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Episode 13: Tools
When you're a bootstrapped documentary you sometimes have to pick free or inexpensive tools to get the job done. For The Girl Who Wore Freedom Director Christian Taylor talks about the pain of editing ("killing your babies" to get the ...
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Episode 12: Editor
A good editor is hard to come by and The Girl Who Wore Freedom was blessed with one of the best: Bill Ebel. Learn more as Director Christian Taylor shares her appreciation for Bill and the qualities (and hard, honest ...
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Episode 11: Garage
All great things begin in a garage. Josh, Jason, and Director Christian Taylor explore the ins and outs of film editing from a garage in Tennessee. Christian also shares the roller-coaster that is translating, subtitling, and script-writing.
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Episode 10: Balance
Is there such thing as work/life balance in film-making? Director Christian Taylor discusses La La Land, the creative process, striking the right tone, and putting family first…always.
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Episode 9: Dark Night of the Soul
What do you do when you're at your all time low and ready to call it quits? In this episode, producer Christian Taylor tells the story of her (extended) visit to her editor in Tennessee to get the film done, ...
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Episode 8: Rewrite
In this episode, producer Christian Taylor shares the results of her first preview of the film; and it's not good. She faces reality of deadlines, debt, and the editorial process as she considers the end of the project.
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Episode 7: Assembly
A lot has developed since the last episode and the film is currently undergoing the assembly edit. In this episode you'll what that means and why everything Christian Taylor has told you up to this point is wrong.
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Episode 6: Harry Kropnicki
The wonderful story about Harry Kropnicki, Daniel Banazio and Flo Plana.
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Episode 5: Cuts
Wading through 600+ hours of footage, cutting off appendages, and finding your story—we’re looking at the realities of first-time filmmaking.
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Episode 4: Helmets
Real questions from real listeners posed to a real first-time filmmaker. Christian, Josh, and Jason explore the many uses of helmets, the smells of war, and the healing power of beer.
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Get ready for an exciting new episode of Documentary First! In episode 192, we’re diving deep into the impact of life on the process of filmmaking. With team members experiencing unexpected life events, we explore how creativity is affected when life gets in the way. You won’t want to miss the insightful thoughts the team received from another filmmaker, Flo Plana, and Christian’s thrilling experience winning not one, but TWO camera packages at a local fundraising film festival.
Plus, with the 2023 Oscars fresh on our minds, we delve into the winners, losers and what we think this year’s Oscars might mean for the future of filmmaking. Is the Academy still relevant? And how does a film get nominated? Join us for this fascinating conversation, and don’t forget to check out our bonus segment on the future of the film industry, exclusively available to our Patreon supporters.
DocuView Déjà Vu Segment
Jason: “Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia”, 2023, HBO Max https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26618018/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_5
Zach: “All The Beauty and The Bloodshed”, 2022, 122 mins, Prime Video https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21374850/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2
Christian: “Chicken People”, 2016, 83 mins https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4819510/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Conversation Time Codes:
00:30 – Zach Callaghan Bio
01:37 – Zach gives a writing update on the Taking Carentan Project
02:26 – Flo Plana came to town and gives some great suggestions to deepen the story lines of “Taking Carentan”
04:37 – Jason poses an idea for an episode – “What makes a good sizzle?”
05:58 – Topic adjustments including “Reflections on life and filming” – How life impacts or happens in the process of making a film.
10:47 – Creativity & Emotions – thoughts by Zach & Jason
13:47 – Where do creative story ideas come from?
15:48 – Christian shares about her experience a the “Patrick Live On Film Festival & Fundraiser” in the Chicago area. In particular, one short film “Fraser Syndrome and Me” had a profound impact and she was able to meet the film maker. Along with a new realization about the power of documentary films.
26:18 – Raffles, Raffles, Raffles – Christian wins 3 and 2 of those were film packages that will help with the May filming in Fort Campbell for “Taking Carentan”
27:07 – The morning after the Oscars show. The team recaps the Oscars and wonders whether this year is an indication of a changing industry
39:06 Jason Rugg was reminded of this video during the Oscars recap:
Maggie Rogers – folk / Alaska (Pharrell’s feedback)
41:30 – Does the Academy really matter?
48:20 – How film festivals tie into the Academy Awards and the money required to get a nomination to the Oscars.
55:02 – DocuView Déjà Vu Segment
59:45 – A quick Film update from Christian
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