The 2011 edition of IFP's Independent Film Week presented a series of panel discussions concerning current trends in documentary filmmaking, including funding crowdfunding sources, transmedia opportunities and case studies on various successfully released documentary films, including Buck, among others.

Panels dedicated specifically to discussion of documentaries were scheduled over two of the five-day IFP event.

Day One - Wednesday, September 21

Discussions under the banner The Truth About Nonfiction Production included:

• In Conversation with Andrea Meditch - Andrea Meditch, of Back Allie Productions, discussed the success release of Buck, Man On Wire and Grizzly Man, among other films, as well as providing an overview of present day documentary production, funding and distribution.
• Non-Fiction Pitch Workshop - Moderated by Karina Rosenstein of HotDocs, with Dori Begley of Magnolia Pictures, Judith Helfand of Chicken & Egg, and Ryan Harrington of Tribeca Enterprises discussing how to formulate a successful pitch to attract funding for your documentary.
• Masterclass: How To Fund Your Documentary - Funding consultant Louise Rosen presented the basics on how to select the right funding path for your documentary, research funding sources that might not be so obvious, and deal with methods of crowdfunding, as well as how to avoid various pitfalls that arise during the fund raising process.
• Case Study: Buck - Moderated by Julie Goldman of Motto Pictures, the panel included Cindy Meehl (Director), Alice Henty (Producer), Sofia Santana (Associate Producer) and Toby Shimin (Editor) in discussion of how he documentary about the original horse whisperer was conceived, funded, shot, edited and successfully released into theaters.

• Strategies for Documentary Post Production - Editor Keiko Deguchi, producer Doug Block and post-production guru Mike Jackman of Deluxe indicated that successful post-production is facilitated by careful planning during pre-production, and discussed the benefits of selecting various formats in which to work.
• The Hot Button: In the Documentary Ghetto - Moderator Christian Gaines of Withoutabox questioned David Courier of Sundance Film Festival, Deirdre Haj of Full Frame, and Thom Powers of the Toronto Film Festival and Doc NYC about whether it's better for a documentary film to be screened in a documentaries festival or a general film festival with a strong documentaries category and competition, which documentary film fits into which festival, the benefits of festival screenings for documentaries and finding non-festival venues for documentaries that might not be appropriate for festival screenings.

Day Two - Thursday, September 22

Discussions under the banner The Truth About Non-Fiction Outreach included:

• In Conversation With Josh Braun - The head of Submarine Entertainment, the leading sales agency responsible for sales of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, Front Page: Inside the New York Times and other well known documentaries, discussed his strategy for picking the films he wants to represent, as well as how filmmakers should approach sales agents, make pitches and make the most of dividing distribution rights in order to maximize income from sales.
• Webumentary: Online Releasing and Transmedia Extensions - Festival consultant Basil Tsiokos moderated the discussion with panelists Ryan Davis of Blue State Digital, Wendy Levy of Tomorrow Partners, Jason Springarn-Koff of the New York Times, attorney Bob Seigel of Cowan, DeBaets and distribution consultant Amy Slotnick about alternatives to theatrical distribution and the tools and strategies that work effectively to reach out to and engage audiences in support of documentaries and the issues they cover. Jason Springarn-Koff announced that the New York Times is adding opinion videos to its online edition, thereby offering new opportunities for documentary filmmakers to make their work known to new audiences.
• - Masterclass: How to Mobilize An Audience - Crowdstarter's Paula Freccero discussed the tools and tactics necessary to develop audience support and engagement through social media and other means.
• Case Study: Bill Cunningham New York - Eugene Hernandez of Film Society of Lincoln Center interviewed Zeitgeist Films' co-presidents Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo about how they select films for distribution and their strategies for rolling out films most successfully, especially in the case of their hugely successful Bill Cunningham New York, the biodoc about the New York Times photographer and his relationship to New York City.
• New Venues For Documentaries - Mark Urman of Paladin, Matt Grady of Factory 25 and others discuss new opportunities for documentary films to make sales and find audiences in today's marketplace for features length, short and episodic nonfiction content.
• The Hot Button: Preaching the Converted - The final panel discussed the potential impact that advocacy documentaries can have on generating public support for issues, including ways in which films can be influential among audiences who are not already convinced or engaged in supporting the issue under consideration.

For documentary filmmakers, Independent Film Week is both a tremendous source of information about current trends in production and the marketplace and an opportunity to meet with others engaged in all phases of documentary filmmaking, as well as have one-on-ones with potential funders, sales agents and distributors.