Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

Hi Everyone,

So I'm new to D-word. I learned about the site from Christopher Wong (shout out for his amazing doc, Whatever It Takes). As if the internet isn't distracting enough I can tell that there will be many hours spent exploring here, which frankly I'm thrilled about.

A bit about myself. My name's Ben. I'm a student at Whitman College and will be graduating in May. This is quite exciting, but also a bit nerve racking. Very soon after graduation I will be moving to either LA or NY so people's thoughts of the doc scene in either city would be much appreciated and very much listened to (as well as any advice for young eager filmmakers).

As far as film goes, I recently made a short doc called TEAM TALIBAN. It will be playing in Tribeca at the end of april, so if you're in NY or know people who would be interested in seeing it here's the website. www.teamtalibanfilm.com

Well, I guess that's all for now. I hope to upload a photo to replace the default one, and I look forward to getting to know everyone and exploring d-word!

Ben

welcome ben! may you waste countless hours here along with the rest of us documentary fools.

(although you didn't win at AFI Dallas either, i can honestly say that TEAM TALIBAN was definitely the best doc short i saw there! and there were quite a few excellent ones playing...)

Hey Mikal!
I'll actually be up in Humboldt next week helping Scott with some Trees Foundation work. Not sure if we'll be staying in SoHum or Arcata, but I'll check in if I'm in your 'hood.

Welcome to The D-Word, Ben, and congrats on your success with the short. Can't speak for LA but between the weekly Stranger Than Fiction series and the monthly DocuClub screenings, I'd say NYC has a pretty thriving doc scene.

Hi, I'm John and I found out about this site from Snagfilms.com. I am 57 years old. Have teaching Special Education for 3+ years. Married 29 years. Two grown sons and 5 grandkids. Former US Navy SEAl and Vietnam veteran. I am struggling to learn how to play the bass guitar.Nice to meet you all.

I meant that I had been teaching for 30+ years on that last post.

Very glad you found and snagged us, John. Do you simply enjoy documentaries or are you trying to make one?

Hi everyone,

I'm really pleased to have found this site and I think I will get the chance for connecting with other documentary filmmakers.

I'm new to D-word. I learned about the site from Marjan Safinia, whome I met at Pangeaday International Film festival at Los Angalese in May 2008.

I'm really excited to connect with other documentary filmmakers and and look forward to learning from and connecting with you all!

If I say about my self. My name is Henry. I live in Sri Lanka, a country just lying underneath of India in world map. I am a script writer and director of Documentaries, Short films and educational video programmes.
I am an author of books in the fields of Short stories, Children stories, Novels, Translations and Film Criticism.

My filmography is as follows.

Documentary
1. Thimbirigeyaka Kathawa (Story of a Labour Room)-1992 13:50
2. A Cradle of Technology -In the Hanthana Valley -1993 21:00
3. Didulambara (Shining Sky)-2005 19:25
4. Theenduwata Pera (Befor the Decision)-2005 12:00
5. Pathadumbara Pawasata Nimavak (End to the Thirsty)-2008 06:30
6. Vistas of an Illustrious Career-2008 11:10
Short Film
1. Madiyam Sevaneli (Mid Sun Shadows) -Supervision Director-2006 07:00
2. Nonimi Gamana (Endless Journey)-2008 10:00

Feature Film
1. Me Mage Sandai (This is My Moon) -Assistant Director-2001

These days I am in the process of preparing for production of a documentary on Catchment protection and water pollution.

I feel this is enough for the time being. You will get to know more about me during future discussions.
Hope to get to know each other.

Henry

Welcome, Henry. That's quite an impressive filmmography. Hope you'll feel free to leap right into the discussions here.

By the way, no need to sign your name at the end of your posts. It's added automatically at the top of every post.

Hi, I'm James Billy Hill. Yes, that is Billy, not William. True Appalachian heritage in that name. I am a documentary film maker and aspiring screenwriter.

I went to Film School at The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I have been working in the local film industry since 2006 in various capacities and doing side projects in the mean time.

