SilverDocs | AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival

Silverdocs 2012 Dates

AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs International Documentary Conference will take place June 22-26, 2010

Conference Explores “360 Degree Storytelling: The Power Of Documentary Voices to Engage and Enrich Civic Discourse”

Silver Spring, Maryland, June 15, 2010—AFI–Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival today announced highlights of its concurrent International Documentary Conference. AFI–Discovery Channel Silverdocs is the only event in the US that combines the live exhibition experience of a film festival with a complete professional conference that celebrates the art and business of documentary storytelling. The conference creates a hothouse environment that connects filmmakers, educators, broadcasters, business leaders, distributors, private and public media, and funders from both established and emerging media markets, presenting five days of inspiring discussions, strategic market intelligence and trend-setting professional development at more than 60 panels, workshops, master classes and one-on-one meetings with key industry decision makers.

This year’s theme explores the challenges and opportunities of “360 Degree Storytelling: The Power Of Documentary Voices to Engage and Enrich Civic Discourse” throughout thematic strands including: Changing the World: Civic Engagement and Fresh Perspectives; Insider’s Guide to Public Broadcasting: Diversity and Dialogue; Dollars and Cents: Funding and Distribution; Hands on Storytelling: Craft, Excellence and Aesthetics; and SchoolDocs: The Role of Media in the 21st Century Classroom.

This year's featured speaker event is a conversation with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and Michael Winship, President of the Writers Guild of America, East. They will discuss the intersection of technology and media, including the future of broadband, net neutrality, and other areas of interest to media makers.

Other highlights include a Doc Talk with acclaimed filmmaker Steve James (HOOP DREAMS, AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR) and a Doc Talk: Documentary Perspectives of War, featuring Sebastian Junger (RESTREPO), Henry Corra (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MCKINLEY NOLAN) and Amir Bar-Lev (THE TILLMAN STORY). Moderated by Philip Kennicott of The Washington Post.

In a discussion exploring Public Purpose Media in the Age of the Internet, actor/director Robert Townsend and the One Economy Corporation will give a briefing on the newly launched Public Internet Channel (pic.tv). Additionally a provocative discussion will be led by best-selling author, social critic and radio host Michael Eric Dyson as he announces the new Public Media Corps and hosts a live taping of his radio show.

“Once again Conference Producer Diana Ingraham has brought together the leading media makers, distributors, funders and exhibitors that are shaping the future of the documentary form in step with the changing media environment and new generation of media makers and consumers,” said Sky Sitney, AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Artistic Director.

“Each year we welcome a diverse range of voices and fresh perspectives to explore opportunities and challenges in a networked world where media outlets continue to evolve,” said Ingraham. “Our content has shown direct and discernable impact on our various constituencies. For example, now in its third year, the SchoolDocs strand, which is targeted to K-12 educators, has had an effect on local school curricula. This year the strand will explore the Power of Documentary to Engage Students and Enrich the 21st Century Classroom.”

360 Degree Storytelling: The Power Of Documentary Voices to Engage and Enrich Civic Discourse

CHANGING THE WORLD: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES

Back by acclaim, The Good Pitch @ Silverdocs in collaboration with the Sundance Documentary Fund and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation will kick off a series of pitch sessions, micro-meetings and inspirational panel presentations examining the potential for strategic collaboration between documentary storytellers, philanthropists, nonprofits and advocacy groups. Join executives from Tribeca Institute/Gucci Finishing Fund, Ford Foundation, Center for Social Media, Impact Partners, Fledgling Fund, President’s Council on the Arts and Humanities, and the National Center for Media Engagement.

INSIDER’S GUIDE TO PUBLIC BROADCASTING: DIVERSITY AND DIALOGUE

A series of panel presentations, workshops and case-studies designed to educate established and emerging independent filmmakers more fully about the public broadcasting system and opportunities the system presents. Join executives from PBS, CPB, ITVS, LinkTV, National Black Programming Consortia, Center for Social Media, American Documentary|P.O.V., NPR, First Coast Audio Festival, State of the RE:UNION, Intelligence Pictures, MHz, Center for Asian American Media, INDEPENDENT LENS, and major producing stations.

DOLLARS AND CENTS: FUNDING AND DISTRIBUTION

A special strand of Conference presentations examining the business of documentary filmmaking. Hear strategic counsel from leaders in the field including representatives from HBO, A&E Indie Films, Argus Entertainment, TLC, Smithsonian Networks, New Video/Docurama, DocumentaryTelevision.com, Bay Area Video Coalition, Magnolia Pictures, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Planet Green, Sundance Channel, Cactus Three, Emerging Pictures, Thought Equity, National Endowments for the Humanities and Arts, National Science Foundation and many others.

HANDS ON STORYTELLING: CRAFT, EXCELLENCE AND AESTHETICS

A series of master classes and daily Doc Talks with award-winning directors, cinematographers, editors, and composers.

SCHOOLDOCS: INNOVATIVE MEDIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM

AFI Silver Screen Education presents a strand of hands-on workshops, panel discussions and screenings directed to the needs of 21st Century educators and their students. Topics include “Race and Representation in Film,” “Critical Literacy: Making Connections with Film,” “Using Filmmaking in the Classroom to Engage Student Understanding of Subtext,” “Best Practices and Fair Use for Education,” “Web Content for Educators,” and “Technology of the Future for Education.” In addition, the voices of youth filmmakers from all over the world will be represented in panels, hands-on workshops and master classes with festival filmmakers.

PLUS – A FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE

The Public Media Corps: Building Community Through Technology.

