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Hi Doug

I'm really interested in getting other filmmaker's opinions on the
self-reflexive controversial (if ones views it as controversial?)
work of Broomfield, his interview sytle, his ethical/unethical
approach....his choice of subjects..
Im not too worried about the facts as I can handle that bit of the
research pretty easily I think.

Thanks Hayley

Broomfield's only subject is himself.

Hi everyone,

I just learned about this resource by joining up with DocuClub and
reading the December newsletter. I am very excited that such a forum
exists. My name is Laurie and I have been working on a feature-length
documentary with my partner Nyla for the past 3 1/2 years. It's the
first film for both of us--it's been trial and error; blood, sweat
and tears. We have been working out of pocket (hence, the 3 1/2
years) and are working towards locking picture in early January.
Since this is my first project and I do not have a film background, I
will be using this forum to get some advice and meet some like-minded
people with a passion for film. Cheers!

Laurie

Welcome, Laurie. Hope to see you at the DocuClub screening tonight.
Good luck with your project and feel free to ask questions in the
Mentoring topic.

Thanks for the welcome Doug. I'll introduce myself tonight at the
screening. Looking forward to it.

Hello D-Word! I'm an indie filmmaker in Minneapolis embarking on my first
"real" documentary. I've dipped my foot in short docs and mocks, as well as
arty stuff and comedy. I'm doing a documentary on the subject of BLOGS
(short for web log) tentatively titled Blogumentary. I took a great doc. class
with Minnesota documentarian Melody Gilbert and she turned me on to D-
Word and Home Page, which I reallllllly want to see as it deals with similar
topics. I also work at the PBS station in the Twin Cities, so am fortunate to
have worked around a lot of documentary filmmakers I greatly admire.

I really loved the use of After Effects in "The Kid Stays In the Picture" and am
learning the software. It felt so fresh and fluid. I think the old "pan-and-scan" is
tired and documentary needs to be re-invented, and "TKSITP" shows one
possible path.

Cheers,
Chuck

Oh... my own blog is at http://chuckolsen.blogspot.com

Good luck, Chuck. As the maker of Home Page, I'm curious what your
approach to blogs is. I'm trying to get a DVD release for Home Page,
and I keep telling the distributors that blogging has made the film
totally relevant again. We'll see if they believe...

Thanks Doug. I don't really know my approach yet. I know I want to cover a
good cross-section of personal blogs, political blogs, and community blogs.
How do you make people in front of a computer screen compelling? I'm sure it
will all depend on finding interesting people to talk about their lives and why
they blog, follow them around. I want to be very expressive and stylized with it,
so the aesthetics of each 'vignette' reflects their personality. I'm hoping to
enlist a D.P. friend of mine who can do a much better job of that than I. Home
Page on DVD -- I'd be your first customer!

You got it! ;-)

Hi all. Just finished directing Detroit's first documentary film
festival - www.detroitdocs.org - and working on big, big plans for
next year! The enthusiasm level in this somewhat culturally starved
town is intense - the festival was an immediate success and seems to
have really energized local filmmakers. Yahoo! Yea for Docs!
Thank you to Michael Green, brilliant Floridian doc-maker, for
turning me on to this interesting forum.

Doc on!

Chris

p.s. Isn't the new Utne format just awesome? I bought 3 extra copies
for friends!

pgawn I am. making a coming of age doc about an 18 year old
girl, and her relationship with her transgendered mother. Both
mother and daughter are compelling, animated and dynamic yet
I find myself cautiously filming mostly the banal. I am a still
photographer with some dabbling in super 8 dramatic shorts
that happened to make the festival cicuit. This is my first doc an
I'm shooting it with the support of my post grad film course and
equipment on HD. The pressure to make a TV one hour slick
flick may be stiffling my creative impulse, plus I am working
entirely with a crew of student strangers who don't quite get my
intent or subject. Feedback and thoughts are welcome.

Welcome aboard, Chris and PGawn.

Let's take your issue into The Mentoring Room, PGawn, but why not
work as a one person crew? Or two, at most? Why would you need more?

Hello..

Greetings from the depths of South-central British Columbia in
Canada.I'm a newbie in the field of documentary film making having
spent he last 30-odd years as a painter and printmaker. But am
definitely moving into video as a medium and feel that a place such
as this forum will be invaluable as I do so. I promise to keep dumb
questions to an absolute minimum and am mainly interested in
exploring others' views and approaches to the art of documentary
film.

Nice to have you here, Steve. Welcome.

