Are you a filmmaker in midst of a project and need advice on how to get your
film seen? Have you hit a wall in your fundraising efforts and need some new
ideas? WMM’s Workshop Series is created for emerging and established filmmakers,
men and women alike.
Our Fall Series Includes:
Documentary Master Class: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, Nov 8
Fundraising Intensive
The Secrets of Successful Proposals, Oct 11
What’s in a Sample? Oct 18
Fully Funded: Approaches to Fundraising for Docs, Oct 25
Distribution Intensive
High-Impact Marketing: Designing Your Film’s Promotional Campaign, Nov 1
Navigating the International Film Festival Circuit,
Nov 15
Do’s and Don’ts of Doc Distribution: Tales from the Trenches, Nov 29
Pricing and Discounts
Registration Information
View Past Workshops
Documentary Master Class with Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Wednesday, November 8, 6:30 – 8:30pm.
SOLD OUT!
 Join documentary directors
Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing for a documentary A-Z! The filmmakers will share their strategies in developing, producing and selling their films,
The Boys of Baraka (theatrically released by ThinkFilm, broadcast recently on P.O.V. and available to audiences via Netflix), as well as festival-acclaimed
Jesus Camp, forthcoming from Magnolia Films. They will reveal their production process from concept to edit, including: casting, determining visual style, securing financing, making TV pre-sales and determining which rights to hold onto, creating a festival strategy, and negotiating with sales agents and distributors.
As the co-owners of the New York-based production company, Loki Films, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady have taken on a vivid array of subjects that include the inner workings of Scientology, the struggle of a political dissident in Cuba, the plight of criminally insane, and the labyrinth that is the criminal justice system in New York. They have, together and individually, produced and directed documentary projects for A&E, The Discovery Channel, VH1 and Channel Four among other international networks. Last year Rachel and Heidi completed the critically acclaimed feature documentary The Boys of Baraka, released theatrically by ThinkFilm and broadcast on PBS. Made over four years, the film follows a group of resilient boys from inner city Baltimore who leave home to attend an experimental boarding school in Kenya. The film was the recipient of numerous festival prizes and was honored with the 2006 NAACP award for Outstanding Independent Film. The directing team just completed their second documentary feature Jesus Camp, which premiered at the 2006 Tribeca
Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize. The film, which looks at the
Evangelical movement through the eyes of small children, is being released by
Magnolia Pictures and will open in New York on Sept. 22 and nationwide on
October 6.
Fundraising Intensive
Co-Sponsored by CineWomen NY
Attend the Entire Fundraising Intensive and Save!
I. The Secrets
of Successful Proposals
Wednesday, October 11, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Join us for an essential evening of grantwriting how-to’s. Topics include: identifying a proposal’s 13 elements, writing an effective synopsis, approaching the best funders, and avoiding common mistakes. Successful proposals will be passed out and discussed. Attendees are encouraged to bring 5 copies of their current proposal drafts for peer feedback and review. Don’t miss this opportunity to improve your skills and take the intimidation out of grantwriting! Presented by Michelle Materre, fundraising and grantwriting
consultant.
II. What’s in a Sample?
Wednesday, October 18, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
A sample or trailer demonstrates your filmmaking ability and the creative vision for your project—funding decisions are often made or reneged based on the sample or trailer. This interactive panel will examine what funders and commissioning editors are looking for, and how doc filmmakers can approach the edit room. Leslie Fields-Cruz, Program Development Manager of the National Black Programming Consortium, and filmmaker, instructor, and grants panelist Cynthia Wade (Shelter Dogs; Freeheld) will share their insight and review successful samples, then will comment on samples and trailers (up to 5 minutes) submitted by audience members. The discussion will be moderated by grants panelist and 'Documentary Doctor', Ferdanda Rossi. Here is your chance to find out if your concept is well conveyed and how your footage “reads.” To show your sample or trailer in our supportive environment, contact Michelle Coe at mcoe@wmm.com
by 10/11.
