Scripting the Documentary with Filmmaker Emily Harrold
2023-07-26 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax)
Hours upon hours of footage with no sense on how to move forward with editing? Join documentary filmmaker Emily Harrold for this nuts-and-bolts conversation about how to organize, prepare, and script your documentary film — from raw footage to finished film.
Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions and gain insights from an experienced filmmaker.
*Please note that live captioning is available for all virtual public events. To make a request for any other accessibility-related accommodation, ask a question, or give us your feedback, please email us at info@southerndocumentaryfund.org to discuss your specific needs. We will respond as soon as possible and will do our best to work with you on your specific request. If you require assistance by phone, please call us at 919-308-3714.
Please notify us of any requests as early as possible, and note that requests made within 5 days of the virtual event cannot be guaranteed.

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2023 SDF Production Grant Information Session #2
2023-08-15 16:00 - 17:00
SDF is hosting information session #2 for the 2023 Production Grant. This session will give an overview of SDF’s Production Grant, eligibility requirements, and tips for writing a successful application.
Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions about the grant process.
The information session will take place on Tuesday, August 15, 4pm EST via Zoom. This session will be recorded and made available.
*Please note that live captioning is available for all virtual public events. To make a request for any other accessibility-related accommodation, ask a question, or give us your feedback, please email us at info@southerndocumentaryfund.org to discuss your specific needs. We will respond as soon as possible and will do our best to work with you on your specific request. If you require assistance by phone, please call us at 919-308-3714.
Please notify us of any requests as early as possible, and note that requests made within 5 days of the virtual event cannot be guaranteed.

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Pitch Decks & Sizzle Reels: A Case Study
2023-08-23 12:00 - 13:00
Join Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) on Wednesday, August 23 at 12PM EST for an interactive mentorship roundtable with Shawna Brakefield-Haase, a two-time Emmy Award® nominee and winner of an Emmy Award®.
In this roundtable, Shawna Brakefield-Haase will talk about the process of creating a pitch deck and sizzle reel, what elements should always be included and knowing your audience. Joining her will be filmmaker Bryce Leavitt. Together they will break down their latest project materials and how they resulted in getting financing.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to learn from seasoned industry professionals!

Local Fundraising Strategies
2023-09-20 12:00 - 13:00
Filmmaker John Beder shares a case study on how he was able to raise money for his documentary HOW TO SUE THE KLAN from state, city, and community funding partners. Competing against the country or world for film funds can be daunting, but John will share some tips and ideas on how to fund your film closer to home.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from a seasoned industry professional!

BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival - IN THE BUBBLE WITH JAIME
2023-09-21 19:00 - 20:30 | THE CARY THEATER, 122 E. Chatham St., Cary, NC, 27511, United States
The 2023 BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival opening night film is presented in partnership with the Southern Documentary Fund.
In South Carolina, African American Jaime Harrison takes on Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham to run for US Senate. In a state with one of the largest Black populations in the US, Harrison faces not only a global pandemic but a legacy of racial injustice that makes winning an uphill battle.
Filmmaker Q&A to follow screening.
Join us for a reception at BREW Coffee Bar immediately following this event.

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May The Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story (Durham, NC Premiere)
2023-11-16 18:30 - 21:00 | The Carolina Theatre of Durham, 309 West Morgan Street, Durham, NC, 27701
May The Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story follows the rise, breakup, and reunion of Little Brother, the critically acclaimed and widely influential Hip-Hop group from Durham, North Carolina.
A music documentary in the tradition of films like Beats Rhymes & Life, Zappa, or 20 Feet From Stardom, May the Lord Watch details the vast impact of the preeminent 2000s group, composed of rappers Phonte, Big Pooh and (formerly) producer 9th Wonder.

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How to Make Money with Your Documentary
2024-01-31 12:00 - 13:00
You’ve spent months or even years completing your documentary, but you don’t know what to do next or how to make money from your project? Join SDF Artistic Director and documentary filmmaker Chris Everett for a conversation on how to monetize your documentary film using a DIY (do it yourself) approach.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from a seasoned industry professional!

SDF Presents: HOW TO SUE THE KLAN at NC Black Film Festival
2024-05-18 16:45 - 18:00 | Thalian Black, 310 Chestnut St, Wilmington, NC, 28401, United States
SDF Presents: HOW TO SUE THE KLAN at the NC Black Film Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina
HOW TO SUE THE KLAN is the story of how five Black women from Chattanooga used legal ingenuity to take on the Ku Klux Klan in a historic 1982 civil case, fighting to hold them accountable for their crimes and bring justice to their community. Their victory set a legal precedent that continues to inspire the ongoing fight against organized hate.
Filmmaker Q&A to follow screening.
This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

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Beyond the Shot List: Finding Your Documentary's Look (webinar)
2024-09-04 12:00 - 13:00
Beyond the Shot List: Finding Your Documentary’s Look
Join us for an interactive webinar featuring award-winning director and cinematographer, Andrew H. Brown, renowned for his film “Between the Rains” which clinched the Best Cinematography award at Tribeca Festival 2023. Nominated again in 2024 for the IDA Award for Best Cinematography, Andrew will delve into his unique process of discovering the visual aesthetic for his documentary films. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable cinematography insights and tips.

