Documentary

The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: Made In L.A.

The Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Almudena Carracedo's "Made In L.A."


Director/Cinematographer Almudena Carracedo filming in the street.  Credit: Felicity Murphy

The Doc Doctor, Fernanda Rossi, checks out Made In L.A. (See the trailer here), a documentary that takes a look at the experiences of three immigrant women fighting for their rights as they struggle, working in the garment sweatshops of Los Angeles.

About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor

The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: "Soy Andina"

The Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Mitchell Teplitsky's "Soy Andina."


A still from Mitchell Teplinsky's "Soy Andina," which took him over six year to complete.

The Doc studies Mitchell Teplitsky's first film, Soy Andina (check out the trailer) and takes a behind-the-scenes look at how Teplitsky went from marketing director to successful filmmaker living in Peru. This October, the Doc will be presenting her signature workshops on story structure and fundraising trailers in Tucson, AZ and San Francisco, CA. For details check www.documentarydoctor.com. Also, check out the Doctor's previous Anatomy columns.

About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor

The 10 Best Academic Programs for Documentary Filmmakers

An overview of the best programs from Duke to Stanford to Maine


The Digital Media Academy's Documentary Filmmaking Camp has programs for adults, kids and teens (pictured).

Choosing the right school is hard, but it can be even harder when you have a specialized focus, like documentary filmmaking. Whether you're a novice or a veteran filmmaker looking to try something new, this top ten list of the best documentary film programs, both degree granting and non-degree granting, boils down the programs so you can find exactly the right fit.

These days, it’s fairly easy to find an excellent place to learn how to make narrative films. Ten Best lists exist by the fistful, and a Google search of “learn filmmaking” returns more than 30,000 hits.

Living with a Mutation

An interview with the director and subject of "In the Family," a documenary about living with the breast cancer gene.


A still from "In the Family," as Rudnick examines the results of one of many tests.

Joanna Rudnick, director and subject of the documentary In the Family (see the trailer) discusses living life with the knowledge she has an 85 percent chance of getting cancer and what effect this documentary has had on her life, so far.

It’s hard enough being a single woman dating in your early thirties. But, imagine having to tell the person you're dating that you carry the gene mutation for cancer, and will eventually need to remove your ovaries and possibly breasts. Now, imagine having to tell that person you’re delaying the process because you’re waiting to have kids.

Boom or Bust: The Cinema Guild's Ryan Krivoshey

Cinema Guild director of distribution, Ryan Krivoshey talks with the Independent about the evolution of independent film distribution


Cinema Guild's short film "Sari's Mother" has been nominated for an Academy Award.

Ryan Krivoshey, the Cinema Guild's director of distribution, talks with The Independent about the evolution of independent film distribution, how the perception of the documentary has evolved since 9-11 and how Internet distribution has had an impact on the way films are seen.

Much has changed since 1968 when Philip and Mary-Ann Hobel created The Cinema Guild and television was the niche market for all things educational.

The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: "Sync or Swim"

The Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic's "Sync or Swim."


A still from "Sync or Swim."

In the spirit of the Summer Olympics, the Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic's Sync or Swim, which goes behind the scenes with the synchronized swimmers of the 2004 Summer Olympics. Also, check out the Doctor's previous Anatomy columns.

About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor

Quest for Truth

An interview with director and producer Rory Kennedy about her latest film "Thank You Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House"


Helen Thomas with filmmaker Rory Kennedy.

Filmmaker and political activist Rory Kennedy talks with The Independent about her latest documentary Thank You Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House about influential political journalist Helen Thomas. The film premieres on HBO on August 18th with additional airings throughout the month.

Rory Kennedy didn’t always know she wanted to be a filmmaker, but she did see herself as a political activist. As the daughter of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, politics run strong in her blood. In wanting to make an impact on people’s lives, she gravitated towards film as a means of educating herself and others about political and social issues.

Werner Herzog Made Me Do It

An interview with filmmaker Lee Kazimir about his film "More Shoes"


Lee Kazimir on his walk across Europe in "More Shoes."

Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog once said in an interview that he believed the best way to become a filmmaker would be to go on a long walk -- say, from Madrid to Kiev. So Lee Kazimir took his advice literally. His journey resulted in his first feature documentary, More Shoes (see the trailer). As the film makes its way through the festival circuit, Lee stop to talk with The Independent about the film and the people he met along his journey.

Stuck in a dead-end job and worried he'd never make it as a filmmaker, Lee Kazimir decided to take Werner Herzog's advice. Legendary filmmaker Herzog had once said in an interview that he believed the best way to become a filmmaker would be not to practice filmmaking but to walk -- say, from Madrid to Kiev.

Party Like a Doc Star

Tips on coordinating a successful fundraising party


L.A. garment worker Lupe addresses the crowd at a rally in "Made in L.A."  Photo credit by Joann Lo.

Founder of Docs in Progress, Erica Ginsberg, talks with successful documentary filmmakers Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar (Made in L.A.), and Christopher Wong (Whatever it Takes), and film financing expert Morrie Warshawski about the ins and outs of hosting fundraising parties to finance a film.

Filmmakers increasingly need to seek funds from as many sources as possible. A fundraising party may seem like a fun way to raise much-needed dough, but they are a lot of work.  Still, securing the right host, making a personal connection to the guests, and laying the groundwork for future "asks" can have

The Future of Public Media: Talking with Pat Aufderheide


Pat Aufderheide at Beyond Broadcast Conference.

At SILVERDOCS 2008, writer Randi Cecchine talks with Pat Aufderheide, founder and director of the Center for Social Media at American University, about moving their Beyond Broadcast conference to SILVERDOCS, unraveling the complexities of fair use, and taking on the future of public media.

At SILVERDOCS 2008, writer Randi Cecchine talks with Pat Aufderheide, founder and director of the Center for Social Media at American University, about moving their Beyond Broadcast conference to SILVERDOCS, unraveling the complexities of fair use, and taking on the future of public media.

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