Rough Cut

Leonard Cortana, the Inclusion Program and Strategic Partnerships Manager at EURODOC joins Rough Cut , with guest host Keisha Knight, founder of Sentient. Art. Film and Solidarity Media Network, for a wide-ranging conversation on documentary filmmaking, collective care, and the future of global nonfiction storytelling. Leonard reflects on how documentaries can serve as tools for restorative justic...

In this episode of Rough Cut, we explore the powerful intersection of professional duty and personal history with Emmy-nominated journalist Katie G. Nelson. After more than a decade reporting on conflict and human rights across East Africa, Katie found herself back in her hometown of Minneapolis just as it became the epicenter of a global movement. We dive into the importance of local journalism a...

In this compelling episode of Rough Cut , esteemed journalist and VC Board member Kevin Merida, former Executive Editor of the Los Angeles Times, sits down with the visionary Executive Producer and Editor-in-Chief of PBS Frontline , Raney Aronson-Rath, to explore the profound responsibility of documenting history as it unfolds. The  2024 Oscar-winning 20 Days in Mariupol anchors Raney’s reflection...

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"...

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 Sund...

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 exp...

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, et...

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. S...

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 hi...

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 ambitiou...

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 groundbr...

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 so...

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 n...

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...

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 re...

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 offe...

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 abou...

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 f...

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...

In this episode of Rough Cut, we dive into the story of Joss Fong and Adam Cole, two journalists and former Vox production desk partners. After working together for years, they embarked on the exciting journey of jumpstarting their own YouTube channel, “Howtown,” where they explore the question: How do we know what we know? Join us as their former colleague, Vox Video co-founder, and long-time VC...

In this month’s episode of Rough Cut Podcast, filmmaker and curator Stephanie Owens talks with Oscar-winning director Ben Proudfoot about the art of short documentary. Growing up in Nova Scotia, Ben was a young magician with a youth championship win, but after a trip to Los Angelis his goals changed, setting him on a new path.  Stephanie and Ben start at the beginning and this conversation is an e...

In this episode of Rough Cut, filmmakers and longtime collaborators Scott Faris and Meg Griffiths talk about what it means to make work with a purpose and why they chose to create their production company, Universe Creative.  Scott interviews Meg about her journey from photojournalist to filmmaker, working with non-profit clients, and their first feature documentary, Impossible Town. They also dis...

Rough Cut Podcast is back! Did you miss us? After a brief hiatus, Rough Cut returns in a new, community-driven format, with alternating Video Consortium members hosting each episode. For our first episode back, join longtime friends, filmmakers, and photojournalists Ed Ou and Amanda Mustard as they reunite in this eye-opening episode about the transition from photo to video, the enduring principle...

The documentary industry has seen huge changes in the last decade. So where does the industry stand today? What are some of the greatest challenges documentary filmmakers face? And what kind of work do industry gatekeepers want to support? Our guest, Sara Archambault , is leading a new initiative at Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center that is trying to answer these questions. The program, “Doc...

Aisha Jamal is a filmmaker, programmer and college professor. She is Canadian film programmer at Hot Docs Documentary Festival and previously worked for TIFF and Syria Film Festival Toronto, among others. In this episode, Aisha talks about her path to programming, how her work as a filmmaker and film teacher informs her programming, and how programming decisions at Hot Docs are made. Host Jennie B...