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In this episode, I speak with doc industry professional, Marion Schmidt. During our conversation, we chat about how she got into docs, her time in Egpyt during the Arab Spring, and her founding of Dox Box and the initiative, the International Documentary Convention. We also chat about the organization she co-founded with past guest Brigid O’Shea, the Documentary Association of Europe. Because the Documentary Association of Europe is about opening doors and breaking chains, this episode’’s song is Freedom by Andreya Triana, Our conversation was recorded in January 2022.

Photo Credit: DOX BOX

[Image Description: B&W photo. Marion is a white woman with curly shoulder-length hair. She is pictured from the chest up. She wears a necklace and a top with spaghetti straps. She smiles.]

About Marion

Marion is a freelance project manager and consultant for individuals and organizations. Her field of expertise is in project management and organizational development in the international documentary, arts, and development sector. Marion is the co-director of the Documentary Association of Europe (DAE) and co-founder of DOX BOX. She held several positions until April 2020 and was the project director of the international Documentary Convention 2018 & 2019. Marion is a consultant to the film department of DW Akademie and has contributed her expertise to projects of the Goethe-Institut and elbarlament GmbH. Marion sits on the board of several organizations in the film world and is part of initiatives that champion anti-racism, equality, fair working conditions, and representation in the film and NGO sector, and the society at large. She is an alumnus of EURODOC and holds a Master’s degree in Arts Administration & Cultural Policy from the University of London, UK.

About the Documentary Association of Europe

DAE was founded in February 2020 by an international group of people working across the documentary sector in a collective effort to secure the best conditions for documentary filmmaking and unite a community in the face of an ever-changing audiovisual market. The official launch of DAE took place at the Berlinale’s European Film Market. DAE acts and advocates for everyone working in documentary storytelling professions inside and outside of Europe. The second concern of the association is to create resources, programming, and events to solidify these primary interests. This includes:

Creating spaces for community building, dialogue, and networking
Creating resources and sharing relevant, up-to-date information on current filmmaking practices, financing and distribution sources as well as inspirational keynotes and best-practices
Collecting relevant, accurate, and impactful data on European documentary films and the professionals who create them to influence and drive dialogue on a political and economic level
Ushering in change and placing more resources into radical collaborative models

Creating a hub of competence for those seeking information and resources on non-fiction filmmaking, showcasing the diversity and skill of European and international documentary practitioners
Negotiating and collating the best services, deals, discounts, and opportunities for association members
Creating a space for open dialogue that is intersectional on many levels