September 15, 2022

Need a film trailer? Last month, I taught one of my most informative trailer editing webinars ever! And thanks to distribution consultant Keith Ochwat (Show&Tell), you can now watch the recording! (No download option available). Also, check out our new Trailer Editing services page.

August 29, 2022

This week, as Keith Ochwat (Show&Tell) and I worked on tomorrow’s Trailer Editing Webinar, we discovered we are both “cut of the same cloth” (his words).  We both strive for excellence, having revised our webinar nine times! We both are natural teachers with success in the documentary world. And we both care immensely about the filmmakers we serve! That’s my preamble and pitch for tomorrow’s webinar: Cutting Trailers: Essential Rules for this Essential Tool. This free live webinar is Thursday, 8/25 @ 1pm PT. Be ready for loads of trailer editing lore and lots of new material! 

Editing a trailer is not only important for a film’s distribution–but also as a fundraising tool aimed at gatekeepers. Join Keith Ochwat (Show&Tell) and I as we explain how to edit a trailer that will impress funders. We’ll also be inviting your questions about trailer editing! Register here for this free live webinar. It’s Thursday, 8/25 @ 1pm PT.  And yes, this webinar will be recorded for those who have registered but can’t make it live!

July 28, 2022

A few years ago I worked with a Christian filmmaker on a documentary series called “Confronting Porn”. Since I’m not necessarily opposed to pornography, having made some lesbian porn in my youth, I paused before accepting the call to help her. In the past, when I was a recovering Catholic turned Mormon, and then avowed atheist, I might have declined. But Louise Weber convinced me that her vision was to shed light on porn addiction, and I couldn’t say no to that! As we collaborated, I encountered such doctrines as (in my words) “sex is sacred” and “virginity is a…

July 20, 2022

Editing a personal documentary requires some distance from one’s subject—i.e. one’s self. That’s especially true if, like director Jonathan Schroder, you’ve experienced a dramatic transformation. In Episode 3 of The Art of Documentary Storytelling, hear how my staff editor and I gave this director fresh perspective on his own journey, encouraging radical transparency. “Few directors would expose themselves to this degree, and Schroder deserves kudos for his openness on this journey of self-discovery,” said a critic on Roger Ebert.com about The Boys In Red Hats. Infusing the film with candor wasn’t easy. For example, we weighed the consequences of the…

July 14, 2022

In this special episode of The Art of Documentary Storytelling, my staff editor and I collaborate with the producers of The Boys In Red Hats (2021). They had hired New Doc Editing to edit their politically-charged documentary. You’ll hear four editorial sessions that reveal our post-production workflow. But first, a quick news flash about another documentary that we edited: We Said No! No! This story of civil disobediences combines dramatic reenactments and archival footage. The result? An artful, emotionally charged tale of social justice that rocked film festivals in Toronto, Berlin and Tokyo, where it won the Golden Prize for…

July 4, 2022

Happy July 4th to my U.S. readers! Our holiday sale on my popular documentary seminars officially ends in 24 hours. Click here to buy The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary (formerly sold for $297.97) for $50. With your purchase, I’m also including my other seminar “Editing the Character Driven Documentary” (currently $79.97) for free. Topics include how to launch your film, build momentum, craft a climax scene, and structure a documentary with multiple protagonists.

July 1, 2022

To celebrate American Independence Day, I’m offering a two-for-one sale on my popular documentary seminars.   Click here to buy The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary (formerly $297) for $50. As a bonus I’ll include for free Editing the Character-Driven Documentary (now valued at $79.97).Here’s what one Emmy-Award-winning director had to say about Editing the Character-Driven Documentary:“This class was invaluable for bringing into crystal-clear focus how to bring a 3-act structure to a documentary film. Karen is inspiring and the documentary clips she screens are extremely useful.” – Paige Bierman, Producer/Director

June 24, 2022

Happy Pride! My father hung the rainbow flag from his house in rural Maine, and I couldn’t be prouder! He’s happy he doesn’t live in a retirement community—but who knew there were retirement homes for LBGTQ+ people? For this revelation, we have veteran director Pam Walton to thank! Her documentary The Lodge, about the nation’s first state-licensed retirement community for LGBTI+ seniors and their allies, will premiere this weekend on public television. Congratulations! As Pam told the LGBT Aging Center, “Ruth and I, both filmmakers, were married in 2008 in California and decided in 2017 it was time to sell…

March 29, 2022

First, congratulations to the creative team behind Summer of Soul for winning Best Documentary Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards! (We won’t talk about Will Smith here.) Director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson decided not to use conventional narration, instead relying on the emcee of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival to introduce performers and lend mood. It was a good choice. Ditto for fellow nominee Stanley Nelson, who co-directed Attica, a documentary about a famous prison rebellion fifty years ago. Now, time for a disclaimer. I’ve argued before The Case for Narration, an underestimated tool that can clarify plot points and establish…