10/30/2025
✨ Day 3: Unscripted Fellows Master Pitching & Production Strategy! ✨
Day three of the 5th Annual Native American Unscripted Workshop was a high-level deep dive into development and distribution with industry giants!
The Fellows gained critical insights from:
📺 NBCUniversal: From Concept to Crime Screen
Belinda Rungsea shared the journey of major unscripted and true-crime series at NBCUniversal, detailing:
What executives look for when greenlighting a story.
Strategies for making an impactful pitch, even with limited budgets.
The evolving future of true-crime storytelling and the next wave of unscripted content.
🎥 CNN: Documentaries, Ethics, and Impact
Ruhi Bhalla provided an insider's look at how CNN evaluates and develops original documentaries and series. She covered:
How CNN scouts for projects and the kinds of storytelling that appeal to their global audience.
Balancing ethical integrity with commercial storytelling.
Advice on creating meaningful, impact-driven content and pitching boldly and strategically to investors.
💡 Pitching Workshop: Personalized Feedback
The day concluded with acclaimed producer Sarah Moshman, who provided in-depth, invaluable feedback on the Fellows' project pitches. She shared her background in documentary filmmaking and encouraged the cohort to forge their own unique creative paths.
