Make Purposeful Progress on Your Documentary
Film director Katie Teague approached me several months ago with a common problem that many directors face.
She had shot most of her principal photography for her documentary about the faltering U.S. economy, but she didn’t know how to organize her footage in a way that best conveyed her vision. In “Money and Life,” she wanted to alert viewers to the deeper meaning behind our financial crises.
Like many filmmakers, Katie could have spent several months in post-production rearranging her soundbites and essentially going in circles.
But Katie is a thoughtful filmmaker, so she made two purposeful moves.
First, she found time in a very busy schedule for a series of creative, reflective retreats.
Her deep introspection didn’t always yield answers, but it allowed her key structural and stylistic questions to surface with clarity. She was then able to articulate them. To whom did she ask these piercing editorial questions?
Well, that brings us to her second strategic move. Katie joined my most recent Inner Circle, which gave her five valuable resources:
1. The four other filmmakers in the Inner Circle, and me.
2. Peer support through monthly mastermind calls. She also got assigned an accountability partner.
3. Unlimited e-mail access to me. (I usually get a long, thoughtful e-mail with distinctly defined queries after every retreat she takes.)
4. Three in-depth story consultations at a deep discount. (Katie had already had three consultations with me before joining, but the Inner Circle gave her three more story consultations at the price of two.)
5. Comprehensive online seminars that addressed her specific questions.
In the past few months, Katie has made significant progress on her documentary, identifying her central premise and making the bold decision to enliven her film with several character vignettes.
Adding a human element to her beautifully shot interviews with top thought leaders will enhance her film’s emotional appeal.
Did I mention she also built the film’s website, launched a newsletter and social media campaign, and courted several investors?
If you’re frustrated by a lack of purposeful progress on your documentary, join our upcoming Inner Circle and change your churning into big jumps forward.
“As I continue to blaze my way through the film,” says Katie, “the Inner Circle has been a godsend… one of the best investments to my project to date.”
I have a couple spots remaining in the Inner Circle, which begins October 15th. If you are interested but the $4000 cost is prohibitive, I’m offering full Inner Circle membership to two filmmakers at $2600. You’ll receive two rather than three one-on-one consultations. Please e-mail me if you are interested, and check out the Inner Circle at:
