June 15, 2016 | POV’s daily list of essential reading for the documentary and independent filmmaking community.
Gunned Down: The Power of the NRA
After this weekend’s mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the debate over guns in America has once again taken center stage. FRONTLINE re-aired Michael Kirk’s insightful 2015 documentary last night, Gunned Down: The Power of the NRA. They made the decision back in April, and they never could have known how timely the film would be. Gunned Down is all about the NRA’s political methods and its history, and how it has responded over the years to these tragic mass shootings. The film examines how the NRA evolved from a group of gun enthusiasts and sportsmen with minimal political focus, to a powerful lobbying force that has consistently defeated new gun control legislation.
Watch the full doc and read more | FRONTLINE »
How To Successfully Pitch Your Documentary, According To Filmmakers Who Have Done It
The Sheffield Doc/Fest is one of the world’s premiere non-fiction film festivals, celebrating both the art and business of documentary film. The business part is a key component, as Sheffield’s MeetMarket has unlocked over $53 million of deals for documentarians since its inception in 2006. In this article, six of these experienced filmmakers who have had success pitching and are participating in this year’s MeetMarket, share their secrets about what does and does not work when presenting your project to investors.
Read more | IndieWire »
Emmy Documentary Preview: A Look At This This Year’s Outstanding Doc Series And Specials
This year’s stand-out runners and riders for the Creative Arts Emmys documentary categories—series and special—tackle the crucial sociopolitical issues of today, investigating everything from the 2016 presidential race, to possible wrongful imprisonment and the significant challenges of growing up trans. It’s an eclectic couple of categories; here are a few of the specials and shows ensuring America’s water coolers are working overtime.
Read more | Deadline »
Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson Wins Sheffield Doc/Fest Grand Prize
A cinematographer’s documentary about her life in film has won the 2016 Grand Jury Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest. Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson looks at her own career, which has included working on Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 and Citizenfour, the film about whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Read more | Deadline »
Video News isn’t Growing as Fast as You’d Think
This week, a Facebook executive suggested that your News Feed is likely to be “all video” in the next five years. But a new report out Tuesday from Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism suggests that text may have a longer run, at least for news. Consumption of online news video is still a minority behavior around the world, the researchers found: Only about a quarter of respondents, across 26 countries, watched news video online in a given week.
Read more | Nieman Lab »
Upcoming festivals and deadlines
This Week
- Human Rights Watch Film Festival, New York 6/10-6/19
- Edinburgh International Film Festival 6/15-6/26
- Sheffield Doc/Fest: Sheffield International Documentary Festival 6/10-6/15
- POV’s Call for Entries Closes 6/15
Next Week
- Edinburgh International Film Festival 6/15-6/26
Get more documentary film news and features: Subscribe to POV’s documentary blog, like POV on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @povdocs!
