Documentary Tips & Lost Equipment
What happens when the airline loses your tripod? Well, you do what you can with what you have! Last week, I talked about our trip to Southern California to work with Prosolve, and now you can see everything we did in a 90-second behind-the-scenes video! Lost luggage, interview bloopers, gear talk - all that fun stuff. I truly love traveling to new areas of the country and getting to chat with folks. We’re there for a specific purpose, but in the process of the job at hand we learn about people we don’t see or hear from every day. While we break down an interview set-up, our subject can give us a great recommendation for a brewery. Or while we’re brainstorming with our local fixer, they can provide crucial background information on the culture of the community. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that what our cameras capture only scratches the surface of the experiences we have documenting stories of people all over the country!
What i watched this week
Actress Bae Doona plays a bow-and-arrow wielding member of a dysfunctional family trying to survive a monster attack.
The Host (2006): We’re having ourselves a Sci-Fi September over in The Nut House Discord server for our weekly Movie Monday watchalongs! Last week we watched Bong Joon-ho’s The Host, a critically-acclaimed film that attempts to blend different genres into one monster movie. There’s scares, laughs, satire and even a few emotional moments that may connect with some audiences. As a whole, it wasn’t my particular cup of soju, but I was having a lot of fun watching it up until the last act. That said, I definitely recommend it for any science fiction or monster movie fans out there! It is currently streaming on Hulu in the US. Available for rent anywhere you rent online.
Before her feature film debut in Hereditary, Milly Shapiro played the title role Broadway's Matilda the Musical.
Hereditary (2018): For an upcoming Film Nuts project, I finally got around to watching Ari Aster’s much-talked-about, first feature film. I can not overstate how impressive the visuals in all of his films are, but for Hereditary to be his first is just incredible! Such care is taken into crafting every single shot. Beyond that, the performances, particularly from Toni Collette and Alex Wolff are nothing short of harrowing and intense. The overall story is hit-or-miss for some folks, but if you’re a horror fan - or just a film nerd like me - you should definitely check this out during the upcoming spooky szn! The film is currently streaming on Cinemax (they have a free trial!) and available to rent anywhere online.
From left to right: Lola Dueñas, Yohana Cobo, Penélope Cruz.
Volver (2006): Continuing my three-part journey into the cinematic world of Pedro Almodóvar courtesy of Night School Bar in Durham, NC, I got to check this Penélope Cruz star-vehicle off my long watchlist. A fascinating combination of intense family drama, slice-of-life neorealism and crime thriller, it made for a lively discussion among the class. And apparently, Cruz wore a fake butt for this role! Prosthetics aside, Volver juxtaposes references to sexual trauma with familial laughter that showcases how the women in this film deal with life’s tragic moments. Available to rent online.
A shark, a snake, a pirañha, a wolf and a tarantula walk into a bar...
The Bad Guys (2022): My partner and I did a double-feature full of laughs to close out our busy weeks, starting with the incredibly fun The Bad Guys. Gorgeously animated, combining similar styles to The Mitchells vs. the Machines and Sony’s Spiderverse films, this Dreamworks production blends Ocean’s Eleven-inspired heists with talking animals so what’s not to love? An excellent family film with incredible action sequences and an absolute stacked voice cast! Streaming on Amazon Prime and Peacock.
The '80s, y'all.
A Fish Called Wanda (1988): This movie keeps coming up in lists of comedy classics that other filmmakers and critics reference and for good reason. I was sore from laughter by the end of this hilarious caper of a dark comedy. While some bits and gags didn’t age well (I mean, what from the 1980s has aged well?), the film is still an uproarious, sex-and-murder-fueled romp featuring unforgettable performances from Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and John Cleese (who also wrote and directed the film with Charles Crichton). Currently streaming on Tubi.
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Looking to up your documentary skills?
Never stop learning! I crafted my approach to documentary filmmaking on the job. Noting what certain interview techniques worked and didn’t work, how you should treat your guest or subject to make them comfortable and even how framing a particular shot can enhance or detract from your film or video’s message. One of my favorite film Youtubers also happens to be an ACE accredited editor, Sven Pape. Sven put together this incredibly insightful video with respected film editor and documentarian Roger Nygard about his secrets to creating successful and compelling documentaries that I think can be applied to almost any media project. Definitely worth the watch!
I also have my own tips to getting great answers out of your guests or interview subjects! But everyone’s approach is different and can yield varying results. You have to find what works best for you and your project!
Happy filming!
