Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

Hi Doug,

Thansk for the welcome. Yeah I applied earlier today - didn't think I
would get a response until tomorrow!

I'm supposed to be working, well I suppose I am - researching Don
Lenzer's wonderful discussion you guys had about on shooting in the
field etc...what a treasure trove of information.

Yup. Many other goodies archived there, as well. I see you've made
yourself at home in the community discussions. We'll continue to talk
there.

Hi, I am an actress/comedian who decided one day to take my hi8
camera and document the everyday going ons of myself and another
comedian. I've been filming for the last year and am now is post-
production in my kitchen studio(Kitchen Table Films). It's truly a
grassroots project as I am wearing all the hats, producer,director,
lights, sound, catering etc. I am so eager to learn all I can. My
project is called "2 Bees from Oakland."

Sounds like a great idea, Laura. Nick Fraser, who runs the
Storyville doc strand for the BBC, complained to me recently that
there just aren't enough funny documentaries out there. He's someone
you might want to approach when you have a strong sample tape (or
rough cut, if you're not making a sample).

Anyway, welcome to The D-Word Forum. You might want to register for
the private D-Word Community where all the working doc makers hang
out: www.d-word.com/join. There's an extra step involved.

Thank you for the welcome/advice. How can I reach Mr. Fraser?

Don't want to give out his info in the public forum, Laura. But he's
easy enough to find. Google "Storyville, BBC" and you should find it.

Thank you, understood. I am so grateful to have come across this
website/community. (So excited!!!!)

Hi, I'm new to this forum.
I tried and failed to register in the community forum anyhow
I'll try again later. I have worked for a couple of documentary
filmmakers and am now about
to venture for the first time on my own.
I am scared of being unprepared but at the same
time am very excited.

I have my PD 150, a wireless mic, my on board mic
and hope to survive this adventure.

If anyone has any magic words of advice
I would really appreciate it.

Welcome, Shirli. Here's your magic words of advice:

JUST DO IT!

Those are good ones!!!!

I am running into stupid technical problems.
I wonder if someone could shed some light

I got two power2000 sony NP-F950 replacement batteris
and they are acting weird. My camera
shows that they are full when they are not....
the running time is not accurate...and I don't
want to take any chances.

Does anyone have any experience with these batteries?
Should I return them and never again
touch non Sony batteries? Some people here
have told me that they are inferior and can cause
damage to my camera...

what do you think???

I'd try running the batts til they drain then charge. Then drain and
charge again. It might be a memory issue. Or call the company. If
neither works, get Sony batts (I assume you have a Sony camera).

BTW, in the future, ask any specific questions like this in the
Mentoring topic.

Hey everybody.
I'm sitting outside an internet cafe at 2 am in seattle using
free airport internet service. I'm still all geeked out about it. Just moved to
Seattle from Colorado hoping to find a more active community for
filmmakers(and a job).
Got my MFA in Chicago at Columbia college, made one long doc and a few
shorts. Struggling to get to the next plateau, but enjoying the climb. It's really
cool to see so many folks talking about doc. jk
ps. what's the deal with the different forums?

Hi everyone

Its Joanna 'first time doco maker' here!

I have this problem with my doco. I have finished filming, and im
done capturing in final cut pro.

My problem is that while i was going over the rushes etc. I found
that most of my really good takes are rushed and short. There are no
talking heads, so sound isnt a problem for now. Except i will have
problems with the voice over later.

Is there a way to make my doco flow better? What kinds of transition
effects can i use to make my timeline cuts smoother and less
intrusive to my audience. Or is there a particular style that
someone can refer me to?

Welcome, James and Joanna. James, the different forums are special
periodic discussions we hold with guest doc luminaries. Joanna,
impossible to answer questions like that in a forum like this. I
suggest you hire a good experienced editor or consulting editor.

:(

Doug...
I am a one person show with no budget and I want to do this to the
best of my ability :) I am only a student.
I know its a little much..
But i was just wondering if there was anyone out there with anything
to share.

