The story of koinonia farm which was broadcast nationally on pbs from 2005 2010. Sometimes, the work and planning required to make a good documentary is more arduous than making a drama or a. Jonas and i are stoked to share our process and what we have learned over the last decade and a half. Third in a trilogy that includes manufactured landscapes 2006 and watermark 20, the film follows the research of an. The second edition of making documentary films and videos fully updates the popular guidebook that has given readers around the world the knowledge and confidence to produce their first documentary film. Many of these are must read industry standard books. List of books and articles about documentary filmmaking.
Making a documentary film requires that you find people who are having an interesting or harrowing or profound experience and follow them as it unfolds. The best book on filmmaking is on filmmaking by alexander mackendrick who directed classic films like sweet smell of success, it consists of some of the lectures he gave at cal arts when he ran their film school so perhaps it runs counter to this idea that film school is not worth going to. The conclusion for one crews documentary includes some final quotes from the film crew and cast about how they felt about making the film and what they enjoyed most. The occasion was a reception for filmmakers at silverdocs, the documentary festival created by the american film institute and discovery channel. What beginning or aspiring documentary filmmakers may not know is that documentary films often have scripts and involve tons of research, substantial budgets, and. Once you do shoot your documentary, you can update your twocolumn.
According to kahana, documentary has always leveled distinctions, challenging traditional. Buy making documentary film and videos 2nd revised ed. Pick this up and read it for professional reasons or to get a better handle on the documentary making process. The best filmmaking books ever written how to film school. Of course, bigname actors sometimes do participate in documentarymaking, often with a reduced fee and a strong belief in the project. From vice and hbo, to independent docs, viral videos, docstyle tv series. This book provides a unique look at the world of documentary and deserves space on your shelf. The book covers all aspects of making a documentary.
Top 10 books about documentary filmmaking documentary film. An overview of some of the main critical works on documentary makes us realize to what extent the notion of collectivity is pervasive in discourse on documentary film. Before you attempt to create your documentary, whether you are still in film production school in baltimore or newly graduated, you must first understand what a documentary is. The book takes you through every stage of making a movie, from writing to filming to. Take an indepth look into the process that goes into making a traditionally printed and bound book in this fantastic short film. An internationally renowned documentary filmmaker with more than sixty films to his credit, including the peabody awardwinning out of the ashes, rosenthal has written the first book to address the realities involved in the making of a documentary. The following is a summary of the best filmmaking books written by filmmakers, for filmmakers from oscarnominated hollywood legends to.
Making sweet tea, the film, combines footage from the productions of the play with documentary moments from the lives of both johnsons interview subjects from the book and the authors own life, depicting both his research process and the complexities of his relationships with the men in the study. An enigmatic character with roughly 30 documentaries under his belt, herzog has been. Here are 8 books every documentary filmmaker or aspiring documentary. Long beach author veronica kirin launches virtual book club to commemorate the selection of documentary stories of elders by david astudillo as a finalist in the liftoff film festival 2020 the liftoff network is a platform aimed to aid new filmmakers in gaining exposure to the world of film festivals and grow their careers through independent filmmaking events. Each of the books seven sections covers a distinct period in the history of documentary, collecting both contemporary and retrospective views of filmmaking in. Meeting people is easy is a 1998 british documentary film by grant gee chronicling british alternative rock band radiohead on their exhaustive world tour following the success of their 1997 album ok computer. Even if you dont know what your interviewees will say or what footage you might shoot, writing a script predicting what you want your final film to look like is a great way to stay organized. Follow these simple steps and you are on your way to having a finished movie. Making documentary films and reality videos is the perfect text for students of filmmaking who would like to make a documentary. Edited by one of the leading british authorities in the field, the documentary film book is an essential guide to current thinking on documentary film. To find out more about the book or author, read a chapter or two, download information, post a question or comment, check out the filmography and bibliography, or look into some other. Documentary films deal with real people, places, and events, and theyre anything but easy to film.
R j cutlers camera follows her into the industrys biggest names, and they positively cower before her or so we are lead to believe, as at the end of the day and sadly its a controlled doc about a dreary woman who sees fashion as a business and has been allowed to have a voice with the power of this magazine, director r j cutler is a great filmmaker, and i feel that his creation was amazing. Discover librarianselected research resources on documentary filmmaking from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. A twocolumn script is an easy way to structure and plan for your documentary project. And you should expect that even a simple film may cost more. The classic guide to making documentaries, now revised and expanded for todays filmmaker. Documentary according to werner herzog by eric ames a documentary filmmakers library isnt complete without a book on werner herzog. Whats the difference between documentary and feature film.
