Documentary Organization of Canada
Encyclopedia
The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) is a non-profit organization
representing the interests of independent
documentary
filmmakers in Canada
. Founded as the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (CIFC) in the 1980s, DOC is the collective voice of independent documentary filmmakers across Canada.
DOC advocates for documentary filmmakers nationwide on issues that affect the industry, and offers professional development workshops and networking opportunities. DOC founded the annual Hot Docs
Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in 1995, and is the home of the national magazine, Point of View
(POV).
As the Board Chair, John Christou said in 2009, "Being a documentary filmmaker is a privilege, not a right. If you want to create a documentary, you have to fight, scrape, beg, steal, sell, borrow and perform other innumerable unpleasant acts. But when it works, it's pure and wonderful."
In 2008, DOC celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was originally founded by a dozen independent filmmakers who were invited and brought together by Cinema Canada magazine to a round table discussion of the film production scene. The following year, in 1983, a different group of filmmakers began meeting on their own in Toronto. These documentarians got together to discuss collective benefits (such as a dental plan), but it was a vital need for political representation and advocacy that inspired the group to create an organization of independent documentary filmmakers. They founded what would later be called the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (CIFC), which was subsequently incorporated as the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) in 2003.
Today, DOC has more than 875 members across the country with chapter organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa-Gatineau, Quebec and the Atlantic region.
DOC and its member organizations acros the country also promote access to broadcast windows across the whole range of television outlets and promote increased distribution opportunities for documentary films through theatrical release, television, and non-theatrical and home video markets. DOC also works to ensure that broadcasters and government institutions make all documentary archival material available to independent filmmakers freely, efficiently, and at a reasonable cost.
Today, DOC's advocacy efforts concentrate around three major policy issues: the licence renewals of the private conventional television stations, the arrival of the Canadian Media Fund (CMF), and copyright consultations with the federal government.
documentaries to get air time. As another media outlet put it: "The industry is still reeling from the effects of declining funding from broadcasters and sources such as the former Canadian Television Fund, now the Canadian Media Fund."
’s documentary (TV channel) announced the establishment of a documentary masters apprenticeship program, Giving Voice: Filmmakers Working with Filmmakers.
The program is the extension of DOC’s widely attended public Masters’ Speaker Series, Filmmakers Talking to
Filmmakers. Giving Voice is designed for documentary professionals transitioning to the next stage of their career. The program offers the apprentice the opportunity of in-the-field training with a veteran master of the documentary craft. The chosen apprentices work with the masters for a period of four months during production and have the opportunity to learn from an established and recognized documentary filmmaker while witnessing their creative process.
DocSHIFT is an initiative of chapter organization, DOC Toronto, and is made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the CFC Media Lab, Hot Docs
, the National Film Board of Canada
, Ryerson University
, and the Bell
New Media Fund.
died and the documentary community came together to mark the loss with the creation of the Allan King Memorial Fund. The purpose of the commemorative fund was not only to honour their colleague, but to put money into the hands of the independent documentary filmmakers of the future. The fund was established by DOC with the filmmaker's family for the benefit of the Canadian documentary community.
• 1983 – First meetings, first intervention letter. CIFC is founded in Toronto.
• 1985 – First newsletter is sent - by fax. It eventually becomes POV Magazine.
• 1988 – Montreal chapter (later to be known as Quebec chapter) is formed.
• 1991 – A National Executive is formed - John Walker, President.
• 1991 – First edition of POV Magazine – Geoff Bowie, first Publisher.
• 1994 – The first edition of Hot Docs
is held.
• 1995 – Atlantic chapter is formed.
• 1996 – BC chapter is formed.
• 1997 – Hot Docs incorporates as a separate charitable organization.
• 1998 – First coast-to-coast National Executive elected - Gary Marcuse, Chair.
• 2003 – The CIFC changes its name to DOC.
• 2006 – Ottawa chapter is formed.
• 2006 – Newfoundland chapter is formed.
• 2007 – Winnipeg chapter is formed.
• 2008 – Alberta chapter is formed.
• 2009 – Newfoundland chapter folds.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
representing the interests of independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
filmmakers in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Founded as the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (CIFC) in the 1980s, DOC is the collective voice of independent documentary filmmakers across Canada.
DOC advocates for documentary filmmakers nationwide on issues that affect the industry, and offers professional development workshops and networking opportunities. DOC founded the annual Hot Docs
Hot Docs
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in 1995, and is the home of the national magazine, Point of View
Point of view
Point of view, sometimes used interchangeably with viewpoint, may refer to:* Point of view or narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronoun used in narration* Point of view , the angle of painter vision...
(POV).
As the Board Chair, John Christou said in 2009, "Being a documentary filmmaker is a privilege, not a right. If you want to create a documentary, you have to fight, scrape, beg, steal, sell, borrow and perform other innumerable unpleasant acts. But when it works, it's pure and wonderful."
History
The Documentary Organization of Canada is the collective voice of independent documentary filmmakers across Canada. It is a member driven organization dedicated to promoting, supporting and developing the art form of documentary filmmaking.In 2008, DOC celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was originally founded by a dozen independent filmmakers who were invited and brought together by Cinema Canada magazine to a round table discussion of the film production scene. The following year, in 1983, a different group of filmmakers began meeting on their own in Toronto. These documentarians got together to discuss collective benefits (such as a dental plan), but it was a vital need for political representation and advocacy that inspired the group to create an organization of independent documentary filmmakers. They founded what would later be called the Canadian Independent Film Caucus (CIFC), which was subsequently incorporated as the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) in 2003.
