Can you believe that it was over four years ago that we first began producing episodes of The Documentary Life?? Well, neither can we. But as they say, all good things must come to an end! It has been a great ride this here podcast over the past four years! Which is why this is not our typical end-of-the-season show, my #doclifer friend. Don't miss this one thinking that it's simply a re-hash of parts of past episodes. It is truly much more than that. And finally, I'd like to say, thank you, old Friend. Thank you. Sponsors and Thank Yous ° http://freemusicarchive.org/ (Free Music Archive) – Special Thank You to recording artist, http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dlay/ (Dlay) who supplied music for this week’s episode of TDL. You too can download his music or other artists’ music by going to http://freemusicarchive.org/ (Free Music Archive) today! Subscribehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-documentary-life/id1112679868 (Apple) | https://open.spotify.com/show/0wYlYHJzyk3Y7...
Imagine stepping up to the podium to accept your award for Best Documentary Feature for the film that you have put your heart, soul, blood sweat tears into. What would you say? Who would thank? Where would you even start? Well, Steven Bognar, of this year's American Factory knows precisely what this feels like. And he details the story of he and his partner, Julia Reichert's walk to that Oscar podium. And he details a heckuva lot more about what it means to live the life of a documentary filmmaker in Dayton, OH, far from the neon lights of New York, London, or L.A. And what it means to make meaningful documentaries that impact a lot of people and win a lot of awards. What it means to live and lead a documentary life. Topics Discussed host Chris G. Parkhurst gives some History 101 of documentaries and the Academy Awards why its beneficial to the world that documentary filmmakers make films from where they are at how American Factory came from turning down what was initially meant to ...
In the past, documentary cinematography has been in the shadow of narrative feature's, overlooked because of certain, perhaps unfair assumptions about the craft. Well, that is no longer the case since the American Society of Cinematographers, as of this year, has an award for Outstanding Achievement in Non-Fiction Filmmaking. And cinematographers, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4426963/ (Fejmi Daut) and https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4000308/ (Samir Ljuma), of the Academy Award nominated, https://honeyland.earth/ (Honeyland), were the recipients of that inaugural award. (Not to mention a host of other cinematography awards!) And so we have today's episode which is entirely dedicated to the craft of documentary cinematography! Topics Discussed host Chris G. Parkhurst talks about what makes a good documentary cinematographer and where we can find them what it's like working as a two person cinematography team how the shooting style changed dramatically midway into filming due to an unforese...
It wasn't that long ago when reality television was a dirty word that incited some pretty strong feelings among the documentary filmmaking crowd. However, non fiction television has come a long way in the past few years. Of course, don't take my word for it. Take it from fellow documentary filmmaker, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1118839/ (Joe Litzinger), who is the executive producer of some of non fiction tv's most well known and respected (did I say respected?) shows. Topics Discussed host Chris G. Parkhurst talks about how documentary filmmakers can use their abilities to advantage in other avenues of production why doc filmmakers are well suited for reality television how one procures work in the reality tv industry the advantages of shooting a documentary film over reality tv how reality television supports Joe Litzinger's documentary life Additional ResourcesTrailer for https://www.abacusmediarights.com/programme/3110/zulu-summer (Zulu Summer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-...
Documentary filmmaking during this time of a pandemic is something that so many of us doc filmmakers are contemplating. Or doing. Or not doing. Today's episode is filled with both a discussion on the ethics of documentary production during this time as well as best practices and safety protocol for those of us who are making our docs during this time. Documentary filmmaker and TDL host, Chris G. Parkhurst, delves into this discussion with IDA's Carrie Lozano and award-winning documentary filmmaking, Heidi Ewing. Topics Discussed Chris G. Parkhurst's tips for filming during this time of Covid the whats, whys, hows of IDA's The Ethics of Documentary Production in a Pandemic how Carrie Lozano's background in both journalism and documentary filmmaker has made her uniquely positioned to discuss filming during this time why award-winning documentary filmmaker, Heidi Ewing has chosen to film during this time how documentary filmmaking inherently is made up of a number of ethical decisions ...
