Documentary Filmmaking: A Contemporary Field Guide - Softcover

"Documentary Filmmaking is well-written, pragmatic, down to earth, and at the same time inspiring. It is written to teach, inform, train, and help students succeed in making their own documentaries. It is the best book in the field today."--Ramon Soto-Crespo, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

"This book is an ideal text for an introductory documentary production class. It will work for a student who will only make one documentary and for someone who is embarking on a career in documentary filmmaking."--Ben Levin, University of North Texas

"This is a very thorough and clear explanation of documentary filmmaking from initial conception to finished product. I highly recommend it."--Sally Rubin, Chapman University

Documentary Filmmaking: A Contemporary Field Guide, Second Edition, is a skills-oriented, step-by-step guide to creating documentary films, from the initial idea phase to distribution. Thoroughly updated to highlight the effects of technological advances and social media, this compact handbook offers something for all types of students: documentary recommendations (for the film buff); illustrations, examples, and commentary from working documentary makers, producers, editors, and distributors (for the more grounded, visual learner); the latest trends in Internet video (for the more "techie" documentarian); and practical financial tips, fundraising ideas, and legal considerations (for the more idealistic-and not always realistic-visionary).