Read What Directors Are Saying

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See IMDb Credits for Karen Everett

More Testimonials

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We don’t expect anyone to read more than 150 glowing testimonials. But we hope the fact that we have them says something!

“After a myriad of “Thank you for applying, but…” rejection letters I accepted Karen and her staff writer’s invitation and let them take the lead in helping me with the ITVS proposal. While the proverbial jury is still out, her writer was able to glean from my notes and our phone conversations exactly what my film is about and translate that into a grant proposal. If you’ve reached your frustration boiling point in grant writing, give Karen a call, I don’t think you’ll regret it.”
– Brenda Hayes, Director, Deep Conditioning

“Karen is a master of story structure — particularly the nuanced ways that we as documentary filmmakers can consider traditional plot development while filming real life events. She helped me translate amorphous ideas into specific plot points and develop my language to more accurately describe my vision for my personal documentary film in a grant proposal. Her staff-writer offered me perspective on broadening the reach of my subject matter, and brought a sense of dramatic tension and urgency to my writing. I would definitely work with the two of them again.”
– Isara Krieger, Director, Your Father

“I contacted Karen when I was struggling to write a better grant application. Her insight and advice were invaluable. I also learned so much working with her staff grant writer. Her writing is simply beautiful. She took my confused scribbles and the ideas I shared in our phone call, and created a compelling storyline. Working with Karen and her team was just the boost I needed to recharge my project and move it forward.”
– Lonnie Frazier, Director/Producer

“Believe the hype! Karen Everett is the real deal. Karen’s invaluable story consulting insight helped us identify the most interesting material and compelling stories allowing us to cut a significant amount of footage to deliver an even more captivating film. Karen even went above and beyond by introducing us to her film industry contacts. We are grateful for Karen and lucky to have her a part of our team.”
– Ryan Lowery, Director

“We have engaged Karen as Story Editor on two films. Both times she was quick to grasp the central themes. After carefully reviewing our current film’s transcript and Assembly cut, her insightful suggestions significantly increased the film’s clarity and flow. We expect to hire Karen again.”
 – Alan Blaiss and Joseh Garcia

“I have long been a fan of Karen’s emails, her book about editing, and the various seminars she offers. She always has helpful hints that come at just the right time when I need them. So when I got the email that she was offering help with ITVS proposals I jumped at the chance to work with her one-on-one. Her suggested revisions to our written narrative helped us talk about our film in new ways. Her notes on how to edit and restructure our work sample helped us “kill a few darlings” and strengthen the flow. Karen is a wise and supportive advisor who is clearly committed to presenting her client’s films in their best possible versions.”
– Cheri Gaulke, Artist/Filmmaker/Educator/Activist

“New Doc Editing was exactly what we needed to get our documentary completed. Staff editor Richard was an outstanding lead editor (and writer) on our production team. With the collaboration of superb story consultants, Karen and John, Richard was able to transform hours of disparate videos and dozens of images into a truly engaging 85-minute feature film.  We are graciously indebted to New Doc Editing for the success of our film.”
– Paul Heinzelmann, director of Safe Sets?

“When it came time to edit, New Doc Editing was on the top of my list. Karen’s business model is unique as she prequalifies an editor best suited for your film and then guides the collaborative process to a smooth landing. Her editor pulled the best footage from 30 plus hours and 10 weeks went by in a flash!”
– Scott Marshutz, Director, Let ‘Em Play

“Working with Karen Everett and her team at New Doc Editing was a game changer. While we knew we were close to completion, we were stuck in how to make our film the best story that it could be. John and Karen, with thoughtful and caring insight, helped us take the film to that next level. The amount of time they take to review the film and discuss their notes with the filmmakers was impressive. Their insight was invaluable. Best money spent and I would work with them again in a heartbeat.”
– Renee Renata Bergen, Film Producer/Editor, At Your Cervix

“Karen is a brilliant editor. She did a magnificent job on the paper edit, turning my 96-minute feature “Resisterhood,” into a 56-minute TV cut. I’d also like to sing the praises of her emerging editor who did the actual edit. He was a pleasure to work with. Forty minutes is a lot to cut out of a feature and not easy to do long distance, but Chris, with Karen’s guidance, not only stuck with what was sometimes a difficult project—he also made sure the final edit was spectacular. I want to thank them both for their commitment to getting the job done right.”
– Cheryl Crim, Director, Resisterhood.

“Karen dove right in, guiding us toward a more compelling version of our concept summary, the central component to the ITVS application. She was proactive, communicated clearly and provided us with an abundance of smart, thoughtful notes that enhanced the visual read of our treatment and gave it much sharper narrative focus. Karen’s consultation was a worthwhile investment. Not only were we better prepared for the ITVS application, but we’ve now created stronger materials we’ll use beyond ITVS as we seek partners and funding for our feature documentary.”
– Jennifer Plante Johnson, Director

“I was aware that our documentary had a compelling idea and strong characters; however, we needed help prioritizing and building a persuasive story arc for the characters. Karen’s story consulting served like a GPS for our project. With her minute observations, and straightforward, actionable suggestions, she has helped improve the narrative structure of our film, create empathy for the characters, and effectively convey the core message about the film.”
– Vidyut Latay, Producer/Director: Alien

“The collaborative and creative relationship I experienced with New Doc Editing’s senior staff editor resulted in a moving, funny, and meaningful trailer for Undaunted Changemakers docuseries. He understood the significance and the intent of the changemakers’ initiatives and expertly pulled the best sound bites, b-roll, and images from 30 hours of footage. I’m grateful he pushed me to accept his concept for a personal theme for the trailer, which touches the heartstrings while wowing the audiences with the power of the changemakers’ work.”
– Janet Robert, Director

“Karen’s fresh and expert eyes on my rough cut finally ended my stalemate with the story! She sharpened the narrative and saw a powerful ending I hadn’t even thought of. Most importantly, her feedback re-energized my edit. I revised my cut based on her thoughtful and actionable notes and I’m getting all positive feedback on it, which means I’m on the right track!”
– Franziska Blome, Director/Editor Echoes from Elaine

“Not sure if you saw my chat message today during your ‘From The Heart Saving Money’ zoom so I want to take this opportunity to THANK YOU.  I am always amazed by your generosity and kindness when it comes to sharing your expertise! I’ve been an editor for over 30 years, cut all genres, won Emmy’s and I continue to learn from you. Just proves you can teach an old cat new tricks.
– Nancy Rosenblum, Emmy-award winning Editor

Want you both to know, I just finished Karen’s editing segment that was on ‘From the Heart’. It was OUTSTANDING. I’ve been to many of the editing webinars, but the prerecorded segment directed to accelerated editing was the best I’ve heard.  Thanks for such constructive details, Karen – and to Carole for the podcast.
– Connie Bottinelli, Director

“We’ve had a very successful collaboration with New Doc Editing. Thank you, Karen, for your notes and encouragement, and for assigning us the perfect editor. Jennifer’s work on our film has been outstanding. Numerous times she went above and beyond what was asked to help us meet deadlines. She was always sensitive to the subject matter and happy to try out different ideas to get something right. She’s been a huge creative force. Her creative story solutions would often cause a cheer in the office. It’s amazing to think of how fast she whipped our story into shape and what a delight it was to work with her.”
– Marlo McKenzie, Director, Topless At The Condor: The Carol Doda Story

“Karen Everett and her staff editor Jesus are fantastic! Jesus was very easy to work with. His editing abilities helped turn my footage into a meaningful film. I will definitely reach out to New Doc Editing for assistance with my next movie!”
– Andrea Page, Director

“As a documentary filmmaker working most of the time on my own, trying to make sense of a giant puzzle that is a story, it is crucial to have support from an insightful expert on storytelling who can pinpoint what is working and what’s not and why. I finally found that guiding light in Karen Everett’s New Doc Editing. I had an excellent experience working with her staff editor John in our two sessions. His guidance helped me focus on what was essential to capture in the production phase. And now, after our rough-cut session, I am confident that John’s generous feedback and deep knowledge of story structure will help me shape a well-crafted, compelling story. From now on, in all the future projects I’ll work on, I’ll include them in the planning stages and the production budget.”
– Aymée Cruzalegui, Director/Producer

“Karen’s editor CS is an absolute pleasure to work with. His enthusiasm for filmmaking/editing is infectious and it shows in his work. He (thank God for me) edits fast, but also brings a lot to the table creatively and as a natural storyteller. People in the industry like to say, “Do you want it done fast or do you want it done right?” He does both.”
– Jon Schroder, Director, The Boys In Red Hats

