Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

Hey guys,

Im Shazia Malik, a third year film student originally from India but
majoring in Directing and Writing at the Unitec School of Performing
and Screen Arts, Auckland, New Zealand.

The reason I joined d-word was because early this year we kick off
with a doco project and I need some advice... i'll post my question
in the mentoring room...

Welcome, Shazia. Glad you're jumping right in with questions. We'll
try and help ya out.

Hello every one. Im Krys, and im a student film maker in London.
I'm only 18 but have a passion for the films i watch and make, iv made only a few
documentarys to date, the best of which was about fans of cult tv & film. I traveled up
to Milton Keaynes to the collectomainia4 convention where i interviewed a host of
celebreties including many stars of the Lord Of The Rings (Elijah Wood and Andy
Serkis giving particuarly interesting interviews), Star Treck, Buffy, and many more. the
final program ran to 19 minutes and came out very well, for my first serious
documentry i was very proud. I've also shot many short films both in my private time
and for college.
Im currently doing a preproduction assignment on documentary technique so i
thought id better do some in depth resurch to see how i can imporve my ideas.
If any of you have any links to good webs site detailing popular docomentry
techniques please please please drop me reply with the address.
thank you very much... im sure ill find this place very useful!
Krystian

welcom, krys. hope we can help imporve your doc skills.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently filming my first documentary. My subject matter is
changing over a 12 - 14 month period of filming, and therefore I
don't have the ability to go back and reshoot something that didn't
work (creatively - not technically - that is a different challenge).

I have tried to conceive each and every possible shot I
could/should/would need at the end of 12 months, without letting the
potential of this overwhelm or dilute my focus. I'm finding this
very challenging.

When I came online today, and discovered this website, it was coming
across a road sign in a language I could read. Although the journey
will ultimately be my own, it is very cool to know that others who
have walked this same path are just a discussion forum away.

Shazia, Krystian, and Mona - welcome to The D-Word Forum!

Glad you found us, Mona. Welcome.

Hello, coming to you from snowbound western Virginia, (100
miles west of Washington DC,) I am a author/writer with
specialty in health, sciences, and have produced 4 pieces in
video format for various clients and government on healthcare,
animal health surveillance in Africa, HIV/AIDS and other pieces. I
Started as a still photographer years ago, and continue to use
film equipment (am resisting digital sorry) with now using old
16mm Bolex which is understandable for my non digital brain!
Newest project takes me to Africa again, in a few weeks , am
very interested to learn from you experts/enthusiasts here since
this is my first project of my own (read- independent, unfunded at
this point) . Applaud everyone for their pursuits, sorry this is so
wordy!!
BLH

Welcome, Barbera. Congratulations on your decision to stick to film.
After all, life is not digital, is it?

I would like to pitch a project and am also seeking finishing funds
for a project I am currently working on. Is there an appropriate way
to do this?

Not really, Rosalyn. You can join The D-Word Community - www.d-
word.com/join - and get feedback and advice, but we don't pitch here.
I suggest you read the current CE conference for info on how they wish
to be approached.

I worked for twenty-two years as a current affairs journalist with
Irish Television,RTE, and, since leaving in 1999, I have been
making international documentaries, most of them broadcast on
RTE. Please see my website, www.anynewsinc.com for further
information.

My most recent production is 'Congo, Heart of Africa' made from
material accumulated during ten weeks travelling alone in the
Democratic Rebpubic of Congo (DRC). It tells the story of the
forgotten war in DRC where 4 million have died over the past five
years, more than in any other conflict since WW2. Seven
neighbouring African countries have been involved in a vicious
scramble for Congo's wealth - gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt,
coltan, tea, coffee, timber, tobacco, oil - with US,EU and
international companies in close attendance.

This 34 min documentary was broadcast on RTE on 18 Dec
2003.

Jerry, welcome to The D-Word. Make sure to join The D-Word Community
as well. More info at <www.d-word.com/community/>, and join at
<www.d-word.com>. It's free but, unlike The D-Word Forum, it won't be
automatic this time.

Hi there, another new film maker on the big block. Educating via
entertainment is my thing. Currently working on an Irish project I
shot in August last year. Looking for funding to polish the
project. So glad to have found film to express the passion!

Delighted that you found us, Johanna. Welcome.

For funding tips, be sure to read last week's conference with
commissioning editors in Europe, as well as the one we had last year
with Jan Rofekamp.

So this is what you d-word people do all day...!

Having come to filmmaking through the back door - bet you've never
heard a law degree being referred to as that before! - it would be
great to hear from anyone with experience of pitching and producing
their first project - oh and tips of getting funded would be great
too!

cheers, s.

Welcome, Sarah. I suggest you read some of the conferences that are
archived here. Start with The International Pitching Forum {LINK NOT IMPORTED} for
pitching advice, then proceed to the recent Meet Commissioning Editors
in Europe {LINK NOT IMPORTED} for funding advice. And read Jan Rofekamp's
conference, after that... if you dare.

Welcome Sarah!

Everyone - when you introduce yourselves, please tell us where you
are based. (Sarah is in London.)

Hi D-Worders!

I'm Joe Mondello a former Cinema Studies Student from NYU
circa the late 60s and early 70s getting back to what turns
me on (groovy huh? ;) )

Just signed up for a Documentary pre-production course
at NYU and our prof recommended this website.

I look forward to participating here.

Thanks,
JM

Welcome to The D-Word Forum, Joe!

Thanks, Ben.

Are there any geographical "sub-groups" here?
I'd love to meet more folks in the NYC area.

Not in this forum, Joe. I suggest you join two great organizations,
AIVF - www.aivf.org - and DocuClub - www.docuclub.org. They hold lots
of events where you can meet other NY doc makers.

But welcome to our groovy little virtual shindig.

Thanks for the info Doug. Appreciate it.

I'm new--- Steve Olpin. I have been doing this for about 15 years. Now I mostly
do action sports with a documentary style rather than most in my world that do
it with action and music. I have had a docmentary short at Sundance about 10
years ago but have not been back(i've tired--no luck) i'm kind of loosing
interest in film festivals ----but that's is another story---they are sometimes like
high school parties it cool if you invited but now worries if not. ---I not sure how
to do this group i would love to chit chat with peers. I have finally found peers
in Action sports in surf skat snow and moto but never really found a
community in documentary---hope this works out. I shoot video and film and
cut on final cut pro. I own all my own gear and share a edit suite with a brilliant
filmmaker Tim Irwin---I could go on but I will stop and try to figure how to work
inside this group.
thank you,
Steve Olpin
SOLPIN FILMS INC

Actually, the chit chat is in the community area, which you've
already applied for, Steve. Instructions will soon be arriving via
email.