Food Inc. is a good example of a documentary that takes sides without ramming an agenda down the viewers’ throats.  It set out to show how the food industry is controlled by a small amount of corporations who have sacrificed nutrition, safety and ethics when it comes to animals, workers, products, consumers and environment.  Food Inc. refrained from using fringe examples to make an extreme point.  Instead, the producers were able to find several people with the same story to support a stance.  For example, there were several different chicken and soybean famers to who were being squeezed by their one corporate client by sharecropping and mafia tactics.  “You want to sell chickens to us?  Then you must borrow money from us every year to make technical upgrades that you will never be able to pay off.”  The soybean farmers were routinely followed by undercover seed agents to make sure they were not “cleaning their own seeds.”

Food Inc. had its fair share of scary yet revealing moments.  I knew that live stock is often herded together in quarters that are inhumanely close.  But I was surprised to learn that cows are fed corn because it is cheap even though they can’t digest corn very well.   The results of undigested food can lead to E Coli.  The cows are fed corn because the crops are subsidized to such a low level that it costs pennies to feed the cows thereby allowing the beef corporations to make the biggest profits possible.  If you follow the trail of corn, it will take you to chicken breeding facilities, genetically modified foods and thug-like control over criticism of the industry and its products.  Remember the beef industry lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey?

An hour into the movie and I was feeling enlightened but was on my way to complete depression about the times in which we live.  That’s when Food Inc. threw me a glimmer of hope by way of the Stoneyfield Farm yogurt company.  I eat Stoneyfield.  I feed it to my kids.  What a relief to know that I have been supporting a company whose mandate it is to produce healthy food, ethically, that is good for the environment and is a capitalism success story. 

When the film ended, I was feeling that the very bumpy journey had been worth it.  I admit that I have a soft spot for socially conscious documentaries that invite the viewer to join the struggle with specific suggestions.  Food Inc. did not disappoint me.  After the images faded to black, a list of simple tips were offered.  Easy things like “read food labels” and “cook with your family” are simple but can have big affects on families as well as the food industry.  The next morning, my husband and I spent ten extra minutes in the grocery store attentively labels while conscientiously choosing our food.

Some people, like Stephanie Foerster Owner of StepFilms, says the question takes some consideration.  “If you are responsible for the footage upon conclusion of the shoot, then yes, a hard drive is a great investment. That said, if you are simply handing over the footage for post, I think it’s fair to request the client to provide their own drive before the shoot.”

There are a lot of hard drives out there and not all of them will work for every situation.  For instance, are you looking for a hard drive to simply store and transport footage?  If so, a small drive will work.  The most popular compact drive suggestion I got was for the 350gb LaCie.  I’m using this drive now (in fact it is packed up ready for my shoot today) and it seems both rugged and easy to use.  It doesn’t need a power cord because it runs off of the firewire cable. It costs about $100.  For Mac users, My Passport Studio has been recommended because it is small and very affordable.  Another recommendation is the $90 Smartdisk FireLite which holds about 80GB and fits in the palm of your hand.

But as Roland Hudson of Flipbook Productions points out, you will need something bigger and faster if you plan to edit from the drive.  Anything less than 1TB can make moving media on and off of the drive painstakingly slow.  The G-Raid mini, another highly recommended drive based on responses, runs about $300.

Bonnie Green, a Digital Assets Manager, warns not to store too much on one drive.  “I usually advocate digitizing your assets into a searchable database, then archiving physical assets in off-site storage. Never keep the two in the same location. Use the “what if” scenario in laying out your plan.  Also, using one hard drive for multiple clients may not be wise, as it only takes one corrupted file to ruin to the soup. Then, you’ve just screwed up your other clients’ stuff and made yourself look like a novice.”

The crowd was split on how “consumer” to go with these drives. Some felt that standard drives found at Best Buy to provide storage for a home computer wouldn’t suffice.  Others were excited about cheap and cheerful drives that could be bought for under 100-bucks.  Personally, I feel that is it worth a little extra to safeguard a client’s footage.

And last but not least, back up your footage!  Some producers use their drives as backups. Others store the footage on their computer.  It doesn’t really matter where you keep it just as long as you can get to that backed-up footage if needed.