III. Fully Funded: Approaches to Fundraising for Docs
Wednesday, October 25, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Don’t miss this nuts-and-bolts discussion on how to design your project’s fundraising approach from beginning to end--from traditional grantseeking from private and government foundations to appealing to individual donors through events and direct mail campaigns. Filmmaker and grants panelist and consultant Tracie Holder (Joe Papp in Five Acts, a co-production with PBS/American Masters) and Julia Dengel (Cowboys, Indians and Lawyers, which recently aired on PBS and was funded by ITVS)
will share their own strategies in raising funds for their projects, providing
essential steps toward understanding the many approaches to raising money, how
to best determine what’s right for you. Attendees will receive an essential
packet of fundraising tips and resources.
Distribution Intensive
Co-Sponsored by NYWIFT
Attend the Entire Distribution Intensive and Save!
I. High-Impact Marketing: Designing Your Film’s Promotional Campaign
Wednesday, November 1, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Anne del Castillio of P.O.V./American Documentary presents a hands-on workshop providing tools of the trade to successfully market your film to festival, television, and DVD/consumer market audiences. The event will begin with a general overview and terms to know. Participants will then break into small groups to build quick national campaigns for your projects. Come away with a greater understanding of how to leverage print, radio, broadcast and niche marketing in your project’s overall marketing campaign. Most of all, discover how you can make the greatest impact and reach the most people with your film.
II. Navigating the International Film Festival Circuit
Wednesday, November 15, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Film Festivals have become an essential step to reaching your film’s audience as
well as catching the eye of distributors. Join WMM Executive Director, Debra
Zimmerman as she presents ways to use the film festival circuit to launch your
film and gain word of mouth. Find out how to optimize your festival screenings
with tips on creating your festival strategy, packaging your film, and
navigating the scene once you’re there. This is the perfect workshop for
learning more about how to better market and launch your feature, documentary,
or short film. Attendees receive a packet of information on festivals and
distributors, and sample press materials.
III.
Do’s and Don’ts of Doc Distribution: Tales from the Trenches
Wednesday, November 29, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Knowing your options for distribution and establishing a clear set of goals for your film—as early as the pre-production phase—are essential for your film’s success. This panel presents different filmmakers’ experiences in doc distribution as they reveal how they explored the different markets (i.e. theatrical, educational, broadcast, home video, public screenings) and determined the best approach for their projects, sharing the pros and cons of their choices along the way. Panelists include Susan Kaplan, director of
Three of Hearts: A Postmodern Family, theatrically released by ThinkFilm and broadcast on Bravo, and Dallas Brennan Rexer, whose producing credits include the Emmy-nominated
Deadline, broadcast on NBC, The Sundance Channel, and distributed to schools and community organizations across the country. An essential workshop for any filmmaker who wants their work to be seen!
Pricing
and Discounts
Complete Workshop Series Pass: $250/225* Best Value!
Fundraising Intensive Pass
Distribution Intensive Pass: $130/100*
*Discounted rate available to WMM Filmmakers and Friends. Also members of Chica
Luna Productions, CineWomen, DCTV, F/VA, IDA, IFP, NALIP, NYWIFT,
and Shooting People. Students also eligible with a valid student ID.
To qualify for this discount, you must indicate what organization you are associated with in the "Special Instructions" in the check-out process. Proof will be required during the first workshop session.
Registration Information
Advanced online registration is required. Click on the "Register" tab next to the workshop or series you want to enroll in.
All workshops are held in New York City at Women Make Movies offices in Soho, 462 Broadway, Suite 500, located on the corner of Broadway and Grand. The nearest subway is J, M, N, Q, R, W, Z, 6 to Canal Street or N, R to Prince Street.
View Past Workshops
 Fall
2011
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2011
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2010
Spring 2010
Fall
2009
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2009
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2008
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2008
Winter
2008
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2007
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2006
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2006
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2005
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2005
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2004
Return
to current workshops
 This
Series is funded, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of
Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.
 Special
support provided by The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences.
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