Betsy Chasse - The Documentary Filmmaking Master Class

Praise for The Documentary Filmmaking Master Class

What Betsy Chasse doesnt know about documentary filmmaking can fit in a thimble. She understands that a film must be compelling, enlightening, and visually stunning. In our current day, when everyone with an iPhone and a drone thinks theyre a filmmaker, Betsy will teach you how to actually be one.

Howard Cohen, co-president, Roadside Attractions

Betsy is in a filmmaking class all of her own. Not only will her methodical yet straightforward instruction establish the foundational knowledge necessary to succeed, but her wisdom and wit make every page a real treat. This is a book to read and reference again and again.

Trina Wyatt, founder and CEO of Conscious Good and founding director of the Tribeca Film Festival

Rarely do you find a book with just about everything you need to become knowledgeable about making a documentary film. Betsy Chasse is an expert in this field and has put together a book that is truly the master class you need if youre going to make a film.

Jonathan Blank, producer and director, Sex, Drugs & Democracy

This book is a must-have for anyone considering making a documentary. The information provided is almost impossible to find in one place, if anywhere, and from someone whose experience and wisdom is invaluable.

Straw Weisman, producer, Pregnant in America

Betsys depth of knowledge, expertise and insights helped our film reach audiences and marketplaces I never knew possible.

Ward Serrill, filmmaker, Song of the New Earth

Copyright 2019 by Betsy Chasse

All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Allworth Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Allworth Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or .

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Published by Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Allworth Press is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

www.allworth.com

Cover design by Mary Belibasakis

Cover photograph by GettyImages/ContentWorks

Author photograph by Betsy Chasse

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Chasse, Betsy, author.

Title: The documentary filmmaking master class: tell your story from concept to distribution / Betsy Chasse.

Description: New York, New York: Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019003573 (print) | LCCN 2019010767 (ebook) | ISBN 9781621537229 (eBook) | ISBN 9781621537212 | ISBN 9781621537212 (paperback: alk. paper) | ISBN 9781621537229 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Documentary filmsProduction and direction.

Classification: LCC PN1995.9.D6 (ebook) | LCC PN1995.9.D6 C4368 2019 (print) | DDC 070.1/8dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019003573

Print ISBN: 978-1-62153-721-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62153-722-9

Printed in the United States of America

Regarding all legal documents shared in this book: All of the legal agreements in this book should be used for reference only. Readers should have all of their agreements reviewed by an attorney who specializes in film, film production, film financing, and investing. Laws change, rules change, and each project is unique and will require specific terms and clauses that may not be reflected in the sample agreements provided here. The author is not a lawyer; she has provided these sample agreements for the reader to begin to gain an understanding of the types of agreements one should have in place. These agreements should not be used without appropriate consultation with an attorney.

Contents

Introduction

I truly believe everyone has a great story to share, either about their own life journey or that of someone else or something elsebe it an event, a discovery, a great journey, or a horrendous crime, whatever it issomething that impacted them in some way. We each have a passion or a desire to tell these stories, and sometimes it isnt just enough to talk about it over coffee or at a dinner party or as a post on social media. We want to have a bigger impactwe want to share it with as many people as possible.

Ever since Super Size Me and What the Bleep Do We Know!? (both of which opened in theaters around the same time in 2004), the documentary has been making a comeback. With the rise of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and many more media outlets clamoring for content, people are grabbing their iPhones and heading out on a journey to make their own films, telling their own stories and maybe hoping to get famous, or to inspire or make an impact, and more important, to not go broke or crazy in the process.

Interestingly, Facebook launched on February 4, 2004, the same day that What the Bleep Do We Know?! opened in theaters. I dont think its mere coincidence that documentaries and reality TV have taken off since then. More people want not only to share real stories, but to hear and watch them. As we have entered an era of alternative facts, people are looking for information. People are looking for ways to advance their agendas, political views, businesses. YouTube launched in 2005 and became the fastest-growing site on the World Wide Web, averaging more than one million views a day. Clearly there was an audience, and as access to cameras, editing software, and cool tools to make even a novice look even somewhat pro have made it possible for almost anyone to become an internet star.

With the onslaught of content creators came a feeling that quality, storytelling, and filmmaking skill might just disappear. I am happy to say that, at least for me, I see the trend moving back toward quality entertainment, even if the access to distribution and audience has opened up. Thats a good thing for people who want to make good films.

The truth is, filmmaking isnt easy. It requires certain skills or the knowledge and ability to hire people who have them. And if you dont have that, the end product suffers greatly. The unfortunate fact is, though there are literally thousands of documentaries on any possible subject, 99 percent of them are just really bad. There is a lot of competition and its going to take more than an iPhone and a laugh to get more than just your fifteen minutes of viral fame.

Films need to be good in order to break out of the pack and above the noise. Its possible to do this, but it takes more than just talent: it takes some business wisdom and commitment. Whether youre in it to make money, expose something important, share a powerful story, or all of the above, you can make a quality film that reaches your desired audience, impacts them as you hope it will, and do it without going broke, getting lost in the rabbit hole of endless filming and editing, or losing interest altogether and wasting a lot of time and money.