The 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab was a two-day intensive program that trained 10 filmmakers and 21 participants on best practices for using documentary films to create social and political change. The lab provided training from experts in political advocacy, grassroots organizing, and Capitol Hill outreach. Participants developed campaign plans and had over 20 meetings with Congressional offices to advocate for the issues in their films. Feedback from participants showed the lab was successful in helping filmmakers maximize the impact of their issue-driven films.

1. AFI DOCS Impact Lab
Wrap Report
2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab | June 12-14 | Washington, DC

2. Given AFI DOCS’ proximity to power, coupled with the advancement of technology and
the documentary film community’s growing desire to create impact and influence public
policy, the need to better educate filmmakers on best practices that advance social and
political change is greater than ever before. The AFI DOCS Impact Lab meets that need.
Led by Raben_Impact and supported by NBCUniversal, the Impact Lab is a two-day
intensive program designed for select filmmakers and interactive media makers with
issue-driven content who aim to create broader political, institutional, or cultural change
through the power of story. Now in its third year, the 2017 Impact Lab engaged 10 films
and hosted 21 participants, and provided them with unique training opportunities with
some of Washington’s most sought after tacticians in political advocacy, grasstops
engagement, and grassroots communications. Lab participants were also given direct
access to policy leaders in meetings with legislators and Congressional aides, where they
advocated for the issues highlighted in their films.
All participants — a mix of filmmakers, campaign directors, and impact producers —
successfully completed the two-day program and were invited to apply for the program’s
adjoining AFI DOCS / NBCUniversal Impact Grant.
2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: At-a-Glance

3. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: By the Numbers
2 Days
10 Films with 21 Lab Participants
11 Trainings and 2 Events
24 Targeted Meetings with Capitol Hill Offices
28 Speakers, Trainers, and Issue-Area Experts

4. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Objectives
Knowledge Economy: To strengthen intellectual capital within the documentary
film community, specifically regarding political advocacy, grassroots
communications, and grasstops engagement in order to maximize the long-term
impact of issue-driven films.
Maximize Impact: To empower filmmakers by teaching them best practices in
engagement, social impact, and public interest communications. A limited budget
to hire an expensive team of strategists shouldn’t mitigate the impact of a great film.
Access to Opportunity: To create unique — and direct — access to thought leaders
and grasstops decision makers in the political advocacy space in Washington, DC.
and to break down barriers that have previously stopped filmmakers from reaching
out directly.
Expand Funding: To generate more proof-positive examples of how film is creating
social impact and effecting policy change. By doing so, and through its partnership
with NBCUniversal, the Lab aims to expand the funding pool for issue-driven
documentary films.

5. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Selections
One of the core values of the Impact Lab is to provide unbiased access to opportunity
for documentary filmmakers and their issue-driven films.
To avoid bias and prejudice, and to ensure meritocracy throughout the selections
process, Impact Lab applicants are reviewed by a diverse group of esteemed external
stakeholders from both the film and political spheres.
Selections Committee Members review applications
and films, and score each based on its impact
potential. The process includes watching the trailer
for each film, reviewing the complete application,
and and scoring each application question using a
rubric of 1-4 points per answer.
For the 2017 Impact Lab, the Selections Committee
reviewed 20 projects from the semi-finalist
candidate pool.

6. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Selections
There is strength in diversity and the AFI DOCS
Impact Lab is committed to creating a rich
learning environment for participants that
draws on a wide range of perspectives and
experiences and represents a variety of
content.
● Format
○ Feature and short films, VR
● Issue area
○ Environmental issues, the refugee
crisis, criminal justice, police
reform, gun safety, women’s issues,
sexual assault, voting rights, and
more
● Creatives
○ Background, gender, nationality,
and ethnicity

7. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Participants
ACORN and the Firestorm
Sam Pollard and Reuben Atlas, Co-Directors/Producers
Rachel Nicole Lambert, Head of Outreach
Chasing Coral: The VR Experience
Samantha Wright, Impact Producer
Zackery Rago, Film Subject & Youth Outreach Coordinator
Edith + Eddie
Laura Checkoway, Director/Producer/Editor
Tom Wright, Producer
I Am Evidence
Trish Adlesic, Director
Vaughan Bagley, Project Manager, Joyful Heart Foundation
For Ahkeem
Nicholas Weismann, Producer/Director of Photography
Jeff Truesdell, Executive Producer

8. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Participants
The Force
Pete Nicks, Director
Niema Jordan, Impact Producer
Nowhere to Hide
Zaradasht Ahmed, Director
Cheng Munth-Kaas, Producer
A Suitable Girl
Smriti Mundhra, Director/Producer
Jennifer Tiexiera, Producer
The Work
Alice Henty, Producer
James McLeary, Executive Producer
What Lies Upstream
Cullen Hoback, Director/Writer/Producer
John Ramos, Producer

