The Documentary Life

It’s that time again to turn our attention to breaking down the barriers of that ever-elusive filmmaking animal that we’ve all come to respect and love, but few of us truly understand… the film festival.

Last year, we ran a two-part special on the subject of the film festival for the documentary festival. Lyndon Stone, festival director of Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, invited us into his world of curating and producing a documentary film festival and he helped us better understand what all goes on behind-the-scenes of such an endeavour, as well as how we, the doc filmmaker, can best apply to these festivals and use them to leverage our film’s success afterwards. We also spoke with two filmmakers who were playing MDFF, in order to gain their perspective on what the documentary film festival experience was like for them, and how we might best be able to learn from their experiences.

Due to the popularity of that two-part special, we’ve decided to do it again in anticipation of this year’s MDFF! Lyndon will again tee-up each episode for us and we will also have two doc filmmakers who have had their film’s selected as inclusion to this year’s festival. And for part one of the special, we’ll talk with Tony Zierra, whose film Filmworker has been getting rave reviews at a number of festivals, including Cannes and MDFF.

• MDFF’s embracing of the short form doc
• how & why MDFF decided to not just simply screen films, but to build relationships with the filmmakers and to assist them after the festival
• practical tips for the doc filmmaker when applying to film festivals
• Tony Zierra is a filmmaker who embodies the essence of living the doc life
• Tony believes that film festivals are the doc filmmaker’s gateway to the world
• how Tony kept rolling with the punches during his journey as a doc filmmaker and how you can too

° Watch the trailer for Tony Zierra’s Filmworker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEZ2r1YGKSA

° Episode #80 is brought to you by BlackBox Global, creators of one of the easiest way to turn your filmmaking skills into passive income!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=BAGp0j57LNE

Go to BlackBox, Create a Free Account, and start selling your footage today!

° Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

The number of docos filming in dangerous or hostile environments has been steadily increasing over the past decade, with the access to both dependable portable film gear as well as the best areas in which to tell a given story. What has not necessarily increased is a filmmaker or journalist’s safety, with 80 being killed in action and over 250 imprisoned last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Doc filmmakers Chris Kelly and Venerable Luon Sovath spent years risking their life and limb to tell the story of land grabbing in Cambodia. While innocent people were forcefully removed from their homes in the name of land development, Kelly and Luon were there with cameras filming the events for the world to see. And I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down to talk with them about their experiences making the film, A Cambodian Spring, in hopes of shedding some light into the process of making documentaries in potentially dangerous areas of the world.

• How the choice to tell the film entirely from the Cambodian perspective is a complex and demanding, though very unique and rewarding experience
• How 3-6 months living/filming in Cambodia became 6 yrs in the country
• How a monk decides to become a journalist advocating for the rights of those being displaced from their homes by the government
• Hostile environment training in the UK prepared Chris for dangerous areas

Watch the trailer for A Cambodian Spring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t12Am6DM18

Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

If you’re like me, you are a fan of watching the DVD extras or the making-of videos of some of your favorite films. In fact, Ive been inspired and gained some of my very filmmaking knowledge by watching some of the film extras included on dvds.

We have a special conversation with a man who did so many making-ofs and added value content for Hollywood studios that he became known as the EPK Samurai. His name is Jeffrey Schwarz, and he has over 300 producer credits and over 100 directors to his name. And he has parlayed his early career doing the EPK work into becoming a full-fledged documentary filmmaker.

• how a student film turned into the impetus for lifelong subject matter for future doc films
• how producing EPK and making-of videos allowed Jeffrey to practice his passion of documentary
• how following your obsessions can lead to some wonderful places as a doc filmmaker
• why you should always be budgeting for yourself to make a living in your film budgets

Now as an independent documentary filmmaker, I like to make sure that I include these types of extras on dvd and digital distro packages so that others may benefit in the same way that I did when I was first starting out. And I believe that by including added value like this to your film packages, you can give the consumer another reason to buy your film (instead of somebody else’s!).

In this episode I also go over 5 Best Practices for Making Film Extras, which are:

• Get Best Possible Audio
• Involve the Crew and Subjects
• Keep a Film Journal
• Storytelling
• Offload Footage at End of Day

° Watch the Trailer for Jeffrey Schwarz’s just-released documentary film, The Fabulous Allan Carr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jC7ltHHsek

° If you’re interested in watching Jeffrey’s film you can go here!

° You must check out Jeffrey’s thesis film Al Lewis in the Flesh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9OeAS6ofM0

Check out the Journey to Kathmandu package that was mentioned in the episode. This one came chock full o’ dvd extras and making-of videos!

• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Director’s Commentary
• J2K Film Shorts
• Documentary Making-of videos
• Deleted Scenes
• Original artwork by W. Ryan Hatch
• CD soundtrack

You can purchase this DVD for your collection here.

