The Rewards and Adventures of Documentary Filmmaking Ep80

In this episode, Host Sue Collins does a dive deep into the world of impact filmmaking and how to make movies that truly matter. If you're someone who is passionate about creating meaningful work and making a positive impact on your audience, then this episode is definitely for you.

One of the key takeaways from this episode is the importance of exploring topics through documentary filmmaking. It is a truly rewarding experience that allows you to meet amazing people and go to places you never thought you would have the opportunity to visit. 

Another takeaway from this episode is the value of developing strong interviewing skills. Whether you're interviewing talent for a film, podcast, or even your own boss for an article, having excellent interviewing skills is crucial. 

Lastly, Sue discusses the importance of sharing accurate information and combating false messages. In today's age of social media, it is more important than ever to provide people with the facts so they can make informed decisions. Making impact films allows us to share meaningful ideas and information through narrative storytelling. By interviewing experts and capturing personal stories, we can provide our audience with enough facts to make up their own minds and not just be influenced by what they see on social media.

Overall, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice for anyone interested in impact filmmaking. Whether you're just starting out or have been in the industry for years, there is something for everyone in this episode. So grab your headphones, tune in, and get ready to learn how to make movies that truly make a difference. 

📩 Want to stay up to date with the latest? Head to www.thedocumentaryfilmmaker.com to join our weekly newsletter and get all resources to make you the best impact filmmaker in the business. 

