fora about making documentary films

[Robert Edge]

I know that there are a couple of internet discussion sites about making documentary films, but the ones I know about are kind of oriented toward philosophy, funding etc, and such films don't gnerate much discussion here or at the CML.

 

 

Are there qny sites out there that deal with documentary filmaking with a small crew and nuts and bolts issues rather than philosophical issues?

[David Mullen ASC]

http://www.documentary.org/

[Robert Edge]

David,

 

Thanks, no doubt the IDA does good work, but it doesn't seem to be nuts and bolts oriented.If there is a discussion site about documentary production, as distinct from documentary philosophy, ethics and aesthetics, I've yet to find it. Hence my question.

 

I know that the CML has a forum on documentaries, but there is very little traffic on that forum. This site pretty much focuses, one way or another, on fiction filmmaking.

 

Cheers

[David Mullen ASC]

You asked for some references for practical information; the IDA site has some. Did you look through the whole site and all their links? For example, here are some books they recommend:

 

http://www.documentary.org/resources/docbooks.php

Edited November 26, 2005 by David Mullen

[Robert Edge]

David,

 

To respond to your question, I am indeed familiar with the IDA and with its magazine and with several of the books mentioned on its website, including the approximately two books out of the total that actually deal with documentary production, but which are a lot less nuts and bolts than one might think, and I am familiar with the two insider fora on documentary films, both of which are based on what might best be described as a class system in terms of access. For info on these fora, see the glowing article about them in the IDA magazine about two issues ago. Myself, I think that the future of documentary fimmaking lies elsewhere. For an example of what I mean, in the context of public radio, see www.transom.org

 

In other words, when I posted a question that specifically refered to fora, and referred in my subsequent posts specifically to discussion sites, I was doing so on purpose.

 

I hope that answers your question. Personally, I think that it would be cool, and useful, if this site opened a documentary forum, and aggressively promoted it. Fiction filmmakers who are interested in films like Tigerland, or other films influenced by Dogme 95 and the documentary tradition, might even welcome it.

 

Cheers

[David Mullen ASC]

In other words, when I posted a question that specifically refered to fora

 

Actually you didn't. You originally asked about SITES with practical information on documentary production -- you didn't specify or restrict the answers to discussion forums. What you asked was:

 

"Are there any sites out there that deal with documentary filmaking..."

 

I'm sorry I was confused as to what you really were asking for, but probably you'd get a better answer if you asked some documentarians.

 

The IDA site mentions that it has a bulletin board for members.

 

Doing a Google search yields things like this:

 

http://www.d-word.com/community/index.html

Edited November 28, 2005 by David Mullen