the worldwide community of documentary professionals
Welcome to The D-Word
The D-Word is the leading community for documentary professionals worldwide. If you work in the documentary field you can apply for free access to the community and our wide range of discussions about the art, craft, business and social impact of documentary film.
We also host a selection of curated expert discussions about documentary film that anyone can read.
Founded in 1999, The D-Word now has more than 19,000 members from 147 countries. Learn more about The D-Word.
Engaged Professionals
The D-Word's membership includes some of the top documentary professionals working in the field. Whatever your doc dilemma may be, you can be sure that there's someone here with a smart idea to help you figure it out.
The Business of Docs
There is a lot of business involved in getting your documentary out into the world. Whether you're seeking input on distribution deals, marketing, legal questions, funding opportunities or relevant industry events, you'll find them all at The D-Word.
Peer Sounding Boards
Whether you need input on your funding sample, brainstorming a title for your latest opus, or some sound input on how to navigate a tricky ethical situation with your subject, The D-Word membership has proven itself to be one of the most generous communities out there.
Technical Discussions
Wondering about the latest camera to invest in? How to make FCP X submit to your wishes? Why you keep getting that error message or the optimum encoding settings? You'll find D-Word's technical topics teeming with information from working pros.
Moral Support
Documentary filmmaking can be a lonely task, and sometimes you just need someone who gets it to talk to. Our social topics are there to celebrate your successes, and cheer on your most inappropriate venting. The D-Word provides community, wherever you may be.
Discussion Topics
| Topic Name | Category | Posting Date |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended Docs | Social | Last post Fri 20 Jan 2023 |
| Help Us with The D-Word's 2022 Crowdfunding Campaign | Business | Last post Thu 19 Jan 2023 |
| Topic Name | Category | Archived Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Documentary Life Podcast | Business | Archived Mon 5 Oct 2020 |
| Mentoring Room | Business | Archived Thu 28 May 2020 |
| New Decade - New Thoughts About Documentary Filmmaking? | Creative | Archived Sat 18 Jan 2020 |
| Meet the Staff of Hot Docs 2020 | Festivals & Events | Archived Sat 21 Dec 2019 |
| Help Us Celebrate The D-Word's 20th Anniversary - a special interactive topic! | Social | Archived Sun 8 Sep 2019 |
| View all archived topics | ||
Professional topics
35+ active conversations open to Professional members only
| Topic Name | Category | Posting Date |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Documentary Festivals | Business | Daily |
| 31 Cinematography | Technical | Daily |
| 28 Funding | Business | Daily |
| 35 Marketing and Distribution | Business | Daily |
| 99+ & Many More... |
New at The D-Word
WANT TO SUPPORT THE D-WORD? We accept donations year-round.
IndieWIRE celebrates The D-Word and our new design upgrade: "Attention, Documentary Filmmakers: Here's the Online Community You Need to Know About."