Hi fellow doc' lovers, I have been in the doc side of production for
several years, mostly digital productions, I am heavily into two
doc's- one is looking behind the scenes of the passions and souls and
emotions of women in the sport of Auto Racing.......and i've
researched and filmed many experiencers of either visitors and
sightings of crafts in the australia and tasmania area, my approach
is to let us know what the visitors want....I am currently accepting
all financial deposits to the bank account, I love to be paid to tell
compelling stories.....Fil the filmmaker

paid to tell compelling stories... what a concept! me, too! welcome,
fil the filmmaker.

Hello to you all!
I have just informed myself of this site through Docos and hope that
it will prove to be useful and interesting. I have recently finished
my first documentary short 30mins on miniDV. Shot entirely in a
remote community in Lesotho, Africa on the subject of Life and Magic!
I am keen to carry on with the production of high quality
documentaries using new media formats such as DV, pushing the tech to
the max. I think that DV has a lot to offer the film/video market in
production value terms especially as it involves smaller crews and
allows more local/subject participation and training. The challenges
are pretty enormous when takling essentially single person
productions,but the results can be increadibly satisfying. My first
project was filmed for my final work on the Visual Anthroplogy
programme at Manchester University at the Granada Centre for Visual
Anthropology. I am researching a number of film avenues now having
completed the course only 3 weeks ago! I need to keep up the
enthusiasm, especially as I have now found the career path that pulls
together my life strands so far! So, if anyone out there is keen to
explore Social Documentaries using Poetic aesthetics and
Observational approaches then please contact me, lets keep working
informing the audience! davidgriggs@gaia.org.uk

Hello!

I am a freelance lighting/ cameraman specializing in
documentary for film and television programmes. I am based in
the UK. Over the last 12 years I have filmed in Africa, Asia, South
America, and Europe.
I am excited to learn of a resource for fellow adventurers to
communicate with! Cheers...

Hi, John. Hope you'll consider joining The D-Word Community, where
the discussions for doc professionals are ongoing:

www.d-word.com/join

Hello all or part thereof,
I hereby introduce myself as a person of sound mind and body dwelling
among similar sane and satisfied beings.
I live in the flatland of our fair land, the grandest of all lands
where the winters drain your courage to interact.
I write for pleasure and a higher purpose, but I need encouragement
and exposure. Need I say more? My cosmic philosophy will unfold as my
expressions engage the minds of others. May I be welcome?

Hello all... I'm a fledgling doc maker working on a biographical film of my late
father. He was a writer/editor who died some 20 years ago. I was initially
approaching this as sort of a PBS style biographical film, incorporating photo's
and writing a VO narration that moved chronologically through his life. There
aren't really any living family members or friends to talk to though (besides an
ex-wife and children) so I don't have a lot of stories or biographical info that I
feel I need for this type of program.
I'm sort of re-thinking my approach now and considering doing a much more
personal, impressionistic film that would focus on my own memories and
feelings towards my dad. I'd love to hear any other thoughts or experiences
with biographical films that people have had. Thanks.
Duncan

hello,
I'm a doc filmmaker from Israel and reached the site while wandering
around in the web, looking for someone to talk to about documentary
filmmaking. Documentary filmmaking in Israel is quite flourishing
through public funding, though we too (as everywhere else in the
world probably) have to fight for our existence as filmmakers. I'll
be happy to hear and read what other filmmakers have to say since I
don't attend int'l festivals and forums very often.
...And excuse my English, it's not my first language

Your English is perfect, Yoram. As this is our public forum, please
make sure to check out our private conference for documentary
professionals as well. It's located at {LINK NOT IMPORTED}, and if
you want to join us (yes, it's free, as we are all fighting for our
existence), here's how to do it: www.d-word.com/join !!!

A big welcome to all new visitors at The D-Word.

Hello all,

My name is JD Marlow and I'm an independent documentary film maker.
I learned about this site through www.digitalvideodocumentaries.com,
which is a great site. I have been involved in making films for a
little over 2 years now. The project I'm working on now is a feature
length documentary called "Street Music". My web site has all sorts
of information about it. http://www.streetmusicny.com

I look forward to participating in these forums and meeting all of
you!

-JD

A big welcome to JD, Yoram and Duncan (and happy new year)!

Duncan, I don't have experience with biographical docs but I do with
personal ones. They're very hard to do well and without coming off as
self-indulgent, narcisistic and all the other qualities the Charlie
Kaufman character accuses himself of being in "Adaptation."

Mainly, you need to ask yourself why a personal story about your
father would be compelling to a general audience. And I'd also add
that a little humor goes a long way, no matter how serious the subject
matter. Try not to be overly reverent (even though it's your father).