Documentary First

Get ready for a riveting ride in this week's podcast episode as we delve into the mesmerizing world of original music. Hosts Christian and Jason are joined by two master composers who are also part of the remarkable music collective, Bleeding Fingers Music. Hold on to your headphones, because these composers, Kara Talve and Anže Rozman, aren't just any ordinary talents – they're the musical maestros mentored by none other than the legendary Hans Zimmer himself! Listen to Kara and Anže discuss their inspiring symphony (no pun intended) of passion for music and film composition. Prepare to be get a little jealous as they recount the incredible privilege of being under the tutelage of Hans Zimmer. But brace yourselves for more than just a walk past memory lane; They experimented with musical instruments never invented before on their latest masterpiece, Pre-Historic Planet II. But wait, there's a plot twist! The second half of the episode takes an unexpected turn with Christian's overdue update. Picture this: a

In part 2 of “Human Footprint” Christian and Jason continue their chat with the creators and directors of Human Footprint, Neil Losin & Nate Dappen. Listen to how Neil & Nate filmed the series on a budget, with a small crew of a maximum of 5 people. Hear some of their favorite experiences while grinding and pushing their team to the limit. Seeing elephants from a helicopter and people on dog sleds hunting Polar Bears are just two of the experiences that have marked their lives while making Human Footprint. Music is key to setting the tone and emotion to visuals. We learn about their connection with PBS helping out with some of the licensing of the music used as well as how their “Hip-Hop” composer Andy Young came to be a part of the project. To close, Neil & Nate gave their pearls of wisdom and pieces of advice to filmmakers. Along with Christian’s best reminder of not getting discouraged, don’t give up - DO NOT QUIT!!! PBS Link: https://www.pbs.org/show/human-footprint/ Intro to Documentary Fir

Witness an unexpected journey of science and photography colliding with filmmaking to become an amazing PBS series called “Human Footprint”. Who said science couldn’t be engaging and thought provoking? In this Part 1 episode, Christian and Jason chat with the creators and directors of “Human Footprint”, Neil Losin & Nathan Dappen. They tell us their journey of making “terrible” videos, a partnership with fellow geek scientist Shane Campbell-Staton and the serendipitous connection to PBS that allowed them to share their vision: cultivating a love for science, looking after the Earth and observing mankind’s impact on the environment and culture. This is an amazing journey into filmmaking from an unconventional starting point. The perseverance, grind and fun along the way, including making connections with the right people at the right time, result in a great story about getting funding from unconventional sources. Timecodes: Introduction to our guests. 0:00 How the series came to be. 2:51 The hopeful i

Welcome to the latest episode of Documentary First, as we celebrate a momentous achievement: Our 200th Episode! Join Christian and Jason as they dive deep into the past four years of our thought-provoking and inspiring podcast. Together, they remind us of the indispensable quality that every filmmaker must possess: tenacity. Prepare to be encouraged and motivated as they unveil the secrets to success in the ever-evolving world of cinema. For a filmmaker, perseverance is the key that unlocks the gateway to the stars. These stars can take many forms, both figurative and literal, representing the pinnacle of our aspirations. Just like steadfast guides, the stars watch over us, ever-present and within our grasp. They serve as a constant reminder that even though our goals may seem distant, they remain visible and within reach. With every courageous step we take towards our cinematic vision, we are bound to encounter challenges along the way. But fear not! These very adversities become the stepping stones that lea

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Documentary First! In this week's continuation from last week's episode, we dive deeper into the fascinating world of film festivals and film markets. Joe Amodei, our experienced distributor and filmmaker, shares valuable insights and personal experiences that every filmmaker should know. If you're passionate about filmmaking, you definitely don't want to miss this! At the 2023 Film Festival in Cannes, Joe had 33 meetings where he pitched his films and listened to other pitches. He takes us through this experience and shares the lessons he’s learned, highlighting what he would do differently next time (01:06). The landscape of the film industry is changing, with the merging of premium cable channels and streaming platforms leading to a shift in distribution strategies. Filmmakers and distributors are now focusing more on transactional and A-VOD sites, like Tubi, Pluto, Amazon, and iTunes. This change opens up opportunities for a wider range of genres and films from

This episode is one of a 2-part series where Christian and Jason talk with Joe Amodei about his recent trip to the Cannes Film Festival. 00:50 - Joe describes himself as “a film geek.” He explains why he prides himself in being referred to as not a “suit.” 03:34 - Joe’s involvement with Oscar Best Picture, “Gosford Park.” 07:27 - An inside look at Cannes. 09:29 - What it was like promoting a documentary called “The Third Wave” (IMDB: The Third Wave (2007) - IMDb). 11:59 - Christian reviews her experience going to Sundance Film Festival 13:03 - Joe shares the difference between the 2 festivals, such as no Q&A’s at Cannes. 15:21 - How to get into Cannes Film Festival, both practical and impractical ways 18:23 - Joe makes it clear that he goes to “Cannes every year not to attend the film festival. But to attend the film market.” 23:09 - Joe explains the role of a distributor at film festivals. 25:45 - Christian asks what an independent filmmaker should do to maximize the film festivals, they unpack some very

