Get filmmaking secrets, from finding (and securing) financing, through surviving production, through distribution and everything in between from me, Adam Bhala Lough, a Spirit Award nominated, 3-time Sundance Film Festival alum and one of Filmmaker Magazine’s Top 25 Indie Filmmakers to Watch.
Who am I?
I’m an internationally acclaimed 14-year vet with four documentaries currently on Netflix and three that were the #1 documentary on the iTunes charts. I’ve had an incredible amount of success in my career but I have also failed many, many times. You will learn where I failed along the way so you won’t make the same mistakes.
I’m also a mentor at the Sundance Native labs and Latino Screenwriting labs and was a mentor at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival mentor sessions so I know how to teach in a concise and clear way.
Why should you take this course and not another?
You will get secrets only a seasoned pro can reveal- from the beauty of not paying insane clearance fees by claiming “fair-use,” to how to get into a film festival without any connections. It’s all in this 5 hour course.
Other courses give general knowledge of how to make a film from people with very little actual real world experience. This course is taught directly from my experience making eight feature length documentary films, all of which have received worldwide distribution and been translated into many languages.
*Watch some of the documentary short films made by my students at youtube. com/worldcinema:
Rickshaw Girl by Muzahidul Islam Zahin, a filmmaker and activist based in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Kwizera: A Story of Hope Born from Risiliance by Sahil Laul, a filmmaker based in the USA
Development
Pre-Production
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2The Idea
Every great documentary starts with an idea. But where do ideas come from? And how do you know if your idea is good?
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3Logline Practice
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4Approaching the Subject
You found the perfect subject or subjects for your documentary, now what?
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5Getting the Subject to Commit
You've got some interest from your subject(s) now how do you get them to commit, and what if they want money?
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6Financing
You've got some subjects committed and/or interested in being part of your film. Now how do you get the money to go make it?
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7Treatment, Deck and Teaser
Your treatment, your deck and especially your log-line are essential to communicating the vision of your film. But how do you make them? And what do they look like?
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8Treatment Practice
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9Budget and Schedule
Anyone putting money into your film wants to see a solid budget. And you need a schedule to make a budget. But how do you make them? What line items do you absolutely need? And most importantly, how much should you pay yourself?!
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10LLC and Bank Account
Your film is a small business, how do you protect your business?
Production
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11Pre-Production Intro
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12Hiring Crew
How many people do you need on set of your documentary? 2? 6? 10? Where do you find them? And how much should you pay them? (All rates given here are as of late 2018).
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13Shot-List and Scene Ideas
So, what are you going to shoot? Not sure? Here are some ideas that work for nearly any documentary.
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14Travel and Gear
Wether traveling across the globe on a shoestring budget or filming in your backyard, what gear is necessary to make a documentary?
Post-Production
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15Earning Your Subject's Trust
So you've started shooting. But you've got a long way to go. How do you earn the trust of your subject(s)? And when should you put the camera down?
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16The A/V Setup
What should your camera and audio set-up look like? What does mine usually look like?
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17Interviewing Subjects
I've interviewed difficult subjects from Julian Assange to Alt-Right leader Richard Spencer. Here's some tips for conducting a great interview (especially what not to do).
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18A Typical Shoot Day
What should you expect a typical shoot day to look like? I break down exactly what one looked like for me, complete with video, so you know what to expect.
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19Cinema Vérité
For many filmmakers Cinema Verite scenes are going to provide the backbone of their storytelling. But what is Cinema Verite and how do you film it? And what about Direct Cinema?
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20B-Roll
B-Roll is the secret weapon of any documentary. Nearly every documentary film is going to contain some amount of B-Roll. So how do you spice it up? Here's some secrets I've learned after shooting B-Roll for 8 different features.
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21Releases
The age old question: Do I really need to get releases? And in what cases do I not need releases? And what if someone permits me to film and then changes their mind after and won't sign a release? Can I still use it? Yes, here's all you need to know about releases.
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22The Hiatus
"The Hiatus" is my secret weapon, learned, practiced and nearly perfected after 8 features. Plug it into your schedule and reap the benefits in the edit room.
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23Production Outro
How do I know when it's time to stop shooting?!
Exhibition
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24Prepping the Edit
How do you find an editor? How do you pick an editor? How much should you pay an editor? What software should you edit on? Prepping for your edit is perhaps one of the most important steps in the process of making your documentary. Pay attention!
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25The Assembly
What's an "Assembly Edit" and how do you go about making one? Is this the job of the assistant editor, editor, or director? My answer may surprise you.
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26The Rough Cut
I share some secrets about what to shoot after your rough cut is done. I also answer the difficult question- How do you know when you have cut a rough cut that's good enough to show people?
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27Music and Score
How much should you pay a music supervisor and a composer? And what does a standard music budget for a documentary look like? I get into all this plus share some of my experience working legendary composer Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream) and share some secrets to finding great, free music.
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28Preview Screenings
Think preview screenings are only for big budget Hollywood blockbusters? Think again. I tell you why preview screenings can be a great tool in the edit process. Also included is my personal preview screenings form you can edit to your liking.
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29Locking Picture
The edit of a documentary can go on forever. So how do you know when it's time to lock picture?
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30Sound Mix and Edit
Do you really need to hire a team of professional sound editors and mixers for a documentary? There are no car chases and explosions. Uh, yeah, you do. Here's why and here's how much to pay them and how to save a ton of money during the mix.
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31Narration
How did we get Academy Award winning actor Benicio Del Toro to narrate a documentary with a budget under $100K? I tell you how and share some secrets for how you can get world class talent on board to narrate your film. It's not as hard as you think.
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32Titles and Graphics
Well designed titles and graphics can really raise the production value of your documentary. But how much is that going to cost you? The answer is lower than you probably think. I also discuss all different types of titles you could possibly throw into a film and show examples from The New Radical.
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33Color and Online
Does a super low budget documentary really need a color correct and an online? If you want anyone to see it, it does. But how much is that going to cost? I give you some secrets to keeping the price down low and the quality high.
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34Screening the Film for Subjects
Nervous to screen the film for your subject? You should be. Eight films in and I still get nervous. Here are some tips I've learned over the years on how best to show your subject the film, make them happy and still get your way, and protect your creative control.