But a recent UCLA study exposed the film and television industry as the third biggest polluter in Los Angeles.

Yes, but I’m not a Hollywood production, you might be thinking.

Well… the green movement in independent documentary filmmaking is the focus of an interesting new documentary, “Greenlit”, by filmmaker Miranda Bailey. 

And the Independent Magazine has a great article this month on tips for green filmmaking.

Check it out at http://independent-magazine.org/magazine/2010/08/green_filmmaking_tips_miranda_bailey_eva_radke_lauren_selman

On another note, if you’re in the thick of post-production, or approaching it fast, check out my ebook, “Documentary Editing”, at http://newdocediting.com/products/documentary_editing_ebook/

We New Doc Inner Circle members are gaining traction!  If you’re interested in being part of this new documentary support circle, email me today.

The filmmaker, Velcrow Ripper, who is also the film’s protagonist, uses words in his narration straight from narrative bibles like “Story” by Robert McKee and “The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” by Christopher Vogler.

Ripper says he “set out” on both a geographical and internal “quest” to combine activism with spirituality. While these words are classic (and some might argue overused) terms used to define a narrative arc, they flow easily in his opening narration.   And they quickly orient the viewer to the film’s emotional ride.

From the producer of “The Corporation”, this new documentary is playing on HBO in Canada this month.  Check out how the trailer sets up the narrative arc at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh5Qvv3UIEg

If you are making a character-driven documentary, you can learn a lot about fashioning a riveting narrative arc in my free article, which has helped many filmmakers:

http://newdocediting.com/resources/

For those of you directing personal documentaries, I invite you to get my 2-part “Directing Personal Documentaries With Universal Appeal” at:

http://newdocediting.com/products/direct_personal_documentary/

Finally, I am excited to begin the New Doc Inner Circle today! Our first virtual teleseminar is about “Meta-Templates for Commercially Successful Documentaries”.  Learn more about this tight-knit community of filmmakers at:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

It is my hope that these resources will help you create a compelling structure for your important message to the world!  Keep the faith!

As an award-winning editor and teacher at the nation’s top documentary program (at UC Berkeley), I love to share my expertise with committed documentary filmmakers who are making a difference in the world.

And of the hundreds of filmmakers I’ve been able to help in the last 15 years, a number of them have been funded enough to hire my services over the course of their filmmaking, or at least over the entire editing process. 

One such filmmaker-I’ll call him John to preserve his anonymity until his film is released-came to me early in post-production.

He had heard how I was able to help structure a documentary that was playing at a local film festival, and he came seeking direction for his own work-in-progress.

When viewing an early rough cut, I became very excited by the film’s potential.  Beneath a meandering film, there lay a moving character-driven story, as well as a fascinating potential essay film. 

John and I met over the course of six months, focusing our story consulting sessions on three primary tasks.

Our first task was to isolate and develop the protagonist’s quest, building in character transformation with the help of a midpoint.  In this first rough cut, John’s protagonist faced several obstacles, but most of these hardships didn’t relate to the protagonist’s quest, resulting in a wandering storyline.  So we had to unearth and order new obstacles.

Once this was accomplished, the film had a muscular narrative arc, to which test audiences strongly resonated.

Our second task was to figure out an organized approach to the ideas in the film.  John’s documentary explored a complex topic, and we needed a simple central thesis and supporting arguments to arrange the material.

Our third task then focused on making the transitions to wed back together what were now two strong structural frameworks. By this time, John and his editor had worked with the material so much that they had lost perspective. John really appreciated the role of an outsider who could offer a fresh eye. And I felt grateful that I could help.

John is now working on his fine cut and nearly ready to send the film to festivals. I am excited and confident that his documentary will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, 2011. I’ll be buying my tickets to Park City soon!

You may be wondering, how much did this degree of story consulting cost John?

Since he used my Platinum Story Consulting Package (the highest level of service), which includes a Quicktime movie with my running commentary in real time for several cuts, as well as written notes and recorded phone collaborations, John paid close to $10,000 for consultations over a six-month period.

But … I’m excited to offer the same degree of services to filmmakers who are interested in joining my newly forming Inner Circle for much less.

For $3979, I am offering three in-depth story consultations, as well as the peer support of a tight-knit group of documentary filmmakers, group coaching calls and virtual seminars.

The New Doc Inner Circle begins next Tuesday, August 17^th, and I’m only accepting five filmmakers.  I have two openings left.

To find out if this service is right for you, check out:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

I still have a few openings for this unique coaching circle for committed filmmakers.

You’ll get in-depth story consultations over several cuts, one-on-one instruction and peer support.

Find out more at and register at:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

And feel free to email me for more information.

I look forward to working with passionate filmmakers who want to make a difference in the world!

“I am spending a large amount of time making lists of feedback and potential ideas, and endlessly reorganizing the lists,” she said.  “I get a cut done, and then I take it apart, re-do it a little, and get a thousand new ideas.  Isn’t there always a better idea, a more exciting scene, a new possibility for structuring things?”

Yes, it can certainly feel that way! I’ve spent too much time on my early films spinning my wheels, continuing to shuffle and add new scenes for months.  It seemed there was always a better way of beginning the film, or a new interview we needed to shoot.

Frankly, the process was fun, a bit addictive and, looking back, a waste of time.

At some point, you need to settle on the structure (rough cut), polish the scenes (fine cut), finalize the narration (locked picture) and prepare to send this creation through the online birth tunnel out into the world.

The question my student had was about that fuzzy line between rough cut and fine cut. “When do you stop working on adding content and manipulating structure, and begin refining your film?” she asked.

I gave her three pointers to know when your film is ready to move from rough cut to fine cut:

1. You have a second or third rough cut screening and while some people may still have “issues” with the film (they always will), the critical comments on each of the film’s problems is limited to one or maybe two people, rather than 5 people all noting the same problem.
2. You’ve gotten at least one round of advice from film professionals (story consultant, acquisition executive, outside editor, etc), you’ve incorporated their suggestions and, assuming they’re willing to re-watch the cut, they’re fairly satisfied that their original issues were addressed.
3. You feel in your gut that it’s time to move this well-formed house into the fine cut stage of sanding, painting and polishing!

Having said that, there are many other possible criteria for knowing when your rough cut is done, including limited resources, outside deadlines and narrative requirements. 

For example, if you have a character-driven film, check to see if you have:

1. An inciting incident
2. A clearly defined goal/quest
3. Significant obstacles
4. A climax at the end that calls forth a great effort from your protagonist

In the screenwriting world, these are non-negotiable plot points. For us documentary filmmakers, they are handy checklists to keep in mind as we attempt to approximate and harness the narrative drive of the ideal three-act structure….and finish our film on time!

I hope this has been helpful!  I’d love to hear from others about how they know when the film’s structure is in place, and it’s time to move on to polishing the fine cut.

On another note, I have two openings for my new documentary coaching circle, which begins in mid-August.  We’ll focus on storytelling and structure. Find out if this exclusive community of filmmakers and expert story consulting is right for you at:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

Before explaining how you can use a motif, let me first mention that I have (at the time of this writing) two slots left in my new coaching program. You can find out more about the New Doc Inner Circle, which runs August 2010 to January 2011 at:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

Now…what exactly is a motif? And why would you want to edit one into a documentary film?

You’ve probably heard of the word “motif” in terms of novels or other literary works. In Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” the flute is a motif conveying a bucolic rural setting.  Simply put, a “motif” is a recurring object or place or sometimes a statement which symbolizes the film’s topic. In other words, a motif is a vehicle through which the film’s narrative theme is conveyed. 

For example, in the recent documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work”, Joan’s datebook is a recurring symbol for her dedication to her work. Early in the film, Joan is desperate to find work. She jokes about how she needs to put her sunglasses on when looking at her date book, because of the glaring white space. The editor weaves the datebook throughout the film. By the end of the documentary, after Joan wins “Celebrity Apprentice”, her very full datebook conveys not only the flood of gigs she’s getting, but also her signature, almost obsessive love affair with work.

In the documentary “Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter” by filmmaker Deborah Hoffmann, several motifs appear to convey what it must be like to deal with Alzheimer’s disease. Hoffmann, the filmmaker and the protagonist of this moving personal film, cleverly weaves in images of clocks to symbolize the passage of time, “white-out” to symbolize a fuzzy memory, and suitcases to convey her ailing mother’s move from her home into a nursing home.

When and how do you develop a motif for your film? Ideally, during production. Stay alert to objects that can stand in for the film’s larger meaning. If you notice such an object early on, you can not only direct your cinematographer to shoot this object in an interesting, artful ways, but you can also ask your characters to expound on the object’s larger meaning. For example, Joan Rivers’ jokes about her datebook get at how this common object can embody a larger meaning.

Sometimes you may not notice a possible motif until postproduction. Again, you want to stay alert to the possibility or you may miss it. In the entertaining documentary “No Impact Man”, Collin Bevans sets out on a quest to survive a year with his family in New York City without having any impact on the environment. In my humble opinion, his wife’s agony in giving up her cherished Starbucks drink (the disposable container is a no-no) could have been pushed a bit further to become a motif symbolizing our society’s addiction to being “wired”.

Sometimes a motif is a recurring statement or a recurring element of the natural landscape. For example, in the documentary “Same River Twice” by Robb Moss, the river itself is a motif for the passage of time, which is the theme of this engaging documentary about aging baby boomers.

Have fun with developing a motif.  Gather your film’s team for coffee and spend an hour brainstorming about possible cinematic/visual and sonic/audio candidates for motifs.  Not every viewer will register the motif consciously, but this literary invention easily translates into you film’s ability to convey themes subconsciously.

The New Doc Inner Circle is designed to help a handful of committed documentary filmmakers craft compelling films with the help of a tight-knit community and expert guidance.

You can learn more about this new coaching circle here:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

As a member of the New Doc Inner Circle, you will receive:

            • Detailed story consulting advice on three of your rough cuts

            • Bi-Weekly coaching calls

            • Six hours of one-on-one recorded phone consultations about your film

In addition, you’ll get a complimentary copy of my popular online course, “Editing the Character-Driven Documentary” and much more!

The New Doc Inner Circle runs August 2010 to January 2011.

In order to provide a quality experience, I am only accepting five committed filmmakers.

To find out more and how to register, go to:

http://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/

I look forward to helping you craft a compelling documentary film!

If you missed last night’s free teleseminar, in which I shared details of this new program, you can download it for free here:

http://newdocediting.com/innercircle/teleseminar.mp3

In the teleseminar, I outline the three reasons why many documentary filmmakers fail to achieve commercial success with their films. My new program is aimed at eliminating those reasons, and keeping you on the path to sharing your vision with the world.

I am only taking five filmmakers into the new program, so if you’re interested, download the free teleseminar to find out about early registration:

http://newdocediting.com/innercircle/teleseminar.mp3

If you’re looking for a tight-knit community and expert guidance to help you structure your documentary film, don’t miss out on this free tele-seminar.

To provide a quality experience, I’m taking only five filmmakers in the New Doc Inner Circle.

Tonight’s teleseminar begins at 6 pm and will last 20 to 30 minutes.

You can register for here:

http://newdocediting.com/land/inner_circle_teleseminar/

Please join me for a free teleseminar next Tuesday, July 13th, at 6-6:30 pm PST, in which I will explain my unique new program, the New Doc Inner Circle. Register at http://newdocediting.com/land/inner_circle_teleseminar/

Find out how this master-level coaching program will provide you with community support, in-depth critiques of your cuts, and week-to-week mentoring you need to craft a compelling documentary film.  It can be lonely making a documentary film, and my intention is to provide support and veteran guidance!

I’m very excited that the New Doc Inner Circle program begins August 17^th.  Tuition for this 6-month program is $3979.97.  I have room for five motivated filmmakers, and I expect to have this special circle filled by mid-July.

To register for the free teleseminar on July 13^th about the Inner Circle, go to http://newdocediting.com/land/inner_circle_teleseminar/