In this episode of Rough Cut, guest host Andrea Arauz sits down with Mexican filmmaker and SSP fellow Viviana Zuñiga to deconstruct the evolving identity of Latin American film. The two discuss the "guerrilla mode" of production—the art of fulfilling every role to bring a dream to life with limited resources. Viviana shares how her work is inspired by the "beauty in the wound" found in the films of Tatiana Huezo and the rule-breaking spirit of Lola Arias.

This conversation is a masterclass in cinematic resistance. It’s a powerful exploration of why Latin American filmmakers must stop apologizing for their "chaotic" reality and instead embrace the grit, the shadows, and the radical honesty that define their craft.

Show Links

Andrea Arauz: https://videoconsortium.org/members/andrea_arauz

Viviana Zuñiga: https://videoconsortium.org/members/viviana-zuniga

Credits

Host Andrea Arauz

Guest Viviana Zuñiga

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium

In this episode of Rough Cut, we sit down with the award-winning filmmaking duo Brandon Kramer and Lance Kramer. Through stories from their acclaimed films City of Trees, The First Step, and their Oscar-shortlisted feature Holding Liat, the brothers reflect on community, collaboration, and the ethical responsibility of nonfiction storytelling. Guest hosted by Kristin Feely, Director of the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, the brothers explore how their work is a reflection of the communities and intimate relationships they’ve built over three feature films.

Show Links

Holding Liat - https://www.meridianhillpictures.com/holdingliat

Meridian Hill Pictures - https://www.meridianhillpictures.com

Credits

Host Kristin Freely

Guests Lance Kramer and Brandon Kramer

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

Step courtside with Los Angeles Sparks Videographer Alicia Ramirez! In this episode of Rough Cut, hosted by producer Lauren Mahoney, Alicia shares her journey from cinematography and film production to capturing the energy of the WNBA. Hear how she leveraged unpaid gigs to land her dream job, the pressures of being a one-person crew shooting everything from promos to practices, and the amazing experience of having the best view in the house. Alicia talks gear, her busy in-season workweek, building trust with the team, and where she hopes to go from here. Consider this episode the final, satisfying swish of the net as we successfully close the book on another incredible season.

Show Links

Lauren Mahoney: https://videoconsortium.org/members/lauren-mahoney

Alicia Ramirez: https://www.aliciasramirez.com/

LA Sparks Instagram: www.instagram.com/la_sparks

LA Sparks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLosAngelesSparks/

Credits

Host Lauren Mahoney

Guests Alicia Ramirez

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

SHOW NOTES:

Documentary filmmaker Nicholas Bruckman, along with guest host Jarod Neece, senior programmer at the Tribeca Festival, take a deep dive into the surprising intersections between activism, art, and industry. From disability rights in Not Going Quietly to NFT art in Minted, and the surprising government power plays behind The Price of Milk, Nick shares how he navigates storytelling, ethics, and business in the modern doc world. Along the way, the two pull back the curtain on film festivals, funding, and the fine line between passion and pragmatism.

This is a candid, funny, and eye-opening look at what it takes to fund nonfiction films that matter, and get them seen.

Show Links

Jarod Neece: https://jarodneece.com

Nicholas Bruckman: https://videoconsortium.org/members/nicholas-bruckman and https://nickny.com

Peoples TV: https://peoples.tv

Credits

Host Jarod Neece

Guests Nicholas Bruckman

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium

In this episode, Rough Cut dives deep with journalist and video creator Dave Jorgenson, co-founder of Local News International and the mastermind behind the Washington Post’s unexpected TikTok success. Host Ryan Kellett unpacks Dave’s journey from producing YouTube sketches in college to pioneering a new wave of media literacy—armed with humor, a journalist’s commitment to accuracy, and a phone. Since launching his independent outlet, LNI, Dave has stepped into a bigger creative space, exploring a broader editorial range with transparency and nuance. From bold language choices to a collaborative, evolving style guide, he's prioritizing clarity, accuracy, and accessibility. Dave proves that trusted journalism isn’t about institutions—it’s about people. Now, with full ownership of his platform and vision, he’s building something bigger: an honest, informative, and entertaining space for the next generation of news consumers.

This episode is a candid, behind-the-scenes look at how meaningful storytelling—and a good editor—can reshape the way we consume the news. Tune in now for insights, laughs, and a masterclass in creative adaptation.

Show Links

Ryan Kellett:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankellett

Dave Jorgenson and Local News International: https://lni.media

Credits

Host Ryan Kellett

Guest Dave Jorgenson 

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

In this episode of Rough Cut, Sweta Vohra and Emma Alpert from Multitude Films—an independent production company dedicated to transformative culture change through nonfiction storytelling—dive deep into how Multitude is building a values-driven model that prioritizes sustainability, fairness, and humanity both on set and behind the scenes.

