Why My $80K Documentary Was NEVER Finished
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
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In this video, we'll be discussing the reason why my $80,000 documentary was never finished. We'll be exploring the different obstacles that we faced along the way, and how we were able to overcome them.
If you're interested in making a documentary, this is the video for you! By the end of this video, you'll have everything you need to know to start your own documentary project. Go ahead and watch, and I promise you won't regret it!
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This Light Modifier Revolutionized My Filmmaking
Alex Zarfati I'm going to say yes to all your ideas you had mentioned at the end. Now here is my story.
Currently I have been taking courses from Mark Bone's AOD, From The Heart Productions, and Show n Tell.
AOD goes into some character selection but I wish they do a deep dive into creating a documentary storyline or budget.
From the Heart talks about this a little but does a deeper dive into the grant writing process which is why I enrolled in their producing class.
Lastly there is Show n Tell who talks about pitching Docs to Corporations and non-profits for fundraising.
I feel the area that is probably missing website development for raising money for films and crowdfunding.
Lastly pitching to Streamers or Distributors.
Things that I am eager to learn and are missing from the other sources out there.
1. Creating a documentary budget.
2. Creating a documentary storyline.
3. Creating a documentary treatment.
4. Creating a documentary trailer for mkt or fundraising.
5. Crowdfunding
6. Pitching to distributors or streamers.
( the film festival been covered already.)
Hey Nicholas, this was an incredible comment and very insightful. I’m going to take all of this into consideration. If your interested I would love for you to join our discord so we could hear more about what you’re looking for.
Paid course on contacts. Not too expensive though
Bro make a video on the distribution strategies
Great viden and thank you for your transparency. Please make a video on the pros and cons of where you choose to distribute your doccie (I.e Netflix, RUclips) etc
Great idea and thank you🙌🏻
Great insights to the behind the scenes process! In a documentary course I think you could bring a lot of value by going DEEP into audio design, music selection and similar since you are a music producer yourself and have more expertise in that field than the average documentary filmmaker.
Thanks Mattias and that’s a great Idea I haven’t thought about that.
My FX6 in your thumbnail 😅 great tips as always Alex 👍🏻
Haha yeah and thanks brother🙌🏻
Great advice - I almost made some of the same mistakes. Funny thing is, I knew my subject for many years and I know that he doesn't stick with anything and rarely finishes things. But because I wanted to tell a story of a young man becoming a firefighter in the 2020's I ignored that. And I rushed in and started shooting footage. Fortunately I slowed down a bit and tried to get organized and when I did that he wound up fizzling out and quit his training.
That sucks man and I’ve definitely been there. The last couple years I’ve been taking a really assertive approach to documentary filmmaking where instead of taking six months to a year to finish a documentary there’s a way to get it done in a few weeks.
I’ve been really working on perfecting that process and putting my theory to the test and I have to be honest. It is so much more efficient.
On Thursday I’m coming out with a video about how to write a Documentary script and honestly I feel like this was something that I was missing in my process that would’ve save me so much time and money throughout the years .
Keep your head up and just try to tell another story brother I’ve been there and the only thing to say is that you live and you learn. Good luck on the journey 🙌🏻
You got my Sub Brother, I went through all of this recently.
It’s a hard pill to swallow but there’s a lot to learn from this and i’m sure moving forward you will definitely not make the same mistake.
Please make a vid about the pros and cons of monetizing a doc
Great idea🙌🏻
Hey Alex, great video as always! for the documentary course: I would love to see how you structure a story (before and after shooting footage), this links very closely with the sound design and the way you use music in your documentaries.
Another thing that would interest me is how you use colour in your documentaries, as I personally tend to use more orange and blue than any other colours, because to my eyes it just looks good. (I don’t mean the colour grading but deciding when to shoot (time of day) and what kind of lights to use.)
Looking forward to the next video dropping next week💪
What’s up Dominique! This is great feedback brother thank you 🙏🏻 this is exactly why I ask you guys these questions because you run into thoughts and issues that I just don’t think about.
Super useful insights, great video!