“Karen and her editor were both diligent, creative, and passionate while also being collaborative and easy to work with. At the end of the day, I can’t imagine working with anyone else as the trailer exceeded my expectations. Karen/New Doc Editing is simply a joy to work with. Her attention to detail, passion, and expertise made the process exciting and fun; not to mention the finished product turned out AMAZING! Karen is a fantastic storyteller, mentor, and editor. Her passion for the project and her expertise is invaluable to anyone looking for a professional theatrical trailer.”
– Jon Schroder, The Boys in Red Hats

“Karen is thoughtful, experienced, and kindly attentive; she provided us with a much-needed outside viewpoint on our story. Story is everything, so getting help and expertise like this is crucial.”
– East Forest, Producer/Director

“I really enjoyed my time working with Karen and John on We Want the Airwaves. They are excellent collaborators who can make sense out of the nonsensical, craft story out of anti-story, and generally help conjure amazing documentaries.”
– Scott Ryan, Director

“Karen’s system made it VERY easy for me to execute her suggestions myself in Premiere. She’s clearly an expert in structure, and I felt that she really took to heart our priorities when she made her cuts.  I was way too close to it to see how we could possibly make our story work with 37 fewer minutes, and her guidance saved us a lot of time.  My producers were impressed at how solid the first pass was after following her notes faithfully, and we are very happy that we’ve chosen to create this TV-hour version.”
– Emily Branham, Director

“We’re so grateful that Karen swooped in to guide our feature to one hour cut down, saving us countless hours agonizing over which precious gems we needed to loose and still tell a clear and compelling story. After four years we were too close to the subject to see the wood from the trees. Karen’s expert outsider opinion was exactly what we needed.
– Jasmine Duthie, Clawed Hat Films

“Karen provided fresh eyes and a deep knowledge of documentary filmmaking to help me make significant improvements to my film. I would recommend her to anyone who believes their documentary can be more than what it is–but need help to achieve that goal.”
– Cliff Orloff, Filmmaker

“Karen was integral in helping us. We couldn’t imagine a way to further cut from a feature-length documentary to an even shorter TV edit without losing critical parts of the history. Yet, Karen quickly and efficiently provided TV edit recommendations that were absolutely spot on, and maintained every aspect of the story – so much so that those who watched both versions of the film barely noticed the cuts!”
– Julie Parker, Producer, Kitsune Tale Productions

“Thank you Karen for creating opportunities like this, so useful for small set ups like mine where I am literally where the buck starts and stops! I’m glad you suggested that I work with your staff story consultant, who immediately felt like a friend. He understood what I wanted to convey and very gently guided me on track where I was losing focus. I had a wonderful and insightful interaction with him, and I am now putting together the final cut of my film.”
– Rajani Mani, Director, Colonies in Conflict

“I have never met someone with the ability to understand the purpose of a film while being able to traverse the ground floor and deliver illuminating and actionable notes. Karen’s fresh eyes and expertise energized my editor and me immediately. Weirdly enough, reading over her notes was a unique joy. Ultimately, she helped us strengthen the structure of the narrative and create a more balanced film.”
– Brenton Gieser, Director, The 50

“We were struggling with our story line to really make it pop and interesting to non-experts in the field and viewers across the spectrum.  We purchased the full scope of Karen’s services. She has really given us focus on how to better sculpt our story in a more compelling manner–that would appeal to a broader audience.  We are incorporating Karen’s suggestions now and look forward to a successful fall release.”
– Jennifer A. Manner, Director, When Wire Was King: The Transformation of Telecommunications 

“After a valuable session with Karen’s staff story consultant at New Doc Editing, I just got to read through his comments and it is invaluable! His specificity is extremely helpful. He tackled things I’ve felt or we have gotten feedback about before, but not specifically enough to know what we needed to do. Now we know! I’m excited to implement these changes and see the difference! I really appreciate the time and spirit New Doc Editing gave our project. We are so grateful for their time and generosity of spirit.”
– A’magine, Director/Producer, At Your Cervix

“Karen from New Doc Editing enthusiastically jumped in to help make our film more engaging and impactful. She balances attention to detail with seeing the big picture in a way that can support filmmakers to reach the full potential of their projects. Karen’s perspective offered me vital insight not just for my film but for storytelling in general. Thanks!”
– Wil Kristin, Director, Finding Groovopolis

“My film has needed some help for a while. I chose Karen’s Initial Full Story Consultation and received detailed notes, comments and suggestions. The whole process was extremely interesting, thought provoking and inspiring. Karen is totally honest but also positive and enthusiastic. My confidence and energy levels are much higher than before.”
– Peta Carney, Director

“Karen has been pivotal in moving our documentary forward. She listened to all the audio and visual media and really honed our overall message to make it flow. She also helped write several narration VoiceOvers that segued the important topics which needed a smooth transition. Karen has a natural way of grasping the unique dynamics of a project and really highlighting the strengths in our production. She is a thorough professional who will take your project to a higher level.
– Lindsay Costillo, Traffik N Sex

“I had a wonderful experience working with Karen Everett at New Doc Editing. She is creative and kind and patient, which was important to me as I am a new filmmaker. The editor, Jennifer, that she paired me with was fabulous. She captured the essence of my vision and delivered a beautiful piece that really works. I am looking forward to working with both Karen and Jennifer in the future.”
– Diane Rose-Solomon, Animal Magic Films

“As a documentary filmmaker for 25 years, I thought I had a solid handle on ’story.’ But Karen’s evergreen seminars remind me that I still have so much to learn. In both seminars–“Editing the Character-Driven Documentary” and “The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Documentaries”–her familiarity with the material and concrete tips drove home important concepts. She also offers excellent, real-world examples that will take your film to the next level. I highly recommend her instruction.”
– Michael Hanrahan, Producer, Earth Media Lab

“I came to New Doc Editing with a limited budget, technical problems, and an unfinished film. Karen and her editor wasted no time in assisting me, solving all of my tech problems, and providing me with a completed film. I highly recommend this service to any indie documentarian looking for help at any stage of the editing process. The editor was communicative, knowledgeable, and extremely professional. Karen, even though I opted for the cheaper package, was still extremely involved and oversaw the whole process. My only complaint is that I wish I had reached out to them sooner!”
– Nathaniel Frum, Director

“Karen’s disposition, creativity, and desire to be about solutions—not just pointing out problems—makes for a welcomed collaborator if your are interested in elevating your work sample or written grant materials. I found my experience with her to be overall encouraging and can already see the impact her notes have had on my project.”
– Bryan Pitcher, Director, Misima

“A fellow filmmaking friend suggested we have Karen Everett review our rough cut. She provided excellent insights into how we could better engage our viewers. She also provided her staff editor, someone I could trust to get us to the finish line. He brought a strong voice and eagerness to learn about the topic, making our cut a lot better. It wasn’t always easy, though I think the end result speaks for itself. I wholeheartedly recommend them.”
-John McAllister, Director, Double Dummy

“Karen is a joy to work with. I started working with her towards the end of production with 25% of the scenes still needing to be shot. She helped me carve out a strong story narrative from my nebulous concepts. She clarified which scenes were needed, and which we could do without to keep production costs down—all while ensuring I still had the footage needed for the edit. Karen is a thorough editor, and she genuinely put her energy into helping me evolve my story and bring my film to completion.”
– Fuchsia Lin, Director

“Working with New Doc Editing was a pleasure. Story consultant Karen Everett helped structure my documentary into a cohesive storyline that moved judiciously. Her editor, a.k.a. “detective”, had a great knack for finding archival film and photographs of the 1940 period. She is a terrific editor, meticulous and thorough. Very creative team. I recommend them without reservation.”
– Brian Maeda, Director, We Said, No! No!

