Allison Berg is a documentary filmmaker based in NYC who has a unique way of fully immersing herself in the worlds of her subjects while simultaneously navigating the production waters to ultimately produce a masterful film. Allison’s films run the gamut from witchcraft accusations in Northern Ghana (Witches in Exile) to the story of NYC’s most infamous bank robber (The Dog) to our favorite midnight movie (Time Warp) to Sainthood (American Saint).

Together in conversation with filmmaker Ella Fitch and using Allison’s current doc-in-progress American Saint as an example we’ll cover critical matters of documentary filmmaking:

• How to develop an idea into an actual film
• Fundraising
• Creating a strong deck, pitch, and trailer
• Bringing together a core creative team
• How to follow a project over time, be open to new developments, and continue to bolster relationships when things get delicate

Audience questions will be welcome!

American Saint is the extraordinary story of Fulton Sheen, an Emmy-award winning Catholic Bishop with a rockstar following. Today, Fulton Sheen is on the brink of becoming the first ever American-born man to become a saint. The film will illuminate Fulton Sheen’s remarkable life and the present-day endeavor to make him a Saint, while exploring the meaning of sainthood and star power in the modern age.

To quote Allison: I consistently seek out projects that are broadly entertaining but I strive to make films that engage the audience on a deeper level, in order to foster important discussions about larger issues pertinent to the way we live today. The more I learn about Fulton Sheen’s story, the more relevant it becomes.

American Saint is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.  American Saint is a sponsored project of the New York Foundation for the Arts and Hartley Media Impact Initiative at Auburn Seminary. This film was supported by grants from Catapult Film Fund and Hartley Film Foundation.

Allison Berg is an award-winning filmmaker who directs and produces feature-length documentary films and television specials and series. Berg directed and produced, with Frank Keraudren, the documentary feature film The Dog, which screened at film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Berlinale and SXSW. The film received international recognition, was theatrically released by Drafthouse Films and was a NYTimes Critics Pick. Allison’s first film, Witches in Exile, premiered at the 2004 SXSW Film Festival where it won the Special Jury Award for Documentary Feature Film. Witches in Exile has screened at festivals throughout the world and has both international television and educational distribution. Berg has received grants from such prestigious foundations as the Soros Documentary Fund, New York State Council of the Arts, Eastman Fund, Wellspring Foundation, Women in Film Foundation and she was selected for the 2014 Artists Academy at the Film Society at Lincoln Center. Recent television credits include Co-Executive Producer, Supervising Producer and Director credits on documentary series and specials for broadcasters such as Sundance Channel, MTV, History Chanel and A&E. Berg also produced the 2014 International Documentary Association’s “Getting Real” conference, developing sessions for filmmakers and industry professionals.

Ella Fitch

Ella Fitch is a creative person living between Brooklyn, NY & Venice, Italy. Ella is the instructor of Artistic Alchemy at Index and loves to lift up those around her and support them in their goals. As a creative producer of 17 years and many films, Ella is an expert in identifying a creative vision and developing the path to its success. You can grab a copy of her recent book of poems at Index, view a list of awards she’s received on her website, book her as your creative coach or work with her studio, Studio Rio, for your content needs.