Every year at every major documentary market, someone convenes a panel on the state of the business, where the news is roughly the same: consolidation is tightening, commissioning slots are shrinking, and the path to an audience runs through fewer and fewer gatekeepers. But documentary audiences are not shrinking. But a whole world—revenue models, audience development, and creative independence—exists for documentaries outside the broadcaster-commissioner pipeline. This conversation brings together experts from different corners of the documentary universe to whom questions of ownership, direct audience relationships, and long-term sustainability are not theoretical. The goal is not a diagnosis of decline, but a harder question: what are we actually measuring, and what is the true upside?
Moderator: Ted Hope (Hope for Film)
Panelists: Sam Denby (Nebula, Wendover Productions), Sohini Sengupta (Doverlane), and Sky Dylan-Robbins (Video Consortium)
Biographies (submitted by the speakers):
Sohini Sengupta is an award-winning creative marketing leader whose work spans across theatrical, linear and streaming. Her campaigns have earned Clio, Golden Trailer, Promax, and Creative Emmy awards, and she has helped shape the narrative for both indie standouts and major franchises. From Black Swan, Slumdog Millionaire, to Game of Thrones, Defiant Ones, Finding Neverland, Sly Lives and Deli Boys, her work consistently connects creators to audiences in fresh, culturally resonant ways. A former agency and studio executive, Sohini brings a rare blend of creative vision and strategic depth to brand storytelling. She is bringing her experience to third spaces-co founding Doverlane where culture meets community. Sohini is equally committed to lifting the next generation of talent, co-founding ReVision Movement to expand mentorship and open new pathways within the creative marketing entertainment community.
Sam Denby is a creator, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a cofounder and Chief Content Officer of Nebula, the creator-owned streaming platform, where he helps shape the platform’s original programming strategy. He also runs Wendover Productions, the company behind the popular digital media brands Wendover Productions, Half as Interesting, and Jet Lag: The Game.
Sky Dylan-Robbins is a media entrepreneur and award-winning producer, and the founder and Executive Director of the Video Consortium, a local-first, global nonprofit and the world's largest nonfiction video network — spanning journalism, documentary, and the creator sphere and supporting over 7,000 storytellers across 90 countries. Previously, Sky was a visual journalist at NBC News and the Senior Producer, Video at The New Yorker magazine. Forbes Magazine named her a “30 under 30” media entrepreneur and DOC NYC selected her as a Documentary “New Leader.” She graduated cum laude from Northwestern.
Ted Hope: A producer of over 70 films, studio executive on over 60, Ted launched Amazon’s foray into feature film production, leading them to 19 Oscar nominations and 5 wins. Ted’s Substack and memoir Hope For Film are #MustReads. He coined “NonDē” and launched the “FilmStack Daily Digest”. Additionally he’s been a CEO of a start-up streamer, co-head of 3 production companies, executive director of a film society & festival, a Professor Of Practice at 2 universities, and founder of a post-production facility, 2 websites, 2 think tanks, & an app.
Every year at every major documentary market, someone convenes a panel on the state of the business, where the news is roughly the same: consolidation is tightening, commissioning slots are shrinking, and the path to an audience runs through fewer and fewer gatekeepers. But documentary audiences are not shrinking. But a whole world—revenue models, audience development, and creative independence—exists for documentaries outside the broadcaster-commissioner pipeline. This conversation brings together experts from different corners of the documentary universe to whom questions of ownership, direct audience relationships, and long-term sustainability are not theoretical. The goal is not a diagnosis of decline, but a harder question: what are we actually measuring, and what is the true upside?
Moderator: Ted Hope (Hope for Film)
Panelists: Sam Denby (Nebula, Wendover Productions), Sohini Sengupta (Doverlane), and Sky Dylan-Robbins (Video Consortium)
Biographies (submitted by the speakers):
Sohini Sengupta is an award-winning creative marketing leader whose work spans across theatrical, linear and streaming. Her campaigns have earned Clio, Golden Trailer, Promax, and Creative Emmy awards, and she has helped shape the narrative for both indie standouts and major franchises. From Black Swan, Slumdog Millionaire, to Game of Thrones, Defiant Ones, Finding Neverland, Sly Lives and Deli Boys, her work consistently connects creators to audiences in fresh, culturally resonant ways. A former agency and studio executive, Sohini brings a rare blend of creative vision and strategic depth to brand storytelling. She is bringing her experience to third spaces-co founding Doverlane where culture meets community. Sohini is equally committed to lifting the next generation of talent, co-founding ReVision Movement to expand mentorship and open new pathways within the creative marketing entertainment community.
Sam Denby is a creator, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a cofounder and Chief Content Officer of Nebula, the creator-owned streaming platform, where he helps shape the platform’s original programming strategy. He also runs Wendover Productions, the company behind the popular digital media brands Wendover Productions, Half as Interesting, and Jet Lag: The Game.
Sky Dylan-Robbins is a media entrepreneur and award-winning producer, and the founder and Executive Director of the Video Consortium, a local-first, global nonprofit and the world's largest nonfiction video network — spanning journalism, documentary, and the creator sphere and supporting over 7,000 storytellers across 90 countries. Previously, Sky was a visual journalist at NBC News and the Senior Producer, Video at The New Yorker magazine. Forbes Magazine named her a “30 under 30” media entrepreneur and DOC NYC selected her as a Documentary “New Leader.” She graduated cum laude from Northwestern.
Ted Hope: A producer of over 70 films, studio executive on over 60, Ted launched Amazon’s foray into feature film production, leading them to 19 Oscar nominations and 5 wins. Ted’s Substack and memoir Hope For Film are #MustReads. He coined “NonDē” and launched the “FilmStack Daily Digest”. Additionally he’s been a CEO of a start-up streamer, co-head of 3 production companies, executive director of a film society & festival, a Professor Of Practice at 2 universities, and founder of a post-production facility, 2 websites, 2 think tanks, & an app.
