August 8, 2016 | POV’s daily list of essential reading for the documentary and independent filmmaking community.

‘Hitchcock/Truffaut’: When Alfred Hitchcock Spilled His Life’s Secrets
Fifty years ago, Francois Truffaut published a book of interviews with Alfred Hitchcock. Film directors have been cribbing from it ever since. And now there’s a movie!
Read more | The Daily Beast »

’50 Years of Star Trek’ Documentary: Whoopi Goldberg, J.J. Abrams & More Celebrate The Starfleet
The “Star Trek” fiftieth anniversary celebrations continue with a new two-hour documentary, “50 Years of Star Trek,” set to premiere this month on History. The film will celebrate the iconic franchise that has inspired a cult following and feature interviews with previous cast members and creators.
Read more | IndieWire »

NBCU Signs Deal To Make Snapchat Shows
NBCUniversal is bringing some of its most recognizable brand names to Snapchat. The Comcast Corp.-owned media giant, whose networks include E!, Bravo and the NBC broadcast channel, has signed a multi-year deal with the disappearing messages app to create new “shows” for its growing media hub. NBCU will rely on some of its most recognizable franchises for the initiative – like Saturday Night Live, The Voice, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Read more | The Wall Street Journal »

“The Biggest Challenge was Working Amidst the Radiation”: Jake Price on The Invisible Season
Just days after the March 2011 tsunami in Japan, Brooklyn-based photojournalist and documentarian Jake Price made his way to the Tohoku region of northern Japan, the area hardest hit by the devastation. He stayed for months, and the result was Unknown Spring (POV), an engaging interactive documentary that he spoke with me about when it was released in 2013. This second project, The Invisible Season, launched in English this spring and Japanese this summer, with further translations in the works.
Read more | Filmmaker Magazine »

5 Ways You Can Start Today to Get Work as a Cinematographer
The roadmap to becoming a professional cinematographer is not clearly marked. In fact, the journey is different for everyone. However, Matthew Workman of Cinematography Database wants to help you navigate this confusing and unforgiving terrain by suggesting 5 things you can do to launch your career in cinematography successfully.
Read more | No Film School »

Locarno Industry Academy Builds Worldwide Network
Running Aug. 4-9, Locarno’s 2nd Industry Academy has seen a rapid international expansion, and a new international initiative will be shortly announced. One of the tutors, Alexandre Michelin, head of Spicee, an online TV consultancy and documentary platform, added he wanted to build a “global niche” platform around news and documentaries, targeting an audience of “globally curious” people who are eager to pay for exclusive quality content.
Read more | Variety »

Upcoming festivals and deadlines
This Week

  • Deadline: Future of Storytelling Prize 8/9
  • Open Call: Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund 8/11

Next Week

  • Deadline: Hot Docs-Blue Ice Group Documentary Fund 8/19

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POV Staff
POV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.