“Karen is a caring teacher at heart. It’s hard to find quality, talented, and professional documentary story consultants out there. She is the real deal. Her knowledge will help you share the best version of your story with the world. For my next film, I know who I will turn to again.”
– Sadhvi Siddhali Shree, Director, Surviving Sex Trafficking

“Working with Karen was very helpful. It gave me new insights and ideas around tightening up the story arc and stricture as well as confirming ideas I already had, which was great. All in all, it helped me move forward with much more confidence and was definitely worth the investment.”
– Ravinol Chambers, Be Inspired Films

“When I approached Karen to help me with my documentary grant proposal, she provided thorough notes about what worked and didn’t work in my earlier draft.  Her approach that comes with years of experience gave me the confidence to trust her with the rewriting of the proposal. In a short span of time, she and her staff writer completely turned around the draft, and now I have a boilerplate proposal ready to apply for all the grants. She has rebooted my grant application process. I am beyond excited and would highly recommend her.”
– Vidyut Latay, Director

“I am profoundly grateful for Karen and her team for working with me to craft a powerful and compelling application for funding.  Karen’s experience and insight were invaluable (and anxiety-reducing!); and her staff writer brilliantly transformed my story from interesting to riveting.  Not only do I feel confident about the application I submitted – but feel ready to tackle the next one.”
– Stacey Fitzgerald, Director, The Rabbits Of Ravensbruck

“Karen Everett is an invaluable asset to my quest to craft a compelling story, prepare a stellar sample reel and grant applications, while I am learning and gaining confidence in my voice as a storyteller for my first feature documentary. She is not only a skilled veteran in the areas of story consulting and editing, but also a masterful writer who showed me how to turn my ideas into a sparkling, concise, resonating narrative in my grant proposal. Her enthusiasm and deep expertise make her a powerful ally and wonderful teacher in my filmmaking journey!”
– Zhu Shen, Director, A Journey of a Thousand Miles

“Documentary filmmaking is a difficult, often emotional pursuit, which can muddy the judgement of the filmmaker.  Such was the case with our documentary project, a passion project my film partner and I have been working on for more than 10 years.  It had become something of a Magic Eye for us–we were looking too close for the big picture to resolve.  Karen’s unbiased expertise truly allowed us to visualize the story as a whole, and by helping us pinpoint simple, yet impactful edits, she helped us rectify major issues with our story structure.  Her help was worth every penny!”
– Jennifer Bergland, filmmaker

“Karen made recommendations with an experienced eye that will help our film immensely.  She took the time to talk with each of us and suggested ways to streamline the film that we had missed.  I would highly recommend using Karen as a consultant on your next film project!”
– Shemane Nugent, Director Killer House

“I have to thank you for you Editing the Character Driven Documentary modules you made available.  I spent several days last week watching and re-watching a module each day and they are terrific. I’ve taken various screenwriting seminars – McKee, Truby, among others, and this ranks with the best of them.  It was concise and to the point, with excellent examples, and I appreciated how you simply and clearly laid out how to solve certain structural problems.  I’ve raved about to friends. I am a playwright and screenwriter, a former Nicholl Fellowship finalist, and I have a good handle on story structure. Watching those modules and working through your book is helping me conjure up ideas.  Am I the right person to tell this story?  Absolutely.  I just have to make sure I tell it really well.”
– Phyllis MacBryde, Director

“Karen doesn’t always say what you want to hear, but she says what you need to hear. While she was going through my rough cut, I could feel the project getting better. Worth every cent!”
– Pam Walton, Director, The Lodge

“Karen showed us where we could increase depth in our film, build on our protagonist’s journey while at the same time, making the story clearer.”
– Jasmine Duthie, LIONS, BONES & BULLETS

“Karen is invaluable to work with on any documentary film that you might be considering. I would recommend engaging with her as early as possible in the process. She asks the right questions and helps you determine a structure and framework for the film that I think can help tremendously as you move forward with your film.”
– Abhi Singh, Director, Ghadar

“I stumbled on Karen’s course when I was struggling to structure a documentary. I immediately felt that her ideas were right for my film and decided to contact her for a consultation. This was the single most beneficial decision I made in my editing. I tried in the past to show the rough cut to friends or other professionals, who sometimes gave a useful comment or two. Karen evaluated my rough-cut thoroughly, commented on each and every scene, suggested structure changes, and helped me redefine the acts and climaxes. I’ll definitely seek her help again with my next documentary.”
– Nitsan Tal, Director

“With her expertise, compassion and creativity, Karen Everett took my grant-writing to a higher level than I expected.  I had previously won a dozen similar grants for another project, I have taught grant-writing to paying clients, and I have even won an IDA award for being the most prolific grant-winner of any IDA member filmmaker.  Yet I learned many very valuable lessons from Karen.  I’ll engage her superb services again in a heartbeat.”
– Michael Singh, Director

“Your thoughtful consideration of our ITVS proposal was so very helpful. Thank you so much for all your detailed work! We definitely needed this level of clarity for our fundraising proposal and sample reel. We truly appreciate your generosity of time and spirit on this portion of the project.”
– Cathie Soderman, Producer, Our Blood Remembers 

“I was seeking a script consultant to help me with structuring narration on a personal documentary film I have been working on for over a decade.  I found Karen over the internet. She looked over the script and a few rough-cuts and gave me some very simple, yet extremely useful and astute solutions that will certainly solve the problems I have been struggling with. Thank you for your help Karen!”
– Hala Gabriel, Director

“Ideally I’d have given Karen and her staff writer more time with my grant proposal, but even with the short time we had it was amazing to watch them work. I was so impressed by the improvements and couldn’t have made my ITVS deadline without them.”
– John Beder, Director/Producer

“Working with Karen was one of the best decisions I made in editing our film. She was instrumental in making a good film into a great one. She had very specific questions and suggestions about the material that helped elevate our vision and get us to the finish line. Her editor was a pleasure to work with – smart, detail-oriented with a strong sense of storytelling. Working with the New Doc Editing team is creative collaboration at its best.”
– Shannon Cohn, Director

“I brought Karen in at a critical time when I had to deliver a new cut of the film within weeks. Karen’s feedback really helped me form a game plan for the cut and also boosted my confidence that I could pull it off. She gave me specific feedback on the story arc, including the inciting incident and plot points. And she brought up a few issues with my character that I hadn’t even considered before but that will definitely make the film stronger in the end. I’m grateful for the brief time I had working with Karen and hope to bring her back onto the project again.”
– Kimberlee Bassford, Director

“Karen and her team were attentive, creative and flexible. They were responsive to my input as my project, a documentary trailer, evolved – professional yet friendly. Recommended!”
Matt Twomey, Director

“Karen provided critical technical support in creating an outline for a previously near-unmanageable documentary. She also provided much needed enthusiasm and emotional support, as well as giving generously of her time.  Her skills and warmth are invaluable to any documentarian seeking to elevate his or her project.”
– Doug Gerash, Walter’s Justice

“Having worked on our film for a number of years, it was truly invaluable to involve story editor Karen Everett and editor John Dilley. They helped us find the forest from the trees. I was amazed at the way subtle changes that John introduced into the edit made such a difference. Both are excellent collaborators, keeping creative control in the hands of me and my producer while helping us bring out the most compelling narrative elements of our story.”
– Deacon Warner, Director, The Co-op Wars

“I’m so beyond pleased with the work you and your team did on my grant proposal. I’m speechless at what you were able to accomplish, and what you helped me to accomplish in terms of my clarity of thinking about the story. I also am grateful and humbled by your generosity. You have a repeat customer for life; we’d love to continue to use your story consultation skills as we move through our development period.”
– Keiko Elizabeth, Director, In Her Name

“Working with Karen as a story consultant was immensely helpful. Karen provided inspired ideas for structuring my short documentary that is in early-stage concept development. Even better, she gave many concrete examples of ways to manifest those story structure ideas. Karen is a great listener, with a strong sense and appreciation of how creative process integrates with concrete story development.”
– Gayle Nosal, Director

“Working with Karen and her editor was an amazing adventure. Their creativity and ability to see the story when I felt blocked was a huge help, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team! I am so used to filmmaking being a stressful process, but Karen and her editor made it a process full of grace and ease.”
– Allison Melody, Director, Food Heals

“I made the decision to hire Karen as I was in production. I can’t tell you how pleased I was to hire New Doc Editing. Karen and I discussed the production schedule and the story structure before shooting. I had peace of mind knowing what footage I really needed to shoot by the time I arrived at the locations. Karen was also very accommodating with my schedule and with the fact that all my footage was in Spanish. We figured out a dynamic for her to review footage. I found her notes and our recorded consultation very helpful and to the point. I highly recommend her story consulting services.”
– Juliana Penaranda-Loftus, Director/Producer

“Although apprehensive about hiring a story consultant for my first documentary, Karen proved to be the right partner at the right time. From our first consultation onward, she treated me like a peer. And with her gentle guidance, she encouraged me to take risks that I might not have taken otherwise. Without doubt, Karen is one of the best story consultants in the business. I couldn’t have made my documentary stronger and my characters more interesting if it weren’t for Karen.”
– Mathew McCarthy, Director

“Working with story editor Karen Everett got us to fundamentally reassess what our film was about. Her help got us to a new understanding of what we wanted our film to say and provided concrete ideas for how to re-shape the film to say it better.”
– Deacon Warner, Director, ‘The Co-op Wars’