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SDF Presents: HOW TO SUE THE KLAN at BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival
2024-09-05 19:00 - 20:00 | THE CARY THEATER, 122 E. Chatham St., Cary, NC, 27511, United States
SDF Presents: HOW TO SUE THE KLAN at BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival
How to Sue the Klan is the story of how five Black women from Chattanooga used legal ingenuity to take on the Ku Klux Klan in a historic 1982 civil case, fighting to hold them accountable for their crimes and bring justice to their community. Their victory set a legal precedent that continues to inspire the ongoing fight against organized hate.
The screening will be followed by a 30 min post film conversation with the filmmaker and a reception in Brew Coffee Bar.

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Look Different (Meetup for Triangle Documentary Filmmakers)
2024-10-03 19:30 - 21:30 | Queen Street Magic Boat, 406 N. Queen Street, Durham, North Carolina, 27703
Look Different (Meetup for Triangle Documentary Filmmakers)
Date / Time: October 3rd | 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM (EST)
Location: Queen Street Magic Boat (406 N. Queen St, Durham, 27703)
Join us for Look Different, a quarterly meetup for Triangle documentary filmmakers, on Thursday, October 3rd at Queen Street Magic Boat in Durham, NC. The local documentary scene feels a little fragmented lately. Let’s get together and try to fix that. There will be screenings, discussion, and snacks.
Hosted by: Saleem Reshamwala & D.L. Anderson
Sponsored by: Southern Documentary Fund
Free to attend

Negotiating Contracts for Independent Documentary Producers (webinar)
2024-10-11 12:00 - 13:00
Negotiating Contracts for Independent Documentary Producers (webinar)
Date / Time: October 11th | 12 PM – 1 PM (EST)
In this webinar, we’ll talk about the latest set of guidelines from the Documentary Producers Alliance on Negotiating Contracts for Independent Documentary Producers. Independent documentary producers face a variety of complicated challenges, including how to make a living from their work. So, volunteer members of the Documentary Producers Alliance came together over the course of two years to develop this set of best practices as a resource for work-for-hire doc producers to be better equipped to navigate the doc landscape, which lacks clear rules around sustainable working conditions and compensation for producers. The guidelines are a tool for independent documentary producers as they consider and define working relationships with rights holders. They are the first of their kind, including a recommended rate table for producers, what terms producers should consider within a contract, and a glossary of key terms and phrases.
This webinar is presented by J.R. Hardman, Board Member of the Documentary Producers Alliance.

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Podcasting: Past, Present, Future (webinar)
2024-10-25 12:00 - 13:30
Podcasting: Past, Present, Future (webinar)
Date / Time: October 25th | 12 PM – 1:30 PM (EST)
Are you an audio creator who is trying to navigate the current podcasting landscape and wondering where and how you might fit in? The industry is generating a lot of headlines and discussion about what’s next and possible amid financial ups and downs, market saturation, and growing corporate influence. In this session, Stephanie Kuo (VP of Content, PRX) provides an overview of the stakes, trends and players in the world of podcasting as well as what it takes to produce a desirable, feasible and viable podcast in 2024 and beyond.
This webinar is presented by Stephanie Kuo, Vice President of Content at PRX

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Kinema Screening: Wilmington on Fire
2025-02-20 19:00 - 21:30
Join us for a powerful screening of Wilmington on Fire, a compelling documentary by director Christopher Everett that explores the untold history of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre—one of the most harrowing yet overlooked events in American history.
Before Tulsa, before Rosewood—there was Wilmington. In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina, was the state’s largest city, home to a majority Black population, a thriving Black middle class, and a biracial Republican-Populist fusion government. On November 10, 1898, an armed mob of white supremacists, backed by the Democratic Party, carried out a violent coup, massacring African Americans and forcing thousands to flee, permanently reshaping the city’s future.
Through rare photographs, original research, and testimonies from historians and descendants, Wilmington on Fire uncovers a pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of the post-Reconstruction South. This must-see documentary not only revisits a buried chapter of history but also examines its lasting impact today.

