The ITVS Indie Roundup
A curated list of indie news and recommendations from ITVS’s Rebecca Huval.
When it comes to online film distribution, you probably know about Facebook and Twitter. Update your outlook by learning what the new players — such as Sparkwise, Slated, Tugg, and reddit — can do for documentary filmmakers. San Francisco’s DOCFEST rages on at the Roxie Theater until Nov. 21. At another festival, DOC NYC, filmmakers gathered to discuss an overlooked role in the documentary trade: the cinematographer. Learn how some of the best DPs, including Alan Jacobsen (Racing Dreams and The Trials of Darryl Hunt) and Tom Hurwitz (Harlan County and The Queen of Versailles), captured their stunning shots. On the feature film side, get some camerawork inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s cinematographer. Janusz Kaminski discusses his own technique beside still shots from Lincoln, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List.
Filmmaker Erin Levin left her job at CNN to make a documentary about the African's Children Choir. Find out what fueled her fire in this Q&A. Between 1935 and 1939, photographer Berenice Abbott gathered iconic pictures of New York as it prepared for the 1939 World’s Fair. Now, nonfiction filmmaking is open to everyone. Nieman Storyboard discusses how online journalists can pick up videography. Although these newbies can’t replace documentary filmmakers, “the format does offer a quickly consumable form of video reporting and material that, if shot well, has the potential to become the building blocks for longer narrative work.”
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From our blog
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ITVS Responds to Rescission Vote
July 18, 2025[July 18, 2025] Carrie Lozano, President and CEO of the Independent Television Service (ITVS), issued the following statement in response to Congress' vote clawing back congressional approved funding for public media.Congress’ decision to pass the rescission package that removes the $1.1B of previously approved federal funds for the Corporation of…
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Protecting Our Future and Charting the Course Ahead
June 4, 2025We are sharing the sad and difficult news that ITVS is reducing its staff by 13 individuals across the organization. For a staff so committed to our mission and to each other, this 20% staff reduction is a painful moment. Our dedicated staff have made important contributions that are part of ITVS' legacy and success story. In the past few months, ITVS has…
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ITVS Documentary "Greener Pastures" Honored by the Television Academy
May 1, 2025The Television Academy announced that the ITVS-supported, Independent Lens documentary Greener Pastures will be celebrated at the 18th Television Academy Honors. Established in 2008, the Television Academy Honors Award recognizes “Television with a Conscience” and seeks to celebrate programs that inspire, motivate, and harness the power of…