I have nothing against San Francisco, but I am jet lagged, miss my family, had to change rooms at 2:30 in the morning because of water dripping from the ceiling onto my bed and, if I may be blunt, my gastronomic system is a little backed up.  None of this has put me in the mood to come up with pithy and energetic host script copy.  So what to do?

I’ve devised a few tactics over the years to help me continue writing even when I really don’t want to.  A deadline is a deadline. So it’s handy to have a cadre of tricks to help bust through that block when necessary.

• Dance to fast music – This is my number one, go-to block buster.  I put on one song with a driving beat, sing loudly and dance passionately.  For me, this is a shortcut to meeting my muse because I totally leave the writing behind for 5-minutes and come back refreshed and energized.
• Take a chore break – If I am at home, I find it helpful to work on rhythmic activities like washing dishes or folding clothes while my sub-conscious works on the work. I almost always come up with an exciting breakthrough this way.  If I am in an office, I might clean my desk or do some filing, anything to keep my hands busy but my mind free.
• Walk away from the writing – Get out and take a walk.  This is another way to get the blood pumping and the words flowing.
• Go over the top – Write wild and crazy, over the top stuff.  Try alliterations or some rapping and rhyming. It’s fun and you just might come up with ideas that make the final draft. 
• Check out a list of clichés – If I am having difficulty with a subject matter, I often look up a list of clichés on the internet.  Yes they are staid but they can also be entertaining. And even better yet, they can help me get a grasp on concepts in a focused and fun way.
• Get help – I have a couple of producer friends that I can call or email with a problem section and they help me work it out with a fresh eye.  I do the same for them. It’s kind of like having a writing elf.  And let’s face it, two heads are better than one.

In this particular San Francisco block, I’ve elected to write something else, something that I know would flow – this blog. It’s been fun and I’m feeling ramped up to continue the writing-for-hire.  If you have any other tricks let me know. I’ll post them and maybe try them next time. Happy writing!

Where did this labeling snobbery come from?  I lay the blame squarely at the foot of America’s Most Wanted.  I worked on the show early in my career and quickly learned the benefits of a well labeled tape.  At AMW, as at many places, the tapes moved between so quickly between so many people (producers, associate producers, shooters, transcribers, editors, production managers, etc.) that it was critical that all the pertinent information be placed on the label so that any person at anytime would know what was on that tape.  This point was driven home years later when I helped a production company sort through their archival tapes that were boxed and stored in a closet.  It was nearly impossible to tell what was what because the tapes were labeled with one word that meant nothing to anyone who was not there when the tape was shot.

Here is some basic tape information I like to include:

• Name of project, tape number, date
• Subject name, title, city
• Type of footage shot (interview, B-roll, stills)
• Technical specifications (frame rate and frame size)
• Audio info like what was recorded on each channel

If space allows, I’ll also include:

• Producer name
• Crew names
• Production company and telephone number (in case the tape gets lost in transit)

If I am working on a long shoot that will generate a lot of tapes, I pre-print labels with all the consistent information typed out.  I leave space to fill in information that will change from tape to tape like tape numbers and dates.

Now that I am supervising and executive producing more projects, I don’t go out into the field as much. But I do give a tape labeling demonstration every time I work with a new production staff after which I expect tape labels to come back full of significant information.

In most non-fiction productions, good B-roll is crucial to building a visually exciting and meaningful video.  I have been in the unfortunate position of getting into the edit suite and not have enough B-roll footage to cover the cuts. Or, not having enough to cover long, visually uninteresting interviews.  I’ve long since learned that whatever B-roll you think you may need, get it and then some. 

Before any shoot, I like to think about B-roll possibilities and list them out on the taping itinerary.  Locations scout helps tremendously. But even when a scout is not possible, a nice B-roll options list can be created from talking to the interview subjects and other people at the location.  I like to list out B-roll possibilities that directly speak to the subject at hand and then list out general shots that will work with the overall theme.  For example, if I am taping an interview about creating a family budget, I’ll specifically get a member of the family working on a spread or paying bills.  General B-roll might include family interaction like cooking together or walking the dog.  Now I have both specific and general shots that will cover whatever is mentioned in the script.  For a short 5-minute piece, I’ll get a minimum of 3 topic-specific and 3 generic activities.

