The D-Word

Sponsored Project

  • Hosted by Doug Block, Director
  • Peter Gerard, Director
  • Erica Ginsberg, Director
  • and Marj Safinia, Director
  • In addition to the hosts, Producer
  • The D-Word has a Program Manager Julie McElmurry and volunteer Ambassadors, Producer
  • including Alix Clements, Producer
  • Carmen Vincent, Producer
  • Gordon Skinner, Producer
  • Malikkah Rollins, Producer
  • Mitch Teplitsky, Producer
  • Simone Fary, Producer
  • Susan Kaplan, Producer
  • , Producer
  • and Veronique Doumbe. , Producer
The D-Word Logo
Image ID: The D-Word Logo

About the Project

Founded in 1999, The D-Word has grown to become an essential peer-to-peer global community that creates a sense of belonging for nearly 20,000 documentary professionals from 152 countries. Through its online and offline programs, The D-Word provides spaces for professional development, information sharing and relationship building, working towards greater sustainability and improved mental health for documentary professionals.

Best known for its free online discussion forum (http://www.d-word.com) on all aspects of documentary filmmaking (fundraising, production, camera, sound, distribution, legal and more), The D-Word is aimed at building relationships online that carry into the offline world, including physical and virtual meet-ups, peer collaborations, and partnerships to offer round-ups of pitching forums and other industry events, peer feedback on works-in-progress, and a commitment to opening conversations about mental health among the documentary community.

In April 2020, The D-Word launched a new series of weekly virtual meet-ups that have become a vital source of connection and knowledge exchange for many in our community.

While The D-Word is free to join and managed entirely by volunteers, funding supports the upkeep and upgrades of the website, the cost of virtual meeting services, future program development, and outreach.