The documentary filmmaker's intuition : creating ethical and impactful non-fiction films / Shannon Walsh.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Documentary production : fear, failure & intuition -- Finding stories & ideas -- Research, access & point of view -- Ethics : representation, subjectivity and the colonized image -- Challenging forms(s) : ecstatic truth & elusive fiction -- Intimacies : autobiography, family histories and personal story-telling -- Script & treatment writing for documentary -- Developing strategies for impact -- Shooting & editing in development -- Preparing the pitch : structure and components of a good pitch -- Directing with the moment : aliveness, adaptation and awareness -- Preparing for production : considerations as you start shooting -- Ethics in production : dealing with film participants and crews -- Talking to strangers : establishing relationships & doing interviews -- Building community through filming community -- Post-production : editing, organizing material and re-writing -- Sparking impact : creating strategies for change -- Marketing & distribution in the digital age.

"This book is an introduction to the art and craft of documentary film making with a focus on ethics and impact from development through distribution. Author Shannon Walsh explores point-of-view storytelling, writing for non-fiction, and the art of social change documentary. Offering an overview of the documentary filmmaking process - from idea to pitch to a final film and impact campaign - this book provides non-fiction filmmakers with the methods required to find a voice, style, and cinematic approach to documentary filmmaking. Key areas covered include: definition of styles and genres of documentary film; project development and proposal writing; basic elements of documentary storytelling such as interview techniques, verité filming, use of archives, stills, and point of view; the process of preparing and delivering a project pitch; pre-production; and finding the necessary elements to tell a story cinematically. With a specific focus on ethics and character driven storytelling, Walsh shares her own personal insights on talking to strangers, the importance of empathetic listening skills and intuition, and provides useful worksheets that filmmakers can use for their own projects. This book is ideal for both students of documentary filmmaking and aspiring documentary filmmakers who are interested in creating ethical and impactful films"--