One Stop Doc Shop

My guest this week is Melanie Iredale, Deputy Director at Sheffield Doc Fest, one of the UK’s premier documentary film festivals. As part of her remit, Melanie sits on the Doc Fest Programming Team, as well as co-curating the Rhyme & Rhythm strand.

Originally from East Yorkshire, Melanie's background is as a Film Curator and Festival Programmer. From 2009-2014, she was Director of Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, where she commissioned new, award-wining moving image work that toured festivals and galleries around the world. She is also a BIFA voter for the Documentary Award and regularly participates in international film juries. 

We talk about what Melanie looks for when selecting films for the festival programme as well as what it takes to get your projects selected for the festivals legendary Meet Market’s one to one pitching sessions. 

And last but not least, we discuss what makes a great pitching deck.

This week we have not one but three podcast guests joining us to discuss their experiences in the documentary film industry. Kimberley Warner, Head of Production at Ffilm Cymru leads on strategy for talent development in Wales. Jude Lister, Manager for BFI Network Wales, supports filmmakers at the start of their careers, as well as managing an array of talent initiatives. And Allison Dowzell, Managing Director at Screen Alliance Wales, helps grow and support talent and crew in both the film and television industry. 

Collectively, they talk about the current funding opportunities and support available in Wales for documentary filmmakers.

My guest this week is multi-award winning producer Andee Ryder. Co-founder of Misfits Entertainment, Andee’s feature documentaries have garnered numerous accolades, and have showcased at festivals around the world. 

Misfit’s first feature documentary McQueen, sensitively explored the rags to riches story of the British fashion industries most tortured genius Alexander McQueen. In 2019, it picked up two BAFTA film nominations for Best Documentary and Best British Film. 

Her next feature documentary Rising Phoenix, explored the history of the Paralympic games, and scooped up two Emmy awards for Best Sports Documentary and Best Music Direction. 

We talk about what it takes to make successful archive documentaries, the pressures involved in delivering fast turnaround projects as well as the trials and tribulations of producing during a pandemic. 

Andee also discusses what qualities she looks for in talent when pairing up on projects, as well as the importance of learning from your mistakes.

My guest this week is multi-award winning producer Rachel Wexler. With over 25 years experience in film and television, her feature documentaries have broadcast around the world and scooped up dozens of awards and nominations include an Emmy, two Peabody’s, as well as a Grierson, BIFA, Cinema Eye and International Documentary Award, to name just a few. 

In 2004 Rachel and her partner Jez formed Bungalow Town Productions and the company quickly gained a strong track record in making highly individual documentaries with some of the best directing talent around. 

We talk about what qualities she looks for in a director, what makes a project desirable and what attributes you need to have to be a successful producer. 

Rachel also discusses the highs and lows of secure funding, how to cope with rejection but most importantly recognising and celebrating the joy in the filmmaking process.