Incorporating archival footage into your documentary film can bring a level of authenticity unmatched by other means, furthering the film's impact and reach. With literally thousands of hours of footage from almost all modern history's major events, the biggest hurdle in using archival footage may just be in knowing where and how to start looking. Footage firms, archives, and libraries all exist to help you with this process.
But where to start? How much will it cost to license this footage? What kind of manpower and time will it take to weed through these hours and hours of film and tape to find the moments right for your story? These questions and more will be answered and discussed at our upcoming Doc U: Using Archival Footage in Your Film. On Monday, July 16, 2012, IDA invites you to join IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin for a discussion with industry experts, including Clara Fon-Sing, Vice President and General Manager of NBC News Archives; Jackie Mountain, Vice President of Sales for T3Media; and Peter Jones (Director) and Brian Tessier (Supervising Producer), Johnny Carson: King of Late Night, for a discussion about the benefits and challenges of using archival footage in your film. From initial research to negotiating the final licensing fee, we'll discuss every possible aspect of incorporating historical documents into your movie.
"I'm an avid fan of archival film and fascinated by the power it has to make a film sing or fall flat on its face," says moderator and IDA Executive Director Michael Lumpkin. "With a very qualified and experienced panel we will be discussing not only the who, what and how of working with footage, but also the cost and risk. We'll ask our panelists how 'fair' is fair use and give you some tips on being not just a footage consumer, but a footage creator. I hate having to end a Doc U with lots of questions left unanswered, so if you have something you’re dying to know from our panel, leave it below in the comments."
Our event will commence at 7pm at The Cinefamily, located at 611 N Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Parking is located at meters on Fairfax (2 hour parking until 8pm, free thereafter) and across the street at the high school for a flat rate of $3. Stay after for wine and snacks with the panelists and other local members of the documentary film community!
Register to attend this Doc U today! And don't forget to submit your questions for the panel below.