Questions of race and who has the right to tell another person's or culture's or race's stories have recently been at the forefront of the documentary community's collective consciousness. More than that, it's been the subject of recent debate and discussion, whether in industry-led panels, major publications, or social media. Documentary filmmaker and TDL host, Chris G. Parkhurst, delves into this difficult, sometimes divisive discussion with two of documentary's own, Marjan Safinia and Grace Lee. Topics Discussed how Safinia and Lee came to collaborate on PBS' And She Could Be Next overlook at discussions of race in the documentary community over the past few months who has the right to tell a story and why how people of color in the American documentary industry can have less access and resources than their white counterparts How minorities are looking to reclaim and change the way that their stories are being told Additional ResourcesTeaser, And She Could Be Next https://www.you...
Lyndon Stone is the founder and festival director of Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Melody Gilbert is a documentary filmmaker well acquainted with the world of film festivals. In light of Covid events, both the festival director and filmmaker, have had to pivot their approaches to documentary film festivals. This is the kind of discussion we documentary filmmakers have been wanting to have ever since the pandemic greatly impacted our doc lives. Topics Discussed how Lyndon Stone has incorporated a hybrid approach to this year's MDFF how the virtual festival can actually be a good thing for both the festival director as well as the documentary filmmaker why doco Melody Gilbert was initially hesitant to premiere her documentary feature at MSPIFF which how an online film festival might actually be very advantageous to the independent documentary filmmaker Additional ResourcesTeaser for Silicone Soul https://vimeo.com/350156250 Check out the full roster of this year's https://www.m...
http://www.lemlepictures.com/ (Mickey Lemle) has made documentary films about some of the most brilliant individuals in the modern world. From His Holiness the 14th https://www.dalailama.com/ (Dalai Lama) to https://www.ramdass.org/ (Ram Dass) to Sir Laurens van der Post, Lemle has been rubbing shoulders with great minds who all have very spiritual and compassionate ways of living. Lemle has had the splendid fortune to be able to tell their stories. Topics Discussed how Lemle’s time in Nepal in the Peace Corps informed him about Tibet and in turn led to his making his first documentary film how/why he treats doc filmmaking as personal exploration how to make one’s spiritual documentary accessible to a wider audience the power of a meditation practice to doc filmmakers tips for interviewing the most incredible minds of the world Additional ResourcesTeaser for The Last Dalai Lama? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v_Rpg_36ig Teaser for Compassion in Exile https://www.youtube.com/watc...
Sasha Joseph Neulinger endured some of the most traumatic events a child can experience. He is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. And he has now turned those events into one of 2020's more extraordinary documentary films, Rewind. Neulinger sits down with TDL to discuss his journey making Rewind and to offer some insight into how doc filmmakers might best deal with the depiction of personal trauma in their films. In our first segment, Chris G. Parkhurst, gives us 5 Tips for Making the Personal Documentary. Topics Discussed tips for making your personal documentary film why Neulinger set out to face his own demons by making this documentary film why making the personal documentary needs to be more for yourself than others approaching family members with your personal doc the journey of financing a film like Rewind Additional ResourcesTeaser for Rewind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx0q7ETJRAI The D-WordHey, #Doclifers! By now, you have probably heard the news that we are partners...
Eric Becker has been taking on extreme challenges since he can remember. If it's not racing bikes it's climbing mountains. If it's not climbing mountains, it's making doc films about people climbing mountains. Tune into this week's episode where we celebrate International Everest Day by welcoming doc filmmaker and mountaineer, Eric Becker on to TDL! In our first segment, Chris G. Parkhurst, gives us Reasons for Working on Multiple Documentary Projects at the same time! Topics Discussed Reasons to work on multiple doc projects at the same time How doc filmmaker Eric Beckergot hooked into documentary as a way to travel the world Logistics of filming an actual mountaineering expedition How to get brand support for your doc films How to work with an otherwise reticent doc subject Additional ResourcesTeaser for Return to Mt. Kennedy https://vimeo.com/268848753 Sponsors and Thank YousMusic Vine 15 PERCENT OFF!Music Vine https://musicvine.com/ () Thank you to music licensing platform, http...