Thanks Alex I appreciate it brother
Great Video, keep it up :-) I ❤your videos :))))
Thank you my friend and will do🙏🏻
Hi Alex! It's actually a video I should see right in time. I have in my mind 2 documentaries to pursue, but only a vague idea and I think I start to realize only now I don't really have a well managed plan. I did really relate to what you said about thinking about gear - I got really obsessed about gear, and I think I forgot the process itself is even more valuable!
That’s awesome Ron I’m glad I could help if there’s anything specific that you need to ask me about the process just let me know.🙌🏻
@@Alexzarfatifilms I'm thinking along the line of your video, maybe to make the documentary I am thinking about through RUclips. I'm mostly thinking now how to move from the concept stage - for example, I want to make a movie that researches violence from a psychological and social perspective and goes in depth into possible remedies, into actual script. I was thinking of interviewing people, and b-roll, but again it's kind of messy if I don't have something exact. Thanks for listening!
People do care about cinematography. To say that nobody cares is a reach. I agree that emphasizing the story, having a solid idea, concept, and direction for the film is paramount, but it's not true to say that nobody cares about cinematography.
It's amazing to see, how much money/geat you lost, and still are going strong. 💪
Lol thanks man I’m not sure if it’s tenacity or stupidity at this point lol but I appreciate the recognition brother thank you🙌🏻
@@Alexzarfatifilms yea, man. I know the feeling.
100%. The contract is absolutely the most important thing. Everything else can be worked out, scenes can be re-shot etc.
AGREED BROTHER 🙌🏻
@@Alexzarfatifilms I'm also speaking from experience unfortunaltey. Uhhhk :) Good on your for helping others avoid the same mistakes!
Trying man but unfortunately people watch more of my gear videos and a lot less of my documentary film, making videos which blows my mind😂
Learning a lot from your videos, I know it’s not part of the giveaway but balling on the budget 😂
Super valuable info in this video, Alex! Your transparency is so refreshing and helpful for filmmakers 👏
❤❤
I'd like to improve on lighting in different situations.
Story will always be King! It’s usually the core fundamentals we get bored with that carry us where we wanted to go in the first place. 😂🤙🏼🏄
Very well said Dennis🙌🏻 I agree. Talking about story structure and character development to most sound a lot less exciting but they’re what matters most
Excellent video bro! Yet again! Well done. I can see time you’re putting into your videos! Keep going
Thanks Kyle. Glad somebody is noticing 😅
Of course we want all of the videos you propose to us ! Especially that monetizing one, it would be quite unique on th platform and sooo useful ! Thanks Alex ! I think storytelling is by far the best thing you could put in a course...
Thanks for the feedback brother I will definitely take this into account
Would love to know more about the process of finding subjects for your documentary
That’s a great topic and one that should definitely be explored
Hey man is it possible for you to be my mentor . Im willing to pay
What’s up brother, yeah it’s possible reach out to me on email. Timethreadstudios@gmail.com
Once I noticed the difficulty in making videos, I slowed down and started focusing on workflow for the last couple of years. Making videos feels like walking in a Maze with a bunch of traps or dead ends. Definitely multiple ways to get to the end of the maze, but lots of skeletons in the maze from others who have tried
That’s a really interesting way of putting it and I agree there’s a lot of ways to get to the finish line but if you can really learn from others mistakes and focus on efficiency, you’re going to make your life so much easier! It’s good to see that you’re focusing on workflow, because that is such an important part of success. Keep going and good luck on your projects!
@@Alexzarfatifilms thank you! I'll reach out to you if my team makes it. We have a lot of passion and want to change things in the world
Amazing video. Thanks Alex!
Thanks SKY I’m glad I could give some insight on this. A lot more content like this coming stay tuned
Hey Alex you have helped me so much. I'm in the middle of producing my first big documentary and I was able to use your tips so well. 🙏
That’s so awesome man and I’m so happy for you, that is exactly the kind of response that I hope for when I put out videos. Would love to see your work as soon as you’re done. 🙌🏻
You dropped some gold in this one brother, keep up the good work! 🔥
Appreciate it Ikenna, I'm seriously glad it's being received well. Good to know people are interested in topics other than gear.
@@Alexzarfatifilms , Absolutely Alex! I think more people are realizing that you need more than an expensive camera and beautiful lens to make a good documentary/film. You need the thing that matters, an actually good story! 😊