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:00

Are you someone who loves learning new things, getting really excited about exploring a topic and really diving in? Then you are almost certainly cut out to be a documentary filmmaker. And so much of it is just being about being curious. Something piques your interest and you learn a bit more. And then the next thing you find yourself Googling and reading articles, finding out more and more, and then, you know, you've gone to the next level to find the story and create a narrative around it because it's so good that you want to share it, you know, your deep interest with everybody you know and beyond. And what better way to do that than to make a film and reach a broad audience? So last week I had a great time on the road to film for two different projects. And today I am going to share a bit more about how that week rolled out because I think it could be really helpful to explain that when you make a documentary, there isn't a clear line between research and development, production and financing. They don't sit neatly in a schedule rolling out from one into the other, and they overlap and they're mixed up and it's not clear. And you know, that is part of the fun of documentary filmmaking, and the learning never stops. Welcome to the Moonshine Moonshot Podcast. I'm your host, Sue Collins, and if you've landed here, it means you're wanting to find out more about how to make filmmaking a sustainable career. And you're also curious about how to make meaningful work that fills your cup. You're ready to learn how to make movies that matter, build a sustainable career, and have a positive impact on your audiences. So you are in the right place. Filmmaking has so many parts, and I'm sharing what I've learned over the past 15 years producing impact films that reach their intended audience and support real-world change. So let's get started. Exploring topics through documentary is a really rewarding experience, and you get to meet amazing people doing extraordinary things. You get to go to places that you would never have been to before, and surprisingly, you often get to go back to places that you never even thought you'd be lucky enough to visit once, let alone twice, and sometimes more times again. And you get to form an opinion and deep dive into topics that are meaningful to you and that you really want to share with others. You get to be really creative and consistently come up with new ideas. You also get to lug a ton of gear around and cause massive delays at airport security when they have to scan all of your gear multiple times. And then you are always just a little bit nervous when you get to the gate to board, and the the airline boarding crew might try and make you check your very heavy camera bag, which is too fragile to go into uh undercarriage storage. So, you know, there's the ups and downs of filmmaking and lugging your gear around the country. But let's cycle back to the point about the people you get to meet because last week Mike Hill, my partner in all things, and I, we were off on a filming trip and we filmed for two very different projects. One is in development, and it's all about this quite unique guy called Phil who developed younger onset Alzheimer's about seven years ago. He's currently in his early 60s and is very reliant on an assistance dog to help him navigate his life. We only met Phil and his new puppy Margot a few months ago, and Phil is currently training Margot to be a highly trained assistance dog that goes everywhere with him, and she makes it possible for him to travel interstate to see his daughter and also do public speaking to raise awareness about his disease. So, if you're not familiar with Alzheimer's disease, it's the most common form of dementia and it causes impaired memory, thinking, and behaviour. And people with Alzheimer's disease experience different challenges and changes throughout the progression of the condition, and it deteriorates over time. But the speed of that progression varies very much from person to person. So I have to admit that I always thought that dementia happened to much older people and that younger onset Alzheimer's was rare and that you completely lost your memory and were uh not able to look after yourself or even know what was going on. I I thought it was akin to basically losing your mind. So I have learned a huge amount already on the few months on this project alone. Phil is quite incredible. He had previously had an assistance dog that helped him maintain a relatively active life. It turns out that Phil isn't always suffering the short-term memory loss, and that part of it comes and goes for him. So sometimes it impacts him for days, which he describes as having an episode. But much of the time he's quite able, and it's been really important for his ongoing health and well-being to be able to continue getting out and about and traveling for doing public awareness raising and seeing his family. So when his first assistance dog died quite young of cancer, he was he was really lost. He lost much of his independence, and it was a terrible time for him. And he was very fortunate he was able to get a new suitable puppy called Margot. And she is remarkable. Margot has been fully trained in just 11 months. And so that's the story that we're following. How a dog can be trained to be so specialized that she can help Phil navigate airports, find his keys, stay calm when he becomes disorientated, and guide him to, you know, things as simple as public toilets when they're out and about. So, long story short, we got to hang out with Phil and Margot at Bondi Beach in Sydney on the most amazingly beautiful day. And we observed Phil checking into a hotel with the help of Margot, and we saw Phil walking around, finding a taxi, and did an interview with him to camera. All things that we all take for granted, but you'd be surprised that these simple things can be quite a challenge for someone with uh youngest onset Alzheimer's and for Phil. And he, you know, on his own, he'd be too stressed to do them. So Margot is making that possible. Now, to the point of this particular podcast around, you know, how documentaries roll out, we don't have funding for Phil's story yet. And part of what we were doing was simply opportunistic. We'd already captured enough of Phil's story a few months ago to create a short sizzle wheel to go with our pitch, but we also know that his story could change very quickly, so time is not on our side, and so to wait for the money first might mean we would not be able to make the film. So we've trusted our instincts, and this really is a very powerful and important story, and so we made the most of our opportunity to connect with Phil while we were in Sydney to actually film for a completely different project. So that other project is called Conquering Skin Cancer, and yep, that is why we were in Bondi Beach on a glorious sunny day, and I should mention I got to see whales, and it was amazing. They were out in the ocean and I could see them. It was just incredible. Uh, I was on the rocks up near Bondi Beach when we looked out and saw them. You know, just had to tell you that because I thought it was pretty spectacular, and it's one of the perks of traveling to make films. So we also got to see one of the most iconic beaches in the world, Bondi Beach, and all the people sunbaking on it. And not many of them were being sun smart, despite the fact that Australia has some of the highest rates of skin cancer and melanoma in the world. Many were out sunbaking during peak UV times, and I wasn't seeing much evidence of sunscreen. And this is why I wanted to tell you more about how research and development can combine with production and finance. So we do have some funding into the project already for the Conquering Skin Cancer film, but we're actively financing for the remainder of the budget at the moment. However, if we wait for all the funding to be secured before we roll camera, we will never get this film made. So we traveled to Sydney to film with some experts in dermatology and skin cancer research and treatment. And even though we'd done extensive research on the topic of skin cancer and already interviewed a number of participants and experts, we learned so much more on this particular trip. So the story has a narrative already, but the more we film, the more we learn and the deeper we go. The more the narrative is enriched and the better the film's going to be. We had such a great chat with an Uber driver, believe it or not, going from Bondi Beach into the city to a different interview. And he shared with us that he was very fit and health conscious, and he asked us if it was true that glass windows filter out 95% of UV rays. He also asked if we knew the influencer on Instagram and if he was right that sunscreen caused skin cancer and how worried folks should be about vitamin D deficiency by being sun smart. Wow. In one car drive, we learnt around three different things that turn out to be very genuine concerns for some people, and we were not clued into this. So, yes, you heard correctly, there is misinformation that sunscreen causes skin cancer. The very thing that is developed and designed to prevent skin cancer is being touted as a dangerous product. Yeah, what the so we had some questions for our next interview that we had lined up that we're on our way to was an expert in skin cancer. So I'm pleased to be able to tell you that we mythbusted that one. And we asked multiple scientists, oncologists, medical researchers, and dermatologists, and they all said that sunscreens in Australia are rigorously tested and have to meet very high standards for safety to ensure that none of the ingredients are toxic to humans. So when you consider how high the risk of skin cancer and melanoma is in this country, as it is for many others, it's extraordinary to me that some people would actively try and scare people from using a product like sunscreen that can help prevent a very dangerous cancer like melanoma. And I thought this kind of selfish madness was exclusive to anti-vaxxes and so on and so on, but don't get me started on the anti-vaxxes. But I had the Uber driver, had the Uber driver not raised these very genuine concerns, we would not have even realized that for some these were real issues, and we wouldn't have asked the scientists, the specialists, and everyone else we interviewed these questions when we had the chance. So I'm really glad we got the myths busted. We learned a heap, and the project is all the better for it. But I've digressed and I am now coming back to the link between research and development, production and finance. Oh, I was just looking for a place where I could learn everything I need to know to make an amazing film that changes the world. It's such a shame that that place doesn't exist. Oh what? Hang on, it does. Oh, if you're looking for inspiration, ideas, tools, and ways to learn how to make movies that matter, head to Moonshine Communications Academy over at Instagram and all your problems will be solved.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Warning results may vary depending on the questions, and success is not guaranteed. Always read the label Magic is anecdotal and the genie is not included.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