A provocative discussion led by best-selling author, social critic and radio host Michael Eric Dyson. Questions posed include: Who defines public media?  What is the future of public broadcasting as a relevant form of engagement for communities of color?  How can various technologies and broader trends in social media be used to increase public media's community impact?  

Sponsored by the National Black Programming Consortium, WEAA-FM and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. Featuring a live taping of the Michael Eric Dyson Show.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

THE GOOD PITCH @ Silverdocs with special guests from the Ford Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Arabella Strategic Investment Advisors, The Arc, Ashoka, BAVC, CARE, Center for American Progress, Center for Social Media, Chicken & Egg Pictures, CrossCurrents Foundation, The Davis Group, Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media, Greenpeace, Impact Arts + Film Fund, Impact Partners, Tides Foundation, Tribeca Gucci Documentary Fund, Urban Media Solutions, USO and William Penn Foundation.

WHO KILLED BLACK HISTORY MONTH? Teaching, Learning, and Celebrating African American History in the Digital Age Join Filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman for a sneak peek of his documentary feature MORE THAN A MONTH and a preview of the film’s mobile application More Than A Map(p), a collaborative history mapping project. ? 

BEHIND-THE-SCENES GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL FOR FILMMAKERS with legislative staffers Alisia Essig (office of Rep. Jason Chaffetz/R-UT); Will Jenkins, (office of Sen. Jim Webb/D-VA) and Sonny Sinha, (office of Rep. Louise Slaughter/D-NY).

SPECIAL BRIEFING WITH DANNY GLOVER AND LINK TV: CAN YOU TELL A STORY & CHANGE THE WORLD? Come get a sneak peek at LinkTV's ViewChange.org-a next generation multimedia website that harnesses the power of storytelling to help reduce poverty, hunger and disease in the developing world.  With Wendy Hanamura, vice President and general manager, Link TV and Danny Glover, spokesman and judge for the ViewChange Online Film Contest.

SIGNATURE “SILVER SESSIONS” WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Professionals representing ITVS/INDEPENDENT LENS, Discovery Channel, HBO, A&E Indie Films, National Geographic Channel, Myriad Entertainment, Science Channel, Al Jazeera English, MHz Programming, National Geographic Ventures, Animal Planet, Bay Area Video Coalition, Sundance Channel, LinkTV, NOVA, Active Voice, PBS, Current TV, National Geographic Channels International, Kartemquin, Investigation Discovery, CrowdStarter, The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, Borderline Media, San Francisco Film Foundation, Planet Green, American Documentary|POV, New Video/Docurama, Magnolia Pictures, and many more…

A full Conference Agenda can be found online at: www.Silverdocs.com

PLEASE NOTE: All 2010 Conference Presentations take place at Montgomery College Performing Arts Center, 7995 Georgia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 (a 15-minute walk or short shuttle bus ride from the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center).

American Airlines, the official airline of AFI, is a sponsor of the Festival.

About AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs

AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival is a seven-day internationally recognized event that honors excellence in filmmaking, supports the diverse voices and free expression of independent storytellers and celebrates the power of documentary to improve our understanding of the world. Now in its eighth year, the 2010 festival runs June 21–27 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in the Washington, D.C. area. The 2009 Festival featured 122 films from more than 60 countries and attracted over 27,000 attendees, including the influential audiences of the nation’s capital and media professionals from around the world. The concurrent five-day AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs International Documentary Conference presents thought-provoking presentations and engages a diverse group of over 1,000 filmmakers and industry leaders concerned with the future of non-fiction storytelling, production and distribution. For more information, go to Silverdocs.com.

About the American Film Institute

AFI is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work, and to educate the next generation of storytellers. As a national, public-supported educational and cultural organization, AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts. 

AFI preserves the legacy of America’s film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, an authoritative and scholarly record of American films made from 1893 to the present, and the AFI Archives, which contains rare footage from AFI’s history.

AFI honors the artists and their work through a variety of annual programs and special events, including the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI Awards. For 38 years, the AFI Life Achievement Award has remained the highest honor for a career in film while AFI Awards, the institute’s almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year. AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies television events and definitive movie reference lists, as well as AFI Night at the Movies, have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers. And as the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the United States, AFI offers film enthusiasts a variety of events throughout the year, including AFI Fest presented by Audi, the longest running international film festival in Los Angeles; AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs, the largest documentary festival in the US; AFI Project: 20/20, a global exchange initiative; and year-round programming at the AFI Silver Theatre in the Washington, D.C. area.

AFI educates the next generation of storytellers at its world-renowned AFI Conservatory, offering a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. AFI also explores new digital technologies through special workshops, and showcases the work of young storytellers through AFI ScreenNation.

Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in 180 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green, and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit discoverycommunications.com.

About the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

AFI Silver is among the nation's premier film theaters, building an appreciation of the art and artists through exploring and celebrating new and classic films and filmmakers from around the globe. AFI Silver offers a year-round program of the best in American and international cinema, featuring a dynamic mix of retrospectives, special events, tributes, on-stage guest appearances, specialty first-run movies, festivals, premieres, and education and community-based programs in a theatrical setting of the highest standards. Anchored by the stunningly restored 1938 Silver Theatre, the three-screen AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is a state-of-the-art film and digital media exhibition venue that serves as a national model for preserving and honoring our shared film and film-going heritage. American Airlines is the official airline of the American Film Institute.

CONTACT:

June 15, 2010

Jody Arlington, 301.495.6759

jarlington@AFI.com

Tammy Shea, 240.662.6506

Tammy_Shea@discovery.com

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