May Alumni & Member Group Meeting - (Posted: May 15, 2012 @ 08:34 PM)

Join us Sunday, 5/20, for this month's Alumni & Member Group Meeting. NW Documentary Artistic Director Ian McCluskey will share footage and lessons learned on his recent river trip through the Grand Canyon. Ian used the trip as a "dry" (or perhaps not so dry) run to prepare for his next film project. With lots of new considerations and logistics required for a river run later this year, Ian will have interesting insights to share.

The NW Documentary Alumni & Member Group meets on the third Sunday of every month, from 3-5pm, in the NW Doc Media Center (115 SW Ash St. #420). The group is all about coming together to share knowledge, resources, and friendship. If you would like to volunteer to share footage, do a presentation, or bring refreshments, please contact Jason, the group organizer, at jason@jasonvanorden.com. Hope to see you then!

It's documentary making time. - (Posted: May 09, 2012 @ 05:11 PM)

Our summer classes kick off in just a few weeks! First time filmmakers: check out the DIY Documentary workshop, taught by our lead instructor, Jay Cornelius. Ready to take the short documentary you already made to the next level? Check out the Expanding your Documentary workshop, taught by our Artist in Residence, filmmaker Andy Blubaugh. Production classes end with a screening of your work during Homegrown DocFest at the historic Mission Theater in NW Portland. Sign up for a workshop today! Click here for the full course listing, or click here to download the Summer 2012 catalog.

NW Doc Film Series: An Evening with Barbara Kopple - (Posted: May 03, 2012 @ 12:17 PM)

Join us for an Evening with Barbara Koppel and Ellen Ratner, this Friday, 5/4.

Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival (POWFest), the Hollywood Theatre and NW Documentary are excited to announce “A Night with Barbara Kopple and Ellen Ratner,” taking place Friday, May 4th 2012 as part of the NW Documentary Film Series. The evening includes a reception; a director’s screening of A Force of Nature; a live Q&A with Academy Award® Winning Director, Barbara Kopple, as well as the subject of the film, philanthropist, Ellen Ratner, and a special 35mm screening of Kopple’s Academy Award winning film Harlan County USA.

Details:
Friday May 4, 2012
4:30-6:30 pm – Reception at Magnolia’s Corner ($35 – includes A Force of Nature screening and Q&A. Discount available for NW Doc Members, send an email to info@nwdocumentary.org for more info.) BUY TICKETS
7:30 pm – Screening of A Force Of Nature, followed by Q & A ($10) BUY TICKETS
9:15pm – POWFest Classic Screening of Harlan County, USA on 35mm film ($5 added to one of
the above ticket combinations) BUY TICKETS

A Force of Nature is a film that celebrates the life and work of journalist, White House Correspondent and philanthropist Ellen Ratner, following her from her home base in Washington, DC, as she dedicates her spirit and strength towards progressive causes – from helping hurricane-ravaged Katrina victims in Mississippi, to speaking with enslaved people throughout war-torn South Sudan. It is the inspiring story of how one unapologetically committed person can make a difference and help others do the same.

The event kicks off with a reception at Magnolia’s Corner at 4:30 pm (directly across from the Hollywood Theatre), A Force of Nature film screening at 7:30 pm, followed by a Q&A with Ms. Kopple and Ms. Ratner; moderated by Carl Wolfson, host of Carl In The Morning (6-9am) on AM- 620 KPOJ. The event will conclude with a special POWFest Classic screening at 9:15pm of Kopple’s Harlan County, USA. This Academy Award–winning film unflinchingly documents a grueling coal miners’ strike in a small Kentucky town. With unprecedented access, Kopple and her crew captured the miners’ sometimes violent struggles with strikebreakers, local police, and company thugs. Screened from a 35mm film print.

Sponsors for the evening include The Faerie Godmother Family Fund, ADi and The Documentary Channel.

Now Enrolling: Summer Documentary Workshops - (Posted: April 22, 2012 @ 09:50 PM)

First time filmmaker? Don't be scared. Sign up for the popular DIY Documentary Bundle and learn how to edit using Final Cut Pro, shoot with HD cameras, and make your very own documentary. In 10 weeks you'll go from story concept to premiering your work on the big screen at Homegrown DocFest at the Mission Theater.

We're also offering workshops on audio recording techniques, expanding your short doc into a feature, how to shoot in the great outdoors, and more. Click here to download the Summer 2012 catalog.

Homegrown DocFest is Friday, April 20th! - (Posted: April 09, 2012 @ 12:02 PM)

Join filmmakers from this spring's NW Documentary workshops as they premiere short documentaries they have made on Friday, April 20th at the Mission Theater.

The films include stories of living alone, of Portlanders who depend on recycling cans as their main source of income, and of a couple as they welcome a new member to their family. We'll have a special live performance from local band Alameda, and premiere their new music video made during this term's Discovering the DSLR workshop. Some of the documentaries are funny, some are sentimental, and all are a genuine effort to bring untold stories to the big screen.

Enjoy conversation with the filmmakers as well as live music from Alameda.

Show starts @ 7:30pm. Admission is $7. All proceeds benefit NW Documentary’s educational programming. Tickets available at the door, only.

Food & beer available for purchase - 21+ only.

April Alumni & Member Group Meeting - (Posted: April 09, 2012 @ 11:15 AM)

We're excited to welcome local filmmaker Lydia B. Smith to speak at this month's Alumni & Member group meeting. Lydia is currently in post-production for "The Camino Documentary," a film about the experience of walking the ancient 500-mile pilgrimage across Northern Spain known as “The Camino de Santiago." Lydia will discuss the making of the film, show the doc's trailer, and share some tips on how she has raised over $100,000 with the film's "Power of One Campaign." For more info on Lydia & The Camino Documentary, visit The Camino Documentary's website.

The NW Documentary Alumni & Member Group meets on the third Sunday of every month, from 3-5pm, in the NW Doc Media Center. The group is all about coming together to share knowledge, resources, and friendship. For the months ahead we're looking for people that are interested in helping with any of the following: doing a short presentation about something related to filmmaking or storytelling, sharing footage or concepts that they are currently working on to get feedback, bringing snacks & drinks to share with the group. If you would like to volunteer for any of these, please contact Jason Van Orden at jason@jasonvanorden.com. Let him know what you would like to bring in terms of topic, footage, or snacks.