(back cover) Documentary films produced for TV, DVD, and movie theater distribution employ more filmmakers than any other genre, and are a popular career choice for beginners. Thanks to user-friendly equipment available today, you can get started in this burgeoning field even if you don't have a film-school background. - This book shows how you can begin making documentary movies--from researching and defining your theme, style, and the treatment that gives your film coherence, to organizing the production, and ultimately, getting it seen by a wider audience. - You will learn all the fundamentals: the essential equipment you must buy or rent for shooting and editing; the journalistic and production know-how for identifying interview subjects and locations and getting them on camera; the cinematic and editing skills that bring your material together for maximum impact; and the ability to find those key shots that will make your film a success. Kevin J. Lindenmuth has worked in the film/television business for over 25 years, both in New York City and the Detroit Metro area. In the course of his career he has produced over a dozen independent features that have been distributed worldwide and seven documentaries, most of the latter broadcast nationally on PBS. In addition to writing for several film-oriented magazines and websites, he has written two previous books on independent filmmaking.

More filmmakers are employed in making documentary films than any other genre. Thanks to the user-friendly equipment available today, it is no longer an area that requires a film-school background to get started. This book shows how you can begin making your first documentary movies - from researching and defining your theme, style, and the treatment that will drive your film, to organising the production and, ultimately, getting it seen by a wider audience. Following the simple practical advice, tips and easy steps in this book will get you started today. - Learn how to choose your subject and decide on your storytelling style - Create an outline/structure for your documentary and research and plan your material - Find out the essential equipment you will need to buy or rent in order to shoot and edit - Discover cinematic and editing skills to pull all your material together. - Understand how to budget and finance your project - Find out the logistics of shooting interviews, footage and other source materials - Create a trailer and get your work seen through festivals and publicity - Learn about the wider world of distribution

"A realist with a sense of humor, Chasse is both stringent and encouraging as she covers every aspect of creating a successful production." —Booklist starred review How to Make and Distribute a Documentary without Losing Your Mind or Going Broke Documentary filmmaking requires more than just a passion for the subject, whether it be one’s personal story or that of someone else, a historical event or a startling discovery, a political movement or a heinous crime. Making a documentary and getting it in front of an audience requires determination, careful planning, money, and a strong production team. With over thirty years of experience in filmmaking, author Betsy Chasse mentors readers every step of the way with a down-to-earth approach and invaluable advice. Chapters cover topics such as: Choosing a Subject Developing a Business Plan Securing Financial Backing Assembling a Production Team Nailing Interviews and Shooting B-Roll Getting through Post-Production Distributing and Marketing the Film Both novices and experienced filmmakers will benefit from this all-inclusive guide. With the right knowledge, persistence, and The Documentary Filmmaking Master Class in their camera bags, readers will not only turn their visions into reality, they’ll be able to share the results with others and navigate the process with confidence.

How to use documentary visual storytelling concepts and production techniques to make documentaries of all types and formats. Producing, Writing, Directing, Camera, Editing and Distribution including Pre-production, Production and Post-production. Fully IllustratedThird Edition.

Documentary filmmaking is a powerful and vital element to our society, and those who are responsible for bringing real stories and issues to a creative medium often have an uncanny ability to make a deep connection to us with their art. Legendary directors and cinematographers such as the Maysles brothers, D.A. Pennabaker & Chris Hegedus, Errol Morris, or Ken Burns have vividly made their marks in recent decades and continue to inspire those who enter the field. Inexpensive video camera equipment and video editing software have helped fuel a new wave of truth-tellers, bringing the tools of the craft within reach of amateurs and students, as well as independent journalists and filmmakers on a budget. In The Art of the Documentary, the directors, editors, cinematographers, and producers behind today's most thought-provoking nonfiction films reveal the thought processes, methods, and collaborations that have guided their efforts- from project conception to developing, producing, shooting, editing, and releasing some of the finest documentary films of recent decades. This richly illustrated volume, which will appeal to professional and aspiring filmmakers, as well as documentary enthusiasts, features conversations with directors, cinematographers, editors, and producers, including Ken Burns (The Civil War, Jazz, Baseball), director/cinematographer D A Pennebaker (Dont Look Back, The War Room), director/cinematographer Albert Maysles (Gimme Shelter, Grey Gardens), director Errol Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line), director Chris Hegedus (Startup.com, Down from the Mountain), editor Larry Silk (Pumping Iron, Wild Man Blues), cinematographer Buddy Squires (The Civil War, Ram Dass, Fierce Grace), director/producer Lauren Lazin (Tupac: Resurrection, Journey of Dr. Dre), editor/director Paula Heredia (The Vagina Monologues, In Memoriam: New York City, 9/11/01), director/cinematographer Kirsten Johnson (Fahrenheit 9/11, Innocent Until Proven Guilty), editor Geof Bartz (Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth, He's Having a Baby), Sheila Nevins, President of HBO Documentaries and HBO Family, Alison Bourke, executive producer for IFC, Cara Mertes, executive producer at PBS for the POV series, Frazer Pennebaker, producer. And with contributions by: Carol Dysinger, film editor and professor, NYU Film School, and Haskell Wexler, cinematographer. A Note About the Second Edition: In this edition of the book, we have included the original full interviews of the producers that did not appear in the first edition. Those producers include Sheila Nevins, Lauren Lazin, Alison Palmer Bourke, Cara Mertes, and Frazer Pennebaker. The interviews of the directors, cinematographers and editors have been left in tact and are included as they appeared in the first edition. The filmographies of each interviewee have been updated to include recent works.

While many film programs prepare students for the realities of Hollywood, comparatively little guidance is provided for the aspiring documentary filmmaker. Alan Rosenthal fills this void with Succeeding as a Documentary Filmmaker: A Guide to the Professional World. Unlike traditional manuals on documentary filmmaking, which focus primarily on the creation of films, this user-friendly volume draws upon real-world examples and the advice of experienced filmmakers to provide essential information about the nonfiction movie business. From the basics of the current film business environment and how to navigate it, to tips on how to maximize distribution and sales for a finished film, Rosenthal leads novice filmmakers step-by-step through the professional arena of documentary moviemaking. Included here are recommendations for how to make the most of a film school education; the best ways to find financing for a film and the realities of working with a budget; how to develop a successful proposal for a project; the intricacies of working both as an independent filmmaker and for others; and insight into the often complicated arenas of contracts and markets. Throughout the volume, Rosenthal shares the expertise of actual filmmakers on such subjects as film school and starting a career; pitching and funding projects; contract negotiation; effective marketing; and commissioning editors and legal help. Not limiting himself to merely the documentary world, the author also offers valuable information and advice for filmmakers interested in other genres of nonfiction movies - such as industrial, public relations, travel, and educational films - to provide a truly comprehensive and one-of-a-kind guide for readers. Packed with useful tips for novices, film students, and practitioners alike, Succeeding as a Documentary Filmmaker is an indispensable addition to the library of anyone involved in the world of nonfiction filmmaking.

Documentary Filmmaking is a practical handbook for the undergraduate or graduate-level documentary film course offered in departments of film/cinema or communication and mass communication. The book is designed as a compact, comprehensive, step-by-step guide to documentary creation from theinitial idea phase to post-production processes and distribution. This documentary handbook has significant pedagogical content in each chapter including a glossary, a detailed exploration of the chapter theme, a section offering options to consider, and summaries. These elements are supported byillustrations and examples from working documentary makers, producers, editors, and distributors.