Introduce Yourself: Sign In Here First

Hey folks,

Thanks for having me aboard. I'm at rough cut stage with my debut feature doc, "Resurrect Dead". Just joining up to do my legal homework. Wow, after perusing for the last hour I'm wishing I had joined far earlier – could have saved me a lot of headache. I'm still figuring out how to fine-tune word searches around here. Cheers.

Welcome, Anne and Jon. Good to have you joining us. Anne, I used to play (badly, but who could hear?) in a Brazilian percussion ensemble a few years ago. Absolutely loved it!

Hello everyone,

I'm thrilled to finally be a part of this community! I'm a longtime doc marketer and distributor, a big social media evangelist, an IDA board member, and a dad.

I'm very excited about my new service that's now in beta, that gets indie films on iTunes for a flat fee without needing a traditional distribution deal, without surrendering rights, and without giving up any rev-share (it's at www.Distribber.com). I'm so grateful that people are already offering feedback here. I invite and welcome all thoughts, positive, negative or otherwise!

For the record, I also can spin a basketball on one finger almost indefinitely and juggle a soccer ball with only my head.

Welcome, Adam. Glad to have you on board. Adam and I spend far too much time together in various IDA meetings and I can tell you that he's completely genuine when he asks for honest feedback, so I hope folks will jump in. Adam, the party's already started in Marketing and Distribution

Great to have you here, Adam. Hope you'll leap right into the discussions.

In reply to Adam Chapnick's post on Thu 28 May 2009 :

Spinning a basketball on my finger has always been a great mystery to me since junior high school. I tried and tried and never could get it. The guys who could were always the coolest cats around. What's the secret? If I fly to LA will you teach me? My life would then be complete.

A colleague recently enthused to me how singing up for the D Word had changed her life and I had to join. With that endorsement, how could I not?! I've been researching, writing and directing (and occasionally co-producing) documentaries and non-fiction television since 1994. My partner and I co-own Picture This Productions (www.picturethis.ca) These days we are developing some one off documentary films and limited doc series, while also working on corporate projects and even the occasional fiction piece. I'm coming back slowly to the world of documentary activism and social engagement after five years of trying to balance just getting a basic level of work accomplished while raising two toddlers. It felt- and sometimes still does- like there are never enough hours in the day for it all, but I was finding that I really missed being part of the bigger documentary community. That all said, I am so looking forward to reading through some back posts and connecting up with the amazing people around the world I see listed on this site!

Welcome, Maureen. Yes, there are never enough hours in the day, and it's getting worse now that you're adding The D-Word to your daily routines...

Just remember your priorities, Maureen, and you'll be okay. D-Word first, kids second...

Right. Got that straight. Now if I can just get them to write up funding applications for me, this time thing would all balance out. Oh wait- first they have to learn how to write...

Thanks for the welcome!

watch the f2f topic in about 3 weeks, Maureen.

Will do- thanks, Jo-Anne.

Welcome!!

Thanks sy about that Doug.

Hi there. I come from a photographic background, and I'm working on my first doc right now. I heard about this forum from a workshop I was taking this past week at SIFT, in Ottawa. I am based in Toronto.

Welcome, Fed. Good luck with your doc.

Greetings. Coming from the world of sound design for EA, including scoring, in game documentary footage and cut scenes. (Medal of Honor series). Fascinated by cross platform media and documentary styles.

hi michael – first off, WELCOME (and to you others too!)... please check out my recent posts in the 'multi-platform project' thread. definitely interested in your take.

Hi,
I'm a retired Boeing engineering manager (and horror filmmaker) up to my eyeballs right now helping Larry Paros make a feature documentary. “Walk Right In” is the story of an experimental summer high school where kids from poverty backgrounds nationwide assembled on the campus of the Yale Divinity School in the summer of 1968 and tackled some of the most difficult issues facing the country — race, diversity, and identity. See the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-E6IBeWVBc
We have a 90 minute rought cut we are screening at a reunion at Yale on 6 June. Marth Christensen, www.yshs.org

Nice to see "horror filmmaker" and "eyeballs" in the same sentence, Marth. Welcome to The D-Word and to the world of docs.

Worrying to see "Boeing engineering" and "horror filmmaker" in the same sentence... although I guess today is more about Airbus horror...

Anyway, welcome to The D-Word!!!

Hello!

I am Josh, age 25, living in Los Angeles, CA! I found my way to this board via the USC School of Cinematic Arts Online Community. I am an alumni. Greetings!

www.EarthrisePictures.com
www.TracersTables.com
www.YouTube.com/TracersTables

Hi Everyone!

I've been researching books about Documentary film making and it has led me to this website. I've had a huge interest for this genre for quite awhile but had not ever tapped into it the way I would imagine how an enthusiast would. Thereby, I'm now taking those steps to learning as much as possible. Hopefully, I can pickup significant knowledge, tips, and the sorts from everyone here. Thanks!

Hi Everyone,

The D-Word has been very insipirational site for me as I prepare to pitch a documentary proposal..

I feel a little bit of a fraud as I am currently not a documentary film-maker but a television journalist. I began working as a journalist in 1994 but became a producer/director and made documentaries for Channel 4. I moved from documentaries back to journalism in 1999 because of job security and an offer of a BBC staff job which was too good to turn down. Ten years on, four children later, I am still reporting at BBC Scotland but have ditched the crew and editor and now work as a video journalist. I report for our flagship current affairs programme, The Politics Show. Over three days I have to find a story and make a five to nine minute film and arrange a discussion to follow. I film with a Z1 and edit on Avid. My stories are all character led and take me across the world. I was one of the first reporters at BBC Scotland to train as a video journalist in 2002 and have loved the transition despite the huge workload.

For me, the last six years have been about honing my film making and story telling skills so that I can go back to making documentaries when the kids are at school and there are fewer demands from me as a parent.

For 8 years I have been dreaming about making a documentary series set in the Canadian Arctic and I am now finally preparing to pitch the idea to BBC Scotland and BBC Four. In 2001, I spent two months living in the Canadian Arctic and made a series of radios features. It was then that I met my key characters and since I have been building up my relationship with them and knowledge of the area and people. I am now planning to go back in May 2010 armed with my camera. Well that's if they buy the idea!

Now that the proposal is almost in place, I need to think about whether I should be trying to get on a BBC course to use a more advanced camera than the Z1. I'm proposing to self shoot as the budget will mostly be eaten up by travel and staff costs, so there is no room to bring an ap/sound person. There's a lot I have to learn and find out about..so many questions..so I am so happy to have found the d-word..

If anyone ever needs any Scottish contacts/interviews/footage etc, I'd be more than happy to help out as a favour. Or if you're bringing your film to one of our festivals in Edinburgh get in touch. We're only a few minutes walk from the Filmhouse and if you're stuck for a place to say we may be able to help out.

In reply to Gilly Mathieson's post on Tue 2 Jun 2009 :

Good luck Gilly, and welcome! Pls keep us informed about your progress...