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Writing Your Own Grant Applications
2025-02-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Writing Your Own Grant Applications
Date/Time: February 26th | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (EST)
Starting your own documentary film project can feel overwhelming, but crafting a strong grant application and pitch materials is an essential step to get you on the right path. In this webinar, documentary filmmaker Robie Flores will share the valuable lessons she’s learned from applying for funding and how she used feedback from both successful and unsuccessful rounds to refine her approach and strengthen her voice as an emerging director.
This Webinar is presented by Robie Flores, Director.

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Music Cue Sheets
2025-03-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Music Cue Sheets
Date/Time: March 26 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (EST)
Music cue sheets may seem like an administrative task, but they can have a significant impact on your projects and revenue. Poorly managed cue sheets can lead to legal complications, lost income, and unnecessary stress.
Join Director and Producer Gerald K. Barclay in this webinar for a detailed guide on the critical role cue sheets play, the benefits they offer and the overview of other music licensing options you should know about
This Webinar is presented by Gerald Barclay, Director and Producer.

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Kinema Screening: You Gave Me a Song
2025-04-16 19:00 - 21:30 | Virtual Screening
Kinema Screening: You Gave Me a Song

Kinema Screening: You Gave Me a Song
Date: April 16, 2025
Location: Kinema Virtual Screening
Join us for a special virtual screening of You Gave Me a Song, an intimate portrait of 84-year-old old-time music pioneer Alice Gerrard. This heartfelt documentary traces Alice’s lifelong journey preserving and performing traditional music. Through a blend of candid rehearsals, archival recordings, and personal reflections, the film captures her enduring spirit and the powerful legacy she continues to inspire.
Get your tickets now to experience the story of a woman who shaped American roots music and still sings with soul!

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Mentorship Webinar: Animation In Documentary
2025-04-23 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtual
Often, documentary films rely solely on talking heads, verité footage, and archival to tell a story. One of the most compelling ways to improve the visual recipe, to break up the standard visuals of documentary, is to incorporate animation into your film. This webinar will cover animation styles, budgets, methods for building illustrations and visual ideas, storyboarding, DIY animation, when to use animation, when not to use animation, and more.

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Kinema Screening: Bloom
2025-05-15 19:00 - 21:30 | Virtual Screening
Bloom
May 15, 202
Virtual Screening
7:00PM (EST)
Join us for the virtual Kinema Screening of Bloom followed by a Q&A with directors Allison Rieff and Elizabeth Miller-Derstine!
About the film:
Journey with three couples and the doulas they partner with to achieve a safe and confident birth experience. Bloom, a feature-length documentary explores the work doulas are doing to fill gaps in the medical system. Doulas partner with expectant parents to assist them in advocating for themselves during pregnancy and birth. Having an educated advocate by one’s side during birth can not only safeguard against trauma but, quite literally be the difference between life and death, notably for BIPOC birthing parents. Following an ensemble cast of doulas and birthing parents, the feature-length film encompasses a breadth of experiences and challenges of giving birth at this moment. Stories about challenges in gynecological care are making headlines right now for important reasons. Those stories do need to be told and the public needs to understand those consequences. But while those stories are about how America makes it harder for people who need gynecological care to receive that care, this story is about the people who are making healthcare access an easier and positive experience.

Mentorship Webinar: Ideation and Aesthetics: Creating Documentary Films for Ya Folks
2025-05-28 12:00 | Virtural Webinar
Join us for an engaging and transformative workshop designed to empower filmmakers and storytellers who are passionate about representing and uplifting their communities through the art of cinema. “Ideation and Aesthetics: Creating Documentary Films for Ya Folks” invites participants to explore the intersection of creative ideation and visual storytelling, focusing on how film can serve as a powerful medium for cultural expression and community representation in a time where your unique voice is needed!

Mentorship Webinar: Shared Visions: The Director-Cinematographer Collaboration
2025-06-25 12:00 | Virtural Webinar
The collaboration between a director and cinematographer sits at the heart of great visual storytelling – but how do we develop these important relationships? Join award-winning cinematographer and director Sarah Hennigan for a conversation about establishing new creative collaborations and how to go about cultivating a shared vision for your project.

Maker After Dark Series: Darcy McKinnon
2025-07-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual
Maker After Dark with Darcy McKinnonJuly 17, 2025 | 7:00 PM EST
Join us for an unforgettable evening of honest conversation and creative insight with acclaimed documentary producer Darcy McKinnon as part of our Maker After Dark Series. This exclusive, after-hours gathering invites you into a space where the stories behind the work take center stage—raw, real, and deeply Southern.
Seats are limited. Come ready for meaningful dialogue and rare behind-the-scenes reflections.
This is a members only event click HERE to learn more.

