Documentary filmmaking from the inside out

Since I started this series, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about making documentary films, which makes sense considering the NFB is very fertile stomping ground for many well-known documentary filmmakers. In fact, I just completed an interview with Garry Beitel, who is about to begin editing The Socalled Movie, about his experiences in the industry for an upcoming post.

And as luck would have it, we’ve just put up a brand new Web site called Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary that contains a treasure trove of answers, anecdotes and advice on the craft from some of its greatest masters. And I’m talking about people like Errol Morris, Albert Maysles and Nick Broomfield, among others. We’ve also got a documentary by the same name, which was the inspiration for the Web site.

The site has over 160 clips featuring documentary filmmakers talking about their work. From getting started to shooting to editing, they offer a wealth of information invaluable to any established or aspiring filmmaker. There’s even an educational guide to aid teachers in using the film and clips and help them incorporate documentary films into the classroom.

Check it out and let me know what you think. If you’re interested, I also have some other material that the NFB produced, including 7 Steps for Producing a Documentary.