The Documentary Diaries

This book addresses one of the most difficult questions facing non-fiction filmmakers today: how do you make a successful documentary in an era of media turmoil, network change and increasing financial restrictions? Alan Rosenthal, an eminent international filmmaker and teacher, provides answers via detailed case studies of seven of his own films, which range from high-budget political documentaries to shoestring observational pieces and hybrid docudramas, and treat subjects as diverse as Joseph Stalin, a transported convict and the history of opera. Drawing on a wealth of experience, he examines some of the trickiest aspects of the trade, such as putting together a proposal, raising money, launching a co-production, writing a dynamic script, dealing with problematic commissioning editors and choosing a distributor. Supplementary materials - including script drafts, variations on proposals and discussion of marketing strategies - help to illustrate the challenges of filmmaking while simultaneously showing how they can be overcome. This unique book is rounded out by three very personal chapters on pitching, dealing with distributors and drawing inspiration from your colleagues. It will be indispensable for students and scholars of film, as well as anyone who is interested in reading about the fascinating life of a globe-trotting documentary filmmaker.