You can ask whatever you want in the Mentoring topic, Joanna. This
is mainly for introductions.

hello i am new
i live on the lost coast, in fortuna california.

Hello new Doug. Welcome.

hau (hello)

I am a newbie to this site and to documentaries. I am native ameican and live in
southwestern South Dakota USA. I work for a Native Ameican College (Oglala lakota
College). I am a musican and have been interested in film and video for some time
but have not had the resources. Well I now do. Our college has supported me and
now I have two digital cameras, non-linear editing system, protools gear and plan on
purshasing an HD camera. Right now there are only two of us doing the work. I am in
the process of learning all the software required. The other person wears other hats
also.

We are interested in recording our tribal histories and stories. I can't wait to see all
the resources available here.

Tony, Welcome. If you're not awareof http://www.nativetelecom.org
native american public television, that site will have some
interesting information for you. I'm working on a project with
native alaskans... one of my advisors is a musician with Pamyua and
they are providing some of the key music for my film...

And not to bury you under too much information but there's a good
link for advice on gathering oral histories
http://www.h-net.org/~oralhist/

if you use their search function you can find some good articles to
guide you on both recording technique and ideas for planning
projects.

Good luck with your projects

I don't check in here regularly but on of our members told me of
your posting so if you have questions feel free to email me (but
note I'll be gone from Oct 10 to Nov 5.

mikegreen@mail.com
www.camediainc.com

Welcome, Tony! Make sure to introduce yourself in
{LINK NOT IMPORTED} as well.

Hi,

I am new to the page and docs. I am a chemical engineer in canada.
Have been interested in movie making since i was very young, first
production used the editing method of videotaping playback on a tv.
Just finished a five minute documentary and LOVED it. Want to go
further, want more info, excited to find the site.

Welcome, Ryan.

Hey everyone,

I'm in my second year at university, taking some film courses, and
trying to figure out how to start a career in film. right now im
really anxious to get started making my own films, including
documentaries, but i don't know how to get started..and so i'm here
to find out!..im really new to it all, so I'm glad to have found this
site/forum :)

Michele

Glad you found us, Michele. Now, get a camera and start shooting!

new to this forum. am in the process of making my 3rd film. this one
has to be good, so I am very interested in thoughts and experiences
of others.

The others didn't have to be good? Anyway, hope this forum helps
this one to be good ;-)

Hi! I have no background in filmmaking, but was asked by a close
friend to help (in whatever capacity I can) in the creation of a
documentary. I'm sure can learn some worthwhile basics here, to say
the least! Thanks to all for this forum.

You're quite welcome, Doug. Good luck.

Hey all, I found out about this forum over the summer, but just
decided to register last week. I'm a senior in college interested
in broadcast journalism and I just recently started getting really
interested in documentary film. I interned at a tv station and got
to work on some human interest segments. Hopefully down the line in
my career I'll be able to focus on producing longer form
documentaries.

If nobody minds, I'll probably hassle everyone about their
movie/television viewing habits for one of my research papers in a
few weeks.

welcome, durrell. not sure which topic would be appropriate for
that. this probably isn't the best forum for that.

Hello to all. I am new here and newly returned to Canada from the
Middle East. I am currently taking some courses at the local film
school and focusing on docs. Happy to have found this forum and look
forward to getting to know you all better. Cheers!

Cheers to you, Michelle. Welcome back and welcome to The D-Word.

Hello everyone! This is my first time at the Utne Cafe Forum. My
name's Federica and I'm a film-maker from Italy who needs a lot of
help in research.
Talk to you soon!

Welcome, Federica. Feel free to post any questions in the Mentoring
topic.

Hello! I am a documentary producer from Estonia (there is a little
country South of Finland and West of Russia). My company is
specialised to the wild-life and environmental issues. Recently we
released a popular-scientific film about meteorite explosion in
Baltic Sea island Saaremaa. Film is called "Home of the Sun". Our
next big topic is an historical re-enactment of A.T. v. Middendorff's
expedition to Siberia. So - wild things.

