Sharon “Rocky” Roggio

Sharon “Rocky” Roggio’s background includes large budget physical production on award winning shows and films such as House of Cards, Parks and Recreation, With Bob and David, Whip It and Red Dawn. In 2016, Roggio associate produced and production designed GOOK, a feature film that premiered at Sundance in 2017 and Won the Audience Award in the Next Category. Rocky has been a member of three IATSE unions nationwide and has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus in Radio, Television and Film. 1946 is Roggio’s directorial debut.

FILMMAKER Q&A

This documentary has been in high demand at our virtual screening. Can you share any tips to filmmakers on building a following?

I  was able to build a strong following for 1946 through in-person conferences, community zoom gatherings, community in-person gatherings, newsletters and through social media.  Combining both the physical encounters along with the digital connections built a strong foundation of a constituency and consistency of advocates. You want to find people who are as passionate about the film’s theme as you are.  Include the audience, get them involved throughout the process development, production, post production, focus groups, film festivals right through to distribution.  Make it a community project.  We had hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors from all over the world help us create this film.  I knew from the start that I could not do this alone and that the film’s message is so important that those involved are those its about. Find and get to know your tribe, then do not be afraid to ask for help and do not be afraid to make mistakes. Trust the process and the vision you have for your film.  

One of the biggest successes would be in relation to authenticity. The 1946 team and movie is made by people directly impacted by organized religion and marginalizing theological interpretations of the Bible.  Actively working to unravel translation and cultural history, while having that firsthand experience of religious oppression, gives us an insider’s look and not a spectator approach, our familiarity with that particular world allowed us to be fluent in it’s language which, in turn, allowed for us a unique ability to engage with the audience as we are able to understand the pain, heartbreak and struggle around this issue. But we also have a strong understanding of nuance, have had disparate life experiences, and because of our familiarity with the aforementioned, allowed us to be able to connect and create a film that can cross over all walks of life.  Whether you are religious or not, the Bible impacts you.  You do not have to be LGBTQIA+ or a Christian to find the history, politics, and the human stories and the investigative approach to this film engaging.  Another factor is taking the time to learn and study how to utilize various social media platforms and understanding the power of posts, hashtags, trends, reposts and what app is appropriate and when, etc. And during the process do as many podcasts, Youtube interviews, lives on various platforms and cross promoting with the film’s cast and advocates to continue to spread the message, engage with the audience and build a following.  

Still from “1946”

Rocky, you're also adding distribution to your hats!  Congratulations on the recent distribution for 1946! Can you share what it looks like handling your own distribution? Any advice or do's and don'ts for releasing?

Sheer willpower!  My signature is commitment, determination and thoroughness on all levels of production from conception to completion. This movie is not only important to me but all of the supporters who have put their time volunteering and/or their finances behind trusting me with this endeavor. This was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life and working in the non-fiction documentary space is one of the hardest in filmmaking. There is no money in it, it is often daunting and the challenges are endless! But the rewards out way the struggles.  I knew going into this that it would be a marathon, not a sprint.  

Handling distribution has definitely been a learning curve.  But it really just takes seeing the task,  learning how to complete that task, and then executing that task. Meaning, pick up the phone, send the email, ask the questions, learn from industry professionals and adapt with the changes.  

The film industry has changed so much in a post Covid world, especially for social impact documentaries such as 1946.   One of the key factors in the process has been continuing to stay abreast with the industry on how it’s changing and how to adapt with the shifts. Considering very few documentaries like ours are advancing to streaming, we as filmmakers have to be creative and find other avenues to get our film seen by audiences. What set me on this self distribution path was learning how to “program” our film with theaters. Since we had a successful festival season in 2023 and taking advantage of the learning opportunities and professional connections on the road, I then took the initiative to contact theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and London to get the film placed for a theatrical release with the goal of continuing to create “buzz” and press around our film, with the continued goal to secure a streaming partner to mainstream the film.