Mentorship Webinar: INNERviewing: Heart-Forward Storytelling Approach and Practice Broken Down into 4 Simple Steps
2025-07-23 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtural Webinar
NNERviewing: Heart-Forward Storytelling Approach and Practice Broken Down into 4 Simple Steps

Wil Weldon has two decades of experience interviewing people for video production. This seminar will dive into his approach of interviewing subjects, which he calls “Heart-Forward Storytelling.” The basics of the approach, how to apply it to a variety of situations, and a few examples, as well as time for questions. The focus is for interviewers to shift how they conduct interviews in a way that will transform results in multiple aspects of the interview.

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Southern Documentary Fund Grant Info Session 1
2025-07-29 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtural Webinar
SDF Production Grant Info Session

SDF is hosting two grant information sessions. Each session will give an overview of SDF’s Production Grant, eligibility requirements, and tips for writing a successful application. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions about the grant process. Information sessions will take place on Monday, July 29,1pm EST and Wednesday, August 13, 1pm EST via Zoom, and recorded sessions will be made available

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Southern Documentary Fund Grant Info Session 2
2025-08-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtural Webinar
Southern Documentary Fund Info Session 2

SDF is hosting two grant information sessions. Each session will give an overview of SDF’s Production Grant, eligibility requirements, and tips for writing a successful application. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions about the grant process. Information sessions will take place on Monday, July 29,1pm EST and Wednesday, August 13, 1pm EST via Zoom, and recorded sessions will be made available.

Click here

Kinema Screening: Refuge
2025-08-21 19:00 - 21:30 | Virtual Screening
Refuge
August 21, 2025
Virtual Screening
7:00PM (EST)
Join us for the virtual Kinema Screening of Refuge followed by a Q&A with Erin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship who are both directors and producers of the film!
About the film:
REFUGE is an award-winning feature-length documentary that follows a leader in a white nationalist hate group who finds healing from the people he once hated – a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. Chris is a husband and father, a veteran, and until recently, a leader in the KKK. He started hating Muslims when the planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11, but is forced to confront his hate when he receives a text from Muslim refugee, Heval.
REFUGE is set in the most diverse square mile in America – Clarkston, Georgia – and follows a Syrian Kurd, a former Klansman, and a town of refugees who seek belonging in an increasingly polarized and isolated America. Ultimately, REFUGE uncovers what is possible when we leave the security of our tribes and what is at stake for our country if we don’t.

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SDF Resource Webinar: The Ethics Resource Library with the Documentary Producers Alliance
2025-08-27 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtural Webinar
The Ethics resource library

On August 27 at 12PM ET, the Southern Documentary Fund is partnering with the Documentary Producers Alliance to introduce the Ethics Resource Library—a living, evolving tool designed to help filmmakers navigate the complex ethical questions that arise throughout the creative process.
Developed by DPA’s Ethics Subcommittee, the library offers curated, topic-based resources—from articles and toolkits to videos and keynote talks—designed to meet our industry’s changing needs around consent, representation, authorship, and more.
This webinar will explore how the library was created, why it matters now, and how you can use it in your own practice.

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Kinema Screening: Elephant 6
2025-09-18 19:00 - 23:00 | Virtural Webinar
Elephant 6

Join Southern Documentary Fund for a special virtual screening of Elephant 6 on September 18 at 7:00 PM (EST).
This vibrant documentary captures the rise of the Elephant 6 Recording Company—a visionary collective of musicians including Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control, and more. With rare archival footage and intimate interviews, the film explores how a group of friends from small-town America created some of the most influential sounds in indie rock, reshaping the musical landscape for generations to come.
After the screening, stay for a live conversation with co-director Chad Stockfleth, who will share behind-the-scenes insights on making the film and reflect on the enduring legacy of the Elephant 6 movement.

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Kinema Screening: Mama Bears
2025-09-18 19:00 - 23:00 | Virtural Webinar
Mama Bears

Join us on November 20 at 7:00 PM EST for a special virtual screening of Mama Bears, directed and produced by Daresha Kyi. This powerful documentary follows the extraordinary journey of Christian mothers who risk their personal, political, and spiritual lives to support and affirm their LGBTQ+ children. Fierce in their love and unwavering in their faith, these women form a growing movement that is transforming families, communities, and the church itself.
Experience this moving story of courage, conviction, and unconditional love from the comfort of your home.

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Mentorship Webinar: Finding Your Creative Voice in Times of Crisis
2025-09-24 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtural Webinar
Finding Your Creative Voice in Times of Crisis

In a time of uncertainty for the documentary field, this webinar offers Southern filmmakers practical tips, creative methods, and encouragement. Learn strategies to navigate challenges, sustain your projects, and stay grounded in your storytelling. Join documentary filmmaker Pilar Timpane for a focused, supportive session designed to strengthen your work and community.

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