“My experience of working with Karen and her editor was nothing short of exceptional. Their storytelling experience proved to be invaluable. Under their guidance, what seemed like a meandering collection of ideas became woven into stories that flow beautifully. If I had not hired Karen, I would still be staring at my paper edits!”
– Anita Casalina, Director, ‘Imaginary Walls’

“We hired Karen to help us with our script. She pinpointed specific areas that were weighing down the flow and suggested how to amplify certain characters. She showed us what worked and why, bringing clarity through her copious written notes and a 1 ½ hour recorded phone call. Overall, she not only helped us tighten the script, she did it with enthusiasm and respect. For anyone who could use the voice of experience, look no further. We highly recommend Karen Everett.”
– Martha Wheelock and Amanda Owen, Finding Justice: The Untold Story of Women’s Fight for the Vote

“Karen is insightful, deeply knowledgeable, and an invaluable resource for creators. Her clarity, efficiency, and dedication helped me fast-track my factual television concept into an irresistible product. Karen’s staff writer made the whole project come alive, on paper. With both of them, together, I felt I had the resources and support of a much larger team. I will definitely be using Karen’s services again.”
– Annie Sibonney, TV Producer and award-winning Discover Television host

“I can’t thank Karen enough for providing such invaluable and insightful advice on how to shape and structure my documentary. I’m so pleased to be collaborating with her as I move ahead toward the final cut of my film.”
– Steven Pressman, “50 Children”, Emmy nominee and HBO screening

“As a first-time filmmaker, I was seeking an editing team with experience and vision. I was fortunate to find New Doc Editing. My experience over the past 13 months was nothing less than wonderful. New Doc Editing is well organized and extremely professional. Karen’s editors have stellar editing skills, are patient, and unbelievably dedicated. I am very proud of the film we created. It would not have been possible without my fantastic editing team.”
– Chris Carpenter, Director, “Born in Goma”

“We hired Karen Everett as a story consultant for our documentary. Her insight and guidance helped refine our film into a more compelling character-driven story, which helped us receive a $50,000 grant from the California Council of Humanities!”
— Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, Director

“By demystifying the process often obfuscated by writers, Karen, in some vital ways, has returned me to myself. Her course not only equipped me with concrete methods for crafting a story, it dissolved psychological barriers that sometimes keep immigrants from self-expression in a foreign tongue. To put it plainly, Karen’s systematic approach sharpened my mind and boosted my confidence. I’m a grateful student. It was, without doubt, the best learning experience I’ve had in the United States.”
– Anya Belkina, “System Preferences”

“Karen displays astonishing originality, daring and perseverance. She is fearless in tackling ambitious projects, deeply experienced, and unequalled in her skill. Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
— Jon Else, PBS Producer “Eyes on the Prize”

“Karen has an exquisite sense of story-telling and a rare talent for helping filmmakers clarify their stories and make their films as gripping as possible. It was a pleasure to work with someone who has such an intuitive grasp of story mechanics and who can share simple solutions to common story problems.”
— Chad Gracia, Director, “The Russian Woodpecker,” Sundance Grand Jury Prize

“After a number of test screenings and a lot of notes from industry experts, we felt like we were really missing something with our movie – something that nobody could put their finger on. Karen took such great care in analyzing the film. Her feedback was nothing short of a breakthrough in thinking. She articulated ideas, concepts, and very clear directions for changes that made the movie immeasurably better.”
– Josh Tickell, Director, “Fuel”

“Karen is a skilled storyteller who has a remarkable ability to quickly identify both the strong points and weak points of a film’s structure, and then provide clear, specific feedback on both. She has an uncanny knack for seeing a film through the eyes of the filmmaker; never trying to impose her own point of view, but rather helping the filmmaker enhance his or her own style. With a keen sense of detail and drama, her fresh perspective on a project is an invaluable resource for any director. Most importantly, her obvious love of documentary film and her enthusiasm for whatever project she undertakes is infectious. She is a joy to work with.”
– Josh Howard, Director, “The Lavender Scare”

“Karen Everett has a brilliant mind and made me and my team feel like we had a wonderful guide. She gave us an insightful perspective that you often loose when you have been too many months in the editing room. The clear way that she communicates through her notes, her video commentary, and plot maps is so helpful. She is a fantastic story consultant, and I can’t recommend her enough.”
– Tiffany Shlain, “Connected”, Sundance premiere

“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 Bierma, Emmy-Award winning Director

“The emphasis on simplifying things down to a basic story structure is an incredibly useful thinking tool. The course was very clear and provided concrete and creative ways to deal with storytelling problems.”
— Sara Dosa, Director

“Dumping over 400 hours of rushes on the laps of the New Doc Editing team was a big relief. Your team’s ability to masterfully find, shape, and create an exciting and engaging story was highly rewarding. This turned out to be the best filmmaking decision I’ve ever made.”
— Larry A. Shogbamimu, Director, “State of Expectation”

“Karen’s review energized me! I am back in the flow on a personal narrative that I’ve been working on for two years. Happy I opted for the Complete Critique Story Consulting Package. The timecoded notes are an invaluable resource as I revise the film. Her feedback is insightful, thorough, and easy to follow. I can see the finish line, and I’m thrilled at how the film is shaping up!”
— Bonnie Rich, Director

“In simple language, Karen Everett offers a prescription for emerging filmmakers to translates their ideas into film. By following the exercises at the end of each chapter of ‘Documentary Editing’, filmmakers can save themselves untold hours of frustration, by foreshadowing some of the problems we create for ourselves from lack of foresight in pre-production and production.”
— Ken Schneider, Co-Editor of “Regret to Inform”, Peabody Award

“I’m extremely grateful to Karen for providing me with an editor who resonated deeply with the cause and brought her personal passion to the table. The film was completed in record time, and Karen’s expert guidance during the periodic editorial reviews was very useful and timely. All in all it was a super team effort that I am very proud of.”
– Mandar Apte, Director, “From India With Love”

“Karen revealed problems with my film that my own friends and producers were afraid to say for fear of hurting my feelings, or causing me to get discouraged. Karen critiques with kindness, grace and reason. She does this by pinpointing inconsistencies with messaging, pointing out what’s missing, and suggesting what can be deleted. She offers sound advice to help make your film a real contender in a competitive media market.”
— Joe Castel, Nelly Queen, The Life and Times of Jose Sarria

“The ending of my documentary on nuclear energy was falling flat. Karen was very astute about why the current version wasn’t working. But even more importantly, she gave me a series of highly constructive and specific options for how to improve the ending whilst staying true to my vision. She was also unfailingly friendly and encouraging. Her story consultation was a great investment in the film, and one I’d highly recommend to others.”
– Vicki Leslie, Director, The Atom: A Love Affair

“Karen has surpassed any expectations I had in moving my film forward. Her ability to grasp the filmmaker’s needs is remarkable. I am convinced, access to Karen and her skills is the best gift newer filmmakers–and perhaps not so new filmmakers– can give themselves.”
– Kathy Elliot Greaves, Director

“There are several reasons why I really enjoy working with Karen: She offers great feedback, thanks to her vast knowledge on documentary storytelling; she creates a supportive community of filmmakers though her story circles, and most importantly, she is fully and authentically invested in our success.”
– Sylvia Rokab, Director

“I am working with New Doc Editing on my new film “For Fear of Kofi”. The story is complex, multi-layered and almost like a puzzle for an editor. As a director, I cannot wish for a better team. Karen has unique analytical skills. She is a filmmaker herself, so she understands other filmmakers really well. And my editor is brilliant. He is able to generate new emotions. He is equally sensitive to image, sound, music and rhythm. That’s what makes his montage sequences such works of art.”
— Marina Petrovskaia, Director, “For Fear of Kofi”

“The time and thoughtfulness Karen put into our project was obvious from the first 10 minutes of her consultation. We had gotten to a point of “tunnel vision” on our documentary, and Karen found a way to open our eyes to new possibilities. She gave smart and spot-on advice that we know will make a difference in our film.”
— Liza Meak, “Edge of Success”

“Midway through our first story consultation, it became crystal clear to me that working with Karen would greatly increase the quality of my film. We narrowed the story, focused on the main points, and eliminated scenes that didn’t need to be shot. This saved time and money. And that’s after one meeting. I would encourage any documentary filmmaker wondering if the expense is worth it to go book one meeting with Karen just like I did. It’s one of the best investments I have ever made.”
— James McElligott, Director

“Karen’s keen insight into documentary structure and drama is unmatched. I’d advise any filmmaker to take advantage of the wealth of information she has to offer.”
— Joanne Hershfield, Director

