “less about raising money than building an audience.”

2. Retain Rights to Sell Directly

Regardless if you make a traditional or a hybrid deal for distribution, Peter Broderick recommended that filmmakers retain the rights to sell their documentaries directly from their websites, whether the copies are digital or on DVD. Not only does this allow you more versatility for distribution, but it also allows you to collect the names and emails of those who buy your film, which, as mentioned above, is extremely important for developing an audience. Hit-documentary Hungry for Change made over a million in sales by selling copies of the film and cookbooks from its website. While this isn’t the case for every documentary, having the right to sell directly is invaluable.

3. Timing is Everything

By all measures, getting your doc into Sundance is a great achievement. And, based on recent trends, chances are that your Sundance screening will lead to your film being acquired for distribution. However, Horton believes that there’s one small flaw in this picture. Getting picked up for distribution at a film festival creates a gulf between the premiere and the time the film gets to market, leaving many documentaries high and dry after the festival buzz has died down. It can take upward of 90 days to program a film’s delivery with a cable operator, so planning ahead can be a daunting (and expensive) task. However, both Melanie Miller and Opeka recommend finding distributors and making them part of the process early on; that way, your festival buzz will translate more effectively into growing your audience.

4. The Rules Aren’t Always Meant to be Broken

If you have a film with the potential to be sold to cable TV or with high profile broadcast and VOD release possibility, the more stringent the distribution rules are. Opeka believes if you’ve already released it online or rocked the boat when it comes to traditional distribution, you run the risk of your film being passed over by the biggest platforms in the business. (In which case, you may not be able to follow the lead of the Hungry for Change example cited above). If you fail to mention that your film is already online and the distributor finds out after a deal is made, you may jeopardize that deal. You may have a really innovative release strategy on paper, but do consult someone who really understands how to navigate the windows and split rights of the business so that you aren’t exempt from any big distribution opportunities down the road.

5. Research How to Monetize your Film and Navigate Windows

Understanding the ins-and-outs of distribution windows is necessary, because your distributor(s) need(s) an informed filmmaker to partner with in order to get the film out as efficiently as possible. This means understanding windows and how to break them: pre-theatrical, theatrical, post-theatrical. In Miller’s ideal world, a filmmaker’s documentary would go to VOD and drop on DVD on the same day. Understand how early your film can get on the VOD, cable, Hulu Prime, Netflix, Apple iTunes bandwagon. Understand tiers — meaning the pricing for your film — and be in contact with your distributor to tap into their expertise on pricing.

Read our 10 Keys to Successful Theatrical Distribution for Your Doc from our Doc U in April 2014

In a recent interview with TheWrap, IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin was asked to discuss the current boom in documentary filmmaking. Excerpts from his interview were published in the piece Is This the Death of the Big Screen Documentary?, in which filmmaker Joe Berlinger also weighs in on how technology and contemporary distribution methods have been both "a blessing and a curse."

"An individual can pretty easily and cheaply put their film online; whether anyone sees or finds it is another matter," Michael Lumpkin, executive director of the International Documentary Association, told TheWrap. "There are more opportunities over the last several years—there have been a constant parade of new platforms to watch movies online. But I think for filmmakers, not enough of those opportunities are actually financial opportunities."

Lumpkin noted that his organization has seen a continual uptick in the number of documentaries submitted for awards consideration, which is their best measurement of the number of films that come out in the genre each year.

Like so much in the docmaking profession, the future of documentaries on the big screen is murky. Recognizing this concern, the International Documentary Association and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has developed GETTING REAL, an unprecedented 3-day national conference for documentary filmmakers. GETTING REAL hopes to ignite what is desperately needed in the documentary community: a frank public conversation about the state of our industry that will lead to action and change. Held from September 30 to October 2, 2014 in Los Angeles, the conference will feature a curated selection of compelling topics including filmmaker pay, transparency, equity funding, ethics, and public media utilizing formats designed to be interactive, dynamic, and productive.

Learn more about the conference and register at GETTINGREAL2014.com

Read the full article on TheWrap.