Last year I finished a short documentary about an Autistic man in Davidson North Carolina, titled: "Richard"
I am currently working on a feature documentary film titled "Troubled Waters." It is about Arsenic poisoning in a small town in Northern Argentina. We have been in production on it for the last three years and with fingers crossed and funding to come we will have it ready for release by late September 2009.

I am still early in my career and hope to glean from the collective wisdom of everyone here and I am excited about this new resource.

I heard about it from a Q and A session with Gary Hustwit at Full Frame last weekend. Full Frame was wonderful.

Thanks....

Welcome, James. I suppose being a Billy Hill is better than being a Hill Billy. (Alright, I couldn't resist – bet you haven't heard that one before.) Glad you found out about us from Gary, we're happy to have you aboard.

Welcome Henry! Glad you joined!

Doug, John Chalus here. I have never made a documentary.I do enjoy watching them.

That's fine, John. Good to have an enthusiastic Enthusiast.

Hi everyone… I have been a member for a year and I apologize for not presenting myself before.

My name is Juan Leguizamón; I am a Film Editor.
I was born in Argentina but I lived seven years in Barcelona before moving to New York last year.
A week ago I finished my last work called “Dreaming Nicaragua”, a feature length documentary directed by Marcelo Bukin about the life and dreams of five kids in Nicaragua. The film was shown last year at IDFA as a working progress.

In 2006 the film “Angel’s Fire” won as Best Documentary Short Subject at the IDA Awards, also James Longley's "Iraq in Fragments” earned top honors for Feature Length Documentary! (I fell desolate I was working and I couldn’t go… But hey!... that’s life in the dark room).

If someone is interested in working with a reasonable man, obsessed by details and with good sense of humor fell free to contact me. More info at my web: http://www.juanleguizamon.com

I hope to be able to give something back to this great community.
Thanks to all.
Juan.

I am the festival manager for the American Conservation Film Festival in Shepherdstown, WV.

Welcome Tatiana. Glad to have some more festival people here. I'm the Program Director of the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival. When is your festival?

Hi I am Dharma I would like to submit a proposal to PBS very interesting subject, I shall be producing the 13 one-hour series. I looking for some one who has some experience in writing proposals or where can i find some one.
I planning to going into documentary production.

A nickname of mine when I was little was "backwards Hill Billy"
Yeah....
In reply to Doug Block's post on Mon 6 Apr 2009 :

Juan,

I have been looking for a Bilengual editor for my current documentary project especially one from Argentina since the doc concerns Argentina. Post would begin in late July-August. Email me some more contact info, I would love to talk with you if you are available.

email: billyhillproductions@gmail.com

In reply to Juan Manuel Leguizamon's post on Tue 7 Apr 2009 21:48 UTC :

Bienvenido Juan, desde Montreal!

Welcome Juan, Tatiana and Dharma. Glad to have you all here.

Hi, my name is Beth and I live near the Smoky Mountains in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. Good to be connected with all of you doc film folks. I kind of got involved accidentally in doc films, when I visited Russia and got an idea for a story about a little town surrounded by a fence (a nuclear city with the last plutonium-producing reactor slated for closure since the end of the Cold War), but I have always loved docs. When I lived in Southern California, I got a global view of the entertainment industry, since I worked in film distribution, for which I am grateful. The internet has changed things so vastly, that now, as i consider options for distribution, I am seriously considering some kind of alternative way to get my film to a niche audience, rather than go a more traditional route, that aims more broadly. I have many questions, and look forward to hearing from some of you to discover your experiences with this wonderful art and craft we call doc film!

Welcome everybody. Beth, long time no talk. How's the film coming?

Hi Erica, good to hear from you! You remember I was going to screen a trailer with Docs In Progress last fall, but instead stayed in TN to tend to an elderly friend in a health crisis. In retrospect, I think it was not only a good choice for the sake of my friend, but for the film too. During that season last fall, after having failed to get an ITVS grant with a local PBS Lincs partner, I took the generous feedback from ITVS and applied it to the story. Coupled with some other creative and business input, I am looking at making several stories out of a complex one, to simplify and enhance both the personal and political layers. Thanks for asking! How are things with you?