Welcome, Riho. You and all other documentary professionals should
join The D-Word Community (our separate private forum) and introduce
yourself over there {LINK NOT IMPORTED}.

Joining is free but not automatic. Please follow the instructions at
www.d-word.com/join ...

Hello, I just found about your Forum and I think this is great, I
thoght no longer people care or write about each other. I am from
Spain so I apologize for my misspelling, been working as an AD in
publicity for 4 years, have done 2 short docs and just finished co-
direct, write and produce my first long documentary screened at Made
in Spain section in San Sebastian International Film Festival. I have
attend to all the documentary workshops given by Directors I found in
Spain, and I belong to Docus Madrid Org. I think the present
documentary scene is so good in quality and unreachable that you can
not be up dated, I think this is the best time for documentary in a
lot of years but also the real Industry (I mean make a living out of
filmaking) doesn´t let you in. All my friends also directing are
pitching theyr projects arround the world spending money they don´t
have in order to have somebody interested in buying the project, or
just invest enough money to make it posible. I do not mean to be
pesimistic but I think there is two sides of the story not really
clear defined. One, the romantic and passionate path of making your
own docs with no budget, and sharing them with friends family and a
couple local festivals wich I think is great enough; and the other is
make yourself a living out of professional work with a salary no
matter in wich possition on a film crew. The good thing is that you
can add both and be a happy person.
Those are my initial thoughts to share with u, I will be moving to
London in a month for personal reasons and I know nobody there, so If
any of you will like to have somebody to talk to about documentarys
or life It will be great to let me now. Thanks

Ruth and Pliegerm, welcome. Both of you should check out the
Shooting People listserve - www.shootingpeople.org. Ruth, it's based
in the U.K. and has its own documentary membership.

As Ben mentioned, you might also register for The D-Word Community:
www.d-word.com/join.

Martina (alias Pliegerm) - have you read Mark Kurlansky's book on the
World History of Salt?

Welcome all. Federica, are you the same Federica I met in
Bardonecchia who was pitching the project on garden gnomes?

Hey all,
My name is Brian . I am making a return to filmmaking after a
several year hiatus. I graduated from Bard college with a BFA
in film. However I have spent the many years working in
lighting, everything from theaters to museums.
I recently awoke to realize how much I was missing my real
passion. Joining this forum is my first step on the road back
towards what I really want to be doing.
This seems like a great place to start.

Sure is, Brian. Good luck.

Hi everyone, my names Dan and i've just bought a Canon XM1 and am
about to start shooting some shortfilms - including docs. My
background is really in sound and music, so at present i don't
really know my aperture from my white balance! I've a lot to learn
and look forward to using this forum, cheers ;-)

Just shoot away, Dan. Welcome and lotsa luck.

Heya expressive/Ben
I've read exerpts from this book since it is supposed to be the salt-
"bible". You seem to be quite into this topic. How come?

Btw, I work for a doc-prodco in Hamburg, Germany. We are thinking
about doing something on salt. Currently we are checking the
international market for similar productions.

Martina, I was fascinated by Kurlansky's previous book (on fish)
which inspired me to plan a film project. I haven't read "Salt" yet.
Just curious.

Greetings from Munich, and see you in {LINK NOT IMPORTED} soon.

Hi everyone, I'm Lucy. I'm really interested in ethnographic film and
had a go at making my first documentary over last year and this year,
about an Afghan refugee who lives in London. It was a VERY steep
learning curve (I didn't go to film school) but a great experience.
Still I have so much to learn and this looks like an interesting
place to start. I saw on Shooting People there's a discussion going
on this week with Kate Amend. I just saw Spellbound the other day so
I'm really interested to hear about how she works...

Welcome, Lucy. Love your name - it's my daughter's, as well. Glad
you enthused about the conference, but it's actually the guest host,
Yana Gorskaya, who edited Spellbound. Both she and Kate have great
insights to share.

Hey, there.

My name's Linnea, I've begun production on my first doc about
music in Cuba and I'm looking forward to learning from some
pros.