As you may have read last week, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission has provided a generous grant enabling the IDA to recruit two promising undergraduate students for paid summer 2014 internships. During their time with us, these two bright individuals will gain expertise in event and educational program management.

Corinne Gaston has joined us this week as the new Conference and Educational Programs Intern. Corinne has one more semester to finish at the University of Southern California where she studies Creative Writing, Folklore, and Screenwriting. Originally from Pennsylvania, Corinne has fallen in love with California and has no plans of leaving the west coast any time soon. She is a published writer who co-founded and ran The Interloper, an alternative newspaper, at her school during her junior year. In the fall, she’ll join Neon Tommy at USC as an assistant opinion editor.

Corinne enjoys the unique forms that storytelling can take and believes in the power that documentaries have to shed light on social issues. She was deeply moved by The Invisible War by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, and, after learning the IDA supported this production, decided that she wanted to play a part in providing documentary filmmakers the tools and networks to help them tell their stories.

We're thrilled to kickoff this first week with a bright new addition to the IDA, and can't wait to see the incredible work we are sure she do with us this summer. Please join us in welcoming Corinne to the IDA community!

Learn about our other talented new intern made possible by the LACAC, Program and Events Intern Niala Charles.

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission has provided a generous grant enabling the IDA to recruit two promising undergraduate students for paid summer 2014 internships. During their time with us, these two bright individuals will gain expertise in event and educational program management.

The first to join the fold is Niala Charles, our new Program and Events Intern. Niala will be embarking on her senior year at Pepperdine University in the Fall, where she is studying Broadcast Journalism and Economics. Hailing from Temecula, California, Niala has traveled extensively throughout the UK and Europe and is currently flexing her journalism muscles as the Business Reporter on Pepperdine's news program News Waves.

Niala professes a love of documentaries and shares her wonder at their impact on society. "[Documentaries] have the power to influence change within society and increase awareness by showing audiences a life other than their own," she states. Niala loves Oprah's Master Class series, which features well-known figures telling never-before-heard stories, for this reason. She hopes that her work with the IDA will help to showcase the amazing talent that lies within the documentary industry.

We're excited to embark on this journey with this new addition to our team, and can't wait to see the incredible impact we are sure she will have on the IDA as an organization. Please join us in welcoming Niala to the IDA community!

Stay tuned next week to meet the new Conference and Educational Programs Intern Corinne Gaston

IDA sponsor and generous supporter of the documentary film community, FirstCom Music, has something new for documentary filmmakers - the BBC Orchestral Toolkit!

Exclusively from FirstCom Music, the BBC Orchestral Toolkit is a new editing option that's for documentary score alternatives and beyond.  It's an exciting scoring tool that is not delivering "stems" but something much more flexible and easier to use in many ways.  Filmmakers can easily build a custom music score with a simple drag and drop of the audio files from the toolkit directly into your editing software alongside your visual edit.

See the BBC Production Music Toolkit in action here.

FirstCom Music is an online production music library source for licensing production music and sound effects for broadcast, film, multimedia and corporate productions. For licensing details and questions about the BBC Orchestral Toolkit, call 310.865.4437.

Have you ever wished for a direct line to a funder? IDA is launching a new initiative called #FunderFriday that makes your wish come true. Our members contact us everyday with questions regarding the complexity and variation of the many grants available to documentary filmmakers. #FunderFriday taps into IDA's long-standing relationships with prominent granting organizations so you can ask them the questions that are important to you.

We're excited to kick off this new initiative with NEH Senior Program Officer Jeff Hardwick. Our members asked Jeff questions via our Twitter feed using the #FunderFriday hashtag, and Jeff has generously answered those questions in this blog post. A big thanks to Jeff and to you for joining us. Stay tuned for the next #FunderFriday, and don't forget that the NEH Bridging Cultures deadline is June 11th!

Our first question came to us via email from IDA Fiscal Sponsorship Program participant Huriyyah Muhammad:

Is it necessary to have Humanities Scholars appear in the actual film, either on camera or in VO form?

