About DOC
The Documentary Organization of Canada / Documentaristes du Canada (DOC) is the collective voice of independent documentary filmmakers across Canada. It is a member driven organization dedicated to promoting, supporting and developing the art form of documentary filmmaking.
As a national non-profit association it advocates on behalf of its members to foster an environment conducive to documentary production and strives to strengthen the sector within the broader film production industry. Since its inception as a political action group in 1983, DOC has continuously grown in numbers and influence. It has become a vigorous professional association, providing members with an important network of peers and supporting their professional development through workshops, mentorships, master classes and screenings.
Now representing over 700 directors, producers and craftspeople belonging to seven regional chapters, DOC endeavors to shape policy favorable to documentary production and distribution. In addition the association implements concrete, pragmatic initiatives like its Insurance Program and DOCspace to help lower costs of production in the case of the former and assist in distribution with the latter. For more information about DOC's board, history and advocacy work, please click here.
DOC has seven chapters: British Columbia, Alberta, Winnipeg, Ottawa-Gatineua, Toronto, Quebec and the Atlantic. There are four types of memberships offered: Individual, Company (2 or 3 individuals), Remote (any individual who resides 50 km outside a chapter region), ARRQ member, Associate (institution/corporation) and Student. For more information, please click here.
Thinking of joining? Here are some of the many great benefits you will receive with a DOC membership:
EXCLUSIVE INSURANCE PROGRAM
Through Front Row Insurance Brokers Inc., this program is designed to provide broad insurance coverage to Canadian documentary filmmakers at a lower rate through their DOC membership. Through these unique services DOC continues to foster and promote the documentary film industry. To learn more about the program, and how you can make it work for you, please click here.
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS
DOC members enjoy negotiated rates and discounts for many industry events, film festivals, and services. For a current list of discounts, please click here.
POINT OF VIEW MAGAZINE
DOC members receive a complimentary subscription to Point of View, Canada's leading publication dedicated to critical discussion of the art and business of independently produced documentaries. Learn more at docorg.ca/en/point-view-magazine.
eNEWSLETTERS & ALERTS
As a member you will receive notifications of upcoming events, industry news and professional development opportunities. DOC's eNewsletters keeps our members well informed while our Advocacy Alerts keep you up to date on breaking news as it happens. Archive newsletters can be found on our website at docorg.ca/en/archive-e-blast.
DOC-DISCUSSION LISTSERV
A DOC membership offers the opportunity to join this exclusive online community where mebers get the chance to discuss the latest news, job postings, upcoming events and find film crews. One of the more popular member benefits, the DOC listserv is an active electronic forum for membership exchange ranging from technical information to everyday business practices. Don't miss out on this dynamic and vital network. Learn more at docorg.ca/en/listserv-info.
These are only some of the exclusive benefits we offer. For more details check out The Top 10 Reasons to Join DOC.
CONTACT DOC
If you have any questions regarding the information found on this page please contact DOC's Membership & Administrative Coordinator at info@docorg.ca. You can also call DOC toll-free in North America at 1-877-467-4485 x 2 or local in Toronto at 416-599-3844 x 2.
