Our Blog
Blog
Blog
Editing the Character-Driven Documentary
July 16, 2011
I just returned from a big shoot in Haiti. In fact, my vacation in Alaska got interrupted by a call to help the crew conduct interviews in a way that will ensure a well-structured film. If you haven’t seen my recent two-part series about conducting documentary interviews, go to my blog at: https://newdocediting.com/2011/06/how-to-conduct-documentary-interviews-part-1/ It’s good to be back, and I’m excited to share two developments. First, if you need an editor or will be soon, please let me know. We have two very talented editors who will be finishing projects this month. When you hire a New Doc Editing editor,…
Read More...Declaring Your Documentary’s Central Thesis
July 6, 2011
In celebration of my 50th birthday, I’m taking a cruise to Alaska. During my vacation, I want to share with you one of my most popular and useful blog postings from 2010. Many filmmakers wrote in to say how valuable they found this structural technique. Have you ever watched a documentary that meandered so much you wondered if the filmmaker was on her own little acid trip? Most of the topic-based documentaries that are showcased at the big festivals, screened theatrically and/or broadcast on television (“Supersize Me”, “Religulous” and “Who Killed The Electric Car?”) don’t suffer from a meandering structure.…
Read More...
How to Conduct Documentary Interviews, Part 2
June 29, 2011
I’m excited to share my own special interviewing technique, which will provide you with succinct answers that you can use in post-production to structure your film. This blog is part 2 of my series on conducting extraordinary interviews with your characters and experts. After you conduct ninety percent of your interview using techniques designed to get full-bodied answers (see last week’s blog at https://newdocediting.com/2011/06/how-to-conduct-documentary-interviews-part-1), it’s time to switch gears. You’ve already gotten the meaty, thoughtful answers you need to make sense of your film’s story or material. Now you want to elicit powerful one-liners that you can use to set…
Read More...
How to Conduct Documentary Interviews, Part 1
June 22, 2011
Last month one of my story consulting clients flew across the country so I could interview her for her personal documentary. We knew we would use parts of the interview as the film’s chief storytelling voice, so eliciting answers we could use as narration in post-production was particularly important. Preparing for the interview, I employed two effective techniques that I want to share with you here. The first, which I’ll share this week, comes from PBS producer Jon Else, a co-producer for the award-winning “Eyes on the Prize” series. The second is my own invention, having helped hundreds of filmmakers…
Read More...
Talented Editor Available
June 15, 2011
If you’re approaching post-production and looking for an editor, consider hiring one of the best editors in the business! He just finished cutting a documentary that premiered at the prestigious Hot Docs Film Festival, and we’re looking for the next right project. When you work with us, you get an editor who is well-versed in my storytelling expertise, as well as one hour per week of free story consulting from me. You get two minds for the price of one! Although this editor is based in New York, we frequently edit documentaries virtually, meaning you can live anywhere in the…
Read More...Cut Your Documentary Until It Bleeds
June 8, 2011
I recently heard a PBS producer use the phrase “cut until it bleeds” to refer to the often painful post-production process. If you’re editing a documentary, chances are you’ve already begun cutting out some treasured sound bites and scenes. Good for you. In my opinion, ninety percent of documentaries that make it to a film festival could use another 10-15 percent of the footage cut out. That’s why I was so pleased when our story-consulting client Robert James showed me his completed short, “Library of Dust”. At 14 minutes, this compelling documentary short manages to intercut at least five storylines…
Read More...
One Spot Remaining for Documentary Inner Circle
May 30, 2011
I have one spot remaining in the New Doc Inner Circle, which begins tomorrow, June 1st! The Inner Circle will help you stay on track with your film. You’ll receive professional story guidance, within a group of passionate, committed filmmakers. To learn more or register, go to: https://newdocediting.com/land/innercircle/ Note that I will extend the early-bird pricing for one more day. Here’s what one of our current Inner Circle members had to say about her experience: “’The Inner Circle’ was vital in launching me from concept to rough cut. Karen and the Inner Circle filmmakers’ support which gave me confidence, inspiration…
Read More...The Biggest Mistake I’ve Made
May 25, 2011
We all make mistakes. The biggest mistake most filmmakers make — and I’ve seen this with hundreds of my story consulting clients — is that they become excited by a topic, interview several people and shoot passionately in search of a story, only to end up with hundreds of hours and still no viable story structure. I’ve made this mistake myself–and not only on my first film! On my fifth feature documentary, “Women in Love”, I had amassed 243 hours of footage. After two years of shooting, I was eager to begin editing. But even though I’ve won awards for…
Read More...
My 50th Birthday Present to Filmmakers
May 23, 2011
A few weeks ago my well-intentioned, dear best friend Phyllis snooped into my Address Book and mistakenly sent out thousands of emails inviting my “friends” (actually, film clients) to my surprise 50th birthday party. I began receiving irate emails from a few filmmakers saying that their email security had been breached by an unknown party. When I asked my friend Phyllis if she knew anything about this problem, she confessed. And she was mortified. She sent out an apology email (which I hope you received if you were one of the invitees). Of course, you are welcome to my surprise…
Read More...5 Free Documentary Seminars
May 17, 2011
In celebration of the Hot Docs Film Festival premiere of one of the documentaries we recently edited (“Open Secret”), I’m extending a special offer to documentary filmmakers who need help structuring their films. I’m giving away ALL FIVE of my online documentary storytelling seminars, if you do one of two things: – Join our upcoming Inner Circle, a world-class story consulting group for filmmakers which begins June 1st, 2011; Or… – Refer a friend who joins the Inner Circle. Do you know a fellow filmmaker who needs help finding their film’s story and structuring an engaging documentary? Or, maybe you…
Read More...