Join us at IDA’s office on Monday, June 30, at 6:30 p.m. PT and be amongst the first to preview Getting Real ‘26!
Here's What Really Happened
No tweeting. No press. No industry. Filmmakers-only conversations revealing personal insights into the art and business of documentary filmmaking.
“Here’s What Really Happened” are signature sessions from IDA's biennial Getting Real Conference that began as a filmmaker-led solution to combat the lack of transparency that continues to plague the community. These intimate conversations allow filmmakers to speak openly about what actually happened in the production, sales and distribution life of a film. The rules are, everything said in the room, stays in the room. Our goal is to create a safe space for discussion that allows filmmakers to have frank, meaningful discussions without the influence of industry in the room. We believe that one of the greatest resources for a filmmaker is another filmmaker.
In building a more knowledgeable and transparent community together, IDA tours “Here’s What Really Happened” sessions to various festivals and conferences around the world. These private conversations have focused on security/surveillance, sales agents, festival strategies, fact-finding, ethics, work/family life balance, truth-seeking in production, and other themes.
Learn what really happened behind-the-scenes in an upcoming session. It’s personal, it’s intimate, let’s get into it.
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ESPN’s critically acclaimed 30 for 30 series dives deep into the most compelling sports stories of our time—raising big questions that resonate far beyond the field.
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Location: Hybrid, virtual on Zoom or in-person at IDA Office in Los Angeles Documentary filmmakers are often navigating complex legal terrain by the very nature of our work. In the current political climate and with the rise of fascism around the world, it can be difficult to know how to protect
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Live overview of the Call for Entries process of the 2025 IDA Documentary Awards presented by Gabriella Ortega-Ricketss (IDA Artist Programs Manager).
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Join us every third Thursday of the month for IDAconnect, a virtual gathering designed to keep you informed about the latest at IDA and an excellent opportunity to network with fellow filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Open to current IDA Members at the Doc Lover level and above, IDAconnect allows you
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Location: Hybrid, virtual on Zoom or in-person at IDA Office in Los Angeles In today’s rapidly evolving political and technological landscape, a legal doctrine as established as fair use, which remains as crucial to documentary filmmakers as the day it was introduced, is not safe from change. As a
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Join us every third Thursday of the month for IDAconnect, a virtual gathering designed to keep you informed about the latest at IDA and an excellent opportunity to network with fellow filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Open to current IDA Members at the Doc Lover level and above, IDAconnect allows you
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Join us every third Thursday of the month for IDAconnect, a virtual gathering designed to keep you informed about the latest at IDA and an excellent opportunity to network with fellow filmmakers and film enthusiasts. Open to current IDA Members at the Doc Lover level and above, IDAconnect allows you
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IDAinsight: The Ins & Outs of the Producer’s Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance Wednesday, March 19, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PT | Virtual on Zoom Navigating the legal side of filmmaking can be a daunting task, but it is crucial to set your film up for success. Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance
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Due to high demand and to better accommodate our international IDA and community members, we’ve scheduled a second iteration of the Budgeting and Scheduling 101 workshop with Robert Bahar. If you missed the first session, don’t miss your chance to reserve a spot!