As a producer, it is my job to communicate my B-roll wants and needs to the camera operator.  Freelance cameraman Matt Martin (www.mattmartin.tv) likes producers to give him as much information as possible about the projects as well as share any specific ideas prior to shooting.  That way, he can use the shoot time shooting rather than standing around trying to figure things out.  He likes to know the type of project, the length, the style and even the audience.  “If the piece is for a younger audience, I may use a lot of snap zooms and whip pans.  If it is long form, I may hold the shots longer.”  Matt likes to create a visual sequence by starting with an establishing shot, moving in to follow the action and then getting tight, detailed shots.  He also likes to know how much time will be covered by the B-roll.  “Needing 30 seconds of B-roll is very different from needing 3 minutes.”

Martin adds “A 30-second edit or b-roll cover time may need as many as ten shots to fill the time and tell the story. As a Director of Photography you can capture footage at 7-second intervals and have your producer covered if you have at least twelve clips in the camera. I try to cover my clients by putting heads and tails on the ends of each clip. This is done by adding 5 seconds of static (not moving the camera) at the beginning and ending of each shoot.  It’s very important and the editors will love you for it.”

Getting a variety of types of shots is important. I like to get different angles from bird’s eye to worm’s eye views.  If I am covering Marine Corps training, following the troops then letting them march out of frame can create the feeling of orderly movement.  A nice low angle of boots marching through the mud or an extreme close up of the Sergeant’s mouth barking orders with spittle flying all over can bring the audience into the moment. 

Sound is also important.  Many times, visual don’t make as much sense without the corresponding audio.  What’s a police car tearing down the street without the sound of screeching wheels?  A couple of common mistakes are forgetting to turn on the camera mic or talking while the camera is rolling.  In some cases, you may want to use a more power microphone to make sure you get strong, clean audio.

Now that the footage, including B-roll is shot, it is time to edit.  Having enough varied B-roll will help any edit run smoother.  As an editor, Gemal Woods (www.parktriangle.com), feels that you can never have too much B-roll.  “Get all the B-roll you can.” He says.  “You never know what the creative process will call for in an edit suite.”  After that, what he looks for in B-roll is project specific.  “If it’s long form, longer shots are good.  If I’m working on a promo piece, I’m looking for options over length. In that case, short impactful visuals work well.”  Woods, who is also a cameraman, believes some of the best B-roll is spontaneous and urges producers to leave enough time in the schedule to get those unplanned moments.

When you can’t get the B-roll yourself, you can always purchase some from archival footage houses or news outlets.  This is particularly helpful in demonstrating things that have happened in the past.  But whatever your project, spend some time before going into the edit suite to determine what you need and the best way to get it.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Emmett on several projects and am impressed with his scope of work.  His television credits include producer, writer, editor and camera operator.  His work can be seen on such national networks as The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TV Land and public television.  Emmett is also a song writer/performer, photographer, concert producer and journalist.  his passion for media and the arts is clear to anyone that has worked with him.  Emmett, a vegetarian, even ate seal meat to connect with his subjects during a shoot in Alaska.  What I’ve found particularly striking is his commitment to his projects and his ability to keep a sense of humor about everything his does. 

As an independent producer, what type of productions do you produce/work on?
Mostly, I produce long and short form documentaries. Sometimes they’re ideas that I’ve come up with and sometimes I’ll partner with a non-profit organization to make a film about a topic that is important to them. For example, the film “Camp Twitch and Shout – The Movie”, which will be available online December 7, is a partnership between myself and the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia.

There are also a few online only projects that are in the works that are destined for YouTube or the Mission Man Media website, like a series of shorts about artists called “The Form Appears” and another series entitled “Everyone Has A Story”.

Finally, there are a few things I want to do that will be specifically for museums and galleries.

