- Company
Documentary Educational Resources - Occupation
Distributor - Country
USA
Apley Alice
Alice Apley is an anthropologist and filmmaker. She took the helm of Documentary Educational Resources (DER) in 2011, following nearly a decade of work as a social science researcher for educational media and museum projects. Recent film work includes Remembering John Marshall, a profile of DER Co-founder and a series of short films for the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Documentary Educational Resources
101 Morse Street
MA 02472 Watertown Documentary Educational Resources is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 for the purpose of producing and distributing cross-cultural documentary film for educational use. Our company focus then and now is to support filmmakers who have long-term commitments to the people that they film. We find that filmmakers who work collaboratively with their subjects produce film with integrity. It is also our focus to distribute media that has the power to overcome barriers to cross-cultural understanding. Media can be the first step in growing sensitivity and awareness of other cultures. Our archive is one of the most historically important resources of ethnographic film in the world today. In 1975 DER co-founders John Marshall and Timothy Asch were key figures in establishing the Human Studies Film Archives at the Smithsonian Institution and their bodies of work are among the most significant ethnographic collections within the HSFA. We continue to collaborate with the Smithsonian on the use of our films for research. Our films have been screened everywhere, from villages and refugee camps in Africa and Native American reservations, to classrooms, museums and theaters worldwide.
101 Morse Street
MA 02472 Watertown Documentary Educational Resources is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 for the purpose of producing and distributing cross-cultural documentary film for educational use. Our company focus then and now is to support filmmakers who have long-term commitments to the people that they film. We find that filmmakers who work collaboratively with their subjects produce film with integrity. It is also our focus to distribute media that has the power to overcome barriers to cross-cultural understanding. Media can be the first step in growing sensitivity and awareness of other cultures. Our archive is one of the most historically important resources of ethnographic film in the world today. In 1975 DER co-founders John Marshall and Timothy Asch were key figures in establishing the Human Studies Film Archives at the Smithsonian Institution and their bodies of work are among the most significant ethnographic collections within the HSFA. We continue to collaborate with the Smithsonian on the use of our films for research. Our films have been screened everywhere, from villages and refugee camps in Africa and Native American reservations, to classrooms, museums and theaters worldwide.
Company profile:
Documentary Educational Resources is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 (incorporated in 1971) for the purpose of producing and distributing cross-cultural documentary film for educational use. Our company focus then and now is to support filmmakers who have long-term commitments to the people that they film. We find that filmmakers who work collaboratively with their subjects produce film with integrity. It is also our focus to distribute media that has the power to overcome barriers to cross-cultural understanding. Media can b e the first step in growing sensitivity and awareness of other cultures. This in turn may lead to tolerance and acceptance and eventually give way to appreciation and admiration of other cultures. Our archive is one of the most historically important resources of ethnographic film in the world today. In 1975 DER co-founders John Marshall and Timothy Asch were key figures in establishing the Human Studies Film Archives at the Smithsonian Institution and their bodies of work are among the most significant ethnographic collections within the HSFA. We continue to collaborate with the Smithsonian on the use of our films for research. Our films have been screened everywhere, from villages and refugee camps in Africa and Native American reservations, to classrooms, museums and theaters worldwide.
What are the ways the company gets involved? / Distributor, Executive Producer, Co-Producer, Sales Agent…. Will it be the same also the next year? Please explain if there are any changes planned:
DER is primarily a distributor, focusing on the educational market, though we continue to expand our goals and tailor distribution to serve the needs of each film.
Documentary genre(s) preferred:
DER has a seminal collection of ethnographic documentaries; recent acquisitions build on this foundation and include a wide range of documentary genres (e.g. observational, first person, experimental) that explore cultures and cultural phenomena, or use media for knowledge production, cultural documentation or revitalization.
Average number of titles annually acquired:
Approximately 30.
Three recent titles from international companies. Please specify the countries or territories:
Framing the Other (the Netherlands), Mallamall (Canada), Stori Tumbuna (New Zealand)
Third-party percentage:
Will consider on an individual basis.
Cash advance / Guarantees:
Will consider on an individual basis.
Other platforms / VOD, mobile, podcasting, etc.:
Video streaming via partner sites.
Preference regarding the length and format (single/series):
Classroom-length is always a plus, but we consider any length.
What do you expect of the East Doc Platform?:
I would like to meet filmmakers producing work that fits our collection, speak to producers and distributors about emerging technology formats, and learn about trends in broadcast in Europe and elsewhere.
Outreach / Network: what other kinds of support/networks do you offer:
We design a marketing campaign for each film.
Documentary Educational Resources is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 (incorporated in 1971) for the purpose of producing and distributing cross-cultural documentary film for educational use. Our company focus then and now is to support filmmakers who have long-term commitments to the people that they film. We find that filmmakers who work collaboratively with their subjects produce film with integrity. It is also our focus to distribute media that has the power to overcome barriers to cross-cultural understanding. Media can b e the first step in growing sensitivity and awareness of other cultures. This in turn may lead to tolerance and acceptance and eventually give way to appreciation and admiration of other cultures. Our archive is one of the most historically important resources of ethnographic film in the world today. In 1975 DER co-founders John Marshall and Timothy Asch were key figures in establishing the Human Studies Film Archives at the Smithsonian Institution and their bodies of work are among the most significant ethnographic collections within the HSFA. We continue to collaborate with the Smithsonian on the use of our films for research. Our films have been screened everywhere, from villages and refugee camps in Africa and Native American reservations, to classrooms, museums and theaters worldwide.
What are the ways the company gets involved? / Distributor, Executive Producer, Co-Producer, Sales Agent…. Will it be the same also the next year? Please explain if there are any changes planned:
DER is primarily a distributor, focusing on the educational market, though we continue to expand our goals and tailor distribution to serve the needs of each film.
Documentary genre(s) preferred:
DER has a seminal collection of ethnographic documentaries; recent acquisitions build on this foundation and include a wide range of documentary genres (e.g. observational, first person, experimental) that explore cultures and cultural phenomena, or use media for knowledge production, cultural documentation or revitalization.
Average number of titles annually acquired:
Approximately 30.
Three recent titles from international companies. Please specify the countries or territories:
Framing the Other (the Netherlands), Mallamall (Canada), Stori Tumbuna (New Zealand)
Third-party percentage:
Will consider on an individual basis.
Cash advance / Guarantees:
Will consider on an individual basis.
Other platforms / VOD, mobile, podcasting, etc.:
Video streaming via partner sites.
Preference regarding the length and format (single/series):
Classroom-length is always a plus, but we consider any length.
What do you expect of the East Doc Platform?:
I would like to meet filmmakers producing work that fits our collection, speak to producers and distributors about emerging technology formats, and learn about trends in broadcast in Europe and elsewhere.
Outreach / Network: what other kinds of support/networks do you offer:
We design a marketing campaign for each film.