° Watch Journey to Kathmandu: Making of an Original Score

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l54cu-MXRVM

° Episode #74 is brought to you by BlackBox Global, creators of one of the easiest way to turn your filmmaking skills into passive income!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=BAGp0j57LNE

Go to BlackBox, Create a Free Account, and start selling your footage today!

° Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

In part two of our special on mobile filmmaking for the doc filmmaker, we decided to go right to the source: FiLMic Pro‘s, CEO & found, Neill Barham. And he did not let down. If you have ever even had so much as a thought to making your next doc with you mobile device, than boy is this ever the episode for you.

Neill spoke to us fresh off of Mojofest in Galway, Ireland as well as Apple’s World Developer’s Conference in California. And what he had to say on the subject of mobile filmmaking went beyond all of my expectations for the episode.

• How & why mobile filmmaking is so appropriate for the doc filmmaker
• Neill’s journey from indie filmmaker to founder of FiLMiC Pro
• Gear & accessory suggestions for the first-time mobile filmmaker
• How & why FiLMiC Pro is aimed for the pro filmmaker
• When mobile filmmaking stops being mobile filmmaking

° Neill Barham at NAB 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dob4OiGe0c

° Philip Bloom Article

Philip Bloom – you’re heard of him, no? – first blogged about the brilliance of FiLMiC Pro back in 2009. You can read that article here.

° Sennheiser “Memory Mic”

In the episode, Neill mentions Sennheiser’s unveiling of their Memory Mic at this year’s NAB. It is a wireless lav that automatically syncs up to FiLMiC Pro’s app. Read about this beauty here .

° Richard Lackey

Richard Lackey did a great video talking about how to get great exposure using an iPhone and the FiLMiC Pro app. Wonderful information to help you maximize your low light situations!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx2trCa0edk

Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

To say that phone filmmaking has quickly turned from shooting cute home movies of your kids to full-fledged filmmaking would be an understatement. And understandably, doc filmmakers, have really been embracing this notion of creating a documentary film from a device that they carry around in their pocket.

In this episode, we’ll speak with former BBC and ITV reporter, Anna Brees, who has fully embraced the notion of shooting and editing news stories with her iPhone. And through her company, Brees Media, she is now giving workshops around the UK, arming its citizens with the power to tell the news stories that aren’t being told.

• definition of citizen journalism
• how documentary has changed the conversation about news & journalism
• ways in which mobile devices are positively affecting our storytelling
• how starting out at a small local news station empowered Anna to get out into the world and produce her own news stories

And we here at TDL have decided to devote the next two episodes to this revolutionary form of filmmaking by first taking a look at 5 Reasons to Shoot Your Doc With Your Phone.

• It’s Cheap
• It’s Small and Unobtrusive
• They Weigh Next to Nothing
• 4K Capabilities
• Multi-Camera Potential

° You can check out some of Anna’s early work with the BBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhmbybvSsGA

° Penarth SMTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZXakSzYlbY&feature=youtu.be

° Episode #76 is brought to you by BlackBox Global, creators of one of the the easiest way to turn your filmmaking skills into passive income!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=BAGp0j57LNE

Go to BlackBox, Create a Free Account, and start selling your footage today!

° Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

I figured since I’m always on here prattling on about my doc life, it might be different to talk about – or actually, with! – my doc wife, Stephanie. We figured what better way to celebrate our second anniversary – of the podcast, that is – than to have Steph on the show for the first time EVER, since it’s inception back in May of 2016.

Steph and I met and started working together back in 2012. But before that, we had lives of our own, which included a combined 25+ years working in film/tv – she in feature narratives in Malaysia and the UK and myself in doc and commercials.

In this episode, we’ll take a look back on not only two years of the podcast, our various documentary project ventures, but also our documentary lives as we know it thus far; which includes – among other things – raising a family of two children while we continue our passions of documentary filmmaking!

Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

Through his production company, 1895 Films, Tom Jennings has become known for his fresh and inventive approach to using archival footage to tell a story. With both Peabody and Emmy Awards under his belt, there are few who have mastered the art of archival storytelling in the way that Tom has. After listening to this episode you will never think of found footage in the same way again!

• how Tom’s print background lent directly to becoming a documentary filmmaker
• how Tom and his company, 1895 Films, have transformed the way that filmmakers are now using archival footage
• how through exclusively using archival to tell a story, one forces an audience to become an active viewer
• how sourcing archival from local media sources can be a goldmine
• best practices for contacting local media sources for use of archival materials

To get properly prepped for our conversation with Tom, I take us through 5 Tips for Sourcing Archival Materials. They are:

• License-fee vs. Royalty-free vs. Public Domain
• National Archives
• Focal International
• License Upfront
• Cast Wide Net About Your Archival Search

° In the episode, Tom mentioned a tv news show entitled You Are There, specifically he talks about the episode that dealt with the sinking of the titanic. This show served as inspiration for Tom, later on becoming a documentary filmmaker who would end up taking a very different approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HliceHS92R4

° View the opening found footage that Tom talks about for The Lost Tapes: Challenger Disaster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTHDApKDwrk

° Read a really great article that was basically a case study of how The Lost Tapes: Challenger Disaster was made. This is very informative, highly recommend any doc filmmaker checking this article out!

