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Doc Producers Release Guidelines to End the Practice of Free WorkDear Producer Dear Producer
April 16, 2024

Doc Producers Release Guidelines to End the Practice of Free Work

On the eve of the International Documentary Association’s 2nd Getting Real conference in September 2016, 6 documentary producers, who would soon form the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA), came together to write and release “A Little Respect: Documentary Producers’ 2016 White Paper.”
With ‘Subject,’ Doc Stars Look BackNew York Times New York Times
November 3, 2023

With ‘Subject,’ Doc Stars Look Back

A talk with the directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall about their film that checks in on the subjects of high-profile documentaries.
Documentary Filmmakers Don’t Have the Option to Strike for a Better SystemIndiewire Indiewire
July 15, 2023

Documentary Filmmakers Don’t Have the Option to Strike for a Better System

With no union for documentarians — with the exception of those in the WGA or DGA — the recent strikes have left nonfiction filmmakers uncertain about how to be supportive.
Producers Give Insight On Getting A Film To The Tribeca FestivalThe Knockturnal The Knockturnal
June 28, 2023

Producers Give Insight On Getting A Film To The Tribeca Festival

Four producers premiering films at Tribeca Festival give insight on what it takes to have a film selected for the festival.
“A Progressive Set of Best Practices That Evolves With the Industry”: The Documentary Cinematographers AllianceFilmmaker Magazine Filmmaker Magazine
January 23, 2023

“A Progressive Set of Best Practices That Evolves With the Industry”: The Documentary Cinematographers Alliance

Despite its recent formation during the fall of 2021, the Documentary Cinematographers Alliance has already put forth a comprehensive guideline of “best practices” DPs should advocate for and adhere to while working on any given nonfiction shoot.
DPA sets documentary guidelinesDigital Radio Facts Digital Radio Facts
September 14, 2020

DPA sets documentary guidelines

Following more than three years of research and collaboration with industry stakeholders, the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) today published new landmark guidelines for financing in documentary film in a document entitled “Guidelines For The Documentary Waterfall” at documentaryproducersalliance.org.
Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) Releases Landmark Guidelines for The Documentary WaterfallDigital Radio Facts Digital Radio Facts
September 14, 2020

Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) Releases Landmark Guidelines for The Documentary Waterfall

Following more than three years of research and collaboration with industry stakeholders, the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) today published new landmark guidelines for financing in documentary film in a document entitled “Guidelines For The Documentary Waterfall” at documentaryproducersalliance.org.
DPA publishes set of best practices for doc film financingrealscreen realscreen
September 14, 2020

DPA publishes set of best practices for doc film financing

The Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) has published a set of best practices for filmmakers and their partners navigating financial discussions and negotiations.
Documentary Producers Alliance Unveils Guidelines for the Documentary WaterfallIDA IDA
September 14, 2020

Documentary Producers Alliance Unveils Guidelines for the Documentary Waterfall

Since our founding in 2016, the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) has grown to include over 300 members from 53 cities, eight countries and counting.
Producing with Care in the COVID Era: Considerations from the CommunityIDA IDA
August 31, 2020

Producing with Care in the COVID Era: Considerations from the Community

COVID-19 exposed and accentuated long-standing fault lines in our industry: a financial sustainability crisis, the absence of labor protections, and a growing movement to reconcile decades of structural inequities between white and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) filmmakers and communities.
Independent Filmmakers Call on Federal Government for Financial Support Amid Coronavirus PandemicVariety Variety
April 21, 2020

Independent Filmmakers Call on Federal Government for Financial Support Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to halt film productions across the country, the Freelancers Union and a coalition of 25 independent film and media groups have called on the federal government to support its members.
Documentary Producers Alliance Fights “Credit Creep” with Proposed Industry Guidelines for Producer CreditsFilmmaker Magazine Filmmaker Magazine
January 16, 2019

Documentary Producers Alliance Fights “Credit Creep” with Proposed Industry Guidelines for Producer Credits

