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Getting Real 2016 Conference Announced for Sept. 27 - 29

By KJ Relth


Back in the fall of 2014, the IDA held the first Getting Real Documentary Film Conference. We had no idea of the impact it would make in the field nor the depth of conversations it would spur. The conference aimed, of course, to gather filmmakers, industry professionals, academics, and students who could confront the critical issues facing the documentary community. The three-day conference, held in Los Angeles in partnership with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, succeeded in building a sense of community and pushed the conversation forward on key issues within the field.

This year, the Getting Real 2016 conference will go one step further with a brand new program that aims to challenge assumptions and bring about lasting change. Getting Real 2016, to be held September 27 - 29 in Los Angeles, will cover a range of issues critical to the documentary community, stepping beyond the conversations that began in 2014 and moving forward in the major topics areas of art, diversity and sustainability. With this next iteration of the conference, we are confident that we can build a stronger community of documentary filmmakers.

But without you, this conference could not exist. That’s why we’re asking you to throw your voice into the conversation and help us define what your conference will look like.

In order to help all of us better understand where the field stands in relation to career sustainability and other issues, we have prepared a survey for filmmakers and others connected to the field. As the Getting Real team plans for the conference, your answers to these survey questions will help inform our programming process.

Fill out our survey on career sustainability and help us shape Getting Real 2016 into the conference that will be the most effective for you. We thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out this survey. Your input is an extremely valuable contribution to the field and is greatly appreciated. Those filling out the survey will be eligible for a drawing for one free pass to Getting Real 2016.

For more on the outcomes of Getting Real 2014, please visit the Winter 2015 issue of Documentary magazine.

This survey was created jointly by IDA and Caty Borum Chattoo, Co-Director of the Center for Media & Social Impact.