We're picking up right where we left off from the last episode, talking about AI and how it relates to sound design with Nathan Ruyle. Nathan Ruyle - IMDb Nathans Company “This Is Sound Design” website: This is Sound Design 00:12 - Right out the gate Christian, Jason and Nathan discuss AI vs. good live sound recordings. We discuss that “the tools are only as good as the material you're feeding it.” There is no way around in achieving greatness unless you are investing in quality material. 03:30 - The AI discussion leads to asking about location sound and its challenges. Location sound is very different from sound design and final mix. Hear how Nathan unpacks these differences in reference to his movie “Citizen Sleuth”. 04:29 - Nathan shares how he used spectral tools to identify sounds in his documentary; yet due to use of camera audio and limited crew, there were still challenges in parsing them out. Even big budget films face audio challenges, which further highlights the nature of the industry. 07:42 - Nat

Get ready for an engaging episode of the podcast, where Christian and Jason chat with Nathan Ruyle, the sound designer behind the hit film "Citizen Sleuth." With over 100+ credits to his name, Nathan has an impressive BIO and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to sound design. In part one of this deep dive, Nathan discusses his creative approach to sound design and how it helped to bring the mystery of the film to life. Nathan Ruyle - IMDb Nathans Company “This Is Sound Design” website: This is Sound Design At 01:53, Nathan sums up the unique sound design in "Citizen Sleuth" and how it was used to create an experiential feeling for the audience. Without relying on reenactments, Nathan used sound to immerse the audience in the experience of the crime, making them feel as though they were right there at the scene. ‌ Christian shares at 05:17 how she realized the importance of communicating emotions to the composer and sound department to ensure that the audience is moved through the story by the driving forces

Step right up, folks! This week on Documentary First, we're shaking things up and diving into the world of narrative filmmaking. Our special guest is none other than D. Mitry, a talented writer, director, and producer whose short films have won international acclaim. D. Mitry's new film, “Hedgehog”, is taking the festival circuit by storm, and he's here to share his top three tools for any filmmaker looking to create a powerful, impactful story. But first, let's talk about D. Mitry's fascinating backstory. Born in the Soviet Union, D. Mitry didn't launch his filmmaking dream until 2015, but since then, his work has made waves across the globe. He's the mastermind behind “My True Fairytale”, a feature film that pays tribute to his daughter Alyssa after her tragic passing. This deeply personal project was acquired for worldwide distribution by Gravitas Ventures and had its world premiere at Cinequest in March 2021. Now D. Mitry has a new film on the horizon: “Hedgehog”. This short film explores the conflict bet

Join hosts Christian and Jason as they dive deep into the ever-changing world of filmmaking with seasoned filmmaker, Joe Amodei. With over 20 years of firsthand experience and a passion for film history, Joe shares invaluable insights on the business side of filmmaking in this thought-provoking episode. Discover the Top 5 things every filmmaker needs to know to succeed in this dynamic industry. From mastering the distribution business by staying updated with trade publications, to immersing yourself in diverse movies from all eras to learn from the masters, Joe's advice is practical and eye-opening. Understand how film marketing in the digital era has changed as traditional print media is no longer dominant. Learn how to effectively promote your film using social media and other modern strategies to get the word out and attract audiences. Joe explains that as a filmmaker, you're not just an artist, you're also a businessperson. Setting clear objectives for your film, whether to gain exposure, make money, or r

In this episode Jason Rugg, our loyal host and trusty dusty button pushing guy, is our guest guru on animation and how animation in documentary filmmaking is making a resurgence. With Jason’s extensive background in animation, Christian questions Jason about how animation works and they discuss the history, as well as the pros and cons of using animation in documentary storytelling. Referencing this article, Christian and Jason unpack how the animation revival mentioned is still relevant in today’s filmmaking. Additionally, they dive into the various aspects of animation and motion graphics within storytelling and film making with these various examples: The Sinking of the “Lusitania” “Ryan” a short by Chris Landreth (2004) They also discuss costs of animation referencing these films: “A Head Shorter” by Sasha Bortnik “An Inconvenient Time" - The Story of Ruth Ravina “Chicago 10“ by Brett Morgen   DocuView Déjà Vu: Jason: “Ryan” a short by Chris Landreth (2004) IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414469/?ref

Get ready for an exciting new episode of Documentary First! In episode 192, we're diving deep into the impact of life on the process of filmmaking. With team members experiencing unexpected life events, we explore how creativity is affected when life gets in the way. You won't want to miss the insightful thoughts the team received from another filmmaker, Flo Plana, and Christian's thrilling experience winning not one, but TWO camera packages at a local fundraising film festival. Plus, with the 2023 Oscars fresh on our minds, we delve into the winners, losers and what we think this year's Oscars might mean for the future of filmmaking. Is the Academy still relevant? And how does a film get nominated? Join us for this fascinating conversation, and don't forget to check out our bonus segment on the future of the film industry, exclusively available to our Patreon supporters. DocuView Déjà Vu Segment Jason: "Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia", 2023, HBO Max https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26618018/?ref_=nv_sr

