The Telly awards sat down with Erica Taylor, President of the Documentary Producers Alliance, to discuss how their organization supports documentary filmmakers.
What is the core mission of your company and the types of content you specialize in?
Our mission is to amplify the voice of documentary producers worldwide by educating the
industry about the essential role that producers play from development through financing,
production, and distribution; and by setting standards for inclusive, sustainable, and equitable
documentary filmmaking practices based on research, collective experience, and input from
industry stakeholders.
What’s your organization’s origin story and/or ethos, and how does it set you apart from
industry competitors?
In 2016, six NYC-based colleagues: Nina Chaudry, Beth Levison, Marilyn Ness, Dallas Brennan
Rexer, Ann Rose, and Beth Westrate, began to meet bi-monthly to discuss the lack of
sustainability in the film industry for doc producers. They formed the NYC Doc Producers Alliance
to advocate for doc film producers and make the field more sustainable.
That same year, the group penned “A Little Respect: Documentary Producers’ 2016 White
Paper.” (Sept. 2017, Reel Screen) As a result of their collaborative advocacy, this article
featuring DPA founder Beth Levison was released in 2017, now referencing the organization’s
name, Documentary Producers Alliance. The DPA’s creation was in response to the lack of
support and recognition received by industry gatekeepers, stakeholders and funders. The
Documentary Producers Alliance is currently the only organization advocating specifically for
documentary producers. With over 650 members, we have power in numbers and in our
organizational efforts. Our white papers in specific have changed the industry.
What projects and/or initiatives are you most proud of and why?
Our organization has released four unprecedented industry guidelines since our inception in
2020. In 2019, we released the Guide to Best Practices in Documentary Crediting, now an
industry-wide standard for documentary crediting. In 2020, the DPA released the unprecedented
Guidelines for the Documentary Waterfall, codifying best documentary investment practices for
both investors and filmmakers. Our work included designing and deploying a training module for
DPA members to train others in best financing practices.Then in 2021, in response to
nationwide racial protests, members of the DPA created and released the Anti-Racist and
Structural Equality Resource Guide to provide resources that push toward a more inclusive and
decolonized documentary ecosystem.
Most recently, we introduced Negotiating Contracts for Independent Documentary Producers at
Getting Reel 2024 to enhance a successful project outcome while also sustaining a satisfying
and financially viable career. These guidelines provide best-practice recommendations in the
work-for-hire documentary production environment.
What’s one part of the video and television industry you would change and why?
While documentary film audiences are experiencing a ‘golden age’ of documentary with more
film choices than ever, the independent producers who work tirelessly to bring these films to
viewers are facing grave financial and career instability.
There are few organizations in the entertainment industry that advocate for and provide
resources specifically for documentary producers. We are working to rise to this challenge,
advocating for our doc producers and their work, and to forge new paths of inclusion in the
industry.
How does your organization approach collaboration in your process, either with your
membership, other creative teams, or your clients?
The DPA’s efforts are executed by its members in subcommittees. Our volunteers work together
to address systemic shortcomings that have led to significant challenges for doc producers
through discussion, sharing resources and building tangible solutions. The organization is led by
an active Board of Directors who make key decisions on organizational goals and priorities.
How can people join or learn more about what you do?
Prospective members can apply to join the DPA at docproducers.org/join. We are also active in
major film festivals, offering introductions and teach-ins of our industry guidelines such as the
Waterall, Crediting, Contract Negotiation and Producing Toward Equity curriculum.
Organizations and groups may also request teach-ins of these guidelines through our website.