“I struggled with the structure of my documentary for almost 6+ years. I was quick to put it aside and keep it unfinished, allowing other work to take priority, always. Within the first 10 minutes of my introductory session with Karen, I had renewed hope and confidence in my beloved documentary and myself as a filmmaker. Karen single-handedly re-ignited a passion in me for my project and motivated me to get it out into the world. Bringing her on as my story consultant was my project’s saving grace. Her expertise, enthusiasm and compassion, quite literally pulled my film out of the ashes. Karen’s input was clear, to the point, strategic, skilled and crucial. I’m grateful to have found her!”
— Liz McBee, Director

“Karen brings with her the talent, skill, and love to take what otherwise may be a disjointed and difficult documentary project and helps bring to life your story. When the aim is to move the viewer, she helps you create a path to do just that. Time with her is well worth spent.”
— Tom Nazario

“It was a pleasure to work with my New Doc Editing editor! He was able to quickly understand the subject of our documentary and identify ways to structure the story to make it as strong as possible. He always met his assigned deadlines. We would definitely work with him again in the future.”
– Rochelle White, Director

“We can’t say enough how important it is to have a professional like Karen on your team. It felt like she really took the time to understand our project and provide us with the most objective feedback possible, which was something we desperately needed. Our only regret was that we didn’t meet her earlier in our creative process.”
— Joel Mejia, “Time is Art”

“Karen is enthusiastic, thorough and confident. She has a fierce understanding of structure and convention. Karen identified my film’s strengths and weaknesses equally with a tact rare in my experience of film & tv, all devoid of a personal agenda (also rare). I was amazed at how intuitively Karen understood what I was trying to achieve and importantly, and how she emphasized critical layers in the story I was unable to see – truly invaluable. The combination of her sensitivity, skill and lack of ego would make her the best Story Consultant in the world. I’m really looking forward to the next time we collaborate.”
– Tom Meadmore, Director, “Sweet Dream”

“New Doc Editing was an extremely helpful story consultant for me in the rough cut stage. Karen helped me identify story holes and brainstorm action steps to strengthen my doc. I’d definitely recommend her to other filmmakers!”
– Sam Vinal, Director

“I wanted to let you know how much value I derived from collaborating with you during the pre-production stage of my documentary. It was definitely worth the investment of my time and resources! During our calls together, your skillful coaching and discovery questions helped me to go deeper in finding the story that I want to share. And your follow-up notes were always spot-on—capturing our key discussion points, while also providing me with ideas to noodle on for consideration. Thank you for helping me to crystallize my vision without sacrificing my passion. Now, with a solid outline under my belt I’m excited to move forward with my film!”
– Dee McCrorey, Filmmaker, “Replaced”

“Karen’s consultation was invaluable in helping me get to the essence of what my documentary was about. It was then that I was able to craft a trailer that was much more impactful.”
– Cynthia Riddle, Director, “Mr. Tambourine Man”

“Regardless of how complete your vision for your film already is, regardless of your chosen narrative style, Karen Everett stimulates dialogue that affirms what’s best in the work you already have done and inspires you to conceive new possibilities. Immersing herself in the story you intend to tell, asking the right questions, and allowing her own curiosity to light the way, Karen works with you to explore the story threads and practical issues that merit the greatest sustained attention. These are topics that, if tended to sooner than later, can enable you to realize your vision more fully than otherwise would be possible. At the same time, she invites you as the writer and/or director to remain open to further storytelling pathways that inevitably can emerge at any point in the filmmaking process.”
– Greg Morris, Director

“Karen has a knack for quickly cutting through to the heart of the story and bringing much-needed clarity to filmmakers who have gotten lost in their films. I joined the Inner Circle at the perfect moment for my film: we were close to a rough cut, but I was still struggling with my POV. Karen’s precise analysis and heartfelt suggestions helped me envision concretely how the story could unfold in the most powerful way, and helped guide us through our last shooting days and final edit. The support provided by our fellow filmmakers during the Mastermind calls gave me the kind of feedback and encouragement I really needed to keep going. The Inner Circle was a wonderful experience I hope to repeat with future projects. ”
– Rick Minnich, Director, “The Bomb Hunters”

“Karen was very helpful in offering us tools and insights to get us started on editing our feature doc. Her keen knowledge of story structure and organized style of working gave my team and I the confidence to move into our edit with focus and clarity. I look forward to having more sessions with her as we get further into the edit.”
– Saffron Cassaday, Director

“Karen provided such incredible clarity on my complicated film structure. She was essential in helping to make sense of the strong parallels and plot points that help drive the story forward. Her comments were intelligent and thoughtful and her dedication to my project went above and beyond my expectations. I’m so grateful to have found her as a collaborator on my film.”
– Tracey Smith

“New Doc helped us edit a work sample on a very tight deadline and provided us with a great editor. He worked really hard and had great communication and collaboration throughout the process.”
– Shane Anderson, Director

“I consulted with Karen early on in pre-production, and I highly recommend for other documentary filmmakers to do the same. If you want to save yourself extra expenses and frustrations later on in production and post-production, working with an experienced, high quality story editor like her from the beginning is crucial when mapping out a realistic budget and production schedule. I really appreciated Karen’s ability to set up a safe, creative space, where I felt comfortable sharing my most experiential, crazy ideas. Together we went through them one-by-one, weeding out the bad ones and further developing a detailed, useful framework.”
– Signe Veje, Director

“The Mastermind calls and one-to-one consultations took my work to a whole new level. It was inspiring to engage with other people’s stories and to receive expert advice in the consultations.”
– Roddy Maclean, Inner Circle Member

“Karen Everett was extremely helpful editing the script for my documentary. Her comprehensive, clear approach strikes the perfect balance of critical thinking and a passionate desire to create a compelling film experience. Her suggestion to use specific graphics elements (animation, maps, narration, text treatments) throughout the film was right on the mark. Very professional, very efficient.”
– Rita Hargrave, Director, “The Last Mambo”

“Our film gained style and substance from remarkable attunement on the part of New Doc Editing. Karen and her editor demonstrated skillful technical means and collaborative chops needed to cultivate an alliance of trust. This optimal alchemy catalyzed an engaged collaborative and creative process with deliverables on time!”
– Deborah French Frisher, Director

“It was wonderful to be able to share and work with other filmmakers as it kept me on track with my project and provided inspiration as well as concrete ideas and actions I could take to make my film better. I found the private consultations extremely helpful in crafting a powerful, cohesive story. Karen and her editor’s suggestions and input were invaluable.”
– Gayle Embrey, Inner Circle Member

“Nearing the end of my project, I still had some unanswered questions about a few key points in the story. I sent Karen my specific questions as well as some of the feedback I had received from test audiences and other filmmakers. She watched my cut and gave me the specific and insightful feedback I needed. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Karen’s consultation was absolutely worth it. I finally feel like I can move forward from my fine cut to a locked picture.”
– Jessicca Moore, Director/Producer, “Why Not Home”

“Through Karen’s consultations I was able to give my film the shape and structure it needed. The weekly master mind calls and accountability helped me identify the next steps and keep up the momentum as I entered post-production. Both giving and receiving support and feedback on the calls has helped me grow as a filmmaker.”
– Jessica Moore, Inner Circle Member

“Karen has a brilliant mind highly trained in the art of story consulting. You pay for what you get and Karen is AMAZING! After all, your entire film project rests on the spine of the story. It’s a worthwhile investment. THANK YOU, KAREN!”
-Louise Weber, Weber Productions Inc

“Karen’s expertise and eloquence helped me find the courage and develop the skills to take my work from academic to authentic. Thank you!”
– Lisa KaneJung, Inner Circle Member

“Karen dove right into my film with me. Thanks to her background as a filmmaker and editor, she guided me in all aspects of the process, from story development to the structure of my assembly cut to planning upcoming shoots. She’s an amazing partner in the process, with a real passion for helping others and a finely tuned capability to analyze and instruct.”
— Michael Beckelhimer, “Pushkin Is Our Everything”

“With Karen’s direction, I was incented to shape my story elements, a mixture of archival footage and contemporary interviews, to meet the requirements of a three act structure, for maximum dramatic effect. And the process felt both non-threatening and enjoyable. An excellent resource!”
– Carole Ryavec, “Letters from Slovenia”

“Karen is brilliant, and very insightful. She can definitely help you take your project up to the next level.”
— Gloria Borland, Inner Circle Member, Director & Producer, “Barack Obama Made in Hawaii”

“Hiring Karen Everett in the early stages of my film was definitely a sound investment. Karen helped me structure a compelling narrative that audiences will want to see – and which investors have already funded! Her detailed commentary really over-delivered! If you’re going to make a film, why not make the best film possible by hiring the right story consultant?”
— James Weeks, “Across The King’s River”