So this in-person and virtual theatrical strategy is a way to continue to make the movie available for audiences while we work to reach the global audience platform(s) we seek.

And if we never find that streaming partner we will continue to work with the ever-changing industry and self-promotion grassroots tools we’ve used to build the audience to continue to amplify this message for more audiences. It feels like a never ending journey although we can finally see that light at the end of the tunnel and we’re so grateful that our documentary film has had the success in theaters which will continue to reach audiences.

As far as the do’s and don’ts to releasing, I’m not sure I’m equipped to answer that question. I’m literally just making it up as I go along! But as far as organization is concerned, I would say having all of your assets in an order is one of the most important things. Making sure your digital files are in order, stills, bios, close caption files, credits are in order, music cue sheets, edit decision lists (EDL), etc..  There is a lot of paperwork involved and the more organized you are the better.  Distribution is forms, emails, and paperwork!  This also includes making sure that all of your legal matter is in order.   All your fair use, ownership and licensing needs to be in place so you can secure insurance before your release.  You cannot release the film without protecting the property and yourself.

Still from “1946”

You're stranded on an island en route to South America, you thankfully packed a copy of your favorite guilty pleasure TV Series. What is it WE NEED TO KNOW?

I have to admit I do not watch a lot of TV!  BUT - if I had to choose a series to watch over and over again, stranded on an island, then the choice is easy - The Golden Girls! Obviously.

Still from “1946”

Oscar season is on the air, are there any films you are rooting for this nomination season?

I’ve always been a big Jodie Foster fan.  I had the opportunity to work with her on set as the Assistant Property Manager when she directed an episode of House of Cards.  She is a talented director an actress and so I am rooting for her to win this year’s award for Best Actress in a supporting role for “NYAD“.

The majority of my professional film experience has been in the art department or in production management. This year my vote for production design goes to “Barbie”!  

And for the documentary category, I am rooting for “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project”.

Still from “1946”

Rocky, congrats on everything. This film is doing wonders for people and the fight against discrimination in religion. Please keep us posted on what's next?

The next step is continued access for global audiences and encouraging conversations around the film’s message. After a successful 2023 festival season, winning 24 awards, not having a streaming deal at this point is frustrating. But it is not going to hinder our steadfastness to get the movie seen around the world. 

So, in 2024 we have opened up full access to an educational and impact campaign allowing churches, educational institutions, and community groups, including pride events and the like, the ability to license the film for in-person gatherings. Theaters are also welcome to program the film for screenings. You can book the film by contacting Jeffrey Winter at The Film Collaborative.  https://www.thefilmcollaborative.org/films/1946 or by emailing us at 1946themovieinfo@gmail.com.   

We are also working to get our closed captions subtitles translated in multiple languages to create more access for international viewing audiences.

While we continue to look for streaming partners, the film is currently available on the Eventive website.  https://watch.eventive.org/1946themovie/play/657a1bff74adf000488a46a4

You can purchase a virtual theatrical ticket to watch the movie at home. More information can be found on our website, www.1946themovie.com.

We are also working to produce a workbook that corresponds with the film to encourage individual study and/or group discussions. The workbook will provide answers to top questions along with other key talking points that we were not able to put in the 92 minute film.  Things like “one man, one woman” doctrine, “the biblical view on marriage”, a word glossary, a deep dive into “the clobber passages” used against LGBTQIA+ people and much much more.  

Outside of 1946 I am working on the production of several feature film projects. I will be producing these upcoming films with my film partner, Jena Serbu (1946 Writer/Producer) https://jenaserbu.com/about/.

“1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture” is currently available to watch at home! Learn more at www.1946themovie.com

Synopsis: “1946”  is a feature documentary that follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible. It chronicles the discovery of never-before-seen archives at Yale University which unveil astonishing new revelations, and casts significant doubt on any biblical basis for LGBTQIA+ prejudice.