International Documentary Association To Introduce New President Richard Propper

LOS ANGELES-- Richard Propper has been elected president of theInternational Documentary Association (IDA). Propper will be formallyintroduced as the IDA's president on Wednesday, February 25, at theorganization's 22nd Annual Celebration of the Academy Award DocumentaryNominees held at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS).

"The IDA was visualized as a place where non-fiction filmmakerscould meet and share ideas, find support and advocate common issues,"Propper says. "We hope to continue to increase our membership base, sowe can speak with a louder voice. One of the things that has impressedme about the documentary filmmakers I have met through IDA is that theyall have important stories to tell, and they are determined to producethem. Sure they want to have their programs distributed and seen, but Ithink in the backs of their minds, they are doing it for the passionthey feel for the work and the stories they tell."

Propper is the founder and president of Solid Entertainment, whichlicenses and distributes non-fiction programs in some 86 broadcastterritories around the world. He has been a member of the IDA since1996 and has served on the board of directors as treasurer. He is anative of Los Angeles, who earned his undergraduate degree from thefilm department at the California State University in Long Beach. Heattended graduate school in Tel Aviv and Phoenix, Ariz. He began hiscareer "working in the trenches" for Alan Landsburg, mainly inpostproduction but also in various other roles, ranging from associateproducer to writer. Landsburg was one of the founders of IDA.

"I came to realize that documentaries are an international art formthat can be released in any language," Propper says. "You can tell thesame story just as effectively when narrated in French, German,Japanese or English. Early on, I met a very talented producer who hadjust finished working on eight wildlife shows produced for theDiscovery Channel. He didn't have an international distributor, so Ilearned how to sell them around the world myself."

Propper organized Solid Entertainment in 1996 for the purpose ofhelping documentary filmmakers license their films in different marketsaround the world. The company currently licenses some 300 non-fictiontitles, ranging in scope from wildlife to history, technology andcurrent affairs.

"Joining IDA gave me a new perspective," Propper says. "I met a lotof passionate filmmakers who care about the future of this industry. Ialso discovered that IDA was doing a lot more advocacy for issues thataffect the future of documentary filmmakers than I had realized. I dida lot of listening and volunteered to work on committees. I found anextraordinary level of commitment to and passion for the art form. Wehave made tremendous progress, but there is still a great deal of workto be done."

Propper notes that some 17 domestic broadcast and cable channels nowprogram non-fiction entertainment. "Global markets are very open tocontent with international themes and the public is enthusiasticallyresponding to non-fiction films in the feature marketplace," saysPropper. "The Internet will continue to be an important delivery optionfor consumers whose growing interest is non-fiction entertainment.

"IDA will continue in its important role of fostering a free andopen dialogue between documentary filmmakers around the world," hesays. "We will continue to recognize and inspire outstanding work, andwe will serve as outspoken advocates for our members and their artform. One of our goals will be to use the Internet to provide even moreeffective resources that help non-fiction filmmakers make theconnections and get the information they need anytime and anywhere inthe world."

In addition to Propper, the new IDA Executive Board is made up ofdiane estelle Vicari (1st vice president), Lynne Littman (2nd vicepresident), Nancy Willen (1st secretary), Barbara L. Gregson (2ndsecretary), Kathryn F. Galan (CFO/treasurer) and Sandra J. Ruch(executive director). Serving on the IDA Board of Directors is SvenBerkemeier, St. Clair Bourne, Douglas Chang, Candace E. Chatman,Michael C. Donaldson, Marina Goldovskaya, Mark Johnstone, Michael King,Michael Rose, Mary C. Schaffer, Jeff H. Swimmer and Brian Wakil.

IDA traces its roots to an informal meeting of a dozen filmmakers inLos Angeles in 1982. They felt there was a need for a non-profitorganization that could serve as a forum where non-fiction filmmakerscould share ideas and discuss and advocate issues of common interest.The IDA currently has some 3,000 members in 50 countries. For moreinformation, visit www.documentary.org.