Finding Your Voice in a Polarized Time: Navigating Pushback

Planning an International Shoot

Toronto and Yellowknife-based filmmaker Lesley Johnson shares insights from producing "And Still I Sing," a documentary following young Afghan singers under pop star Aryana Sayeed's mentorship as the Taliban returned to power. She discusses the unique challenges of coordinating international productions in politically volatile situations, from establishing safety protocols and crisis management strategies to working with local fixers and protecting subjects who face severe restrictions. Learn how to assess project viability for international shoots, navigate cultural sensitivity as an outsider documentarian, and balance the ethical considerations of filming stories that could put subjects at risk while maintaining documentary integrity. Presented by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and hosted by Film Picnic [https://filmpicnic.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadK2L7zJ47yyHShj0Ru04T_pXNFDyXnsJH6KeCmXYoHR9JJNn_yzUVLj0x0Sw_aem_wdWRDmLoHHGwL3aw2TCX9Q&brid=u9TM5iVAl6B1suNsKTqlPw], The Checklist is a podcast for documentary filmmakers who want practical guidance, creative strategies, and industry insight. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Planning a Co-Production

Bob Moore, Co-President and Creative Producer at EyeSteelFilm, shares insights from producing over 40 award-winning international co-productions including "Yintah" and "Twice Colonized," discussing how to evaluate project suitability, navigate different funding systems and tax incentives, and establish the essential legal frameworks before cameras roll. He walks through the critical intellectual property issues filmmakers often overlook across jurisdictions, strategies for balancing creative vision with multiple international partners across cultural and language barriers, and how EyeSteelFilm's participatory filmmaking approach adapts to cross-border collaborations. Learn the practical logistics of coordinating teams across time zones, maintaining cultural authenticity in storytelling decisions, and handling the complex legal checklist that protects co-production partnerships from development through distribution. Presented by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and hosted by Film Picnic [https://filmpicnic.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadK2L7zJ47yyHShj0Ru04T_pXNFDyXnsJH6KeCmXYoHR9JJNn_yzUVLj0x0Sw_aem_wdWRDmLoHHGwL3aw2TCX9Q&brid=u9TM5iVAl6B1suNsKTqlPw], The Checklist is a podcast for documentary filmmakers who want practical guidance, creative strategies, and industry insight. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Finding Your Voice in a Polarized Time: Navigating Pushback

Guggenheim Fellow Danae Elon draws from nearly three decades of documentary filmmaking to discuss navigating pushback when creating work about polarizing subjects like identity, family, and contested spaces. She explores how filmmakers can maintain creative integrity while facing hostile reactions, the difference between provocative storytelling and mere controversy, and practical strategies for conducting research on sensitive topics without losing your instincts. Learn how to assess whether a story is worth the conflict it will generate, handle the reality that your film may be weaponized by opposing sides, and move past the fear that paralyzes filmmakers sitting on powerful but potentially consequential stories. Presented by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and hosted by Film Picnic [https://filmpicnic.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadK2L7zJ47yyHShj0Ru04T_pXNFDyXnsJH6KeCmXYoHR9JJNn_yzUVLj0x0Sw_aem_wdWRDmLoHHGwL3aw2TCX9Q&brid=u9TM5iVAl6B1suNsKTqlPw], The Checklist is a podcast for documentary filmmakers who want practical guidance, creative strategies, and industry insight. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Centering Well-Being on Your Production

Award-winning filmmaker and DOC National interim Executive Director Maya Bastian draws on 15 years of experience in conflict journalism and teaching filmmaking in war zones to discuss how to center well-being on documentary productions. She shares practical strategies for protecting both filmmakers and subjects when handling traumatic material, from supporting families fleeing violence in "Arrival Archives" to managing emotionally heavy moments on set and ensuring continued care after filming wraps. Learn how to align well-being standards across international co-productions with different cultural contexts, prioritize mental health support even on limited budgets, and what resources and industry-wide changes are needed to make trauma-informed filmmaking the standard practice. Presented by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and hosted by Film Picnic [https://filmpicnic.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadK2L7zJ47yyHShj0Ru04T_pXNFDyXnsJH6KeCmXYoHR9JJNn_yzUVLj0x0Sw_aem_wdWRDmLoHHGwL3aw2TCX9Q&brid=u9TM5iVAl6B1suNsKTqlPw], The Checklist is a podcast for documentary filmmakers who want practical guidance, creative strategies, and industry insight. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Uncovering the Archive

Filmmakers João Vitor Corrêa and Nadine Valcin share their expertise on navigating the complex world of archival research for documentary projects, from knowing where to begin your search to managing rights clearances across institutional and community-based collections. They discuss how to balance your creative vision with available materials, budget effectively for archival footage, and avoid common pitfalls in the clearance process, drawing from their work on projects like "Black Life: Untold Stories," "Johanne tout simplement" ("Simply Johanne"), and various NFB documentaries. Learn how digitization has transformed archival workflows, the key differences between working with national versus personal archives, and strategies for tracking down historical materials that can elevate your storytelling. Presented by the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and hosted by Film Picnic [https://filmpicnic.xyz/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadK2L7zJ47yyHShj0Ru04T_pXNFDyXnsJH6KeCmXYoHR9JJNn_yzUVLj0x0Sw_aem_wdWRDmLoHHGwL3aw2TCX9Q&brid=u9TM5iVAl6B1suNsKTqlPw], The Checklist is a podcast for documentary filmmakers who want practical guidance, creative strategies, and industry insight. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.