In the world of documentary film, where projects gestate and then are produced over the course of years, and with funding often raised in stages from a variety of different sources, the determination of producer credits can turn into something like the Wild West.
Documentary Producers Alliance Unveils Crediting GuidelinesIDA IDA
January 15, 2019

Documentary Producers Alliance Unveils Crediting Guidelines

Over the last several years, the IDA has engaged in and convened numerous conversations across our field about critical sustainability issues facing documentary filmmakers. One issue that has consistently emerged is that filmmakers and their financial partners lack standards around crediting, pointing to the fact that there has been little agreement on what credits reflect in terms of actual work or financing.
Producers Try to Bring Sanity and Uniformity to Documentary CreditsIndiewire Indiewire
January 15, 2019

Producers Try to Bring Sanity and Uniformity to Documentary Credits

Documentaries are increasingly becoming big business, which in turn has changed the way nonfiction films are funded and distributed. One of the unintended consequences of there being a wider variety of funding sources is that producing credits have become virtually meaningless,
DPA releases set of doc crediting best practices for the U.S.realscreen realscreen
January 5, 2019

DPA releases set of doc crediting best practices for the U.S.

The move reflects the evolving funding and distribution landscape for documentary projects, which has led to inconsistencies in title and end credits used to reflect such funding. One side effect, says the DPA, has been the diminished meaning and value of certain credits, reducing recognition of labor and essential industry currency.
Documentary Producers Group Takes On “Fairness Issue” In Film Crediting With New GuidelinesDeadline Deadline
January 5, 2019

Documentary Producers Group Takes On “Fairness Issue” In Film Crediting With New Guidelines

The process of assigning credits on documentary films has turned into a “free for all,” according to a group of top doc producers who hope to bring order to an unruly situation.
Viewpoint: NYC Doc Producers Call For ‘A Little Respect’realscreen realscreen
September 27, 2016

Viewpoint: NYC Doc Producers Call For ‘A Little Respect’

The question of industry and career sustainability is approaching a zeitgeist in the documentary film industry, with articles and conference panels emerging to address the issue head-on. Indeed, that was the goal of the recent series, Documentary Pays?, written and published by realscreen, and exploring the economic pressures placed on many documentary filmmakers working today, and it certainly struck a chord within the industry.

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We need your help to accomplish these goals:

Expand Inclusive Programming

Expand BIPOC-focused, NEA-supported Producing Towards Equity programming to bring it to more filmmakers and organizations in 2023 and widen its scope to include other marginalized identities.

Research and Reporting

Pursue additional research and reporting using the DPA census data.

Address Contemporary Issues

Develop and publish guidelines addressing contemporary issues in documentary ethics and equity and inclusion practices—codifying our current work into another field-accessible resource.

Research and Reporting

Sponsor regional meet-ups and panel discussions that bolster our regional outreach and compensate lead participants with honoraria.

Expand Inclusive Programming

Continue to provide community among our members via bimonthly meetings, in-person events, and ongoing impact and educational efforts.

Research and Reporting

Retain legal counsel and accounting support.

We Need Your Support to Continue Our Goals

Expand BIPOC-focused, NEA-supported Producing Towards Equity programming to bring it to more filmmakers and organizations in 2023 and widen its scope to include other marginalized identities.

Pursue additional research and reporting using the DPA census data.Develop and publish guidelines addressing contemporary issues in documentary ethics and equity and inclusion practices—codifying our current work into another field-accessible resource.

Sponsor regional meet-ups and panel discussions that bolster our regional outreach and compensate lead participants with honoraria.

Continue to provide community among our members via bimonthly meetings, in-person events, and ongoing impact and educational efforts.

Retain legal counsel and accounting support.

our grounding principle

to address systemic shortcomings that have led to significant challenges for producershoping to enjoy a sustainable career.

Your Support Makes the Future Possible

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Special thanks to our Foundational Supporters for their generous contributions to the DPA

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