Spotlight on Archival Producers Alliance

The unsung heroes of historical docs get vocal about the craft.

L-R: Stephanie Jenkins, Sam Aleshinloye, Debra McClutchy, Akia Thorpe, Rebecca Kent, Teddy Cannon, Kenn Rabin.

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I am writing this from Los Angeles with a heavy heart for all the recent losses and an apprehension for a situation still unfolding. We recognise these fires will have a long term impact on many communities and industries, including ours. I aim to cover that as we gain more perspective on ways to rebuild and how best to support one another. Here’s a link to help members of the film community needing immediate assistance and I’ll share more resources in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading Doc Voices, B.

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Introducing the APA and an overdue how-to

A subject’s family photos, stock footage of a city in a bygone era, front page headlines, obscure tabloid news clippings, even private voicemails all fall under the category of “archival.” But for many filmmakers, the proper process of procuring, utilising and licensing archival materials is shrouded in mystery.

For my own part, as both a director of my own work and an archival researcher on the projects of peers, the limits and application of the term “fair use” have often felt murky and confusing.

The role of an Archival Producer, therefore, is vital in sourcing unique and innovative archival that can overcome storytelling barriers, while avoiding serious sticker shock that can cause a cut to unravel days before picture lock, because that found footage you fell in love with comes with a hefty fee and a labyrinthine clearance process.

The role of Archival Producers has long remained in the shadows. In order to change that, the Archival Producers Alliance was formed in 2023, representing over 500 international members. Their mission is to connect, educate and advocate for archival producers in the film and television industry.

Their first initiative, released last year, was the report Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries to help people maintain authenticity and integrity with emerging tools.

Now APA has released a new guide: Working with Archival Producers. The first-ever industry-wide handbook seeks to demystify the scope and benefits of engaging and collaborating with an Archival Producer. The guide is organized into three key sections:

• Role of the Archival Producer, outlining the varying responsibilities typically handled by Archival Producers throughout all phases of film production

• Archival Team Structures for TV and Film, defining the roles of key team members and describing potential staffing structures.

• Checklists for Hiring and Onboarding Archival Producers, providing essential information to discuss with prospective and newly-hired Archival Producers.

By allowing all key team members to have a working understanding of the archival producing process, projects can get off the ground with realistic expectations and boundaries, saving time, budget, heartbreak and drastic legal consequences down the line.

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APA co-founder and long-time Ken Burns producer and researcher Stephanie Jenkins told me:

Archival materials are central to many forms of nonfiction storytelling. Even though use of primary sources is common, researching and licensing can remain opaque processes. As archival producers, our members often get asked the same questions about workflow, turnaround times, and budgeting.

We wrote Working with Archival Producers as a way of demystifying the process, and helping nonfiction practitioners understand why an archival producer can be so central to a production. Our craft involves many different skills, from maintaining robust contacts at archives, understanding production timelines, and anticipating legal issues of working — and much more.

We wrote this document collaboratively, much in the same way that we wrote the Generative AI Best Practices that we released in September. I count myself lucky to co-direct the APA, which is filled with people passionate about our craft, of course, but who are also deeply curious about history and its custodians.

We hope people use this guide to streamline their productions so that they get to what they want to do most: tell stories.

Learn more about APA and follow them @archivalproducersalliance.

Below, six archival producers illuminate their journeys to - and the pressures on - their craft. Debra McClutchy and Akia Thorpe discuss their involvement on films about two very different cultural figures, Swamp Dogg and Leonardo Da Vinci, respectively. We also hear about rising concerns over AI voiced by many, including Kenn Rabin and Teddy Cannon, whose credits feature American Agitators and Kiss The Future.