Documentary film consulting
Documentary consulting from a filmmaker who is still making films
Funding, grants, festivals, brand sponsors and distribution. Bring the decision that is holding up your film and leave with a plan you can act on.
For new, emerging and established filmmakers. Every consult is one on one with Kerry David, producer, director and founder of Documentary411 and KDC Films.
Why filmmakers book a consult
Most documentaries stall at a decision, not for lack of passion.
You know your subject better than anyone. That is usually not the problem. The problem is a choice with real money attached: which funders to approach first, whether to take a distribution offer, which festival should get your premiere, how to ask a brand for support without giving away your film.
Those choices are hard to make alone, because the facts and the interpretation get tangled together. A rejection letter is a fact. Deciding it means your film has no audience is an interpretation, and often the wrong one. A consult separates the two, adds the industry context you may not have yet, and ends with a clear next step.
What we can work on
The areas filmmakers bring to a consult
Funding and grant strategy
Which grants, funds and foundations fit your film, in what order to approach them, and how to build a realistic funding plan.
Fiscal sponsorship
Whether you need a fiscal sponsor, how to compare them, and what to ask before you sign.
Brand and sponsor funding
How to position your documentary for a brand partner, who to approach, and how to protect your editorial control.
Festival strategy
Premiere status, a tiered festival list, submission budget, and what to do once you are accepted.
Markets and pitching
Which markets and pitch forums fit your project, and how to prepare your deck and pitch before you go.
Distribution offers and sales
How to read an offer, what to question, and when to wait for a better path.
Proposals, treatments and decks
A second set of eyes on the materials funders and partners see first.
Your next move
When you are not sure which problem to solve first, we sort that out together.
How it works
One hour, prepared in advance, with written follow-up
- Book on Stripe. One payment of $500.
- Send your materials. Complete the consult intake form or email admin@documentary411.com. We reply within 24 hours to book your session.
- Meet on Zoom. A 60-minute one-on-one session with Kerry David, after an advance review of what you sent.
- Get your next steps in writing. A written summary of what we decided, plus two weeks of email follow-up on the consult topic.
What to bring
- Your deck, treatment or proposal
- A rough cut or trailer link
- Your festival list or funding list
- A distribution offer you are weighing
Who you are working with
Kerry David
I began in Business Affairs at Paramount Pictures and later spent three years working with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. My producing credits include Agent Cody Banks, My Date with Drew, and Like Dandelion Dust. Across 25 years in film, my projects have earned 75+ festival awards and approximately $90 million in cumulative box office.
I am still producing, directing, raising money, and taking films through festivals and distribution myself. The advice you get is current because the work is current. More about Kerry David, or see the full credit list on IMDb.
What filmmakers say
Results from working with Kerry
“Kerry’s wise and smart counsel helped us shape the film festival strategy for ‘Aloha Daze’. We abandoned the normal submission process after several rejections and looked at a neat strategy to promote the film to festival directors. After working with Kerry, ‘Aloha Daze’ was picked as the opening feature for the 2010 Big Island Film Festival. We won the Audience Choice award for Best Feature...”
Kim Spanoghe, Producer, Indie Kine Films (Aloha Daze)
“After being rejected from all the festivals we applied to, I felt hesitant and lost... We have completely changed our direction after talking to Kerry and submitted the film to smaller festivals around the world... We premiered at Los Angeles to a sold out audience, we got some press interest, more festival screenings, a couple of awards and distribution!”
Ester Brym, Director and Editor (Butterflies)
“I have called upon Kerry many times for advice and counsel, most recently on a documentary I produced and directed with actor/comedian Howie Mandel. Her feedback and guidance has made all the difference in the successful completion of the film.”
Steve Sunshine, Writer/Producer, Sr. Producer, Extra
“I recently hired Kerry to consult with me on two of my upcoming film projects and couldn’t have been more satisfied with her knowledge, professionalism, insight, and collaborative spirit. She far exceeded my expectations on every level.”
Michael De Roker, Producer, Director, Writer, Wonderland Pictures, Inc.
“Her wisdom and guidance as a consultant has not only given me the confidence to keep pursuing my ambitious goals as a director, but has provided a solid foundation for an upcoming feature film.”
Timothy Moran, Writer/Director, Goalcast
“Kerry David is an invaluable resource for film, TV and content producers, thoughtful and forward thinking. If you are new to the business, Kerry is patient, understanding and decisive. If you are a vet, she pushes you to be more innovative and strategic. I strongly recommend Kerry as a film and content consultant.”
Karen Kaufman Wilson, Director of Programming, Lifetime Original Movies
“She has very good instincts about casting, budget and about how to raise money... All I can say is that had I been mentored by Kerry, my life would have been much easier.”
George Folsey Jr., Producer and Editor (An American Werewolf in London, Coming to America, The Blues Brothers)
“Kerry David is, quite simply, one of the best producers and creative collaborators I have worked with... If your goal is to learn the producing business, you can do no better than to learn from Kerry David.”
Stephen J. Rivele, Author, Producer, Oscar-nominated Screenwriter (Nixon, Ali, Like Dandelion Dust)
These are individual experiences. Every film is different, and a consult does not guarantee a particular result.
Not ready for a full hour?
Other ways to get help
Funding Match, $249
Your top 20 funders for your film, ranked, with deadlines, amounts and official links. Each list is personally reviewed by Kerry.
90 Day Film Festival Strategy, $99
A step-by-step guide plus a festival tracker, action workbook and festival budget workbook.
Brand-Funded Documentary, $599
Eight PDF guides on getting a brand to help fund your film: positioning, target list, pitch and negotiation.
Need more than advice? The Funding Package Sprint is a done-with-you sponsor funding package, $2,500, by application.
What a consult does not promise
A consult does not guarantee financing, festival acceptance, a sale, distribution, press coverage, introductions, or a particular outcome. It is strategic guidance, not legal representation or done-for-you production work.
Questions
Documentary consulting FAQ
Who do you work with?
New, emerging and established filmmakers. Whether this is your first film or your tenth, the consult starts from where your project is now.
Is this only for documentaries?
No. Documentary is the focus here, and Kerry has produced many feature films, so fiction filmmakers are welcome too. Funding, festivals and distribution work in similar ways for both.
Can you review my rough cut or deck before we talk?
Yes. Send your materials with your intake and Kerry reviews them before the session, so the hour goes to decisions rather than catching up.
Where do consults happen?
On Zoom, so you can book from anywhere.
What if I need to reschedule?
All sales are final. You may request one reschedule at least 48 hours before the session, subject to availability.
Bring the decision. Leave with the next step.
A one-hour documentary consult with Kerry David, $500.