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shareWhat is an impact producer and how do they aid independent film distribution?
The work of an “Impact Producer” is a vital element for many documentary film productions, but the role remains shrouded in mystery for many film teams. An experienced impact producer will combine sound big-picture strategy with meaningful outreach, organizing and marketing tactics to help filmmakers engage with audiences directly once their film is released. This can be done either in tandem with a distributor or studio or independently, as a way to affect positive social change, to build audiences for future commercial releases, and to raise awareness around the issues at the heart of a film.
In this panel we will work to demystify the work of impact producers, breaking down how directors and producers can assume this work themselves, hire out for the role toward the end of their production process, and/or work with existing activist or advocacy communities. We’ll dig into what every filmmaker should think about when they plan and budget for an impact strategy, and will share tangible techniques to organically grow audiences and use films for social good and civic engagement. Not limited to documentarians, this session will also consider how impact work can be deployed by narrative fiction filmmakers or any organizer looking to build momentum and awareness This panel will feature insights from Chad Ervin, (Director, Gone Guys (2025), Co-founder of Vermont Production Collective), Caitlin Boyle (Impact Strategist, Natchez (2025), Cookie Queen (2026) )
Free with RSVP.
About the panelists
Caitlin Boyle
Caitlin also participates regularly as a mentor, juror and guest speaker on distribution and social impact for filmmaker support programs and festivals, including Film Independent’s Doc Producing Lab, Filmshop’s Breakthrough Pitch, The Gotham’s Doc Lab, Impact Partners’ Producer Fellowship, BAVC’s MediaMaker Fellowship, Collective Eye’s Work-in Progress Doc Grant and UnionDocs’ Collaborative Studio.Caitlin has also played roles as Executive Director at Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (2024-2025), Interim Director of Impact at Together Films (2023) and Director of Filmmaker Development and Director of Industry and Education at DOC NYC (2020-2022). From 2009-2019, she founded and served as Executive Director of Film Sprout, a boutique distribution company that pioneered the use of grassroots and campus networks to broaden the reach and impact of theatrical docs.
After more than a dozen years in New York City, she now lives in Vermont with her family.
Chad Ervin
Chad Ervin, photo by Terry J. Allen / The Bridge
Chad is a leading voice in the film & media creation industries in Vermont. He has served in various arts & media leadership roles such as co-founder and president of the board of directors for the Vermont Production Collective, the advisory board to re-launch the Green Mountain Film Festival, the board of directors for ORCA Media, and the steering committee for the Vermont Creative Network.
As a filmmaker he has worked in nearly every facet of video production since 2001 and applies his multi-disciplinary knowledge when collaborating with a wide variety of creative professionals in order to tell compelling stories that are informative and evocative.
As a documentary film editor, he has crafted over 35 documentary films, including three Emmy-winners for the PBS series FRONTLINE, including two episodes of the Emmy and Polk award winning “Money, Power & Wall Street,” four films for PBS’s preeminent history series American Experience, and the Peabody Award winning Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Join or Die which premiered at SXSW.
Dates & Times
The Savoy Theater - Downstairs
March 14, 2026
3:15 pm
Sponsored by
