IDA’s Program Officer Dana Merwin is joined by IDA grantees Deirdre Fishel and Beth Levison, to offer an in-depth case study of how to weave your film’s loglines, synopsis, treatments and more into a compelling package for potential funders.
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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Join us on IDA's Facebook for a Livestream Q&A with Program Officer, Dana Merwin!
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The makers and artistic collaborators of Vision Portraits and Crip Camp discuss the creative process behind their use of accessibility features such as audio description and closed captioning.
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Join Louis Massiah and Yvonne Michelle Shirley for a discussion of the legacy of place-based and participatory storytelling.
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Director Ramona Diaz and journalist Maria Ressa discuss documentary journalism, the risks, rewards, and danger of choosing truth in a hostile environment.
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Watch the conversation between Karin Chien & Gary Chou about where power sits in the film industry today and what opportunities there might be for creators to engage with it and reclaim it.
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Join Directors Rebecca Chaiklin and Eric Goode plus EPs Chris Smith and Fisher Stevens for a digital conversation!
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Learn what's new for the Oscars documentary categories and how they impact the entire film awards season.
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Watch THE LAST DANCE then join us for a digital conversation with Director/Producer Jason Hehir, EP Mike Tollin, and Producer Nina Krstic.