Our Blog
Blog
Blog
Oprah’s New Documentary Fund
March 9, 2011
Last week’s newsletter about “The New Documentary Movement” hit a nerve, generating lots of feedback! More on that in a moment. First, if you’re directing a character-driven documentary, I’m teaching my often sold-out seminar “Structuring the Character Driven Documentary” this weekend, March 12 and 13, in San Francisco. You can register at the San Francisco Film Society website. If you aren’t in the Bay Area, you can get the online recording of the seminar (the first module is only $1) at: https://newdocediting.com/ Now back to The New Documentary Movement, described in last week’s newsletter as a trend in producing hopeful,…
Read More...The New Documentary Movement
March 3, 2011
Sunday’s Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, awarded to “Inside Job,” underscores the ongoing need for strong investigative journalism that exposes corruption. If you’re making such a hard-hitting documentary, congratulations. However, I may not want to see your film. Having taught for 18 years at a graduate school of journalism (UC Berkeley), I’m steeped in an editorial approach that undermines rather than builds up. And now I, like many viewers in America, am fed up. Actually, I just want to see an uplifting documentary! Thankfully, times are changing. I recently attended the Sundance Film Festival, where a film that I story…
Read More...
Do You Have an Engaging Elevator Pitch?
February 24, 2011
I’m excited to say that the New Doc Inner Circle is full! We had our first Mastermind Call on Tuesday, in which I asked the filmmakers to describe their films in 1-2 sentences, so they could begin to become familiar with one another’s projects. As it turns out, that’s not such an easy task. How often have you been asked, “What’s your film about?” and not had the succinct elevator pitch you know you should have? It’s happened to me in the early stages of all five of my (eventually successful) documentary films. And it’s a bit embarrassing. So to…
Read More...Documentary Circle Begins Tomorrow, Feb. 15th
February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine’s Day, all you doc lovers! I’m thrilled that my own labor of love, the New Doc Inner Circle, has been attracting passionate documentary filmmakers seeking close contact with like-minded artists. At the time I’m writing this email, I have only one opening left. In the last few days, the Inner Circle has been attracting filmmakers seeking support, accountability, and guidance in structuring their documentary. Based on the results of our former Inner Circle, you’ll make significant progress on your documentary, including nailing down your film’s structure in the course of our six months. In fact, most of the…
Read More...Hearing The Truth About Your Documentary, With Compassion
February 9, 2011
Last week many of my students at UC Berkeley kindly asked, “How was Sundance?” “Great!” I replied, recalling the thrill of sharing the stage with director Tiffany Shlain and the crew of “Connected” (connectedthefilm.com). I tried to explain to my students that while I enjoyed the ego-gratification of being on stage for the film’s Q&A’s, I enjoyed even more the camaraderie of being a valued member of a talented team. Part of Shlain’s success as a director stems from her ability to seek out, support, and solicit the best from industry professionals who specialize in different aspect of documentary filmmaking.…
Read More...
Reminder: Free Teleseminar on New Documentary Movement
January 31, 2011
I’m back from an inspiring Sundance Film Festival, and I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learned about the New Documentary Movement that is emerging. Learn how you can position your documentary to be on the vanguard of this auspicious new trend. As a reminder, I invite you to register for our free teleseminar on “The New Documentary Movement”. I will also be sharing details about our upcoming documentary Inner Circle. The teleseminar is tomorrow, TUE, 2/1, at 5-5:30 pm PST. It will be recorded. Register at: https://newdocediting.com/land/inner_circle_teleseminar/
Read More...The New Documentary Movement
January 27, 2011
I’m blogging from the Sundance Film Festival, where the documentary that I story consulted on, “Connected” (connectedthefilm.com), is getting great buzz and already won one award! I’m very excited! And I am also noticing an interesting, inspiring trend developing. I’m dubbing it the “New Documentary Movement”. Like “Connected”, many documentaries are emerging these days that are more interested in generating new solutions to today’s problems than pointing the finger at the usual suspects. These solution-oriented documentaries don’t shy away from social issue problems, but they bring a spirit of optimism that makes the case for change entertaining, not overwhelming. These…
Read More...
How We Structured “Connected”
January 20, 2011
I’m going to the Sundance Film Festival tomorrow, where “Connected”, a film that I story consulted on, is premiering in the Documentary Competition. I’m very excited! If you’re going to Sundance, look for New Doc Editing at the outreach table at the Filmmakers Lodge on Wednesday, 1/26, 10 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Meanwhile, I want to share with you the contents of a cool flyer we’ll have at the booth, which tells how we structured the documentary “Connected” (connectedthefilm.com), directed by Tiffany Shlain. Story Consultant Gets Excited. When I first watched an early assembly cut for Tiffany Shlain’s documentary “Connected”, my story…
Read More...
Free E-book Documentary Editing
January 13, 2011
In celebration of one of our story consulting projects getting into Sundance (“Connected”), I’m excited to offer my acclaimed e-book “Documentary Editing” for free! Normally sold for $27, this unique and insightful workbook reveals structural strategies, editing aesthetics and micro-editing techniques. For a short time, I’m giving it away to anyone who will help me give away more e-books! Here’s how it works. Click on the link below, add your name and email, and we will immediately email you the 180-page ebook “Documentary Editing”. You’ll then be given the opportunity to gift the e-book to a friend or filmmaker colleague.…
Read More...
Talented Documentary Editor Available
January 6, 2011
One of our talented editors is finishing up a long project, so if you are looking for an editor (or will be soon), please email me. This particular editor is incredibly talented and wonderfully personable. He’s a former student of mine from the top documentary program in the country at UC Berkeley (according to Documentary Magazine). He’s edited several programs for television broadcast. If you’d like to know more, please email me at Karen@newdocediting.com. Also, stay tuned for my upcoming announcement about our exciting next Inner Circle, a 6-month documentary coaching program that gives you a terrific deal on story…
Read More...