September 3, 2014

Happy Wednesday! A few years ago, I began noticing a problem with many documentaries that set out to make a difference in the world. Despite good intentions, many social issue films leave viewers feeling immobilized and depressed Take “Inside Job”, a great investigative documentary that nails the bad guys on Wall Street to the wall. It’s a well-made film, but I wasn’t the only viewer who felt depressed when the credits rolled. Today there’s a growing appetite for documentaries that inspire audiences with solutions and “post, post-modern heroes”, as portrayed in award-winning transformational documentaries such as The Ghosts in Our…

August 31, 2014

I’m beginning a series of editing tips. Here’s tip #1, which you’ll find especially useful if you are directing a documentary with too many characters, or if you’re conveying the massive reach of your film topic. Traditional documentary storytelling involving multiple protagonists limits the number to three or four because viewers can’t remember more than that. Examples include Twenty Feet From Stardom, American Teen, and Long Night’s Journey into Day. However, what if you have several interesting characters? More importantly, what if the aim of your film is to convey the massive scale of a problem or movement? The rules…

August 27, 2014

Have you ever shied away from seeing a documentary because you knew it would be violent, horrifying or depressing? That’s why I initially resisted seeing “The Ghosts in Our Machine”. I didn’t want to subject myself to another hard-to-watch documentary portraying animals in cages, headed for slaughter houses. But I went anyway to support a vegan friend. Within minutes, I was pleasantly surprised, and by the time the credits rolled, I was transformed to the point of reconsidering my choice to eat meat! How was director Liz Marshall able to hold my attention and leave me feeling hopeful rather than…

August 26, 2014

Have you ever shied away from seeing a documentary because you knew it would be violent, horrifying or depressing? That’s why I initially resisted seeing “The Ghosts in Our Machine”. I didn’t want to subject myself to another hard-to-watch documentary portraying animals in cages, headed for slaughter houses. But I went anyway to support a vegan friend. Within minutes, I was pleasantly surprised, and by the time the credits rolled, I was transformed to the point of reconsidering my choice to eat meat! How was director Liz Marshall able to hold my attention and leave me feeling hopeful rather than…

August 20, 2014

After four months of editing my own transformational documentary, I’m back to helping other filmmakers with a new seminar called Directing the Transformational Documentary. Transformational documentaries are an emerging genre of solution-oriented films that don’t shy away from social issues but ultimately leave viewers feeling optimistic rather than disheartened. Armed with new insights, not to mention two Emmy-nominations for transformational films that we worked on last year, I’m excited to help filmmakers who want to make a difference in the world. Check out our new seminar, which begins September 15, 2014. You can save $50 if you register before September…

There’s a problem with many documentaries that set out to make a difference in the world. Despite good intentions, many social issue films leave viewers feeling immobilized. In contrast, inspiring documentaries such as Can I Be Frank?, Take Back Your Power and The Ghosts In Our Machine are solution-oriented films that are winning audience awards. According to the award-winning film production company Way To Go Media, “In the film world there is currently a movement afoot to add a new cinema genre or classification, which could be called Transformational Media.” Whether we call this emerging genre Conscious Filmmaking or Transformational…

August 17, 2014

I am offering the e-book version of Documentary Editing absolutely free, in celebration of the two Emmy-nominations received by our story consulting clients this month Tiffany Shlain (The Future Starts Here) and Steven Pressman (50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. And Mrs. Kraus)! We are proud of you and honored to collaborate! Normally sold for $27, this is the first textbook to focus exclusively on documentary editing. Feel free to share the link to download Documentary Editing: https://newdocediting.com/land/documentary-editing Whether you are editing a fundraising trailer, looking for the right structural template or micro-editing, this acclaimed book offers cutting-edge solutions…

August 8, 2014

There’s a new genre of films emerging known as “transformational documentaries”. It’s big. It’s already influential. “A transformational film,” according to AwareGuide founder and CEO, Gary Tomchuk, “seeks to inspire the movement of society toward ideals, values and practices that create a better world for everyone. They focus on solutions…” This new category of documentary, which has its roots in social issue docs as well as the human potential movement, leaves viewers feeling inspired when the credits roll—rather than disempowered by a troubled world. “More and more filmmakers are drawn to the ‘genre’ of Transformational Film,” says Celeste Allegrea Adams,…

January 21, 2014

As a story consultant who also directs documentaries, I want to recommend a seminar from one of the world’s greatest film financing experts, Carole Dean. Founder of From the Heart Productions, Carole has helped me raise more than $120,000 for my own current documentary, “American Visionary”. One of the greatest challenges for filmmakers is getting their films funded. 
That’s why Carole Dean, author of The Art of Film Funding, and Tom Malloy, author of Bankroll: A New Approach to Financing Feature Films are presenting a series of online classes that will give filmmakers the very latest tools and knowledge as well as the confidence to…

December 26, 2013

In honor of a terrific year in which we helped many filmmakers achieve broadcast and theatrical success, I’m offering a 48-hour holiday special on my editing seminars and documentary story consulting packages. First, I’m offering three filmmakers half-price off on any story consulting package. First come, first served. Email me to reserve your consultation anytime in 2014. Take half off the prices listed here: newdocediting.com/services/story-consulting I’m also offering specials on three of my online seminars: Buy “The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary” and get all of my other seminars for free. Purchase at: newdocediting.com/products If you are editing a…