Docsville is the true streaming destination for documentary viewers worldwide. They are now inviting YOU to join this innovative streaming community for independent, thought-provoking and inspiring documentary films! For a limited time, Documentary Business readers can now enjoy a free 3-month subscription to Docsville where you can access all of their compelling documentary content from around the globe. Like having your own personal indie documentary film festival at your fingertips, Docsville lets you access award-winning films spanning a variety of topics affecting the world today, includi ..read more

STAR CHASERS OF SENEGAL has won the American Association for the Advancement of Science‘s prestigious Gold Award in the Video In-Depth category. A NOVA documentary from Terra Mater Studios for PBS, the AAAS award-winner traces the heritage and future of African astronomy through the eyes of a visionary Senegalese astronomer trying to spur the establishment of a space agency in his home country. Congrats to astronomer Maram Kaire, producer/director/writer Ruth Berry, Terra Mater Studios’ Sabine Holzer and Suzanne Lummer, NOVA’s Chris Schmidt and Julia Cort, DOP Bernhard Popovic, and the many ot ..read more

Wendy Bernfeld is expert in the key issues and opportunities related to SVOD, AVOD and FAST. I moderated her standing-room only presentation at MIPCOM, which we set about covering in this webinar. Wendy has more than 25 years experience in content licensing, rights strategy and management, and she is Canadian based in Amsterdam. Watch the Video (30 minutes) Timecode [1:50] Definitions: SVOD vs. AVOD vs. FAST [5:00] The age of your film and the sweet spot for SVOD [7:40] What is the impact of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike? [9:00] So, who is buying right now? [11:00] What’s the revenue model of ..read more

Netflix dominates its streaming competition. Spell that D-O-M-I-N-A-T-E-S! My survey of the audience for US streamers in 3Q’23 focused on the Top 2 Documentary and Reality programs for eight platforms. The chart tells the story: And here are the top 2 programs for each platform. Top 2 Documentary / Reality Programs by Platform(US P2+, ‘000, 3Q 2023) #1 DEPP V HEARD NETFLIX Documentary 7,964 #2 MURDAUGH MURDERS NETFLIX Documentary 5,853 #1 SHINY, HAPPY PEOPLE AMAZON Documentary 687 #2 COACH PRIME AMAZON Documentary 399 #1 KARDASHIANS HULU Reality 1,562 #2 DEMONS & SAVIORS HULU ..read more

Native America, Season 2 is rolling out now on PBS. Watch the Trailer: Season 1: 17 Year Timeline: Providence Pictures’ Gary Glassman revealed the production story of Season 1  in our detailed Case Study. Read: The Development History of NATIVE AMERICA, a $3-4 million Signature PBS Series (October, 2018) Listen to Gary’s account of the 17 years it took for NATIVE AMERICA to reach the screen (Podcast, 18 min ..read more

  This year, the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (WCSFP) takes place from November 28 to December 1 in Seattle, Washington, with host sponsor National Geographic. Congress ’23 promises a dynamic lineup featuring thought-provoking sessions with key decision-makers from around the world—creating a unique opportunity for science and factual producers, digital producers, creators, and content providers to connect and explore the latest programming trends, industry intelligence and technology impacting the factual community. PROGRAM Over four days, Congress will immerse delega ..read more

Veteran Sundance award-winning filmmaker and AI expert Philip Shane takes us back to the basics with ChatGPT, explains AI’s analytical capabilities, and shares how the two are contributing to the documentary production process. His message: “ChatGPT is a partner, not an employee.” ChatGPT has recently been updated and it’s now able to create visual art, in addition to its existing text-writing abilities. Open AI, the company that makes ChatGPT, has merged it with their AI art generator, Dall-E, so you can now ask ChatGPT to create an image for you. We’ll discuss this exciting fe ..read more

Building Impossible with Daniel Ashville was our standout Summer Case Study. The U.S. premiere airdate is Thursday October 19, with 5 episodes running from 7p to midnight. The series may signal a renewed appetite for a Factual genre – Engineering – that has been a pillar of documentary channel schedules. Hoff Productions refreshed the genre with a new talent who successfully crosses over to TV from the social media economy. Nat Geo International greenlit the series after the producer had struck out in the US, validating my often-repeated mantra to producers everywhere: “Look outside your ..read more

Docsville is the new streaming destination for independent, thought-provoking and inspiring global documentary films. Its curated offering spans the climate crisis to racism & inequality, true crime and inspiring personal stories. We recently grabbed the opportunity to speak with the Docsville team: James Ross, CEO of Lightning International Mark Froude, General Manager of Docsville Lawrence Elman, CEO of Docsville Studios What’s the goal? Where’s the market? How to get your film on the platform? And most importantly: What’s the deal? The team answered these questions and much more ..read more

For five days in September, the Green Screen International Wildlife Film Festival takes over the small fishing village of Eckernförde, Germany, inviting filmmakers, industry professionals, and wildlife-loving audiences from across the region. Industry veteran Dan Salerno attended on behalf of Documentary Business, and shares his takeaways. by Dan Salerno With no physical movie theaters, Eckernförde transforms its churches, schools, and gymnasiums into cinemas, pitch forums and networking venues, creating a pop-up community where producers and buyers can pair up on projects. The core ..read more