TRC Book Club - The Documentarian

Sep 16, 2024

Guest

Freida Lee Mock

Guest

Roger Nygard, a veteran in documentary filmmaking and author of 'The Documentarian,' leads an engaging discussion with acclaimed filmmakers Davis Guggenheim, Liz Garbus, Rachel Grady, and Freida Lee Mock. They delve into the intricacies of narrative structure and character development, focusing on the art of storytelling and ethical dilemmas in documentary filmmaking. Insightful tips on editing and the financial aspects of producing documentaries are shared, alongside personal experiences that highlight the passion behind the lens.

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ADVICE

The Importance of Theme

Define a clear theme for your documentary, which is the core message or idea you want to convey.
Ensure every element in your film relates to this theme to maintain focus and coherence.

INSIGHT

Types of Documentaries

Documentaries fall into two categories: narrative and concept documentaries. Narrative documentaries follow individuals pursuing a goal, while concept documentaries explore a central question or idea.

ADVICE

Editing Shortcuts

Group similar footage together in your editing software to streamline the process.
Identify your ending early and work backwards to structure your narrative effectively.

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The Documentarian - Roger Nygard, ACE

Roger Nygard's The Documentarian is the ultimate go-to source for making and selling documentaries, answering every question and containing crucial strategies every filmmaker needs to know to succeed as a documentarian. Included are insights from experts and award-winning documentary filmmakers such as Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth), Liz Garbus (Ghosts of Abu Ghraib), Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp), Freida Lee Mock (Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision), Errol Morris (The Fog of War), Sam Pollard (4 Little Girls), Michael Tollin (The Last Dance), Frederick Wiseman (Titicut Follies), Marina Zenovich (Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind).

The book includes a case study profiling the making and selling of the documentary Trekkies; what it took to push it to a record-setting sale to a major studio, with a huge payout to the filmmakers. This book is inspirational and leaves people—after reading a chapter or finishing the book—feeling more inspired to go forth with their own struggle.

Roger Nygard, ACE

Roger Nygard has balanced humor and seriousness in his documentaries Trekkies, The Nature of Existence, The Truth About Marriage, and The Comedy Store. Nygard has also directed TV series The Office and The Bernie Mac Show, and edited Emmy-nominated episodes of VEEP and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Roger wrote a book about editing comedy called Cut to the Monkey. He didn't learn his lesson, so he did it again; his new book is called The Documentarian. Despite reports to the contrary, Roger has never been indicted OR convicted. It's important to have goals.

Writing The Documentarian

In our discussion with The Documentarian editor and author Roger Nygard, ACE we talk about:

The biggest mistake new doc makers make
It's not a pitch, it's a project
Working backwards to move forward
The intrinsic link between the interview and the edit
Editorial shortcuts through the material minefield

The Credits

Visit Extreme Music for all your production audio needs

Get your own copy of The Documentarian

Listen to Roger talk about his work on Curb Your Enthusiasm and his other book Cut to the Monkey

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