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.

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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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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

On this episode of Rough Cut, filmmaker and editor Ann Collins talks to director Sandra Luckow about her new feature doc, Vanishing: A Love Story, shot entirely on an iPhone. Ann and Sandra discuss how smartphones have made filmmaking more accessible than ever before — but it’s not as simple as pulling a phone out of your pocket and recording. Tune in to hear from Sandra about the additional gear and apps she used to film the deeply personal story of author Cai Emmons’ end-of-life journey. 

Show Links

Vanishing: A Love Story - www.vanishingalovestory.com

Credits

Host Ann Collins

Guest Sandra Luckow

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, Brandon Graves and Kamaria Roberts—Video Consortium’s Newsroom Collective team—unpack video as a crucial tool for newsrooms. They also share their personal journeys through the industry, discuss the challenges and opportunities facing local journalism today, and explore why VC’s Newsroom Collective is a game-changer for newsrooms integrating video storytelling into reporting. If you’re curious about where journalism is headed (hint: video is the future), this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Show Links

Brandon Graves: https://videoconsortium.org/members/bgraves 

Kamaria Roberts: https://videoconsortium.org/members/kamarialeyla

The Newsroom Collective: https://videoconsortium.org/newsrooms

Credits

Host Brandon Graves

Guest Kamaria Leyla Roberts

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, esteemed journalist and VC Board member Kevin Merida, former Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times, sits down with award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter for a wide ranging conversation, including her latest documentary, Luther: Never Too Much, the art of weaving archival footage into compelling narratives, and the vital role of local journalism. Kevin and Dawn offer deep insights into the power and possibilities of nonfiction video storytelling. Tune in for an enriching exploration of the evolving landscape of nonfiction video.

Show Links

Kevin Merida: https://videoconsortium.org/members/kevinmerida

Dawn Porter: https://www.trilogy-films.com/

Luther: Never Too Much: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10850320/

Credits

Host Kevin Merida

Guest Dawn Porter

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, filmmaker and writer Michael Werner talks to Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman, who shook up the documentary landscape with their film Cocaine Cowboys. The bold documentary launched their careers and solidified their reputation as daring storytellers who push against industry norms. 

Billy and Alfred, who have been collaborators since high school, talk to Michael about their dedication to telling Miami stories, and how they approach documentaries with genre-bending ideas and outside-the-box thinking. A must listen episode about the art of pushing limits and unfiltered storytelling.

Show Links
Michael Werner: https://videoconsortium.org/members/michael-werner
Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman https://www.rakontur.com

Credits
Host Michael Werner
Guests Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman
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 

This week on Rough Cut we’re joined by animators and filmmakers Lizzy Hogenson and Zach Dorn, who, with host Sean David Christensen, delve into how animation lends itself to emotional intensity in nonfiction stories.

All three filmmakers use a myriad of artistic mediums in their films. For Lizzy it’s needle-felting and claymation, among other mediums. For Zach it’s puppets and illustrations, and for Sean it’s miniature sets and other unique storytelling techniques.  Sean talks with Lizzy and Zach about their creative processes and how these mediums and techniques evoke emotional intimacy for the viewer. 

Show Links
Sean David Christensen: https://videoconsortium.org/members/seandchristensen
Zach Dorn: https://zachdorn.com
Lizzy Hogenson: www.lizzyhogenson.com
Lizzy’s film “Dani”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWH8iDhkwbs

Credits
Host Sean David Christensen
Guests Lizzy Hogenson and Zach Dorn
Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio
Produced by Monica Gokey
Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium 

Quincy Ledbetter and Mito Habe-Evans met on NPR’s video desk, when Mito hired Quincy after a refreshingly casual and candid interview. On this episode of Rough Cut, Quincy, an independent filmmaker and artist, and Mito, a Creative Director and Supervising Video Producer at NPR, talk about what it takes to build a creative team and foster a positive work culture. We dive into the “vibe check,” how the punk scene shaped Mito’s creative outlook, and other ways Mito thinks about creating teams and connecting with collaborators. 

Show Links

Quincy Ledbetter: https://videoconsortium.org/members/qledbetter

Mito Habe-Evans: https://videoconsortium.org/members/mito-habe-evans

NPR Video: https://www.npr.org/series/718730324/video

Credits

Host Quincy Ledbetter

Guests Mito Habe-Evans

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Monica Gokey

Music by Zack Wright

Click here to join or support the Video Consortium