“The Inner Circle gave me so many things — a real storyline for my film after years of not being able to find it, a sense that I really do have a film, and perhaps, most importantly, a feeling of community with the extraordinary filmmakers in my group. Making a documentary can be very isolating so knowing there are others out there with the same kinds of problems and a willingness to find solutions together is extremely valuable.”
– Jo Nemoyten, Inner Circle Member

“I have participated in two of Karen’s Inner Circles, and both times I received thoughtful guidance and expert knowledge, but the greatest gift Karen offers is bringing together, and leading with great care, a dynamic group of talented filmmakers and creating an environment that gets our projects to the next level.”
— Jill Orschel, “Snowland”

“I found Karen Everett’s consultation service well worth the investment of time and money. It was extremely helpful to have an experienced and objective eye on my work. What is most important that Karen gives supportive and specific advice to help guide the filmmaker in his or her editing process. I am so glad that I decided to work with Karen. Her consultation was very thorough and interactive too. At the conclusion I felt confident that I had a good film that I could make even better. Thank you, Karen!”
– Marilyn Pennell, “The Way Home”

“Karen has tremendous insight on plot, structure, character development, and storytelling principles as they apply to documentary films. Her advice helped me get clarity and perspective on the overall story — helping me get through the big hump in the process to arrive at a unified, flowing, and engaging film. I would be happy to have Karen help on the next film I work on. She is a great asset to the most important aspect of a film: the story.”
– Michael O’Brien, Editor

“Karen provided us with insightful and informative suggestions on how to improve our project. It was especially helpful to have a fresh set of eyes and ears focusing on our story. Karen pulled us back up to the 30,000 foot level, instead of meandering in the details.”
— Gerald Davis, Producer/Director “Frank Kearns: American Correspondent”

“The Inner Circle program provided me with the missing elements to complete my documentary project and make it successful and inspiring.”
— Diane Andonovski, Director/Producer

“For the past three years, I’ve been making a documentary about the man who stole the Mona Lisa in 1911. I had a rough cut but it was too long , too complicated and didn’t have dramatic punch. I was stuck. So I sent my film to Karen Everett at New Doc Editing. In her video notes, she told me what worked, what didn’t and what I needed to do. POW! Logjam broken. I immediately saw how to fix my film. I’m now well on my way to finishing it and making it the movie I want it to be. Thanks, Karen and New Doc Editing.”
– Joe Medeiros, “Mona Lisa Is Missing”

“How Karen Everett helped shape 15 years of footage in two hours was astounding! So grateful to have found her. Can’t imagine doing a film without her now. She is absolutely worth it. Do yourself a favor, and take her online structuring classes first so you aren’t stuck on fundamentals and can really hone in and focus on your film to best use her brilliant talent. I know our film will be much more impactful, because of Karen’s invaluable insights. Can’t wait to work with her again!”
– Antonia G. Carey, co-producer “Reel Heroes”

“With Karen’s guidance, the initial Strategic Planning Session opened up a world of possibilities for my film proposal. Karen focused our process with structured brainstorming, so I had a story breakthrough within the initial hour of consultation. She has created a wonderful container that expands the filmmaker’s creative process, especially during the initial stages of a story’s discovery.”
— Susan Utell, Director,

“Working with Karen has been an absolute gift. She has acted not only as a consultant but also a teacher. Karen has given great care in digesting information and rough cuts so that she can give me hugely valuable feedback. For a person like me, who is making their first film, her expertise and guidance have been invaluable. She is honest and inspiring and my film is greatly benefiting from it.”
— Anthony Ream, Director

“I was positively impressed with your prompt response and willingness to work a consultation into your busy schedule, with your attention to detail and your ability to home in on my problem and address it. You inspired me to re-visit my material and see it from a fresh perspective, i.e. you were really encouraging in a focused, helpful way. My treatment is now more cinematic and more indicative of the film I want to make. I was pleased with my experience. Highly focused, positive, useful, enthusiastic, personal attention from a perceptive and experienced professional.”
–Gayla Jamison, Filmmaker

“I’ve just completed Week 2 of the “Ultimate Guide To Structuring Your Documentary” and must say it was the most focused and engaging learning experience I’ve encountered dealing specifically with documentary storytelling. Karen’s insight makes the complexity of filmmaking seem more manageable and doable.”
— Ted McMillan, Director

“The New Doc Inner Circle is a rare, perfect combination of individual attention and group support. The motivational boost is worth the price alone!”
— Mark Davis, Director

“Thank you Karen for all that you have provided to our team – education, encouragement and expertise. Once we started our consultations with you we realized how much we needed fresh eyes on our project; your feedback has always been clear and on point. We have taken huge steps forward since our time with you. The added bonus we received was the additional input and shared process of the other film makers in the mastermind group. We were encouraged beyond measure when we realized we were not isolated and have benefited from their additional feedback and tips for fund raising. You have inspired all of us with a deep breath of loving and creative energy as we travel this road. You are truly a gifted teacher!”
– Kathy Sparnins, Director, “Voices of Grief”

“Hiring Karen as a consultant on my film was one of the best investments on the project to date. It’s been a godsend having Karen on my shoulders as I continue to blaze my way through the film. Her respectfulness and genuine enthusiasm for the film’s success gives me a renewed confidence when it sags the most. Karen’s guiding touch is just right: not too hard and not too soft.”
— Katie Teague, Director “Money and Life”

“I had a very good experience working with Karen. She was well-prepared, was able to record our session, and furnished all files related to our conversation in just four hours’ time. Most importantly, she was able to help me see a pathway to make my film more relevant and appealing for a wide audience.”
– Jim Culp, Director

“Before working with New Doc Editing, I talked to two other story consultants. They seemed to know their stuff, but they both wanted to twist my doc in a direction that they wanted. Karen at NDE was the only consultant who wanted to help me improved the doc that I wanted to make, the way I wanted to make it. I felt like she understood where I was coming from and how I envisioned the project. NDE story consulting is invaluable. Karen is very talented at both crafting engaging stories and also at communicating her ideas. All correspondence was rapid and thorough. NDE definitely helped me create a more poignant and impactful proposal and trailer. I was able to get immediate, professional feedback on the changes I made and that is incredibly useful if you’ve never done something like this before. I am completely satisfied with my experience with NDE. I look forward to working with their editors when my I begin post production. I highly recommend them to all documentary film makers!”
–Jason Penarelli, Director

“Karen helped me look at my project with fresh eyes, providing a wealth of provoking new ideas for telling my story with the greatest impact. She also helped us overcome serious story hurdles, ultimately defining which narrative elements were truly important to my film. After shooting off and on over a period of five years, we were working with hundreds of hours of footage, so her guidance was crucially important.”
– Scott Ryan, Director, “Manifesto”

“Without having any footage for my film it seemed unjustifiable to seek story consulting or a story editor, but by joining the Inner Circle I received so much support and knowledge from Karen and the group that I was able to get over humps that would have stopped me completely before. I’ve learning so much more about story crafting and editing which will definitely save a lot of time and money in production and post-production.”
– Valerie Camila Rhodes, Director

“New Doc Editing took my film to the next level. Through Karen Everett’s careful eye and deep understanding of narrative, my documentary went from a pile of tapes to a deeply compelling story. Money well spent.”
— Steve Lickteig, Director. “Open Secret”

“I’m so glad we decided to reach out to Karen, even at a late post stage. Her insights not only were helpful and do-able, but she really got our intentions as filmmakers and stepped into those goals with us. She provided the exact mix of encouragement and critique that we needed to get ready for festival submissions–and next project I’ll be contacting her earlier!”
— Daneen Akers, Director, “Seventh-Gay Adventists”

“We needed help with our story and structure for our next film, and another filmmaker recommended Karen Everett and New Doc Editing. We’re half way through our 6-month course with the Inner Circle, and we have already learned an incredible amount about story structure that will help us shape our rough cut!”
Judy Kohin, Producer, “Bag It”, “Uranium Drive-In”

“Through the ‘New Doc Inner Circle’, I was able to develop a structure for my film. Thanks to its collaborative nature, the Inner Circle was a creative haven of mutual support, constructive critique and filmmaking education. Karen Everett is a gifted educator and filmmaker.”
– Greg Boozell, Director, “Who Killed Joe Sigler?”