Key takeaways include: sharing production budgets when hiring crew to establish fair standards across the industry and recognizing care as a crucial component of ethical filmmaking — not just an afterthought.

Listeners will gain practical insights on reshaping budgets, negotiating with transparency, and redefining compensation beyond just money. If you’re committed to changing the culture of filmmaking for the better, this is an episode you can’t miss.

This episode is a collaboration between Video Consortium and Brown Girls Doc Mafia to bring attention to The Pay Transparency Project, a resource built in collaboration with VC and BGDM to promote and highlight the importance of pay transparency in documentary and nonfiction film production. 

Show Links

Sweta Vohra: ​​www.multitudefilms.com/sweta-vohra

Emma Alpert: www.multitudefilms.com/emma-alpert

Multitude Films: www.multitudefilms.com

Brown Girls Doc Mafia: www.browngirlsdocmafia.org

Pay Transparency Project: www.paytransparencyproject.org

Credits

Guests: Sweta Vohra and Emma Alpert of Multitude Films

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium

In this episode of Rough Cut, guest host Caitlin Boyle sits down with filmmaker Rebecca Davis to discuss the journey behind Join or Die, the powerful documentary that reimagines Robert Putnam’s landmark book Bowling Alone for the screen. Rebecca shares how the team behind the film not only brought Putnam’s ideas on the decline of community life to a broader audience, but also charted an ambitious and intentional path for its distribution. From grassroots community screenings to a Netflix release, and even a theatrical run for Oscar qualification, the filmmakers prioritized meaningful engagement and peer collaboration over mass exposure. This episode offers an honest look at the time, strategy, and heart that went into building impact around Join or Die—a film about community that practiced what it preached.

Rough Cut Podcast is brought to you by the global nonfiction video community the Video Consortium.

Be sure to subscribe and leave a rating or a comment to help this podcast reach more filmmakers around the globe!

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Episode Credits:

Host: Caitlin Boyle

Guest: Rebecca Davis

Executive Producers: Sky Dylan-Robbins, Kat Vecchio

Producer: Audrey Horwitz

Music: Zack Wright

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Episode Resources:

▶  Join or Die: https://www.joinordiefilm.com

▶ Rebecca Davis: https://rebeccadavis.co and https://videoconsortium.org/members/rebecca-davis

▶ Caitlin Boyle: https://caitlinboyle.co

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Get involved and follow the action:

Join VC: https://videoconsortium.org/join

Support the community: https://videoconsortium.org/donate 

Listen to Rough Cut: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rough-cut/id1441930718 

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On this episode of Rough Cut, host Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros sits down with archival producer Stephanie Jenkins, whose work with filmmaker Ken Burns has uncovered rare historical gems like early footage of a young Muhammad Ali. Stephanie also shares insights into the art of bringing history to life on screen, and discusses co-founding the Archival Producers Alliance, which recently released groundbreaking guidelines on the use of generative AI in documentary filmmaking. From preserving the integrity of primary sources to navigating legal and ethical concerns, this episode explores how the rise of AI is reshaping the way we tell true stories—and why filmmakers must tread carefully.

Show Links

Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros: https://videoconsortium.org/members/dchavezontiveros

Stephanie Jenkins: https://videoconsortium.org/members/stephanie-jenkins

Archival Producer Alliance

APA: https://www.archivalproducersalliance.com/

APA GenAI Best Practices: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WS4iZ2Wi_wft5x54RG-hYb45sf10W8nV/view

APA GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit: https://www.archivalproducersalliance.com/tool-kit-for-documentaries

Credits

Host Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros

Guests Stephanie Jenkins

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

Michael Werner returns to Rough Cut and sits down with filmmaker Ondi Timoner to discuss the unique challenges involved in making documentaries involving one's own family. Ondi talks with Michael about her recent films "Last Flight Home" and "All God's Children," which explore deeply personal subjects like her father's final days and her sister’s religious and social justice work. She candidly shares the emotional and ethical dilemmas she navigated and the delicate nature of making films focused on deeply personal experiences and relationships.  

Show Links

Interloper Films: https://www.interloperfilms.com/

Michael Werner: https://videoconsortium.org/members/michael-werner 

Credits

Host Michael Werner

Guests Ondi Timoner

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

On this episode of Rough Cut, artist and filmmaker Dennis Scholl speaks with Elan Golod about his new documentary Nathan-ism, and the complicated work of making art about artists. Dennis and Elan discuss their film’s impact on artist's legacies, how to make canvases and sculptures compelling on film, and the complexities of working with a subject who is used to having creative control. This nuanced conversation will resonate with filmmakers who have navigated relationships with complex film participants and faced challenging artistic choices when working with archival materials and other nontraditional media. 

Show Links

Dennis Scholl: https://schollcreative.com/about/

Elan Golod: https://videoconsortium.org/members/elan-golod

Nathan-ism: https://www.nathan-ism.com/

Credits

Host Dennis Scholl

Guests Elan Golod

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium