Antarctica Documentary Films Inspired Me

Next month I will be traveling to Antarctica for two weeks! I am excited to be manifesting a dream that was born watching the documentary film, The Endurance, at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000. The images from Shackleton’s legendary 1914 expedition astounded me. This vast, untouched, black and white wilderness called forth my sense of adventure and even reverence. Director George Butler urged us Sundance viewers to go to Antarctica as soon as we could, warning that the area would be rapidly changing.

Fast forward 8 years. In December 2008 I created a vision board. Pictures of Antarctica have greeted me daily this year.  My dream was reinforced when I saw Werner Herzog’s Academy-nominated documentary Encounters at the End of the World. If you haven’t seen this beautiful essay film, give yourself a treat. The underwater footage is especially stunning. Herzog elicits the spirit of adventure from his characters, who are explorers, artists, and other personality types drawn to extremes.

What do I hope to experience in Antarctica? Certainly fun and adventure. I will be camping one night! But more than, that I hope that the beauty and solitude will help me connect even deeper to my sense of purpose. In terms of work, I feel called to help other documentary filmmakers by giving them the tools to craft films that inspire, unite, and add beauty to the world, as directors George Butler and Werner Herzog did.

If you are interested in learning more about creating inspiring and engaging documentary films, please check out my online self study course, Editing the Character Driven Documentary.

Go to http://www.newdocediting.com/land/editingdocumentaryecourse/