Documentary
Boom or Bust: The Cinema Guild's Ryan Krivoshey
Cinema Guild director of distribution, Ryan Krivoshey talks with the Independent about the evolution of independent film distribution
September 1st, 2008 | Jericho Parms
Ryan Krivoshey, the Cinema Guild's director of distribution, talks with The Independent about the evolution of independent film distribution, how the perception of the documentary has evolved since 9-11 and how Internet distribution has had an impact on the way films are seen.
Much has changed since 1968 when Philip and Mary-Ann Hobel created The Cinema Guild and television was the niche market for all things educational.
The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: "Sync or Swim"
The Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic's "Sync or Swim."
September 1st, 2008 | Fernanda Rossi
In the spirit of the Summer Olympics, the Documentary Doctor takes a look at filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic's Sync or Swim, which goes behind the scenes with the synchronized swimmers of the 2004 Summer Olympics. Also, check out the Doctor's previous Anatomy columns.
About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor
Quest for Truth
An interview with director and producer Rory Kennedy about her latest film "Thank You Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House"
August 16th, 2008 | Amanda Axelson
Filmmaker and political activist Rory Kennedy talks with The Independent about her latest documentary Thank You Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House about influential political journalist Helen Thomas. The film premieres on HBO on August 18th with additional airings throughout the month.
Rory Kennedy didn’t always know she wanted to be a filmmaker, but she did see herself as a political activist. As the daughter of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, politics run strong in her blood. In wanting to make an impact on people’s lives, she gravitated towards film as a means of educating herself and others about political and social issues.
Werner Herzog Made Me Do It
An interview with filmmaker Lee Kazimir about his film "More Shoes"
August 1st, 2008 | Michele Meek
Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog once said in an interview that he believed the best way to become a filmmaker would be to go on a long walk -- say, from Madrid to Kiev. So Lee Kazimir took his advice literally. His journey resulted in his first feature documentary, More Shoes (see the trailer). As the film makes its way through the festival circuit, Lee stop to talk with The Independent about the film and the people he met along his journey.
Stuck in a dead-end job and worried he'd never make it as a filmmaker, Lee Kazimir decided to take Werner Herzog's advice. Legendary filmmaker Herzog had once said in an interview that he believed the best way to become a filmmaker would be not to practice filmmaking but to walk -- say, from Madrid to Kiev.
Party Like a Doc Star
Tips on coordinating a successful fundraising party
August 1st, 2008 | Erica Ginsberg
Founder of Docs in Progress, Erica Ginsberg, talks with successful documentary filmmakers Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar (Made in L.A.), and Christopher Wong (Whatever it Takes), and film financing expert Morrie Warshawski about the ins and outs of hosting fundraising parties to finance a film.
Filmmakers increasingly need to seek funds from as many sources as possible. A fundraising party may seem like a fun way to raise much-needed dough, but they are a lot of work. Still, securing the right host, making a personal connection to the guests, and laying the groundwork for future "asks" can have
The Future of Public Media: Talking with Pat Aufderheide
July 10th, 2008 | Randi Cecchine
At SILVERDOCS 2008, writer Randi Cecchine talks with Pat Aufderheide, founder and director of the Center for Social Media at American University, about moving their Beyond Broadcast conference to SILVERDOCS, unraveling the complexities of fair use, and taking on the future of public media.
At SILVERDOCS 2008, writer Randi Cecchine talks with Pat Aufderheide, founder and director of the Center for Social Media at American University, about moving their Beyond Broadcast conference to SILVERDOCS, unraveling the complexities of fair use, and taking on the future of public media.
The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: "This Is Where My Dog Is Buried"
July 10th, 2008 | Fernanda Rossi
The Doc Doctor takes a look behind the success of Israeli Producer and Director Nir Keinan's documentary This Is Where My Dog Is Buried. He describes the mistakes he made and the smart moves that ultimately led to the financing of the film. Also, check out the Doc Doctor's previous Anatomy columns.
About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor
Documentary 2.0: Making Media That Matters
Katy Chevigny, Executive Director of Arts Engine, Inc., the nonprofit arm behind the festival, and Gina Teleroli of Meerkat Media Collective, one of the seven collaborators behind Every Third Bite, another of this year’s official selections, discuss artistic collaboration, trends from this year’s festival, and how the Internet is changing the way we make and view film.
June 13th, 2008 | Jen Swanson
The Independent catches up with Katy Chevigny, Executive Director of Arts Engine, Inc., the nonprofit arm behind the festival, and Gina Telaroli of Meerkat Media Collective, one of the seven collaborators behind Every Third Bite (watch the film), another of this year’s official selections, to discuss artistic collaboration, trends from this year’s festival, and how the Internet is changing the way we make and view film.
Each June, The Media That Matters Film Festival selects a group of 12 shorts by independent filmmakers designed to spark action and debate in twelve minutes or less. Unlike other festivals, MTM works to promote its selections year-round through online streaming, broadcasts and community screenings.
For Inspiration, Judd Ehrlich Looked to the Subject of His New Film, "Run For Your Life"
A look at the crowd-pleasing Fred Lebow biography that premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
June 11th, 2008 | Mike Hofman
Though this year's Tribeca Film Festival was dominated by Scandanavian vampires, a decidely American documentary about, yes, a Transylvanian immigrant from Brooklyn also drew crowds. The film is Judd Ehrlich's Run for Your Life (view the trailer), a biography of Fred Lebow, the founder of the New York City Marathon. He was also an impresario, a canny politician, a PR machine, a womanizer, a visionary, a hot head, and—in Ehrlich's words—"a survivor in every sense of the word." The challenge in making the film, then, was not digging up material, but sorting through a mountain of interviews and other footage. Ehrlich recently talked about the film with The Independent's Mike Hofman.
While vampires made a big splash at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, a documentary about a son of Transylvania carved out a decidedly different niche for itself.
The Doc Doctor's Anatomy of a Film: "Muskrat Lovely"
A look at Amy Nicholson's film, which aired on PBS's "Independent Lens"
June 5th, 2008 | Fernanda Rossi
To make Muskrat Lovely (view the trailer), her first full-length documentary, Amy Nicholson packed a small crew into a car and drove from New York City to rural Maryland. Her subjects were the women participating in the 50th anniversary muskrat-skinning competition, which they refer to as a pageant. She had only one camera and under three weeks to get all of the footage she needed. Here, she explains how she pulled it off. Also, check out the Doc Doctor's previous Anatomy columns.
About this column: Many filmmakers ponder in anguish, How do other people—celebrated people—do it? Am I taking too long to make this documentary? Does everybody spend as much money as I am spending, or am I spending too little? And when filmmakers share their lessons learned in interviews in the glossy trade magazines, their tales seem to follow the arc of otherworldy heroes rather than real documentary makers, i.e. human beings like you and me. So each month, the Doc Doctor will go out into the world (this real world) of filmmakers who are successful and find out how they made it. The "Anatomy of a Film Column" is a chance to learn from filmmakers' hits and misses in real life examples. —Fernanda Rossi, story consultant a.k.a. the Documentary Doctor
The Independent's
Recent comments
1 week 3 days ago
2 weeks 4 days ago
3 weeks 2 days ago
3 weeks 4 days ago
14 weeks 15 hours ago
16 weeks 2 days ago
16 weeks 2 days ago
16 weeks 2 days ago
16 weeks 5 days ago
18 weeks 13 hours ago