How do you find the projects that you work on?
It’s rare that I go out searching for stories to tell. Usually the stories just arrive serendipitously. For a documentary that will start production in January, the idea came from a conversation I had with a friend in a bar just a few months ago. There are an endless amount of stories out there that are waiting to be told, you just have to keep your ears open. I’m fortunate to be in some form of production on projects that will keep me busy through the first half of 2011.
 
How have you raised funds?
Every way possible. I’ve won grants, been funded by the organizations that I’ve partnered with, friends, family, the coin jar in my bedroom. Any way possible. I read somewhere that it takes 3 years on average to raise money for a documentary. You have to spread your fundraising wings as far and wide as possible.

I’m in the process of raising money now for a project in Africa and I’ve literally sent hundreds of emails, applied for grants all over the world and spoken with people on three continents trying to get it made.
 
Sometimes you work on freelance gigs for other people.  How do you feel about that? Do you limit the size and scope of freelance gigs?
Making documentaries is cyclical in that you make a film, then raise (beg) for money for your next one, so you have to earn money during that downtime in between projects. If I’m inbetween projects, I’ll preferably do some freelance writing or producing for television or for a company that needs something small, but I’ll do anything really to keep me out of an office.

BUT if someone from an office is reading this…and hiring on a temporary basis….
 
You often work as a one-man band producing, shooting and editing. Is there a lot of pressure to be responsible for every aspect of a project?
I really prefer working alone because I like the intimacy of just being one-on-one with the subject. I’ll often spend a few days just hanging out with whomever I want to interview before I even bring out a camera. I think if you are prepared ahead of time and really know your equipment it cuts down a lot on the possibilities of something going wrong. Of course, life would be easier with a crew as far as dealing with the equipment.  But for me, its worth the few times when I’ve forgotten briefly to turn on the audio or left something back at the hotel to continue to work independently. And the more you do it, the easier and more organized you become. The real key is a comfortable backpack and pants with lots of pockets. If you have those two things you’ll be fine.
 
Do you feel that there is a lot of room for creativity when producing a documentary?
The style of documentary that I like to do relies a lot on serendipity to be honest. I like to leave a lot of time to wait for things to happen.  Often, things are happening quickly and you are happy just to get the shot. While this style doesn’t lead itself to as much creativity as a fiction film, there is always a little room to put your own personal stamp on a film. It really takes sitting down before you start shooting and making a firm decision about the look and feel of your project.

I also think the most important aspect of making a documentary is the story and content. No matter the style, if you have those two things you can craft a strong project.
 
What is your favorite part about producing and why?
My favorite part is that moment that happens in most interviews where the subject finally lets their guard down and really opens up about whatever you are trying to get out of them. I really think everyone has a story and it’s my job to get it out of them. 
 
What is your favorite project to date and why?
I’m editing the first of a four-part series called “Native Past, American Present” about the efforts Native Americans are making to hold on to their history, culture, and identity. I recently spent a month in Alaska on the project and everything about it was special. Incredible people, important stories, and beautiful landscape. That’s been my favorite so far, and I plan on going back next fall to spend two months working on part two of my series. And while I’m there I’ll be working with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska to teach filmmaking to Native children.
 
How did you get started?
I’d worked in television for about ten years when I decided that I really preferred working for myself, or at least on projects I really believed in. One day I decided that’s what I would do. In hindsight, it might have been less complicated to ease into documentary filmmaking instead of jumping into it blindly, but I knew what I wanted and somewhat knew how to get there. So, I just announced that I was a filmmaker and it’s grown from there.
 
Any advice for those seeking to do what you do?
Just do it. Cameras are dirt cheap, editing software most likely comes with your computer, and its free to put your stuff up online. There are an infinite amount of stories to tell. There are really no excuses if it’s something you truly want to do.

 For more information about Emmett Williams and his work, please visithttp://www.emmettwilliams.com.

SYDNYE: Before you introduce yourself and how fabulous you are and how fabulous your idea is, you need to know why and where and how much they give?

