from vk & associates

Hot Docs is pleased to announce the 2012 Hot Docs industry conference Doc to the Future, an innovative conference program that will offer interactive sessions and practical tools for working within the rapidly changing landscape of documentary filmmaking. Highlights of the Doc to the Future program include keynote presentation by producer Ted Hope, director Davis Guggenheim (WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH) in conversation with 2012 Doc Mogul Diane Weyermann, and distribution expert Jon Reiss. Doc to the Future will take place April 30-May 4, during the Hot Docs Festival April 26-May 6.

“The Internet has changed the relationship between filmmaker and audience, making it more direct than ever before,” says Elizabeth Radshaw, Hot Docs Forum and Market Director. “Crowd-funding, digital distribution, and interactive content, all marketed via social media, mean that filmmakers need new tools and knowledge to effectively connect with audiences.”

Doc to the Future responds to this changing relationship by providing hands-on professional development opportunities, practical tools and solutions, and insight into alternative funding, distribution and screening platforms. With a tiered program to cater to a broad range of levels, from emerging to established filmmaker, Doc to the Future features multiple access points from introductory sessions to hands-on workshops.

The conference will open with a keynote talk by celebrated producer and industry commentator Ted Hope. Drawing on his extensive career working outside the system, Hope is an avid proponent of innovative ways of ‘doing’ from alternative funding to DIY distribution. A working filmmaker who is firmly engaged in industry dialogues, Hope will balance craft and business issues while examine the trends, innovations, mavericks and tastemakers that have influenced the documentary world over the past 12 months. In addition to outlining the impact of last year’s significant developments, Hope will offer insight into the future of documentary filmmaking, with comments and hot tips for what the next year will bring.

Renowned director Davis Guggenheim will sit down with Participant Media’s Diane Weyermann, recipient of the 2012 Hot Docs Doc Mogul Award, to discuss her extensive experience with documentary production. This conversation with Weyermann will offer insights to her illustrious career, and will examine her philosophical approach to documentaries and social action cinema. The session will also touch on Guggenheim and Weyermann’s collaborations, such as WAITING FOR SUPERMAN and the Academy Award-winning AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.

Acclaimed filmmaker and media strategist Jon Reiss will host a half-day workshop and speak at a session, both of which will focus on navigating the changing distribution and marketing landscape. Reiss is a consultant for numerous filmmakers and film organizations and author of THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX OFFICE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FILM DISTRIBUTION IN THE DIGITAL ERA, the first step-by-step guide for distributing and marketing films using hybrid and alternative strategies. The session and workshop will provide valuable opportunities for conference attendees to learn from Reiss’ vast knowledge and experience with new distributions methods.

In addition to these key programs, Doc to the Future will feature popular returning sessions including International Co-Production Day, Kickstart, Micro Meetings and the Doc Summit. The conference will also provide delegates with opportunities for one-on-one and small-table meetings with leading thinkers and industry experts