Classes
STF host and curator Thom Powers teaches documentary making at New York University's School of Continuing Professional Studies during the fall and spring semesters. It is not necessary to take other classes at NYU to enroll in this course. Alumnis of this course include Jennifer Venditti (director of the award-winning BILLY THE KID) and Beth Kruvant (director of the award-winning HEART OF STONE).
NYU SCPS: Documentary Development, Research and Financing
(course x34.9425)
SPRING 2010: Thursdays 6:45-9:45 PM, Feb 4 - Apr 29.
(No class Mar 18 for semester break.)
The lecture-based course is designed for students interested in developing and producing documentaries. Over 12 classes, we cover researching, proposal writing, distribution and marketing of non-fiction films. Students are expected to develop a documentary proposal under the supervision of the instructor.
GUEST SPEAKERS FOR SPRING 2010 TO BE ANNOUNCED
GUEST SPEAKERS FOR FALL 2009:
Matt Tyrnauer (VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR)
Yoni Brook & Musa Syeed (BRONX PRINCESS)
Doug Block (THE KIDS GROW UP)
Hilla Medalia (AFTER THE STORM)
Brian Newman (former Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute)
John Walter (THEATER OF WAR)
Gary Hustwit (OBJECTIFIED)
Carter Gunn (COLONY)
GUEST SPEAKERS FROM PAST SEMESTERS:
Lisa Ades (MISS AMERICA)
Matthew Akers (camera, HEIR TO AN EXECUTION)
Kelly Anderson (OUT AT WORK)
Vanessa Arteaga (Wellspring)
Rick Baitz (composer, GUNS & MOTHERS)
Mark Becker (ROMANTICO)
Allison Berg (WITCHES IN EXILE)
Jessica Berman-Bogdan (Footage Finders)
Doug Block (51 BIRCH STREET)
Yvonne Body (formerly at Tapestry International)
Josh Braun (Submarine)
Peter Bull (NOW with Bill Moyers)
Nanette Burstein (KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE)
Gillian Caldwell (Witness)
Cathy Carapella (Diamond Time)
Purcell Carson (editor, DOUBLE DARE)
Nicole Cattell (REVOLUCION)
Mridu Chandra (BROTHER OUTSIDER)
Katy Chevigny (DEADLINE)
Jem Cohen (BENJAMIN SMOKE)
Marshall Curry (STREET FIGHT)
Nina Davenport (PARALLEL LINES)
Mona Davis (editor, LOVE AND DIANE)
Jasmine Dellal (AMERICAN GYPSY)
Tina DiFeliciantonio (GIRLS LIKE US)
Joe Dorman (ARGUING THE WORLD)
Sandi Dubowski (TREMBLING BEFORE G-D)
Jennifer Dworkin (LOVE AND DIANE)
Stephen Earnhart (MULE SKINNER BLUES)
Sarah Eaton (Sundance Channel)
Michael Epstein (HITCHCOCK, SELZNICK …HOLLYWOOD)
Mark Fichandler (Court TV)
Amy Flannery (Yellow Cat Productions)
Yance Ford (POV)
Liz Garbus (THE EXECUTION OF WANDA JEAN)
Tony Gerber (former executive, AMC)
Nancy Gerstman (Zeitgeist Films)
Alex Gibney (TRIALS OF HENRY KISSINGER)
Dan Gold (BLUE VINYL)
Julie Goldman (CACTUS 3)
Melissa Hacker (MY KNEES WERE JUMPING)
Jill Hawkins (FOCAL)
Lisa Heller (HBO)
Eugene Jarecki (THE TRIALS OF HENRY KISSINGER)
Cynthia Kane (Sundance Channel)
Krysanne Kastoolis (CACTUS 3)
Ross Kauffman (BORN INTO BROTHELS)
Rory Kennedy (PANDEMIC)
Rina Kosersky (music supervisor, EYES ON THE PRIZE)
Shari Levine (Bravo)
Kathy Levitt (Global Images)
James Longley (GAZA STRIP)
Joseph Lovett (Lovett Productions)
Mike Maggiore (Film Forum)
Mark Mannucci (EGG: THE ARTS SHOW)
Liz Mermin (BEAUTY ACADEMY OF KABUL)
Jonathan Miller (First Run/Icarus)
Raphaela Neihausen (MISS GULAG)
George Nierenberg (SAY AMEN, SOMEBODY)
Susan Norget (publicist)
Ian Olds (OCCUPATION: DREAMLAND)
Dan Partland (AMERICAN HIGH)
David Petersen (FINE FOOD, FINE PASTRIES)
Christopher Quinn (GOD GREW TIRED OF US)
Klaartje Quirijins (THE BROOKLYN CONNECTION)
Greg Rhem (HBO)
Robert Richter (Richter Productions)
Nancy Roach (LIFE 360)
Jan Rofekamp (Films Transit)
Ann Rose (Sundance Channel)
Steve Rosenbaum (Camera Planet)
Michael Rosenblum (DV Dojo)
David Sampliner (DIRTY WORK)
Dan Satorius (attorney, Abdo, Abdo, Broady & Satorius)
Steve Savage (New Video)
Catherine Scheinman (7TH STREET)
Garrett Scott (OCCUPATION: DREAMLAND)
Amanda Sherwin (THINKfilm)
Stephen Segaller (WIDE ANGLE)
Anne Siedlitz (freelance proposal writer)
Kris Slava (Trio)
Meema Spadola (RED HOOK JUSTICE)
Jonathan Stack (LIBERIA: AN UNCIVIL WAR)
Peter Stamelman (Stamelman Group)
David Sternbach (A&E)
Jeremy Stulberg (co-editor, THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX)
