Curriculum
First Module
Completion Lab
The first module of the Documentary Feature Lab gathers all Lab Fellows for an intensive five-day program focusing on the nuts-and-bolts of finishing your film. Led by a variety of industry experts, the workshops in the Completion Lab cover topics such as editing consults, color correction, sound design, scoring, deliverables, and more. Sample workshops include:
- Creative Distribution
- Working with a Composer and Music Licensing
- Sound Design
- Defining and Finding Your Audience
- U.S. and International Sales
- Outreach and Partners
- Marketing and Publicity
- Post-production Budgeting and Financing
- Deliverables
- Authorship and Accountability
2021 Lab Leaders: Farihah Zaman and Mia Bruno.
2021 Panelists and Workshop Leaders: Pierce Varous (Nice Dissolve), Basil Tsiokos (DOCNYC, Sundance Film Festival), Karen McMullen (Tribeca Film Festival, DOCNYC), Alexis Galfas (Cinetic),)Wendy Lidell (Kino Lorber), Susan Norget (Susan Norget Film Promotion), Charlie Olsky (Cinetic Marketing), Gisela Fulla-Silvestre (Sound), Brittany Douziech (Music Supervision), Gil Talmi (Composing), and producers and filmmakers Su Kim, Geeta Gandbhir, Sara Nodjoumi, Sean Pierre Regis, Elizabeth Lo, and Jamila Wignot.
2021 Editors:
Penelope Falk, Keiko Deguchi, Mary Manhardt, Nyneve Laura Minnear, Emelie Mahdavian, and Miranda Yousef.
Please note: Lab Leaders, Panelists, and Editors will change in 2022.
September
Gotham Week
All Lab Fellows are invited to Gotham Week, where projects take meetings with relevant distributors, sales agents, funders, and festival programmers as part of the Project Market.
Final Module
Distribution Lab
In the final module of the Documentary Feature Lab, Fellows are asked to present their plans for the marketing and distribution of their films. Each presentation is led by industry experts who provide specific feedback on each presentation. Other workshops include:
- Building a Distribution Team
- Sales and Deal-making
- Distribution Case Studies
- After Your First Feature
2021 Lab Leader: Mia Bruno
2021 Panelists: Karen Chien (Distribution Advocates), Jess Kwan (Fork Films), Caitlin Boyle (DOCNYC Pro), Jason Ishikawa (Cinetic Media), Susan Bedusa and Douglas Tirola (4th Row Films), Alison Klayman, Penny Lane.
2021 Mentors: Caitlin Burke (IF/THEN Shorts), Nick Camacho (Oscilloscope), RJ Millard (Obscured Pictures), Omar Gonzales (Wolf Kasteler Public Relations), Kendra Hodgson (Women Make Movies), Stephanie Palumbo (Peace Is Loud), Susan Margolin (St. Marks Productions), Asad Muhammad (POV), Lauren DeFelippo (producer, Ailey), Sabrina Schmidt Gordon (producer, To the End; Quest).
Please note that the lab leaders, panelists and editors will change in 2022.
Ongoing
– Mentorship
In addition, The Gotham Programming staff provides year-round support as needed, advising fellows and advocating on their behalf. The Gotham also promotes Lab alumni films to its members and constituency during their film festival run and as they become available to audiences through traditional and non-traditional platforms.