Making a documentary is different from making a fictional film but its not necessarily less work because youre just capturing real life. Top 10 books about documentary filmmaking documentary. Film sourcing production documents and templates are not intended to be legal advice and are for educational purposes only. A cinematic meditation on humanitys massive reengineering of the planet, anthropocene. Pdf making documentary film and videos download full. Documentary film has become the field where, as the new york times put it, all the cool kids are. The art of making a book, short filmbookbinding documentary. Filmmaking contracts should always be customised to suit each production and the legislation of your country area. Im more of a documentary kind of gal, navi responded. Powerfully posing questions of ethics, ideology, authorship and form, documentary film has never been more popular than it is today. These are great reads for almost any level of filmmaker, so consider checking them out. This assumes that you know better than to make a film under your own personal name that could expose you to significant risk of legal liability risk. Below is a list of the most popular and best sell filmmaking books purchased by our readers on amazon.
Documentary has been described as a filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. A documentary is any nonfiction video or film that informs viewers about a reallife topic, person, event, or issue. If youre a documentary fan or aspiring documentary filmmaker, check out the best books about documentary filmmaking. Recommended books and literature for documentary filmmaking. Plagued film productions seem to make excellent fodder for making of documentaries and this film is the first of the three examples of that on this list with one major difference. Excellent book with many great tips for future documentary film makers. Documentary filmmaking school documentaries have never been hotter or more commercially promisingwhether you are looking for a career or are out to change the world. A must have for any aspiring documentarian from amateur to seasoned professionals this has it all. If you are interested into documentary film making you may want to read through some literature before you start shooting your film. Were making a course about all the stages of making a documentary from pre to post production. The new, second edition of making documentary films and videos fully updates the popular guidebook that has given readers around the world the knowledge and confidence to produce their first documentary film.
To find out more about the book or author, read a chapter or two, download information, post a question or comment, check out the filmography and bibliography. List of books and articles about documentary filmmaking online. This vast collection of american bookshops past, personally curated by mr. Let me tell you, thats about as good as it gets for an author. In this article were going to break down, from a birds eye view, how to make a documentary film. Directing the documentary offers timetested principles to help you master the craft. Theres a reason why this book keeps getting updated and keeps selling well. Some documentary films provide us with educational information. However, viewed within itself, hearts of darkness is considered one of the greatest films about filmmaking, as it shows the sheer madness behind the filmmakers making the film. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Col is an awardwinning writerdirector who started in nonfiction at the bbc and now works primarily in fiction. In the blink of an eye by walter murch, making movies by sidney lumet, story. Filmmaking books are an important part of every filmmakers arsenal.
What beginning or aspiring documentary filmmakers may not know is that documentary films often have scripts and involve tons of research, substantial budgets, and complex editing. Read a chapter in making documentary films and videos. A documentary film is a nonfictional, motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. Gear kit for one man documentary film crew with bob krist duration. Documentary films are one of the youngest art forms in the world. In conclusion, the documentary film book is successful in combining tradition and new horizons in ways that will be inspiring to anyone interested in documentary film and media studies. And, after two years, writing, directing, and producing documentary films was born. If youre going to buy one history book about documentary filmmaking, make it this one. Documentary for the recently deceased is a forthcoming project about the making of beetlejuice that will dive deep into the production of the film, from shooting in the small town of east corinth. A top feature film often has its money on the screen with lush cinematography, gorgeous actors and actresses, big bang special effects with large and talented production teams in the background. Barry hampe, who has made more than 150 documentary films and videos, traces the two main approaches to documentaryrecording behavior and recreating past events. The detail and comprehensive layout goes in depth for the seriousness of the genre.
Technically speaking, hearts of darkness is the behindthescenes documentary about the making of francis ford coppolas universally acclaimed apocalypse now. Your job as a documentary filmmaker is to present information to your audience without showing your. Michael moores rules for making documentary films. Learn more about the early films of documentary pioneer robert flaherty, documentary filmmaking during wwii, the cinema verite movement of the 1960s, the arrival of video in the 80s, and the documentary traditions of the 21st century. Mcmurtry over more than forty years, held the acquisition of some. Catcher in the rye slaughterhouse 5 nicholas nickleby a separate peace one flew over the cuckoos nest pride and prejudice nineteen eightyfour to kill a. The book takes you through every stage of making a movie, from writing to filming to editing and beyond.
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