9. 2017 AFI DOCS
Impact Lab:
Programming
“The Impact Lab had a HUGE impact,
and there's nothing else like it that
I've encountered at other festivals --
this Lab takes all those casual side
conversations we have among
filmmakers along the way and
elevates it to a tangible, concrete,
forward-motion plan, with tools and
allies.”
2017 Lab Participant

10. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Day 1
The Impact Lab was hosted by Comcast NBCUniversal in Washington, DC. The Lab was
facilitated by Heidi Nel of Raben_Impact, and opened with introductory remarks from AFI
DOCS Director, Michael Lumpkin, and Lab partner, Jessica Clancy, VP, Corporate Social
Responsibility at NBCUniversal.
Day 1 Speakers Included:
● Designing for Impact: Jessica Clark, Research & Strategy Director, Media Impact
Funders
● Case Study: Armor of Light: Stephanie Palumbo, Senior Impact Producer, Peace is
Loud
● Issue Advocacy 101: Running Successful Campaigns
○ Panel led by Antonio Williams, Senior Director of Government and External
Affairs, Comcast; Amber Goodwin, Founding Director, Community Justice
Reform Coalition; Jotaka Eaddy, Head of Government Affairs, LendUp; and John
Patton, Vice President, Phone2Action
● Cultural Capital, Awareness, and Policy Reform: Steven Fisher, Principal, The Raben
Group

11. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab:
Campaign Outcome Map
The Campaign Outcome Map makes up one of
the core sessions of the Impact Lab. Using the
Fledgling Fund Impact Workbook as a
framework, filmmakers create a theory of change
for their film campaign.
Filmmakers are also paired with an issue-area
expert from the field highlighted in their film.
Experts spend a significant portion of the day
working with filmmakers to understand the
issue-area landscape and workshop viable
change theories.
In addition to serving as the backbone of a film’s
social impact campaign, the Outcome Maps are
also required to complete the AFI DOCS /
NBCUniversal Impact Grant application.

12. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Day 2
The second day of the Lab consisted of additional trainings
and an afternoon on Capitol Hill meeting with
Congressional members and staff.
Day 2 Sessions / Speakers Included:
● Issue Campaigns Aimed at Legislators: Bob
Creamer, Author and Partner, Democracy Partners
● Best Practices for Advocacy on Capitol Hill: Daniel
Penchina, President, Voices for Progress
● Lunch & Learn: Cultural Policy, Diplomacy, and Film:
Rachel Goslins, Director of Arts and Industries,
Smithsonian Institution
● Funding Your Vision for Impact: Tracy Cohen, SVP
Corporate Affairs, NBCUniversal and Michael Collins &
Marty Syjuco, Filmmakers, Almost Sunrise*
*2016 AFI / NBCU Impact Grant Awardees

13. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Hill Meetings
Following a series of trainings on grasstops
outreach and preparing for meetings on Capitol
Hill, each Impact Lab participant embarked on at
least two Hill meetings with Congressional aides,
and in some instances members joined as well.
Meetings were specifically targeted for each film
based on the issues addressed in Lab films and
the priorities of each office.

14. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Hill Meetings
They went very well and
were much longer than
we'd expected. Via these
meetings we're
connecting with other
potential partners that
are likely to help
organize and push out
the campaign.
They went great.
Legislative
assistants were
cordial and
responsive. We have
maintained contact
with ongoing
communications.
We hope to have
real-world impact in
the realest sense of
the word. Thank you!
The interest level
went from
perfunctory to
genuine interest.
The more
crystallized the
message the
better
participation by
the legislative
personnel.
Following the Impact Lab, participants were asked about the impact and opportunities
stemming from their meetings on Capitol Hill. Survey respondents shared the
following:

15. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Media
The 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab was mentioned in the following outlets:
The Washington Post | “At AFI Docs 2017, a new consciousness of ideological diversity”
Over the past three years, Impact Labs have connected filmmakers with politicians,
diplomats and nongovernmental officials poised to help bring such issues as
international refugee policy, rural poverty and economic development, and veterans’
mental health to wider public attention.
Screen Daily | “Whitney Houston, Bill Nye films in AFI DOCS 2017 full line-up”
Additional highlights are the AFI DOCS Forum open to festival-goers, and the Impact
Lab two-day intensive sessions designed for filmmakers with socio-political stories to
tell.
RealScreen | Coming Soon: “They Call Us Monsters,” “F Word”
The 82-minute film, which received funding from AFI Docs Impact Lab and the
Sundance Institute Documentary Films Program, ventures beyond the walls of a
high-security facility in Los Angeles that houses the most violent offenders.

