Ep. 53 Documentary filmmaking. Looking at the BIG picture

It’s at this point in the process I find it best to come back to one simple question: ‘Why am I making this documentary?’ 

Really think about it. What was the idea that lit a flame in your mind that just couldn’t be put out? And why did you decide that a documentary was the way this story needed to be told?

This week, we’re going to take the time to pull our heads out of the thorough and deep planning we’ve been doing and instead reflect and look at the BIG picture. 

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Transcript

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Here we are at the end of the road. Well, sort of. Actually not really at all. But welcome back, fellow movie makers and documentary enthusiasts. There is good news. You've made it. If you have been following me on this Moonshine Moonshot podcast, then you have completed your pre-production. Or at least you have all the steps for when you need to know them. And if you haven't, that is completely fine because all the episodes can also be found on whatever platform you're listening to, so you can easily jump back and catch up on them. So don't forget to hit subscribe wherever you are listening. Now, this does not mean it's time to relax. No, no, no. The work is just getting started. But if you're like me, this is a good thing because rolling camera on your story is really an exciting time, with you know a few challenges, of course. But if you've done your work in pre-production, you should be well set up for this next big step. Today I do not want to overwhelm you with what's to come in production. I will be starting on that in the next episode. Today, we are going to take a little bit of time to pull our heads out of the thorough and deep planning that's been going on and instead reflect on the big picture. How far you've come and how far you will go. So at this point in the process, I think it's really important to come back to one simple question. Why are you making this documentary? If it's not top of mind, you could meditate on it. You could ponder and dig deep. You know, I actually did learn how to do transcendental meditation, but if I'm being perfectly honest, I have actually never found meditation that helpful. But many people swear by it. So if that's the ordeal, meditate on that question. Why are you making this documentary? It's also possible that that why is completely top of mind for you. And if so, that's good. Keep it there. Really think about it. What was the idea that lit a flame in your mind that just couldn't be put out? And why did you decide that a documentary was the way your story needed to be told? Most likely the idea is something that you are deeply passionate about and you want nothing more than to share it with the world. And rightly so. And what an exciting journey to choose to go on, the places you're going to go and the people you will meet. This is truly an experience that not many outside the realm of filmmaking can fully comprehend. How good is it? What a career you've chosen. And the reason I want you to really bring your why to the forefront of your mind right now is because you are on a really big journey and you are going to hit some bumps in production. It is inevitable. But keeping your why close in mind will help keep you on track when the going gets tough. Sticking to the journey metaphor. When you hit a roadblock in your path that stands between you and your goal of finishing your film, you've got to find a way around. No matter how gargantuan this obstacle you're facing might be, you have to overcome it. And maybe this comes in the form of losing some talent, the financial calamity of an investor pulling out, or even your own self-doubt. I've got to tell you, last week, a few days from Picture Lock on my new film, Live the Life You Please, one of the participants withdrew consent. Yep. Despite a very robust consenting process at the time of filming, someone pulled out. It happens. And yes, I am sure you were thinking and wanting to ask me, can someone really do that? Well, I had all the appropriate consents in place. So the answer in this case was yes, legally, I could have continued to use the footage. But honestly, it just isn't the right thing to do because the reasons behind the participants withdrawing consent are very legitimate. And because the last thing I actually want to do is publish a film and have someone deeply wounded by my doing so, especially as the request to be removed came when it was still possible to remove them. Now, in saying this, had the film already been released, then I wouldn't be able to change the film for obvious reasons. It was not easy, it was not a simple thing to do, but you know, my co-producer and I, we we knew that this was the right decision to pull them from the film as requested. And it's just part of the filmmaking process. It can happen, it does not happen often, but it can happen. And like many things in filmmaking, the best way to overcome hurdles is to find a way to jump over them, crawl through them, dig under them, or just boulder your way through. And that's where tenacity and persistence will serve you well. You need to come back to your why and decide that this is something you're going to do. And when you're feeling that doubt, that's your cue to lean in and prove that doubt wrong. You know what? We're here to help. And if your why is not enough to keep you afloat, that's where this the Moonshine Moonshot podcast comes in. And it's my goal that through Moonshine Communications Academy, our various courses, the Moonshot series, and with our resources to help you feel confident, prepared, and excited. And if you're ever not, know that there is a community of filmmakers here to support you. So reach out and connect. It's a really great way to help yourself through tough times. You do not have to do it alone. As I've said many times, filmmaking is a team sport. And I can't remember off the top of my head who actually made that original quote, but it's a good one. So traditionally, especially with documentary, filmmaking is a, you know, it's a bit of a learn as you go process, which is fine for some. In fact, the more you get out with your camera experimenting, the better. But for my own personal experience, a helping hand is a good hand. And the Moonshine Moonshot series aims to fill the gaps of knowledge and help you put your best foot forward when you're looking for information and you know a bit of inspiration to keep going. So where to from here? From here, we are going to start looking at production. It has been a long time coming, but I'm definitely ready and I'm sure you are too. So if you're not, you've still got plenty of time to catch up on the previous lessons before we move on. The coming episodes will deep dive into the key ingredients for your film production. How will you tell your story? The creative choices, like is it going to be presenter-led, narration, a protagonist, how to go about consenting your participants? As I touched on before, this is a very, very important part of the production process. To avoid all those terrible withdrawals of consent. You're also going to need call sheets. Now, what are they and what are they for? And how do you make a good one? What cameras to use? What sound gear? And who do you need in your crew on a shoot day? Because it looks different for different days and different types of shoots, and there's just so much more. So 2023 is the year you make your documentary. I want to be here alongside you. So make sure you hit subscribe on whatever platform you're on right now. And until next week, rest up because you have a big journey ahead of you putting your film into production. Can't wait to hear how yours goes. Reach out on social, let me know how it's going. Till next week.