Rachel Antell

Rachel Antell has worked in documentary film production for over two decades, but found her true passion in archival producing. In 2014 she co-founded Sub-Basement Archival, where she’s had the honor of being archival producer on dozens of documentaries that have screened worldwide, and garnered FOCAL Awards and an Emmy nomination for research and use of archival footage. In 2023, Rachel co-founded the Archival Producers Alliance (APA) with Jen Petrucelli and Steph Jenkins. 


The APA was created to organize archival producers, educate the film community about the craft, and advocate to make archival materials accessible and affordable to independent filmmakers. The APA's first initiative addresses Generative AI’s impact on documentary film and archival work. Last year, the APA published the first industry-wide guidelines, Best Practices for Use of Generative AI in Documentaries, with endorsements from over 50 organizations, foundations, production companies, and film festivals, as well as dozens of filmmakers.

Courses and Content

Navigating Generative AI with the Archival Producers Alliance Tool Kit

With: Briana Bierman, Rachel Antell and Soheil Rezayazdi
Jun9
Live Online Event
1:00PM - 2:15PM (PDT)

Real Documentaries, Synthetic Media: How Filmmakers are Using GenAI

With: AX Mina and 4 more

Real Documentaries, Synthetic Media: How Filmmakers are Using GenAI

June 9, 2026
1:00PM - 2:15PM (PDT)
With: AX Mina, Eloïse King, Sandra Luckow, Steph Jenkins and Rachel Antell
Join us for an exclusive conversation with the Archival Producers Alliance that will dive deep into the ethics and logistics of incorporating generative AI into documentary films with tangible examples of how established documentary filmmakers have chosen to engage with this new technology.