Welcome to Episode 191. Chad Gilchrist, grip and lighting guru extraordinaire, and Director of Photography for “Taking Carentan”, joins the podcast today to talk about the Top 5 skills every cinematographer needs to develop in order to be successful. Before we get into the episode, I wanted to let you know we’re starting something really new. We have extra bonus content exclusively for our Patreon supporters. And this week, it’s going to be an extended interview with Chad talking about his work on Steven Spielberg’s favorite show of the year, “The Bear”. You don’t want to miss this! Chad comes to the team with an amazing wealth of knowledge and skills from a variety of projects with some pretty impressive films. This episode’s focus is on The Top 5 Skills every aspiring cinematographer needs to develop and why those skills are important. > Tip No.1: Develop a strong network. Build friendships and relationships. There is a ripple effect in networking. A key to networking is not seeing what one can get out of i

Interested in improving your creative workflow? Jeff Kurtenacker is back to explain why it all starts with developing good taste. But it doesn’t end there, listen in to discover what it takes to improve your skills, whether it is composing music, directing films, etc. Breakdown: 00:00-06:05 What is Taste? 06:06-14:02 Pathway to Excellence 14:03-21:36 How to Receive Constructive Criticism 21:37-31:44 DocuView Déjà Vu DocuView Déjà Vu: Jason: HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast (2023) https://listen.hbo.com/the-last-of-us-podcast Jeff: Myth & Mogul: John DeLorean (2021) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14968268/ Christian: American Factory (2021) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9351980/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DocumentaryFirst Follow our Substack Blog: https://documentaryfirst.substack.com/ Join our newsletter (bottom of page): https://thegirlwhoworefreedom.com/ Watch our first feature film NOW on these platforms: https://geni.us/TheGirlWhoWoreFreedom Buy a DVD or stream in FRENCH from The Girl Who Wore Freedom

Christian and Jason do a deep dive into "the dreaded cue sheet" with Jeff Kurtenacker. What is a music cue sheet and why is it important for your film? The benefits outweigh the costs. It is more than just a tracking document! It's a sheet that you submit, it requires assigning a name for every piece of music in a film and adding timecodes where each piece of music starts and ends. A composer is acknowledged, and many rights are associated with it, like for some, who's names are attached to a publisher, the profits go to the performing rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI, or CSAC, etc. will collect royalties of performances or showings of this film on your behalf. No matter if the score is only instrumental or has lyrics, musicians are supposed to be paid upfront in addition to royalties anytime anywhere it is used. Jeff & Christian share their experiences learning this element of the music business. If you are a producer or director, think twice about the music you're using in your film. Breakdown: 0:

This week on the podcast Christian talks with Ben Feithen, Documentary First's CEO, about plans for Documentary First in 2023. The DocFirst team is smaller now, and they ponder how to do more with less? When you hear the word "AI" - do you think about the Terminator series.....????? Well, don't be alarmed, in this podcast we unpack the pros and cons of a few new exciting automation and AI tools. 00:00 - 09:43 - A review on how Ben joined the team to help Christian with Documentary First through her son, Hunter Taylor 09:34 - 20:35 - Ben's thoughts on content ideas, 2023 strategy and an ensuing conversation with Christian about content creation with less resources. How does automation looks like as an answer to our problem and how can "AI" tools can help our social media engagement? 20:35 - 26:38 - Using AI to help create a new blog for Documentary First called "Stories of Service" and using AI tools to help with a backlog of content and stories not used yet. 26:39 - 34:59 - DocuView Déjà Vu: Ben: All Quiet on

Hear the rest of the story from the film-making duo, the Gilchrist's, and how they collaborated with the local French people, in particular with Francois. Find out how he got to know Christian and provided background extras-- And local police gets involved? Hear how our team avoided penalties; Did we bribe them with cookies...? DocuView Déjà Vu: Chad: The Dissident (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11382384/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 Christian: Louis Armstrong's Black & Blue (2022) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14447458/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5

Christian & Jason finally get to chat with Tayler & Chad Gilchrist. We find out how they met Christian and the journey of going to France this past summer to be a part of the team to film the sizzle reel for our Carentan Project. DocuView Déjà Vu: Tayler Gilchrist: Into The Deep (2020) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11394296/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

This week there's a lot to recap, but first...introducing a possibly new segment called "News for the Day!" Coming off an East Coast tour, Christian talks new advancements in finding an audience that are made through connections. It is Robbie's last episode, cheers! Please rate and review our film, The Girl Who Wore Freedom, on Rotten Tomatoes! Docu-View DejaVu: Christian: Pepsi, Where's My Jet? (2022) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23022276/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Robbie: Light & Magic (2022) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19896784/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

This episode originally aired on November 26th, 2021. It's a re-airing of a special Thanksgiving episode at the time Documentary First was pitching to distributors like Netflix in Los Angeles and before our Carentan sizzle reel was finished! - - We recollect favorite thanksgiving movies and general thanksgiving. Christian has studio updates and shares future plans with streaming platform, Vudu. We're thankful for all our subscribers and Patreon supporters! Watch "The Girl Who Wore Freedom" this Thanksgiving: https://geni.us/TheGirlWhoWoreFreedom