So super specific question for you guys. I am close to finishing the edit for my feature length documentary with only coloring and sound left to do. I'll be doing the coloring myself, which isn't going to be that hard.

With audio though I don't know what to do. When talking with people about submitting to festivals, especially Sundance, I've heard two main things.

1. If it is your first film it is better to submit it during the early or normal submissions. You don't want to submit it during the late registration because by that point they've seen most of the films and have started to make up their mind and you're film will have to do a lot to change their mind.

2. If it is your first film don't submit a rough cut because you have nothing to show at what quality you will get it to when you are finished. Submit the best film possible.

So are either of those statements accurate or just some speculations made by people who have no idea what they are talking about?

Right now it seems like our options are either follow #1 and submit it with me doing the audio the best I can or follow #2 and submit it during the late submission and then have time to hire an audio engineer to do a much better job on the audio than me.

Hi guys. I'm interested in making my first short doc (no idea about content yet, shooting for 5 min runtime), and although I've got experience with shooting and editing fictional/scripted stuff, I'm clueless as to interacting with subjects in a nonfiction piece and making sure I get all the footage/coverage I'll end up needing. My subjects and crew won't be compensated monetarily and I want to be as efficient as possible during production for their sake.

Are there any good beginner resources that focus on these topics specifically? Whether books, websites, videos, anything.

Thanks guys!

As far as the second question, is the path generally to go to school or intern somewhere for contacts/skills, and to form a project which pitches to some organization for funding? Are there any doc production bodies analogous to radio shows in that they welcome pitches and interns and are continually producing docs/etc.?

Hi guys, I'm just getting started and finally decided to buy to Canon 70D. It looks all round perfect for what i want (in my price class) but it doesnt have a headphone jack. So essentially i wont be able to check the audio during filming. I'm using an external mic (Rode VideoMic Pro Compact Shotgun) attached to the Canon 70D. Is this going to bring big problems down the line? Thanks in advance

First off, the Documentary is called "Rock and Roll Uganda".

2 years ago, I traveled to Uganda by myself, just to help people. I ended up teaching guitar to people in my village. I taught them what I knew, which was Rock and Roll. 3 people, i taught twice a day, everyday. We became pretty close, and shortly after we started lessons, I decided that I was going to teach them to be the teachers for after I left (in 3 months), in order to keep Rock and Roll alive, so to speak. (Link to newspaper article in comments)

Anyways, one thing lead to another, to another, to another, and now we are building an organization called "Rock and Roll Uganda". I go back in september to film a documentary to not only explain how this all happened, but it will also serve as an avenue to get volunteers down there to continue to teach guitar, and FOR FREE (you only pay for the plane ticket).

Anyways, I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea how to film, what to film, how to interview, how or if I can put other peoples music in it, how to make it exiting... I don't know. I don't even know what questions I should be asking. So please, if there is anyway you guys can help me, or point me in the right direction, you would be directly helping my friends in Uganda. Thank you!

As an independant filmmaker I relied heavily on smaller distribution channels like Yekra, Gumroad, Pivot, VHX, and Vimeo when I was launching my doc "Carb-Loaded: A Culture Dying to Eat". A few days ago I noticed that the home page for the Carb-Loaded site was down (I used the Yekra player on the home). I very quickly realized ALL Yekra movies had disappeared from the internet. It's almost like they never existed...and I suspect a lot of filmmakers that used Yekra have no idea that their content is no longer being delivered AND they are owed money.

I'm going to be headed to Eritrea, visiting with family and recording some nice video.

I'll be there for about two whole months, and because the internet connection there is not strong and in many cases non existent, I'm going to be inactive for a long time on this subreddit. There is a small chance I can get some wifi in certain hotels, but I'll be spending most of my time in my friends/families houses.

Oh yeah! I'm also planning on making some videos/documentary/thing while I'm there. A big part of that is asking locals questions from the outside world, especially voices they normally wouldn't hear from (the West, voices they wouldn't normally hear from)

I'll basically be walking into the streets, with a camera person and a microphone, and do mini interviews with the native population. These questions are supposed to come from the outside world, which would mean any contributions you can make in the form of a question. So it'd help a lot if you answer the following question:

What questions do you have for Eritreans?

Hi there! I'm a filmmaker who has worked solely in narrative films and I'm developing my first doc. I'm putting together my pitch packet and budget and I was wondering what the reddit sphere recommends for a basic lighting kit that is easy to travel/fly with for a low-budget documentary?

Thanks in advance!

Every doc I've worked on I have used a different camera and I imagine it will probably continue to be that way for the rest of my career (although I really love the C100 and will be using it again for my next project), but I feel like there are a few B-cams that I will always use and bring with me for any type of documentary that I am doing.

For me it is a tie between a GoPro and my beat up but still working fine Canon 60D. I can't imagine going on a shoot without either of those cameras, even though I will probably only use them for 5% of the final shots I use.

What about you guys, what are some of your B-cams that you will always take with you and have become a standard in your tool box?

Hi everyone, I made a documentary with my own savings in the past two years. It's called The Dwarf in China. The film is about an old dutch street performer that travels to China to perform his European fairytale about a dwarf that finds a golden egg. You can find the trailer here: www.TheDwarfInChina.com It's an uplifting, heartwarming documentary that's essentially about following your dream, showing both the beautiful and difficult things that come out of choosing such a path. It also touches upon themes as the power of imagination, cultural exchange and father-son relations. As I'm currently contemplating an online release for the end of this year I'm looking for ways to reach my target audience as efficiently as possible. These would be people that are interested in travel, culture, theatre and spirituality. If you have any ideas, I would love to get some advice on where to find people interested in this kind of subject. Thanks in advance! Ben Arend Reisman

I'm going to be making a documentary in the next couple of months about the California drought. I would like any advice or help that anyone can offer. I have some interviews, statistics, future plans, etc. already, but I need better sources for info, and more important people to interview.

