FAQ

What are the changes in rules & regulations this year for IDA Documentary Awards 2024?

Change in Best Audio Documentary Categories: The two audio series categories that were titled Best Stand-Alone Audio Documentary and Best Multi-Part Audio Documentary or Series will be accepting submissions in one unified category titled “Best Audio Documentary Series”.

Changes in Best Documentary Series Categories

Best Short-Form Series: This category is removed. This category used to accept documentary series that comprises of 4 or more episodes that are 30 minutes or less in length available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal. Work that falls under this category can now be submitted to either Episodic Series or Limited Series.
Best Curated Series: This category used to have a requirement for each episode to be 40 minutes or more in duration. The episode duration requirement is now lifted and serial work in any duration is accepted. Curated Series are ongoing documentary series in which each episode stands on its own, created by different producing teams, and is unified by a high-level theme (e.g., Independent Lens; POV; 30 for 30; The New York Times Op-Docs). The series may be created without an end date and can return season after season. Series in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.
Best Episodic Series: This category used to have a requirement for each episode to be be more than 30 minutes in length. The episode duration requirement is now lifted and serial work in any duration is accepted. Work eligible to enter in this category must be an ongoing documentary series comprising episodes that are conceived and produced as part of the series, not as stand-alone entities, produced with continuity of production supervision, and unified through a topic, approach, characters or narrative (e.g., Last Chance U; Planet Earth). The series may return season after season. Series in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.
Best Limited Series: This category used to be titled “Best Multi-Part Documentary” and accepted a single season documentary series comprising of 4 or more episodes, with each episode in any duration more than 30 minutes in length. The requirement for number of episodes and length in duration for each episode are now lifted, so limited series with any number of episodes and episodes with any duration in length are accepted. Limited Series are conceived and constructed with a beginning and an end, and all the episodes are viewed sequentially to tell a complete story and/or support a single theme (i.e. Wild Wild Country; Asian Americans, City So Real). Series in this category may be available by broadcast or online, or may have been produced specifically for a web portal.

Changes in Best TV Feature Documentary Category: This category used to be titled “Best TV Feature Documentary or Mini-Series” and accepted TV mini-series conceived and constructed with a beginning and an end with up to three episodes that must be viewed sequentially to tell a complete story. This year, Best TV Feature Documentary category will only accept feature documentaries that were produced with the intent to broadcast or stream on a distributor/platform and was not intended to be released in theaters. The TV feature documentary may be a feature-length episode (more than 40 minutes in length) of a longer TV series or a stand-alone feature-length documentary. The projects may have streamed or broadcast with commercial breaks or uninterrupted from beginning to end. (i.e. Mariupol: The People's Story). “Mini-Series” as defined above can now enter the competition under this year’s new “Best Limited Series” category.

Changes in Required Submission Materials

The previously required Statement for the Best Writing Creative Recognition Category is now optional to submit like all other optional supplemental materials for all other creative recognition categories.
It is now required to submit Above the Line credits for Best Curated Series, Best Episodic Series, and Best Limited Series.

My film is/will be completed in 2024, but I'm unsure about its release date. Can I submit to this year's awards?: Yes. Projects may be submitted in any year they are eligible—either the calendar year they are completed or the year of their broadcast or theatrical/film festival premiere. The eligibility period begins September 1, 2023, and includes any film, series or audio documentary completed or scheduled to premiere on or before December 31, 2024. However, if the project is announced in the shortlist announcement, it is no longer eligible for submission in subsequent years, so we advise to consider your submission carefully.

My film was completed in 2023 and was released or is set to be released in 2024. Can I submit to this year's awards?: Yes. Projects may be submitted in any year they are eligible—either the calendar year in which they are completed or the year of their broadcast or theatrical/film festival premiere. The eligibility period begins September 1, 2023 and includes any film, series or audio documentary completed or scheduled to premiere on or before December 31, 2024. However, if the project is announced in the shortlist announcement, it is no longer eligible for submission in subsequent years, so we advise to consider your submission carefully.

Do you offer discounts or fee waivers for submissions?: Yes. We recognize the economic hardship that independent producers are experiencing and we can offer discounts or fee waivers on a case-by-case basis. To apply for a fee waiver, fill out this form by July 26, 2024, at 12 pm PDT. Waiver codes will not be eligible for use on late submissions. Requests will be reviewed by an advisory committee on a regular basis until the form closes on July 26, 2024. All requests will receive a response before the close of the Call For Entries on August 4, 2024.

How do I submit my film if it is completed after the deadline?: Requests for deadline exceptions for eligible projects expected to be completed after August 5, 2024, are considered on a case-by-case basis. A late submission request should be made no later than August 15, 2024, via our late submission request form here. Please include the following information in the form: category, project title, synopsis, distributor, expected delivery date. A fee will be added to submissions accepted after August 5, 2024. Waiver codes will not be eligible for use on late submissions.

I submitted my project to the Awards, but I would like to withdraw from the competition. Is this possible?: Yes. Please contact awards@documentary.org immediately to withdraw your film from the competition. The submitter must contact awards@documentary.org to withdraw a project from competition prior to the official shortlist announcement on October 22, 2024. Projects that withdraw may be deferred to the following year’s competition at no additional fee. If the project is announced in the shortlist announcement, prior to withdrawal, it is no longer eligible for submission in subsequent years. There are no refunds for those who don’t defer their submission until next year.

What is the difference between Curated Series and Episodic Series?: Both are comprised of episodes that are not necessarily produced to be viewed in order. Curated Series episodes are usually created by different producing teams (e.g. Independent Lens, POV), while Episodic Series are produced with a continuity of production supervision (e.g. Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown).

I have an interactive documentary that is only available online. Can I submit to the IDA Documentary Awards?: Yes. Curated Series, Episodic Series, and Limited Series categories accepts interactive documentaries and other forms of innovative documentaries. IDA strongly encourages filmmakers to submit interactive and innovative projects to the IDA Documentary Awards.

What kind of podcasts are eligible for the IDA Documentary Awards?: We currently accept both stand-alone and documentary series to enter Best Audio Documentary category. A stand-alone audio documentary may be either a one-off program or a single or multi-part documentary episode from a series (i.e. The Problem We All Live With from This American Life) that stands on its own as a documentary on a single subject or theme. A series is comprised of multiple episodes, conceived and constructed with a beginning and an end, with all the episodes being listened in order to create a complete story and/or support a complete theme (i.e. The New York Times’ Caliphate, Serial, the Los Angeles Times’ Dirty John, APM’s In the Dark). Radio shows and podcasts that consist primarily of news reporting, interviews and conversational episodes are not eligible.

What is the difference between Best Music Documentary Award and Best Music Score Award?: The Best Music Documentary Award recognizes a feature, short or multi-part documentary that has music as the central character of the film and/or a pivotal component of the storytelling (e.g. Amazing Grace, Apollo, Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé). The Best Music Score Award recognizes special achievement in a feature documentary that contains an original score.

How are the winners of the IDA Documentary Awards chosen?: Judging of the IDA Documentary Awards is based on overall creative excellence. Fifteen committees of 200+ filmmaking and industry professionals screen all 700+ entries and select all nominees. For the Best Feature and Best Short categories, the winners are selected by IDA Members from the pool of nominees. For all other awards, the winners are selected by blue-ribbon panels.

Will there be an awards ceremony this year?: Yes, the 40th IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony will be held in early December at a venue in Los Angeles. All submitters will be informed via email once the ceremony date and venue is confirmed. If you are not a submitter, please check our website for updates, or for convenience, subscribe to our newsletter to get updates in your inbox.