Stacy Sullivan (THE BROOKLYN CONNECTION)
Rachel Talbot (EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS)
Banks Tarver (MTV)
Astra Taylor (EXAMINED LIFE)
Mahyad Tousi (Tousi Productions)
Nilita Vachani (WHEN MOTHER COMES HOME FOR CHRISTMAS)
John Vanco (IFC Center)
David Van Taylor (CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE)
Rosadel Varela (producer, CONTROL ROOM)
Sandya Viswanathan (co-producer, THE FRENCH REVOLUTION for History Channel)
Jane Wagner (GIRLS LIKE US)
Tommy Walker (GOD GREW TIRED OF US)
John Walter (HOW TO DRAW A BUNNY)
Joshua Weinstein (FLYING ON ONE ENGINE)
Chris Wilcha (TARGET SHOOTS FIRST)
Pamela Yates (WHEN MOUNTAINS TREMBLE)
Peter Yost (Traveling East Productions)
Koethi Zan (attorney, MTV)
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Upcoming Screenings
Mar 16: DAVID HOLZMAN’S DIARY
by Jim McBrideThis landmark work blending fiction and reality made a deep impression on the 1970s generation of filmmakers. STF is pleased to show this rare big screen appearance, accompanied by a Q&A with the ...
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Apr 6: AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE
by Steven SoderberghAND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE provides an intimate portrait of master monologist Spalding Gray, as described by his most critical, irreverent and insightful biographer: Spalding Gray. Director Steven ...
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Apr 13: HORSES
by Liz MerminAn unusual, beautifully detailed documentary following a year in the lives of three charismatic Irish racehorses. Ireland’s horse-racing culture has produced some of the finest athletes in the ...
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Apr 14: FAMILY AFFAIR
by Chico ColvardWednesday Night Special Description from Sundance catalogue: At 10 years old, Chico Colvard shot his older sister in the leg. This seemingly random act detonated a chain reaction that exposed ...
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Apr 20: THE KIDS GROW UP
by Doug BlockIn his previous documentary, the internationally acclaimed 51 BIRCH STREET, Doug Block looked at his parents’ seemingly ordinary marriage and uncovered a universal story about an archetypal, ...
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Apr 27: CLEANFLIX
by Andrew James and Joshua LigairiDescription from Toronto International Film Festival catalogue: Mormons can be movie lovers too. The problem is that their religious leaders strongly discourage R-rated content. As one Mormon ...
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May 4: PIN GODS
by Larry LockeInspired by the record breaking accomplishments of Walter Ray Williams, Jr., the reigning professional bowler of the year, three newcomers set out to chase their own dreams of pro bowling greatness. ...
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May 11: LIFE 2.0
by Jason Spingarn-KoffDescription from Sundance catalogue: Every day, across all corners of the globe, hundreds of thousands of users log onto Second Life, a virtual online world not entirely unlike our own. They enter ...
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May 18: MY PERESTROIKA
by Robin HessmanDescription from Sundance catalogue: The Bolshevik revolution, the cold war, and the collapse of the Soviet Union defined the history of the twentieth century. With such a past, what does it mean ...
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May 25: MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA
by Dziga VertovSoviet director Dziga Vertov’s experimental film grew out of his belief, shared by his editor, Elizaveta Svilova (who was also his wife), and his cinematographer, Mikhail Kaufman (also his brother), ...
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Jun 1: HAYNESVILLE
by Gregory KallenbergHAYNESVILLE: A Nation’s Hunt for Energy takes place in the Louisiana backwoods, and follows the momentous discovery of the largest natural gas field in the United States (and maybe the world). The ...
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Jun 8: CLOSING NIGHT FILM: TBA
by ...
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