SILVERDOCS ANNOUNCES FULL INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Conference Explores
“The Documentary in Action” and
“Human Nature 3.0”
Silver Spring, Maryland, June 14, 2008—SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival announced its full International Documentary Conference program which runs concurrently with the SILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival June 17-21, 2008. SILVERDOCS is the only event in the US that combines the live exhibition experience of a film festival with a complete professional conference for the documentary community.
The Conference will explore THE DOCUMENTARY IN ACTION, a series of provocative discussions that cast a critical eye on new trends, opportunities and pitfalls as social activists, philanthropists, nonprofits and documentarians forge closer ties. The Conference will also explore HUMAN NATURE 3.0: STORYTELLING IN AN ‘ALWAYS-ON’ WORLD, an exploration of the possibilities, challenges and realities of Web 3.0 interactive tools and their influence on documentary storytelling. Special emphasis is on youth, education and the next generation of media artists. Featured Plenary Sessions include talks with Sheila C. Johnson, CEO Salamander Hospitality, President WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Philanthropist and executive producer of A POWERFUL NOISE. Other featured panels include Plenary Session: The Future of Non-Fiction Storytelling with John Boland, Chief Content Officer PBS; John Ford, President and General Manager, Discovery Channel and Cara Mertes, Director, Documentary Film Program, Sundance Institute. Other Conference themes include: SCHOOL DOCS: HARNESSING THE POWER OF MEDIA FOR EDUCATION and COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL MARKETING: A GAME PLAN FOR FILMMAKERS. The conference will also feature sessions on the programming, acquisition and commissioning priorities of critical industry players.
“Looking to the future, our challenge as a community of media makers, distributors, funders and exhibitors is to ensure the relevancy and integrity of the documentary form, and to champion the role of the independent media maker.” said Patricia Finneran, Festival Director, “Under the direction of Diana Ingraham, the Conference serves our community with compelling content and thoughtful conversation.”
The 5-day SILVERDOCS International Documentary Conference features over 150 professional panelists at more than 80 sessions over five days.
The Human Nature 3.0: Storytelling In An “Always-On” World features representatives from PBS Interactive, Edutopia-The George Lucas Educational Foundation, Games for Change, BBC Interactive, CBS Interactive, AFI Digital Content Lab, ITVS Interactive, USC Institute of Creative Technologies, WGBH Lab, and Apple, Inc.
The Documentary In Action strand features panel and workshops with principals from Film Your Issue, The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, Center for Social Media, Human Society of the United States, Ford Foundation, Skoll Foundation, SNAG Films/AOL True Stories, WITNESS, Arts Engine, Games For Change, BAVC: The Bay Area Video Coalition, CARE, and more.
Join key executives from Public Broadcasting including PBS, CPB, ITVS, LinkTV, American Public Television, MHz, PRX, OPB, WETA, WGBH, MPT, The National Minority Consortia, and the commissioning editors of AMERICAN MASTERS, WIDE ANGLE, NOVA, INDEPENDENT LENS, and P.O.V.
The Big Picture: Commissioning Trends and Broadcast Slots features participants from A&E IndieFilms, Al Jazeera, Animal Planet, Current TV, Discovery Channel, Planet Green, HBO, LinkTV, National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channels International, PBS, Smithsonian Networks, Sundance Channel, and WE: Women’s Entertainment. Panels focusing on distribution include leaders from New Video/Docurama, First Run/Icarus, Emerging Pictures, Cactus Three, Storyhouse Productions, Carat Entertainment, and Greenberg Traurig.
School Docs: Harnessing the Power of Media for Education features workshops and panels with John Golden, Dr. Renee Shea, and Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick, and representatives from Bull Frog Films, Edutopia- The George Lucas Educational Foundation, Discovery Education, Documentary Educational Resources, Films Media Group, Library Video Company, PBS Education, and AFI Screen Nation™.
Full Conference Agenda can be found online at http://www.silverdocs.com/idc/events/
About SILVERDOCS
The SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival 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 sixth year, the festival runs June 16-23 at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in the Washington, DC area, and has expanded by two days to meet growing demand. The 2008 Festival features 108 films representing 64 countries to be presented to over 21,000 attendees, including the influential audiences of the nation’s capital and media professionals from around the world. The concurrent five-day 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 www.SILVERDOCS.com.
About the American Film Institute
AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the world’s number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 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, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including www.HowStuffWorks.com. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.