BILL: Yes. This is where you start looking at the giving history. This is where these various reference libraries, whether you go to the actual library or whether you view it online line, find out where the money has gone in the past. What are their interests if they are a foundation? Of if they are a corporation, who they are trying to reach? Corporations, I’ve gotten corporation grants to do public television programs, and it’s because those particular corporations wanted to reach the audience that public television gets. You have to figure out what the grant maker wants. And then be able to tell them, “I can deliver what you want to you.” It only makes sense. I mean obviously, it these people are going to be making grants or if they are going to be making advertising buys, they have certain needs. You have to understand what those needs and be able to tell them “this is how I can help you meet those needs.”

SYDNYE : So we’ll talk a little bit more a little bit later about distribution because that is part of it.

BILL: And this is probably the biggest mistake that many people make. In that they’ll put together a wonderful proposal. They’ve got a great theme. They’ve got colorful characters. A really, really good story, they’ve figured out exactly how to shoot it and edit it. They know what the look is and they don’t put anything about how they are going to distribute it. And if no one is ever going to see this program, this film, then why fund it?

You can learn more tips from Bill Einreinhofer about funding documentaries on the 45-minute audio CD “How To Fund Your Dream Documentary.”

 How can TV Moms balance the demands of the family they love with the career they love (or at least find themselves in)?  I recently took part as a panelist in a discussion about motherhood and production hosted by the Washington, DC area Woman in Television and Film association to discuss that very question.  We shared some tips to help juggle it all.

• Give up the notion of Super Mom.  There is no such thing.  We are all Super Moms if we are loving and attentive to the needs of our family.  But this does not mean we are perfect.  I once sent my daughter to daycare in two left shoes.  It’s a long story.  The point is, she survived and doesn’t even remember it.  At the time of writing this article, I am feeling pretty good about my children’s development and my career development.  Just don’t look in my car – it’s disgustingly dirty.  And it’s not because of me that our floors are fit to eat off of. Thank God for Daddy!
• Join a TV Mom’s support group or start your own.  An editor friend and I decided to have TV Moms play date.  We invite other mothers in the industry to bring their kids, hand-me-downs and resumes. It’s fun and rejuvenating.  Plus I may have just gotten a gig because of one.  I also started a Goal Group with some Super Mom friends of mine.  We get together once a week, sometime via telephone, to set goals and hold each other accountable.  That’s how I finally got this blog site off the ground!
• Get a mentor.  No matter how far along you are in your career, there is always someone who has had more experience. Perhaps it is in production or perhaps it is in being a working mom.  Perhaps it is in an area of production that you’ve never explored.  It doesn’t matter if they are younger or older, man or woman.  It is just nice to have a “go to” person who can help you navigate your career.  My mentor is a single mom and an industry heavy-hitter.  She has given me helpful advice over the years and priceless job recommendations that have resulted in gigs.
• Research family friendly companies.  If you are working in a situation that is not compatible with your family life, research other options.  It may take awhile but it is possible to change your job environment.
• Craft a support system.  I am lucky to leave in my hometown with a number of family and friends that I can call on if I have to work late or travel.  If you can afford in-home help, consider getting a nanny while the children are young.  As the saying goes, “what all working women need is a wife.”
• Search out flexible opportunities.  Perhaps job sharing or working from home is an option for you.  If not, perhaps you can work through your lunch break Monday thought Thursday and work a half day on Fridays.  For two years, I searched for a work from home situation. I didn’t give up and have been working from home for the last 6 months.  This round of working from home may not last forever but I’ll keep searching for something permanent.

Don’t forget that you are not alone.  All TV Mom have moments when they feel that they are not doing a good job at home or at work.  The trick is to keep these moments to a minimum and not let them get you down.  Every once in awhile, that guilt monster tries to jump up on me.  But when I look at my children, I see that they are doing well, growing strong and enjoying life.  It’s okay if we miss our swim play date this time.  No one will fail to graduate high school if we put off potty training a couple of weeks until Mommy finishes shooting that news special.  And it’s okay if the kids have oatmeal and broccoli for dinner once in awhile.  In fact, they like it.  Just keep doing the best that you can and believe it or not, your best is good enough.

Signs of the Messiah – This would be a documentary following people who are looking for signs that the Messiah is coming in whatever religion in which they believe. I have a friend who studies rap music and hard rock lyrics because he believes that the second coming of Jesus will be announced through music. This made me wonder how many other people out there are sign seekers in such unusual and interesting ways.

