These are organizations and websites that the FourDocs Editorial Team think are interesting, useful or just really great. Mostly they are people that think documentaries are the bees' knees. If you'd like to help spread the word about FourDocs in return, please download the banners from our Press Page
Making Documentaries
Watching Documentaries
Researching Documentaries
Getting Funded and the Law
A new funding body sponsored by Channel 4 to give bursaries and training to both new and established filmmakers looking to make documentary films outside of the tv mainstream. They are open for submissionsyear round. They are looking at submissions for short films as well as features and are also looking for art films at the moment.
www.britdoc.org
A brilliant organization offering training courses in all aspects of documentary production throughout the year. They are a lovely team and have some really good contacts within the industry so it’s a really good idea to subscribe to their website. They also run a production company and have made films for 3 minute wonder on Channel 4 so they're all about the short form documentary. Their site now contains a vast searchable archive of documentary information, commissioners' details and useful contacts.
www.dfgdocs.com
Over the last few years Shooting People has grown into a massively successful online community for filmmakers. Their daily bulletin has postings of events taking place across the country, jobs in the industry and questions on how to make films. They have also just produced a bible of a book called “How to get your Documentary Funded and Distributed” which is full of really useful stuff about different funding bodies that can help you with the financial side of things.
www.shootingpeople.org
"Our goal is to inspire and develop the next generation of independent documentary filmmakers, capitalising on the opportunities provided by the digitisation of the global film industry. Our philosophy is simple: the best way to become a filmmaker is to practise making films with the support and guidance of industry professionals. We encourage self-expression and creativity, and make sure that we equip you with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to launch your documentary filmmaking career."
www.metfilmschool.co.uk
Talent Circle is a subscription free industry site with job postings and information. They also run a short film competition and festival called Super Shorts.
www.talentcircle.co.uk
Superb resource for getting cameras, sound equipment, lights and editing covered on a budget. Particularly supportive of new filmmakers and those from under-represented backgrounds, they also provide bespoke training.
www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk
This innovative enterprise encourages the use of digital film making and writing as tools to explore ideas creatively within an educational context. They also organise really fun events, including a residential filmmaking course for kids in the South of France!
www.polkadotsonraindrops.com
This archive of old footage is a really useful resource as all of it’s material is in the public domain which means it’s copyright free. They always have a highlight on their worth watching if you’ve got half an hour free. Duck and Cover is particularly good
www.archive.org
Comprehensive info for student filmmakers worldwide
www.studentfilmmakers.com
Dochouse does a great job of promoting documentaries in the UK with screenings throughout the year. Their mailing list can keep you up to date with what’s coming up. They are developing some training programmes and a thing called Docfinder which can help you find documentaries that are for sale on the Internet. You can register your film for this online.
www.dochouse.org
Docspace is network of digitally equipped cinemas throughout the UK offering real opportunities for screening new documentaries. You can find information on getting your film screened, schedules of planned screenings and other events.
www.docspace.org.uk
This organisation run a website and festival around films that concern themselves with important world issues. There are some fantastic short films available to view on their website.
www.mediathatmattersfest.org
Annual short film festival in Bristol taking place every November. The festival combines film screenings with training from industry professionals.
www.brief-encounters.org.uk
Superbly innovative cross-media projects and showcases of new boundary-pushing docs.
www.onedotzero.com
Excellent source of current affairs and investigative reporting. Includes archived Channel 4 news feature documentaries.
www.insightnewstv.com
European network devoted to getting the world to see short films, they hold countless screenings every month.
www.futureshorts.com
A site for filmmakers to showcase streaming documentaries for a small fee. Includes some of Adam Curtis' masterful The Power of Nightmares, and a directory.
www.documentary-film.net
Intriguing and inspiring showcase of well-made docs about protests and alternative events over the last ten years.
www.kinokast.net
OneWorldTV is an open documentary platform exploring issues of human rights, sustainable
development and the environment. It is used by a wide variety of individual filmmakers, non-profit organisations and community groups. Current themes include HIV/Aids, Trade Justice, Water and the 'War on Terrorism'.
tv.oneworld.net
The Global Living Festival invites filmmakers, students or occupational therapy professionals, to submit films that deal with relevant global issues, such as refugees, conflict, disaster or HIV/AIDS. The first festival was in Bristol in March 2006.
www.gots.co.uk
The UK's premiere event dedicated solely to the art of documentary. Screening over 75 films, both feature length and shorts, from around the world, the festival also hosts a wide range of sessions and masterclasses, debating issues in the world of film and television.
www.sheffdocfest.com
A new free European television platform for
filmmakers to showcase their work on SKY. Launched in February 2006 and very exciting.
www.propellertv.co.uk
Weekly documentary sessions at various venues in London including the British Museum. It's a collaboration between filmmakers and anthropologists at UCL,
which gives the events a unique feel. The discussions afterwards are fun
and the audiences are an amazingly diverse and passionate mix, as is the
subject matter. PocketVisions is carving a very unique space for itself and also organises the London International Documentary festival.
www.pocketvisions.co.uk
InSight is a not for profit organisation providing professional level education in the theory and practice of international film and video. Its aims are to challenge the way filmmaking has traditionally been taught; by combining theory and practice (Praxis), and by encouraging students from a wide variety of ethnic and economically disadvantaged groups to learn film and media production. In this way the organisation aims to democratise both the production and content of film, video and media.
http://www.insighteducation.org.uk
Excellent friendly docs festival taking place in Oxford and Milton Keynes, including screenings and workshops
www.oxdox.com
An impressively extensive database of all the films ever made and all the people involved with them.
www.imdb.com
A great ever-growing online magazine devoted to independent film and video, Film Exposed can always be trusted. It's really supportive of new filmmaking too.
www.filmexposed.com
Superb and unmissable monthly magazine devoted to independent and artists' film and video .
www.vertigomagazine.co.uk
The Film Council know lots about getting your short film financed. It’s well worth taking a look at their site. They like short films.
www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk
At FourDocs we are using a Creative Commons licence to publish your films. Creative Commons is great because it allows you to keep the copyright of your film, while allowing other people certain uses of it. If you go to the website and click on “Learn More” you can watch a short animation that explains it really well.
www.creativecommons.org
If you would like to see your website on this page and the content is relevant to short form documentary please email The FourDocs Team at fourdocs@channel4.com