So in rolling camera on some experts, we were able to do production. But the answers were also research and sending us in new directions to explore on the topic. And we also got to discuss our financial needs with the experts we interviewed who are industry leaders and can help introduce us to their contacts who may be interested in funding a project like Conquering Skin Cancer. So it's all happening at the same time. And then our trip took us to Brisbane, where we had the best interviews. We filmed with four-time Olympic swim champion Kate Campbell, who has had a melanoma. And I have got to say, she was a fantastic person to interview. She was so articulate and relatable. And she had a perspective perspective on skin cancer that we hadn't actually come across in other interviewees with cancer survivors. And so it was a really positive experience meeting and speaking with her. And she is such an amazing role model for young people in Australia, particularly around skin cancer prevention, but also just as an athlete and a person. She's she's very impressive. So that was such a good experience to interview her. Interviewing is something I've only really been doing personally in recent years. As Mike Hill, as I mentioned before, my partner in all things, is a director and he usually would do all the interviewing. He's very experienced and has done, I reckon, over a thousand interviews in his career. We've been working together for 20 years or so now. But I love interviewing as well. And I was able to do a lot more when I was the presenter on our recent film Conquering Cervical Cancer. It's a new skill, and I have to say, I'm really enjoying it. And interviewing Kate Campbell mate, she just made it so easy because she is just such a great person to speak to. So thank you, Kate. Really looking forward to sharing your interview with the world as soon as we can. But on a sidebar, Mike's just finished creating a new online course on how to interview, which is going to be available through the Moonshine Communications Academy very soon. So keep an eye out for it. Um he did it because he really identified that it's a skill that many people in many walks of life actually need, how to interview somebody from the perspective of a talent. Not talking about job interviews, I'm talking about interviewing talent for, you know, for film or for a podcast, or if you're a communications person, you might need to interview your own boss for an article for your website or whatever it is. But interviewing is a really good skill to have. And because I was producing the course with Mike on interviewing, I ended up taking the course by way of filming and reviewing it. So it gave me a really solid background to apply to my own interviewing skills. And something I used to find a bit daunting is now something that I find really fun and rewarding. So if you're keen to do some interviewing in your own work, then I highly recommend the course. And as I said, just keep an eye out on the Moonshine Communications Academy, because as soon as it's live, we will be talking about it loads over there. And the reason that I'm sharing all this about our shooting trip last week is because I wanted to share some insights into how we do our work. Because you can get started on your project if you don't have any funding, if you want to. You just need a camera, an interviewee, and the will to make it happen. And you'll learn from what you're doing, whether it's about leveling up your filmmaking skills or learning more about the topic of your film, it only happens when you're doing the work. You can have all the theory in the world, but you've got to get out there and do it. So remember, it doesn't actually matter where you start, just as long as you start. And then keep going, because bit by bit you will have a film. And that's part of the beauty of making a documentary. You can piece it together as you go because you learn so much about the topic and you'll realize that your own bias and actually you really do realize your own bias and you get insights into where your messaging might not be working. For example, if we hadn't had a chat with our Uber driver, we wouldn't have known that people genuinely think that sunscreen could cause skin cancer. And now we get to bust that myth and possibly stop a few sunburns. So we know that people can be influenced by false messages. So we can speak to that and we can share what the experts with the knowledge have to say about it. And at least then people can have enough facts to make up their own minds and not just be influenced by what's on social media. It's part of the beauty of making impact films, is you get to actually share really meaningful uh ideas and information. And it's all done through narrative and it's storytelling. So, in the course of a week last week, we filmed for two different projects, including interview experts. Uh, we interviewed people about their personal stories, we captured overlay footage and b-roll, we stayed at the iconic Bondi Beach and saw whales, we went to Brisbane and did more interviews, meetings, and filming. We were able to have fruitful conversations with our interviewees about who might be interested in funding into the project. And we actually just had a really enjoyable time. So a research and development, production and financing trip. Win-win-win-win all in a week. So it's too soon to know, really, if the finance will flow based on the discussions, but I will keep you um informed about that if things come to fruition. Because this is all stuff that you can do yourself. You do not have to wait for the ducks to line up in order to make a film. Just get your hands on a camera and get going. So I will be back next week with more on indie filmmaking and the documentary filmmaking process. But as always, please let me know if you have any questions. DM me over at Moonshine Communications Academy or shoot me an email to support at Moonshine Communications Academy.com. Speak to you soon. Thank you for joining me today and every week here on the Moonshine Moonshot Podcast. If you're wanting a deeper dive into the topics being discussed on the show, then I would encourage you to head over to Moonshine CommunicationsAcademy.com and sign up for the weekly drop of moonshine via your email. Being on our newsletter community means we can support your filmmaking journey in a more tailored way as well as keeping you up to date with the resources we share on how to make movies that matter, and so much more that we deliver inside your inbox every single week. So head over to Moonshine CommunicationsAcademy.com and at the bottom of the homepage you'll see a little box to add your email address, and as a thank you for signing up, we'll also send you a bonus ebook to support your messaging. So voila, you'll be on the way to receive all the best content weekly.