16. Following the completion of the
AFI DOCS Film Festival, Impact
Lab participants were asked to
complete an anonymous survey
regarding their experience. They
were asked to rate each session
and provide feedback. 81% of the
participants completed the survey
and, over the years, the insight has
enabled us to evaluate the overall
impact of the program and fine
tune it for coming years.
The following slides explore the
highlights and key takeaways.
2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Survey Results

17. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Feedback
Yes, the AFI DOCS Impact
Lab was incredibly helpful
in gaining a deeper
understanding of the way
film and media can be
used to inspire social
change both at the
grassroots and the
grasstops levels. I was
bursting with ideas when I
left and felt inspired to go
home and lay the
groundwork for a strategic,
multi-pronged campaign
poised for success.
We have a much more
consolidated and practical
plan going forward. We got
a sense of how to make
our pipe dreams a reality
and that includes a plan
on paper.
It was empowering
and gave us a sense
of all of the work
ahead to make a real
impact. It helped us
begin thinking
about specific
actions to take as a
team instead of
broad, lofty ideas. It
also helped us to
realize that
lawmakers are
approachable
people that we can
connect directly with.
The lab helped us tease out
an impact statement that
is clear and feels organic to
our film. Totally changed
the way we look at our
film and talk about it with
others.
HUGE impact, and
there's nothing else
like it that I've
encountered at
other festivals -- this
Lab takes all those
casual side
conversations we
have among
filmmakers along the
way and elevates it
to a tangible,
concrete,
forward-motion plan,
with tools and allies.
In the survey, participants were asked if the AFI DOCS Impact Lab had an impact on
the development of their film campaign. Here are some of their responses:

18. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Feedback
When asked about the best thing they learned during the lab,
participants shared the following:
I really appreciate the
advice about considering
what we want our role as
the filmmaker to be in
the impact campaign
over the next few years
and recognizing that the
film and the impact
campaign are two
separate things in some
ways. Also, the difference
between spreading
awareness and making
an impact.
How to reach out and
counteract the isolation
inherent in the tough
work of making a
documentary in the
long-term. To be in the
company of dedicated
documentary filmmakers
is a safe and enjoyable
place to be.
How to conceptualize
the message for each
advocate and to have a
priority message.

19. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Feedback
When asked about their favorite part of the impact Lab, 2017 survey respondents
shared the following:
The high quality leadership provided by Heidi
and all of her colleagues. My partner and I
felt inspired and honored to be there the
entire time. All of the support staff, instructors
and speakers were enthusiastic and
supportive. Heidi set the tone and an
unceasing positivity prevailed throughout.
Practical solutions were presented for tough
problems so you always had the feeling you
could speak freely and find your way through
any challenge. As an added bonus, the meals
were mighty fine and refreshments were
ever-present and much appreciated.
My favorite part of
the lab was the intel
into how DC works
and how to
communicate with
them.
Meeting everyone
of course... but it
effectively
allowed for a
macro and micro
examination of
our outreach
goals, and helped
shaped them in a
practical way.
All of the amazing
people. You all did a
great job curating
the cohort and
speakers.

20. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Feedback
I'd add a funding
component where
each film gets a
tailored session with
leaders or others
who are brought in
to find outreach
funding targets in
DC.
I would have loved
more guided time with
the person from my
film to discuss what we
had learned within the
context of our project
and also to work more
with the people
running the lab, Raben
Group and NBC
Universal, who had
valuable knowledge
and insight.
As distribution for
documentaries is an
evolving moving
target, some more
nuts and bolts about
real-world budgets,
sales markets,
preferred formats and
platforms might be
helpful - i.e. the
predictable and/or
unexpected "business"
costs of making an
impact.
I think ideally the lab
would be a day
longer with the
same amount of
guests or there could
be less guests thus
giving more time to
try and crack some
of the things that
were thrown at us as
ideas.
The survey results have also highlighted areas to be fine-tuned as the program continues
to scale. Considerations and recommendations for next year are below:

21. 2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Summary
This report has highlighted components of the AFI DOCS Impact Lab that
work exceptionally well: meetings on Capitol Hill, the Fledgling Fund
Impact Workbook, and a guided session to work through each film’s
Campaign Outcome Map with issue-area experts.
Additionally, it’s a program that has significant value for both seasoned
filmmakers as well as first timers.

22. Thanks to the support of Comcast NBCUniversal, CrossCurrents Foundation, The
Embrey Foundation, Media Impact Funders, and the work of the Raben_Impact
team, the AFI DOCS Impact Lab is becoming a landmark initiative and the only of its
kind to train filmmakers in grasstops engagement, political advocacy, and grassroots
communications. It’s evident that there’s a growing need for this type of education.
Huge thanks to Michael Lumpkin and Tom West at the American Film Institute for
believing in — and backing — this project, and to Jamie Powell’s incredible support,
the team at Comcast NBCUniversal, Lab trainers and issue-area experts, and the
entire Selections Committee for lending their time and expertise.
The AFI Impact lab was one of the most
insightful and rewarding experiences for
me as a filmmaker because the focus of the
lab highlights best practices and gave me
the tools to maximize the message and work
around the issue in the film. It's a fantastic
program and I want to do everything I can to
support it.
This was an extraordinary opportunity, and
valuable in so many ways. Thank you for
challenging us -- first, in the application process,
and second, in the sessions that made clear our
film can be more than a conversation starter if
only we work to define and shape that
conversation, and provide the tools for people to
act. We all want to make a difference. You
showed us how to go about it.
2017 AFI DOCS Impact Lab: Thank You