No, the scholars (however photogenic they might be) do not have to appear in your film. You should rely on the scholarly advisers to provide context for a project and identify relevant humanities themes and ideas. Filmmakers usually convene a meeting of the scholarly advisers early in the process and then rely on advisers to read a script, watch rough cuts, or be available to answer questions. Additionally, you should bring together a broad group of advisers that bring different perspectives to the topic, and not rely on a single scholar’s work or opinions.

The next few came in through our #FunderFriday hashtag:

#FunderFriday What's the first place to start when you are raising money for a documentary that already has been 80% shot?

— nicole zwiren (@nicolr) May 21, 2014

Jeff Hardwick: For our film grants (either Media or Bridging Cultures through Film), NEH does not break out a distinct “finishing funds” category. So if you have any shooting, interviews, editing, or post-production work to do, then you should apply for a Production grant. Of course, your budget would reflect the more limited scope of work to be done during the grant period. You also can decide whether or not you want to submit pieces of that rough footage as a sample for your grant application or not (sometimes it helps an application immensely).

Do funders prefer a complete idea with little room for flexibility, or a project that they can help morph? #funderfriday

— Lauren Knapp (@LCKnapp) May 21, 2014

Jeff Hardwick: At NEH, we like to see the idea as fully fleshed out as possible. We want to see the script, be able to picture what will be on the screen, and clearly see the humanities ideas. Of course, we realize that documentaries might change during the shooting or editing, but we need to be confident that what’s proposed will more or less resemble the final product.

Hi Jeff! Thank you for taking our questions. What is the biggest mistake filmmakers make when applying for funding? #FunderFriday

— DesktopDocumentaries (@DesktopDocs) May 20, 2014

Jeff Hardwick: Ah, let me count the ways—just kidding. That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say that perhaps the easiest resource that filmmakers overlook when applying for a grant is contacting us. Program officers in the Division are here to help you with your application, will read drafts, or answer any questions.  Taking us up on the offer can help you avoid lots of mistakes and headaches. Similarly, looking over sample applications is very helpful. These samples will give you models that can help you compose your application. Narratives from successful applications are available on the program resource pages of the Media or Bridging Cultures through Film programs.

As for the grant application, the biggest mistake would be not explaining what the takeaway humanities content will be for the viewer. Applicants should articulate clearly their concept for the project and the humanities issues that the project reflects, even when the proposal is for a development grant. Some applicants think that it is obvious what their film will teach people about humanities topics, but that content really should be detailed and explained. Indeed, making it very clear what the humanities themes will be is crucial to success here.

Hot fun in the summertime—get ready for the Summer 2014 issue of Documentary!

Out of school...fish are jumpin'...the time is right for dancin' in the streets...we're on safari to stay...and the Summer 2014 issue of Documentary is the beach-reading of choice for discerning perusers everywhere! This edition, we offer you a glimpse at

New Online and Cable Venues for Docs

The digital space is the volatile frontier, with stakeholders large and small jockeying for a piece of it. We look at a few of the newer players who are staking their claim, including Al Jazeera America, which in less than a year since launching has garnered a passel of honors. We talk to Shannon High-Bassalik senior vice president for shows and documentaries, about Al Jazeera America's programmatic mission and goals.

As the print world rethinks its survival strategies, some of the old-timers have been busy over the years beefing up their online video efforts. We look at some of the innovations coming out of The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The New York Times.

Finally, one of the more interesting debuts over the past couple of years has been Storyhunter, a network for video news journalists and docmakers to pitch their stories to publishers and distributors looking for creative content. We talk with co-founder Jaron Gilinsky about the brief history of Storyhunter—its achievements, as well as the obstacles it's had to overcome.

Elsewhere in the issue, June is bustin' out all over with Summer Solstice, graduations, Father's Day—and weddings. We feature two nuptial-centric docs premiering on HBO: Ben Cotner andRyan White's The Case Against 8, about the long road to the landmark Supreme Court decision that overturned Proposition 8, the California law that banned same-sex marriage; and Doug Block's 112 Weddings, in which the filmmaker, who moonlights as a wedding videographer, interviews some of his old clients about how their marriages turned out.

