Join the Archival Producers Alliance for a special panel discussion on generative A.I. best practices in non-fiction filmmaking!

Overview

Generative AI is evolving rapidly - and the laws and issues around its use change every day. For this reason, the Archival Producers Alliance developed the GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit as a companion to "Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries." The Tool Kit offers tips, guidance, and resources for non-fiction media makers who are considering using GenAI in their productions.

Hosted by the co-authors of these essential tools, this panel will leave you with guidance on IF and HOW to bring generative AI into your documentary. Panelists will walk you through the writing of the guidelines, reasoning behind them, newly-published case studies about how GenAI is currently being used in non-fiction work, and more.

Founded in 2023, The Archival Producers Alliance encourages independent Archival Producers to come together, create community and develop best practices around their unique role within the film industry. The APA represents more than 500 Archival Producers - and counting - from across the US and around the world.

They released “Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries” in September 2024, gathering over 100 endorsements from around the non-fiction industry. This document was the first comprehensive best practices guide for non-fiction practitioners on how to incorporate emerging technology into their work, while maintaining documentary ethics. They followed this by the publication of the “GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit,” published in April 2025. The tool kit offers tips, tools, and resources for non-fiction media makers who are considering using GenAI in their productions.

In addition to the GenAI resources, and looking to continue their impact in the field, the APA recently published “Working With Archival Producers.”

Panelists

Rachel Antell

Archival Producers Alliance - Co-Director

Rachel Antell has worked in documentary film production for over two decades, but found her true passion in archival producing. In 2014 she co-founded Sub-Basement Archival, where she’s had the honor of being archival producer on dozens of documentaries that have screened worldwide, and garnered FOCAL Awards and an Emmy nomination for research and use of archival footage. In 2023, Rachel co-founded the Archival Producers Alliance (APA) with Jen Petrucelli and Steph Jenkins. The APA was created to organize archival producers, educate the film community about the craft, and advocate to make archival materials accessible and affordable to independent filmmakers. The APA's first initiative addresses Generative AI’s impact on documentary film and archival work. Last year, the APA published the first industry-wide guidelines, Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries, with endorsements from over 50 organizations, foundations, production companies, and film festivals, as well as dozens of filmmakers.

Briana Bierman

Briana Bierman is a New York-based archival producer and researcher who works creatively and collaboratively through all stages of production to bring stories to life using archival materials. She has worked on projects ranging from feature films to multi-part series to nightly news that have aired on Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, PBS, and HBO. Her archival credits include ENDURANCE (2024, National Geographic Documentary Films), BECOMING COUSTEAU (2021, National Geographic Documentary Films), THE INNOCENCE FILES (2020, Netflix), and VICE News Tonight on HBO. Briana also works as an archival consultant to build organizational systems and workflows that are tailored to a given project’s story and archival needs. As a member of the Archival Producers Alliance (APA), Briana collaborated on developing the GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit, part of the APA’s GenAI Initiative.

Debra McClutchy

Debra McClutchy is a Brooklyn-based independent filmmaker, archival producer, and film consultant with experience that spans development to production to distribution. Her recent archival credits include WTO/99 (2025, True/False Film Festival, Full Frame Film Festival), Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted (2025, Magnolia Pictures) Secret Mall Apartment (2025, Wheelhouse Creative). Debra co-developed and co-directed the Academy Award nominated archival documentary short film The Martha Mitchell Effect (2022, Netflix). She joined the Archival Producers Alliance in 2023 and contributed to the writing of the Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries, GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit, and Working With Archival Producers Guide. Previously, she was a senior creative at NYC film distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, as well as a producer at The Criterion Collection. Debra serves on the Advisory Group for the film organization Missing Movies, and is a member of The Gotham, International Documentary Association, Film Fatales.

Ax Mina

Archival Producers Alliance - Impact & Engagement Consultant

AX Mina is an Impact and Engagement Consultant at the Archival Producers Alliance. Mina has led exhibitions in spaces such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Mozilla Festival Open Artist Studio (curated by the V&A Museum and Tate Modern), and the Museum of the Moving Image, and she produces Five and Nine, a podcast about magic, work and economic justice. She’s written about art, culture and global politics for over a decade, with work in Hyperallergic, Places Journal, the Atlantic, the New York Times, and Foreign Policy. Her second book, Hanmoji Handbook, co-authored with Jason Li and Jennifer 8. Lee, is a Kirkus Best Book of 2022 and teaches the Chinese language through emoji. She is a Senior Civic Media Fellow at the USC Annenberg School for Journalism and Communications and member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and the Asian American Documentary Network. She is directing Rubbish: The Queer Kingdom of Leilah Babirye.

Moderators

Stephanie Jenkins

Archival Producers Alliance - Co-Director

Stephanie Jenkins has been making historical documentaries for fifteen years, primarily as an archival producer and producer with Ken Burns. She has also contributed research to multiple outlets including The New York Times Op-Docs “ENCORE” series. In 2033 she co-founded the Archival Producers Alliance and co-wrote Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries. The APA is working closely with non-fiction mediamakers and archivists to protect the historic record in the age of Generative AI.