The Essential Role of Archival Producers in Documentaries

On this episode of Rough Cut, host Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros sits down with archival producer Stephanie Jenkins, whose work with filmmaker Ken Burns has uncovered rare historical gems like early footage of a young Muhammad Ali. Stephanie also shares insights into the art of bringing history to life on screen, and discusses co-founding the Archival Producers Alliance, which recently released groundbreaking guidelines on the use of generative AI in documentary filmmaking. From preserving the integrity of primary sources to navigating legal and ethical concerns, this episode explores how the rise of AI is reshaping the way we tell true stories—and why filmmakers must tread carefully.

Show Links

Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros: https://videoconsortium.org/members/dchavezontiveros

Stephanie Jenkins: https://videoconsortium.org/members/stephanie-jenkins

Archival Producer Alliance

APA: https://www.archivalproducersalliance.com/

APA GenAI Best Practices: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WS4iZ2Wi_wft5x54RG-hYb45sf10W8nV/view

APA GenAI Best Practices Tool Kit: https://www.archivalproducersalliance.com/tool-kit-for-documentaries

Credits

Host Daniel Chávez-Ontiveros

Guests Stephanie Jenkins

Executive Produced by Sky Dylan-Robbins and Kat Vecchio

Produced by Audrey Horwitz

Music by Zack Wright

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