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Social Documentary

Pull Focus: Peter Richardson

Peter Richardson with camera

A rising star in documentary filmmaking, Peter Richardson has made a name for himself with two feature documentaries that both premiered at Sundance and have won him multiple awards, including Sundance's esteemed Grand Jury Prize.  An Oregon-native himself, Richardson is know for his penetrating and introspective treatment of Oregon-based social issues. His latest film, "How to Die in Oregon," explores the emotionally charged issue of physician-assisted-suicide which was legalized in Oregon in 1994 and remains one of the most controversial laws in that state today. Through the incredibly intimate stories of the terminally ill in Oregon, Richardson captures the spectrum of emotions behind that decision to end one's own life, while simultaneously showcasing the elegance and dignity of his subjects.  A producer, director, cinematographer and editor, Richardson has done it all, and during an interview for the 2011 Human Rights Film Series, he shares with us some of his experiences and insights. 

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Finding Your People - Why Filmmakers Should be on Tumblr...Now

GASLANDI joined Tumblr in the summer of 2010, just a few months before permanently deleting my Facebook account. I was late to the game. Tumblr was already full of people who had been there for a couple of years and they all seemed to know one another. It was a tough nut to crack, as the saying goes, and it took some time for me to develop my sites, find blogs to follow and attract my own followers.Read more...

PBS Finds a Spot for Independent Lens and POV—but Where?

#PBSNeedsIndiesAfter hundreds of independent producers flocked to sign an open letter to PBS by Kartemquin Films, and the Independent Documentary Association endorsed the campaign, the public TV programmer has agreed to find a home on the core schedule for Independent Lens and POV. These are the two series that showcase the work of independent producers who raise issues typically under-reported in the media, reach audiences underserved by commercial media, and who experiment, innovate and take leadership in the digital transformation. Read more...

#PBSNeedsIndies Catches Fire

Kartemquin FilmsHundreds of documentary filmmakers have signed on to the open letter to PBS that Kartemquin Films posted only a week ago.  Among the signatories: Barbara Kopple, Bill Moyers, Alex Gibney, Michael Moore, Joan Churchill, Jennifer Fox, Chuck Workman and other major award-winners. (Signatures still are being accepted.) Filmmakers are, in the technical language that IndieWIRE employed, pissed. Read more...

Antiques or Independents? Why it Matters Where PBS Puts Independent Lens and POV

ITVSPBS, the biggest of the programming services for public TV, has reschedPOVuled two programs that showcase independent producers’ work from across the nationIndependent Lens and POV. The results could put the future of those programs at risk, because of declining viewership. Read more...

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