Today, DOC has more than 875 members across the country with chapter organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa-Gatineau, Quebec and the Atlantic region.
Advocacy
DOC actively advocates on behalf of documentary filmmakers to obtain representation in forums where decisions are made about the production and distribution of documentary films and videos. Specifically, DOC seeks to strengthen institutions, funders, broadcasters, distributors, co-ops, and exhibitors which contribute to the production of independent film and video in Canada. DOC also attempts to eliminate conflicts between different sources of funding for documentary film.DOC and its member organizations acros the country also promote access to broadcast windows across the whole range of television outlets and promote increased distribution opportunities for documentary films through theatrical release, television, and non-theatrical and home video markets. DOC also works to ensure that broadcasters and government institutions make all documentary archival material available to independent filmmakers freely, efficiently, and at a reasonable cost.
Today, DOC's advocacy efforts concentrate around three major policy issues: the licence renewals of the private conventional television stations, the arrival of the Canadian Media Fund (CMF), and copyright consultations with the federal government.
Getting Real
In 2011, DOC released a report examining the state of the documentary film industry from 2006 to 2009: Getting Real 4: An Economic Profile of the Canadian Documentary Industry. According to one media commentator, the report reveals, "a dire period in the Canadian documentary landscape...the industry is in distress." While there's been a positive 77% increase in attendance at documentary film festivals across Canada, production in documentary films dropped to its lowest level in six years and English-language sector production dropped by a whopping $52 million. The report reveals that one of the main obstacles is distribution: broadcasters are increasingly turning to lifestyle and reality shows for their programming and it is increasingly difficult for point of viewPoint of view
Point of view, sometimes used interchangeably with viewpoint, may refer to:* Point of view or narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronoun used in narration* Point of view , the angle of painter vision...
documentaries to get air time. As another media outlet put it: "The industry is still reeling from the effects of declining funding from broadcasters and sources such as the former Canadian Television Fund, now the Canadian Media Fund."
Giving Voice
In 2010, DOC with CBCCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
’s documentary (TV channel) announced the establishment of a documentary masters apprenticeship program, Giving Voice: Filmmakers Working with Filmmakers.
The program is the extension of DOC’s widely attended public Masters’ Speaker Series, Filmmakers Talking to
Filmmakers. Giving Voice is designed for documentary professionals transitioning to the next stage of their career. The program offers the apprentice the opportunity of in-the-field training with a veteran master of the documentary craft. The chosen apprentices work with the masters for a period of four months during production and have the opportunity to learn from an established and recognized documentary filmmaker while witnessing their creative process.
DocSHIFT
DocSHIFT is a program that facilitates new creative partnerships and helps develop innovative digital and interactive documentaries through mentorship, prototype development, project incubators, training workshops, interviews with innovators in the field, case study research and networking opportunities. It also includes the docSHIFT Index, a comprehensive library of digital documentaries.DocSHIFT is an initiative of chapter organization, DOC Toronto, and is made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the CFC Media Lab, Hot Docs
Hot Docs
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
, Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
, and the Bell
Bell
-Sound and music:* Bell , a percussion instrument, usually cup-shaped* Bell * Bell cymbal* Bell effect, a musical technique* Bell Orchestre, a six-piece instrumental band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
New Media Fund.
Allan King Memorial Fund
In 2009, a documentary film giant, Allan KingAllan King
Allan Winton King, OC was a Canadian film director.-Life:During the Depression, King attended Henry Hudson Elementary School in Kitsilano, Vancouver...
died and the documentary community came together to mark the loss with the creation of the Allan King Memorial Fund. The purpose of the commemorative fund was not only to honour their colleague, but to put money into the hands of the independent documentary filmmakers of the future. The fund was established by DOC with the filmmaker's family for the benefit of the Canadian documentary community.
Timeline
Here are a few key dates in the organization's history:• 1983 – First meetings, first intervention letter. CIFC is founded in Toronto.
• 1985 – First newsletter is sent - by fax. It eventually becomes POV Magazine.
• 1988 – Montreal chapter (later to be known as Quebec chapter) is formed.
• 1991 – A National Executive is formed - John Walker, President.
• 1991 – First edition of POV Magazine – Geoff Bowie, first Publisher.
• 1994 – The first edition of Hot Docs
Hot Docs
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
is held.
• 1995 – Atlantic chapter is formed.
• 1996 – BC chapter is formed.
• 1997 – Hot Docs incorporates as a separate charitable organization.
• 1998 – First coast-to-coast National Executive elected - Gary Marcuse, Chair.
• 2003 – The CIFC changes its name to DOC.
• 2006 – Ottawa chapter is formed.
• 2006 – Newfoundland chapter is formed.
• 2007 – Winnipeg chapter is formed.
• 2008 – Alberta chapter is formed.
• 2009 – Newfoundland chapter folds.
See also
- Hot DocsHot DocsHot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
- documentary (TV channel)
- Cinema of Quebec
- Cinema of Canada
- National Film Board of CanadaNational Film Board of CanadaThe National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...