The Science Behind Rock Concerts – This documentary would follow one popular music group as they prepare for a concert. As they prepare, the film would delve into how our ears hear music, how our brains process it, how instruments make music, how we are able to sing, why humans respond to music, how microphones pick up music and how speakers broadcast music.

Extreme Collectors – I was amazed to learn that there are people who spend thousands upon thousands of dollars each year to collect sneakers! What other crazy collectors are out there? I’m sure some of these collectors as colorful characters.

6 Degrees of Separation – On each episode, contestants draw a name of a celebrity out of a big name drum. Then they have 48 hours to get in touch with that celebrity. The less steps/contacts it takes to find the celebrity, the more points they get. They also get more points for face to face meetings. The show could be hosted by someone who sort of knows Kevin Bacon. The

Ultimate Couch Potato Life – this lifestyle series would be hosted by a good looking guy with a bit of a beer belly. On each episode, he would give tips on how to maximize the coach potato experience. The tips could range from comfort food recipes to entertaining on game night. There could even be a “tools and technology” segment that explores the many uses of TiVo and such things as chairs with built in refrigerators.

From Celeb to Politician – What makes celebrities like Ronald Reagan, Jesse Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to turn in the glamour for a politician’s life? And what makes them so good at it?

A Week In The Life of A Reenactor – Reenactors tend to be pretty colorful characters. They often dedicate all of their spare time to researching, practicing and preparing for reenactments in an effort to make them as real and as accurate as possible.

Greatest Fictional Characters – and their impact on society. These characters can be from books, TV, movies or cartoons. They can be dogs, doctors, lovers, villains, heros or even cars. For example, what effects have Cliff Huxtable, Gregory House and Trapper John had on our collective American psyches? This could be done as a top-10 count down show.

Mommy Bloggers – this is a phenomenon that has reached Wall Street. Many blogs started by moms about family, child rearing and motherhood now have the backing of major sponsorship. Who are these mommy bloggers and how can you cash in?

International Holidays in the U.S. – I’d love to see how Hindus in Berkely are celebrating Diwali and how the West Indians in DC go all out for the Carnival in Brooklyn. There are lots of international holidays being celebrated in our own back yards. You don’t even need a passport.

If you’ve any of these ideas on air already, that only proves that they are good. Hey, now that I’ve written these ideas out, some of them look kinda good. Hurry up and producer them before I do!  If you have any ideas that you’d like someone else to producer, please share.

What I got was a depressing visual essay in which Moore used loads of stock footage to illustrate his feelings.  That is not to say that there were no good points made or that the archival material wasn’t effective at times.  The best use of classic footage was the opening montage – a black and white reenactment about the fall of Rome intercut with recent American political figures.  But the old clips used to demonstrate the ideals of capitalism, the weaknesses of capitalism, the promise of the American dream, the failure of the American dream, and everything leading up to them was very heavy handed.  Perhaps Moore was trying to lighten the mood but instead gave the film a cartoon-like feel.

Moore is always strong when he hits the road in search of help for the common man.  Demanding money back from the banks with a burlap sack and attempting to make a citizen’s arrest of bank managers are funny reminders of how badly the banks have ripped off the people of this country.  There are also some salient examples of ripping off tactics.  Moore shared some now all too familiar touching stories of foreclosure victims duped by unethical mortgage loans.  And, I was surprised to learn that corporations take out million dollar life insurance policies on their workers.

The movie needed more interviews from the opposing side or people who used to work for the opposing side.  We all know what the problem is. But WHY do bigwigs think they are justified in hurting the little guy?

The movie ends with Moore inviting viewers to join him in putting a stop to capitalism and corporate greed.  He didn’t give examples in the film but you can find some on the Capitalism: A Love Story website.  Overall, the movie made good points but lacked depth.  It was terribly depressing yet slightly inspiring at the same time.  After paying to see the movie, I am left with this question: how much of my $9 goes to the mega-media giant Viacom, the parent company of Paramount Vantage who is one of the producers of this film?