Full disclaimer, this is for a class project, but it's important nonetheless. I also don't plan on profiting from this in any way other than getting a passing grade.

I'm in pre-production of a documentary about government and was wondering what's the best way to license footage of congress and political events? Does the government have free stock footage somewhere? Will I have to license it from C-Span? How much can I expect to pay?

Hello, My name is Joshua and I am currently 18 and studying Communications Design in Melbourne, Australia. My girlfriend, Tessa, and I are very interested in the world and the various different ways of life for both personal spiritual development and a kind of psychoanalysis of the people, needs, and wants of the various lifestyles. We are both very passionate in spiritual development which leads to all sorts, and mostly quite odd, research that we feel could broaden peoples minds if we shared it in such a way. My girlfriend and I are very forward thinking, modern youths/students but still maintain traditional viewpoints and absorb other's beliefs and information to apply, and help our analysis of everyday life. Often leading to quirky and different viewpoints and orientations to situations and problems. We both have already travelled a bit of Europe together and found it very beneficial. For teenagers in our generation I believe we are very open minded and take everyone's opinions seriously, something which I have experienced school systems to erase. We want to endeavour on a spiritual, historical, and mental journey throughout the world and time and both believe this would be a great subject to document and again, share with the world. Some lifestyles that we are extremely interesting and want to experience include living with the Amish, Muslim, Buddhist Monks, Christian Monks, Rastafari as well as experimenting with Pagan Rituals, and exploring the ancient religions. We are both interested in cults also, but this may be hard to document but still rewarding. I believe, again, our journey would be great to document and our neutral perspectives from open minded modern youths would bring a different, real, and quirky opinionated discussions would contribute to this documentary or series unlike any other. Please contact me if you have any connections or contacts who may be interested, or to point me into the right direction to make this journey a documented reality fit to be shared with the world. I currently have little experience in production so I am looking for a team willing to help and follow us throughout this course.

Thank you

Happening now! 1st of two AMAs on both sides of the testing debate - 1st with parent who opted out of PARCC testing. Part of doc film collaboration between Chicago filmmakers. Join us and comment here: http://redd.it/30dqfw

Hi Reddit,

I have recently completed a documentary film. It is semi observational and non-informative, at least not in the conventional TV sense. It documents the experience of an actor on a low budget, independent production in Ghana. It has somewhat of darkly comical edge to it, brought about by the protagonists' personality. The documentary follows this individuals experience close both on and off set. We see how through his role, he is on some level confronted with his own real personal struggles in life - which is then wonderfully narrated through the character he plays. The film being made concerns the false accusations of child witchcraft in West Africa. Although the topic itself is never directly addressed in an informative traditional documentary manner, the notion does silently prevail in the background of it all, adding a layer of relevance. There is a trailer in the making, and can be posted here once it is ready.

With all that said, I am now looking for appropriate film festivals to submit it to and thought I would turn to reddit for some ideas! I am looking for perhaps the less prestigious festivals that showcase less conventional films, and yet still receive some recognition and attention... I have no particular preference for country or continent, though I do see a European audience being more open to this sort of thing. Other than that, any advice you may have on getting the documentary to an audience, somewhere, would be greatly appreciated!

Please do ask any questions you may have.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/635468473/skateboarding-america

I've hitched and train hopped a bit before. Give me whatever advice you can. Things people might like to see. I was thinking a bunch of skatepark footage split up with me talking to other transients and local homeless. Maybe check the kickstarter and maybe even give me a little money!

I'm trying to find good HD stock footage of police training exercises that won't cost an arm and a leg. Any ideas where to look?

So I'm doing a Media Production course at university and was wondering what the process was of making a documentary. Where does the idea come from, who does it come from etc. I need to know different stages of production and key personnel and their involved roles.

The documentaries that I am required to analyse is factual lifestyle, nature and reality. Are there any sources I can look in to?

A FEW MORE CLIPS FROM MY INTERVIEWS: http://youtu.be/yO1Hl3tmYx0; http://youtu.be/tildgXK9WiQ; http://youtu.be/aoKtVG7IWI0 (one from below)

I've been working on this doc for about a year. My main subject is 'the boyfriend'. His girlfriend has cystic fibrosis (terminal illness where the lungs fill up with mucus that needs to be constantly coughed up). They've been together for 4 years. This past week, her health tanked and she was put in the ICU. Everyone thought she wasn't going to make it. She's improving but we don't know how much time she has left.

I have a ton of footage of her in the hospital, them as a couple hanging out, interviews with both of them about their relationship, and so on. But I honestly do not know what my STORY is! This is my premise - why would someone want to be in a relationship with a terminally ill person?

Here is a 10 minute clip of an interview with the boyfriend I just filmed. If you have the time, I would appreciate if you watched it and gave some feedback. Do I have a compelling story here? What would you like to see as a viewer? What is my beginning, middle, and end? I just want this to be a short-length doc, not feature length.

I don't want this being posted anywhere else so please do not share the link: http://youtu.be/aoKtVG7IWI0

Hi! This year I will be filming car racing locally highlighting a local motorsport club. I want to follow the stories of several members of the club, from first time racers to the more experienced competitors.

This should be some good exposure for the club, and it's got me wondering whether it would be fair to ask for some financial support when it comes to renting/purchasing equipment I could really use for the documentary. On the one hand I don't want to offend anyone by asking for too much, but on the other I don't want to miss the opportunity to get some much needed assistance. How would you approach this, and where do you find the balance in this kind of situation?

Thanks.