Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Digital Videos: Fifth Edition

Offering both beginning and more experienced filmmakers an updated, comprehensive guide to the process of documentary filmmaking

In a new edition of this popular guidebook, filmmakers Alan Rosenthal and Ned Eckhardt show readers how to utilize the latest innovations in equipment, technologies, and production techniques for success in the digital, webbased world of documentary film.

All twentyfour chapters of the volume have been revised to reflect the latest advances in documentary filmmaking. Rosenthal and Eckhardt discuss the myriad ways in which technological changes have impacted the creation process of documentary films, including how these evolving technologies both complicate and enrich filmmaking today. The book provides invaluable insights for the filmmaker from the film’s conception to distribution of the finished film. Topics include creating dynamic proposals, writing narration, and navigating the murky world of contracts. Also included are many practical tips for firsttime filmmakers. To provide context and to illustrate techniques, Rosenthal and Eckhardt reference more than 100 documentaries in detail.

A new appendix, “Preparing for Your Career Using the Web and Social Media,” guides filmmakers through the process of leveraging social media and crowdsourcing for success in filmmaking, fundraising, and promotion. A daytoday field manual packed with invaluable lessons, this volume is essential reading for both novice and experienced documentary filmmakers.