So, enjoy those lazy, hazy days; join IDA and get Documentary magazine year-round: Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring!

Last week, the USC Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic continued its advocacy efforts on behalf of documentary and independent filmmakers seeking reform on the issue of orphan works, copyrighted works for which the original rights holder cannot be identified or located. Many documentary filmmakers use existing copyrighted works when editing together their films, typically in the form of archival material. Sometimes a filmmaker may rely on fair use, but often he or she needs to obtain a license. When a work is orphaned, obtaining a license is impossible: how do you get a license when you cannot find the owner, or even determine who the owner is? This means that if a filmmaker wants to use an orphan work, he or she must do so under threat that someone claiming to be the rightsholder will emerge and sue for infringement.

It is for this reason that the Clinic submitted a public comment to the United States Copyright Office on behalf of the IDA and Film Independent with the co-counsel Michael C. Donaldson. Earlier in 2014, the US Copyright Office held roundtable discussions and sought public comments on orphan works and how they relate to larger preservation efforts. This March, Clinic interns Patrick Boyle, Patrick McCormick, and Professor and IDA Board Member Jack Lerner participated in the roundtable hearings. Last week's comment is a follow up to those discussions.

Legislative reform is urgently needed, and IDA and FIND continue to support the balanced approach to reform that the Copyright Office recommended in 2006: permit the use of orphan works after the user has done a diligent search, while compensating rightsholders who resurface and limiting harsh remedies such as statutory damages and injunctions for those who have done a search in good faith. We are pleased that the Copyright Office continues to pursue orphan works reform, and we look forward to the next steps in this process.

Transcripts from the roundtable discussions can be found here and here.

Information on the Copyright’s Office’s orphan works policy making activities.

A version of this post was originally published at the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic blog.

Recently, the IDA has partnered with several crowdfunding organizations to bring the projects in our fiscal sponsorship program onto one curated page. This week, we launched the IDA's curated page on Kickstarter, giving our projects yet another way to fundraise. Kickstarter offers our sponsored projects the opportunity to utilize the power of a dynamic crowdfunding platform while offering a valuable tax deduction to donors.

Since 1998, the IDA's fiscal sponsorship program has helped hundreds of documentaries get funded and finished. Last year our filmmakers raised over $5M to get their documentaries made and seen. Get in touch with IDA's Filmmaker Services Manager Lisa Hasko via email at lisa.h@documentary.org or call her at 213.232.1660 x210 to learn more about fiscal sponsorship and how to become a featured project on our curated partner page.

For more information on crowdfunding, check out our Comprehensive Crowdfunding Tool Kit

Digital distribution is everywhere, but what's really happening and who are the voices you should be paying attention to?

The definitive panel on digital distribution that will deliver answers in crystal clear high definition:

1) Peter Broderick, President of Paradigm Consulting, knows the ins-and-outs of distribution strategies and techniques like nobody's business... and as our moderator, will ensure that all the bases are covered.

2) Chris Horton, Director of Sundance #ArtistServices, is leading the charge within Sundance on digital distribution. He consults with Sundance filmmakers everyday, so you know he has a lot to tell us.

3) Jen Chaiken produced two award-winning films at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival (Inequality for All, Afternoon Delight) and negotiated distribution deals for both. Jen's experience and insight gives our panel exactly the strong filmmaker voice we need to get to the heart of the distribution questions that matter.

4) Erick Opeka, SVP of Digital Distribution for Cinedigm, has played an instrumental role in making the company into one of the largest aggregators of digital content worldwide. Why does this matter to you? Because he knows exactly what is happing industry-wide and where you fit into this rapidly changing landscape.

5) Melanie Miller, VP of Acquisitions and Marketing for Gravitas Ventures, is both a producer and an industry insider who will tell us not just how Gravitas has become a major player in the world of independent distribution but how changes in digital distribution are affecting everybody in the room—including you!

Join us Monday, May 19 for Doc U: Distributing Your Doc, Pt. 2 - Cable and Internet Movers and Shakers. Don't miss out on this pertinent discussion—register for this event today!