“’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 and knowledge to make great strides in completing my documentary.”
— Kaoru Wang, “The Killer App”

“Karen’s expert notes on my project were just what I needed. She helped me see how I could shoot a character-driven documentary, which is truly where the power is in storytelling. I look forward to every meeting with Karen and the Inner Circle!”
— Jill Orschel, “Sister Wife”, Sundance Film Festival

“The Inner Circle program puts a positive spin on one’s documentary. The vast amount of resources available, coupled with Karen’s passionate personal input, packs the power to surprise the audience”.
— Larry Shogbamimu, “Great Expectations”

“Karen’s documentary story analysis and feed-back was exactly what I needed! Her insights and methods are quite amazing and will be tremendously useful to me going forward. In particular, her video notes are a great tool. Some of the most valuable things she’s provided have been her sincere, informed support and encouragement. She helps me stay focused and positive.”
— Julie Miller, “The Story of Grimmway Farms”

“My consultation with Karen Everett really helped me clear, and I feel much more confident going into this whole next phase of my film. Organized and articulate, she also was able to step back from the film and see the driving themes that I need to accentuate as I move forward. Kudos to Karen!”
— Barbara Klutinis, “The Sum Total of Our Memory”

“Because I am an amateur filmmaker and have never produced a feature length documentary and the fact that Karen has such a strong professional track record of guiding seasoned filmmakers towards great success, I felt a bit intimidated about contacting her. Boy was I happy I contacted her! Within a few minutes of consulting with her I not only got a sense of her professional story writing and filmmaking knowledge and skills but her sensitivity and genuine interest and respect for the vision of my film. Karen instilled a greater sense of trust and enthusiasm in the film I am producing and I needed that. Working with Karen has been an invaluable experience. I highly recommend her services!”
— Ethan Wearn, Director

“I saw “Connected” yesterday, the documentary for which you were the story consultant. It was one of the most OUTSTANDING documentaries I have ever seen. The writing was incredible. The storyline and editing were masterful.”
— Deanna Kirschenbaum, Director

“Karen knows how to help get you back to the heart of your story and she provides numerous relevant solutions to assist in moving your story forward. The work you’ll do as a result of consulting with Karen will reinvigorate your creativity and keep you on track. Karen Everett’s knowledge of story structure and her commitment to help filmmakers honor their film’s intention is of particular importance to emerging filmmakers, whose rough cuts are often bogged down by structure issues which unintentionally obscure–rather than communicate–their vision.”
— Mary Letterii, Director, “Quartering”

“Karen is a gifted listener capable of seeing through the tangle of ideas and discovering the best pathway to an effective structure.”
– Troy Sweeney, Director

“Karen will really help you focus on what your story is really about, what kind of film you are trying to make, and how to map out your story/character arcs.”
— Maria Yatskova, Director, “Miss Gulag”

“Working with Karen was inspiring. She knows how to craft a story and how to augment without taking over, and her editing staff is top-notch. It was great to have them all as a sounding board.”
— Kristine Enea, Director

“Karen’s emphasis on simplifying things down to a basic story structure is an incredibly useful thinking tool. She provides concrete and creative ways to deal with storytelling problems.”
— Sara Dosa, Filmmaker

“Wow, New Doc Editing’s courses are incredible! I’m riveted. Thank you so much for imparting your wisdom to us newbie documentary filmmakers!”
— Liz MacAskill, Director

“Karen’s class was better than I had imagined, more than I’d asked for, and just what I needed at this point. I’d recommend her course to people like me; relatively experienced filmmakers who could use a bump up to reset their thinking.”
— George Packard, Director,

“The expertise that Karen brought to the planning and development of our documentary has been invaluable. She has passion for the documentary genre. Her ability to help us clarify and identify our story has been a huge asset.”
– Trent Bell, Director

“Karen has been an enormous help to me on the film I’m making. She immediately understood and discussed the weaknesses and strengths of the project. More than that she is a film maker herself and well knows the emotional process we go through. Her on line courses are worth years of formal education. Spending time and money with Karen Everett is time and money well spent. My only regret is that I didn’t know her when I did my earlier projects. They would’ve been better films if I had.
– Lenny Feinberg, Director

“Karen’s ‘Editing the Character-Driven Documentary’ class was out-standing. I loved all of the valuable structure information about using a protagonist and “Acts”. I especially enjoyed participating in the analysis of the chosen film clips.”
– Alicia Hernandez, Director

“This class was excellent and exactly what I was looking for. It was clear and concise with great filmic examples. I think any documentarian would benefit if they are looking to tell a more compelling story.”
— Ed Herzog, Director

“Karen Everett’s course was more informative than I could have imagined. It transformed my thinking and approach to making my documentary. Anyone with a story to tell or an idea to explore would benefit especially if they took the course before shooting. It helps with planning and prevents filmmakers from wasting time and funds.”
— Jen Burke, Director

“The “Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary” was an invaluable tool for me, helping me right at the point where I most needed that type of support. I reworked the film into a more clear three-act structure and added a clear inciting moment — and I believe the film is much, much better for it.”
–Jeff Nachtigal, Director

“As someone with no formal background in film, I truly believe I’ve learned so much about documentary filmmaking in just a weekend and I see myself applying many of the workshop lessons to my projects. The content and structure of the class was well prepared and brilliantly delivered. Thank you so much for a great experience and further inspiring me to make great films!”
— Chanelle Pearson, Director

“Karen’s class more than met my expectations. The material was very relevant and the presentation was clear and concise.”
— Claire Koffel, Director

“This class was very organized and practical. It will help filmmakers move their stories forward whether they are beginners or advanced.”
–Irene Stark, Director

“Karen’s class was a very informative and amazing course. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded. I would recommend this class solely on the basis of what you will come away with at the end, and that is a new way of thinking about documentaries in terms of structuring them.”
— Steven Armstrong, , Director

“I loved this class and appreciated Karen’s depth of knowledge, interaction with the students, and keeping everything on schedule. This class is great for anyone at any stage of creating a documentary film because it helped me understand what makes a story compelling and universal, and that is what any filmmaker strives for.”
— Toni Truong, Director

“This class was excellent! Absolutely. It exceeded my expectations over and above. Karen seems genuinely interested in our participation and feedback. The film examples made me think, rather than feel like a passive viewer. Anybody struggling with focus and direction on their project will benefit from this class.”
— Barbara Klutines, Director

“This class has exceeded my expectations. It is structured with clear goals set. I really love the use of film clips because of the discussion that follows. The class has taught me to look at documentaries in ways that I haven’t before. I would recommend this class not only because there is so much useful and well-organized information being taught but because the instructor is very approachable.”
— Ashley McGraw, San Francisco, CA

“Karen’s ‘Editing the Character-Driven Documentary’ class was outstanding and extremely helpful to me! It was well organized, well structured, with clear instruction points, and good shot clips used for instructional examples. As a beginner I will really benefit from Karen’s class. I would recommend this class because the story arc is very clearly explained. It was easy to immediately see how I could apply it to my own film, and easy to see which elements I am missing. Karen is really good at helping people to feel good about their contributions, but also able to skillfully bring the class discussion back to the main questions.”
— Tiffany Higgins, Director

“I think beginners would benefit from this class, because I think that understanding your medium before embarking upon a film is important.”
— Liz Melchar, Director

“This class has exceeded my expectations. It was organized, clear, participatory and continuously inviting us to relate what we had learned to our own projects. Karen was thoughtful and engaging, and kept us on track. I would recommend this class because it gives a thorough overview of how to recognize, understand, and apply concepts of story structure. It has clarified how I might do this in a documentary, and that the results are incredibly effective in engaging the audience and yourself as you go through the film making process. People who are in any stage of a project would benefit from this class.”
– Lauren Veen, student, SFFS

“This class gave me a treasure of insight into story structure, exceeding my expectations. I would recommend this class to anybody, seasoned or not, for structuring story telling in films, whether fiction or non-fiction.”
– Dennis Brown, student, SFFS

“This class was perfectly structured and paced, with excellently chosen and well-integrated film clips. The handouts were invaluable and the instructor conducted herself w/ gentle authority, patience, and generosity. I would recommend this class to any aspiring filmmaker irrespective of age, skill level or preferred genre.”
– Ken Paul Rosenthal, Director

“This class was thick with excellent information. It definitely met my expectations, and I liked the variation of materials: hand-outs, clips, lecture and discussion, which made the experience engaging and stimulating.”
– Jo Nemoyten, Director

“I loved this class. It was very helpful and met my expectations. I especially liked that the information was repeated through exercises.”
– Anjali deBellefroid, Director

“This was a very well rounded class that exceeded my expectations in the professionalism of the instructor and students. Examining clips, reviewing concepts of the 3-act structure, and talking about specific student films was particularly helpful.”
– Jeffrey Braverman, Director