° Tom Jennings 2012 Peabody Acceptance Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou4K99TKThI

° Episode #74 is brought to you by BlackBox Global, creators of one of the easiest way to turn your filmmaking skills into passive income!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=BAGp0j57LNE

Go to BlackBox, Create a Free Account, and start selling your footage today!

° Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

Jean Umansky is one of the most respected sound persons in the field of filmmaking. He is a French sound engineer who has worked on over 50+ narrative and documentary films, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound on Amelie.

In our conversation with Jean, he guides us through some best practices for not only achieving optimal sound, but also for creating sound in a way that shapes the very story of your documentary film.

• how sound can shape the story just as much as the visual
• learning and using the language of sound with the director
• importance of mic placement, shock mount, windscreen
• tips for achieving great sound as a documentary filmmaker

And as an opening volley to our episode on sound, I take us through 5 Tips for Getting Good Sound on Your Doc, which are:

• test your gear
• bring your headphones
• think about location
• clothing rustle
• consider using a wired lav

° Watch the 7 Ways to Hide Lav Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85HmR825wM

° Joris Ivens

In the episode, Jean, mentions a documentary filmmaking pioneer by the name of Joris Ivens. I have since looked this man up. You won’t believe this guy’s story! You can read more by checking out his Wiki page.

° Watch the Nenette Documentary Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQo8prT25ug

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

The topic of film distribution is, perhaps, one of the most requested topics that we’ve ever had for the podcast. And it’s no wonder. While there may seem like more options than ever for the doc filmmaker, it’s hard to know which ones may be best suited for us. Or if, in fact, self-distribution may, in fact, be the better, smarter option for the independent documentary filmmaker.

Well, Christopher Rufo is a documentary filmmaker who has cracked the proverbial code on what he likes to call “direct distribution”. Chris – who is the founder of both Documentary Foundation and Filmmaker.MBA has some very tried and true methods for getting your documentary film out into the world, seen on big screens, and helping you make some good money back on your film.

• definition of direct distribution and how it applies to you and your film distro plan
• how incorporating as a non-profit can be very advantageous to you
• how embracing an entrepreneurial spirit is key to sustaining one’s doc life
• stop trying to get to a general audience, instead niche down to your true audience
• re-defining the term theatrical release

Watch Christopher Rufo’s PBS documentary, Diamond in the Dunes for free by going here!

10% discount on FILMMAKER.MBA

Don’t forget to take advantage of the 10 percent discount by using the promo code MYDOCLIFE at checkout!

° Episode #72 is brought to you with support from BlackBox Global, creators of one of the easiest way to turn your filmmaking skills into passive income!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=BAGp0j57LNE

Go to BlackBox, Create a Free Account, and start selling your footage today!

° Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!

These are pretty amazing times for documentary filmmakers. Not only have the popularity of documentary films increased exponentially, not only are there far more resources available these days to doc filmmakers, but the distribution platforms that are out there are plentiful, not the least of which are the Netflixs, Hulus, and Amazons of the world. And now, these distro platforms have opened the doc playing field to the long form, the docuseries.

And for episode #71 we speak with Gary Kout, producer of Netflix series, Flint Town, about the journey that Flint Town took from a short film to a full-fledged Netflix-budgeted documentary series.

• how a short film became a full-fledged Netflix docuseries
• how a distro platform like Netflix can best be approached
• how a company like Netflix decides to fund a docuseries project
• how Netflix makes editorial decisions with a filmmaker
• tips on selling your docuseries to Netflix

1. Killer Pitch
2. Sizzle Reel
3. Don’t Make Reality TV
4. Secure the Rights to the Story
5. Be Friendly, Don’t Be Their Friends

° NY Times Op-Doc, Policing Flint

Check out the short film that became the Netflix docuseries, Flint Town:

https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000004953212/policing-flint.html

° Watch the trailer for Flint Town

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfNURrdgWTU

° Watch the T. Rexdocumentary trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkHGARt38Gw

Free Music Archive – Special Thank You to recording artist, Dlay who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artist’s music by going to Free Music Archive today!

If you have found value in this podcast please leave a review so it can become more visible to others. Simply click the link and then click on the Ratings and Reviews tab to make your entry. Thank you for your support!