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Unusually Creative Editor Available
April 13, 2020
I have a talented editor available. Her combined experience in television dramas and documentaries brings unusual creativity to non-fiction films. She also cares deeply about the projects she cuts. Please let me know if you’re interested!
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Anniversary of Barbara Marx Hubbard’s Death
April 10, 2020
The subject of my latest documentary, Barbara Marx Hubbard, died one year ago today. She would have been 90. She did not live to see the coronavirus, not her vision of a “peace room” in the office of the vice presidency. But as the New York Times obit says, “Her ideas, book and lectures had reached countless seekers looking to clarify their purpose and expand their consciousness.” What would Barbara have thought of the coronavirus? Perhaps she’d think about her 1966 vision, in which a calamity struck humanity with such force that “we all stopped. And in that stopping came…
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Funds for U.S. Filmmakers
April 9, 2020
To my U.S. readers, federal funds are available! Starting today, independent contractors and self-employed individuals are eligible to apply for Payment Protection Loans (PPP). In many cases, these loans do not need to be paid back. These PPP loans are also still available to small businesses, on a first come, first served basis. Additionally, many of you will qualify for EIDL loans, in which the first $10,000 is a loan advance, aka a “grant”. Learn more here. If you don’t think you’re eligible, think again! Experts advise all filmmakers who consider themselves in business to apply–whether you are an LLC,…
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Is It Time?
April 2, 2020
During this crazy pandemic, some of us seek a silver lining. For you, it might be on the shelf where you put your passion project. For others, it’s in the footage you recently shot. (If you were in the throes of production, like a few of my clients, it can feel ruinous to suddenly stop shooting.) Why not use this time to reflect on what’s in the can, and what’s not? To help, check out these past newsletters on specific topics that might be timely for you: Is it time to start logging footage (and also identify what’s missing)?How to…
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Godspeed For Documentation of Coronavirus
March 12, 2020
Right now there are a handful of filmmakers beginning the journey of documenting the coronavirus. I wish them Godspeed and good health. May their stories enlighten us with better science, pierce us with empathy, and inspire us with more capacity for a united, global response. To those filmmakers whose screenings were affected by industry-wide closures, including the SXSW Festival cancellations, I offer my sympathy and best wishes for distribution. To those who actually have the virus, may your pain ease and a full recovery come quickly. Finally, to those who suffer from the isolation of self-quarantine to the uncertainty of…
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Definition of Locked Picture
February 27, 2020
I recently talked with two PBS series producers about syncing up our definitions of documentary jargon. Before our editor began cutting 30 hours of footage, we wanted to have similar expectations, for example, about the purpose and length of a Rough Cut. That conversation led to my 4-part blog series on post-production terms. Today is Part 4. I invite you to check out previous definitions and add your two cents! Part 1: Definition of Assembly Cut Part 2: Definition of Rough Cut Part 3: Purpose of Fine Cut Locked Picture means just that: from now on there will be no…
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Purpose of Fine Cut
February 20, 2020
Here’s Part 3 of my 4-part series that originated from a workflow discussion with PBS producers. See also Stages of Post-Production. Once the film’s structure has been finalized in the Rough Cut, we’re on to the Fine Cut! The purpose of the Fine Cut is to make the film look and sound pleasing, within 3% of the final TRT. Micro-edits will finesse scenes and control pacing. It’s also time to fact check and wrap narration. If time permits, rushes are re-screened to find overlooked gems. The Fine Cut also includes any special effects, title treatment, and placeholders for every single…
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Definition of Rough Cut
February 11, 2020
Today is Part 2 of my 4-part series on post-production terms. To understand more definitions, check out the Stages of Post-Production. Edited from an Assembly Cut, a Rough Cut is the first cut that resembles an actual documentary movie. The Rough Cut requires a sharp cutter to shave away the chaff–as well as heavy structural lifting to correctly order scenes. With a focus on dramatic pacing, the purpose of a character-driven Rough Cut is to hone in on narrative arc(s) and, if there are multiple arcs, identify where they intersect. In an essay-style Rough Cut, ideas find their logical structure,…
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Definition of Assembly Cut
February 5, 2020
Editing a PBS series, we learned that it helps for the editorial team to sync up on definitions, and hence expectations, of post-production jargon. So today is Part 1 of my 4-part series on Post-Production Terms. The Assembly Cut pulls the best moments and narrative elements from string-out sequences. (String outs can be up to several hours’ worth of pared down footage, organized by scene or character or theme. Read more about string outs in our How To Edit Footage Quickly blog.) The Assembly Cut is the first best guess at documentary’s structure, hence it’s often organized chronologically. No more…
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Filmmaker’s Dark Night of the Soul
January 28, 2020
First, a quick announcement: I have a deeply experienced editor available soon. Email me if you’re interested. And now for a bit of filmmaking psychology. In life, we can’t predict when a dark night of the soul will descend. But in documentary filmmaking, we can venture a good guess. Malaise often hits in early post-production. Why? The exciting immediacy of principal photography has passed. Often, funds have been spent on filming. Exhaustion sets in. And working alone to craft a film–especially if you’re an extrovert–can spiral into procrastination and even depression. If you’re tired and out of cash, give yourself…
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