“This class was filled with easily assimilated information and would even be interesting to somebody who hasn’t studied film yet. The discussions between Karen and the students were particularly helpful.”
– Roberta Walker, Director

“I liked the willingness of Karen to talk about a variety of issues not strictly relating to the 3-Act structure, and show how to make those issues work within a narrative.”
– Anastasia Dodson, Director

“I loved this class! I have very little filmmaking experience, but I loved how I could participate with others who were much more experienced. The time built in for discussion of case studies made learning and applying concepts more concrete.”
– Frances Kennedy, Director

“I have to tell you … I LOVED YOUR CLASS! I was like a sponge soaking up all the wonderful knowledge and experience you shared. You created a space that was safe, dynamic, interesting, and truly educational. I felt like all of your material was both well thought out and rooted in direct hands-on experience.”
– Anthony Case, Director

“This class is extremely useful. It certainly met my hopes and expectations. It especially helped translate narrative structure into real world documentary storytelling by showing and discussing examples of inciting incidents and climaxes.”
– Marnie Crawford Samuelson, Director

“This class was very focused and gave enough time to tackle the issue of structure, and offer vital information on how to create a character-driven documentary. Knowing how complicated film can be, I thought the class was going to be very basic, but it covered more than I expected in an accessible way.”
– Sugriel Reyes, Director

“Karen’s class was transformative in so many ways … I have been engaged with my film project in a very different way from before taking the class. I have actually tapped back into the root of my film and am asking, searching, & contemplating some very serious core themes. This is golden!”
– Anthony Black, Director

“This class is excellent! Karen is a true professional in her field”
– Stanford Martin, Director

“This was a very well-organized class with great pacing. Karen is a very knowledgeable and professional teacher, and I’d like to take future classes with her. She’s very giving and accepting with her students at all levels of documentary filmmaking. This was more than I expected and I’m very pleased! I hope to use her services for my future documentary.”
– Jude Sullivan, Director

“I wish I had taken this class years ago; it would have helped refine my ideas, sharpen my thinking and given me the essential tools with which to develop my idea into a tight story. The instructor’s demeanor is calm, well-organized and confident.
— Mary Letterii, Director

“This class taught me how to structure a character-driven documentary, which is something that film classes at USC never taught me. It exceeded all my expectations.”
— David Rocha, Director

“I feel like I have gotten a graduate level course in character study and can confidently attack the structure of any documentary that I would work on in a very productive way.”
–Kelly Riggio, Director

“The information is so helpful and unique in its approach. Karen gave me a thoughtful and strategic workflow.”
— Amanda Larson, Director

“This class was fantastic—very clear and practical advice which was exactly what I wanted and needed.”
— Kevin Gordon, Director

“The class was very rich and definitely worth the money. Karen was incredibly thoughtful and clearly an expert.”
–Heather Gwaltney, Director

“Karen has a great demeanor, very open and accessible.”
– Peter Hwoschinsky, Director

“This class gave me renewed confidence to enter the documentary field again.”
— Ian McIver, Director

“I am so grateful to have taken this course at this juncture in my film development – it’s been incredibly helpful in being able to hone in on certain points in the “narrative arc” which will prove pivotal to the film development – thank you so much!”
— Christiane Robbins, Director

“I was impressed how you were able to take a classmate’s vague story and refine and define it to make the story coherent. You did an excellent job of framing what a good story is; describing and providing clear examples of the elements of a story, what is a good hook is and the different types of stories for documentaries.”
— Martha Walters, Director

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking your workshop this past weekend. You are an amazing instructor who engages with your students and allows them to believe, “We can do this!”
— Jean Phleger, Director

“Loved the class. Great tools were given to build a character driven documentary. The fill-in the blank questions for each act really solidified the concepts.”
— Eric Chong, Director

“I loved the class! I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t really think it would apply to a film I am currently working on and am completely re-inspired to shoot more footage and re-think how to put my own project together.”
— Robert James, , Director, “Libraries of Dust”

“This was a fantastic class. I wish it would continue next weekend. The instructor has an excellent command of this subject matter and has a very organized and well thought out curriculum. I also appreciate the way the class flows with instruction, examples, media, student participation, etc. I also appreciate that time was allocated to address and/or examine the film projects of the students.”
— Virginia McCarthy, Director

“Clear, concise, well-supported in every aspect. Great place. Learned a lot!”
— J Kiefer, Director

“Excellent! Exceeded expectations. The best class I have had at SFFS by FAR! Karen is an excellent teacher as well as an expert documentarian.”
— Chris Langton, Director

“I thought the class was excellent and it succeeded expectations. Gave concrete ideas/items to leave the class with.”
— Scot Robinson, Director

“LOVED it! I heard that Karen was great and that is what I experienced. The description of the “Character driven…” in the list of classes was accurate and my expectation in terms of content were met. Really helpful live in-class “ah-ha’s” and course correction on my own work.”
— Amy Schoening, Director

“Great! More than met expectations!”
Rob Koier, Director

“Excellent – Definitely met my expectations in terms of both content and style of delivery of info. Great combination of verbal material, written exercises and use of doc clips to illustrate topics and themes.”
Suzanne Cross, Director

“Fantastic!! Exceeded my expectations. Karen knows how to lead discussion to solicit the thoughts of us all, and when to tactfully bring the class back to the syllabus. Bravo!!”
— Ted Frank, Director

“I am soooo happy I took this class. I was hoping to gather tools to construct my story in a strategic way and I feel I not only got that but also your wisdom and insights of the group. I also am amazed by your generosity, emailing us the PowerPoint files and offering us the charts. All is beyond my expectations.”
— C. Zorrilla de la Martin, , Director

“Loved it. Met my expectations”
— Finn Bugge, Norwegian filmmaker

“Top notch. Karen is an excellent teacher who in 2 days has taught how to tell a story using documentary approaches to filmmaking. She is also open to questions about alternatives and exceptions.”
— Kristi Kurtz, Director

“This class far exceeded my expectations. It was highly informative, inspiring, and a solid foundation upon which to begin to structure an engaging character driven documentary. I have been enjoying your columns for some time now, but the recent article on sequence naming was fantastic. I have been working with digital files for years – multimedia, video, radio and podcasting – and never before have I seen the best solution put forward so succinctly and clearly. I am going to use the naming method – for everything – going forward. Thank you thank you thank you!”
— Susan O’Leary, Director

“I wish I had watched your instructional video before I started filming. It’s great you’ve made it available to people like me, in Australia, with no chance of getting to U.C. Berkeley. Thanks!”
— Annie Holden, Director

“As a novice documentary filmmaker, I learned a lot about the structure of a doc film that I never realized. From how to keep your audience engaged to how to build momentum, I learned more in one hour than I thought I would!
— Dan Perez, Director

“Your suggested “container approach” about bringing documentary subjects together to have an emotional conversation on camera is right on! I am working on a documentary about a new movement among young intellectuals in Afghanistan, and the climax of my story needs just what you are talking about here. Thank you!”
– Penelope Price, Director

“It’s heartwarming to see such a gifted artist and instructor continue with all of this fantabulous outreach.”
–Audrey Sacco, Director

“Being a very indie filmmaker, I have very few people that I can talk doc with. Karen’s seminar ‘The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary’ brought me to a new level of documentary storytelling awareness. It’s one of the best investments I have ever made.”
— James McElligott, Director

“I definitely got more out of the Inner Circle than expected. I thought I would be too far behind the other film makers to benefit, but that wasn’t the case at all. I loved the learning experience, meeting the other film makers, and seeing their projects; my performance anxiety was completely unnecessary”
– Polly Wells, Director

“The best thing about the Inner Circle is the opportunity to collaborate with smart filmmakers in a non-competitive environment. Too often filmmakers see each other as threats, competing for a limited pool of resources. This didn’t exist at all – everyone was supportive and truly helpful – so many new friends!”
– LeeAnn Dance, Director

“The Inner Circle retreat was wonderful and exceeded my expectations. Being able to see our film clips on two big screens and have face to face discussions was very powerful. Karen managed the timing of the day well, and made sure that everybody had an opportunity to share and contribute.”
– Arnie Sparnins, Director, “Voices of Grief”

“Karen gets right to the heart of things. She asked all the right questions, and was able to quickly identify the problems I was having with my rough cut. She offered critical feedback in a way that was constructive and kind, but usefully direct. A consult with her was the best money I have spent on my film. She gave me a million ideas, and the confidence and clarity to make the revisions I now know I need.”
– Andy Kirshner, Director, “Ten Questions for Henry Ford,” Professor, University of Michigan–