The Documentary Filmmaker Podcast

This week on the Moonshine Moonshot podcast, host Sue Collins discusses the power of independent filmmaking and how it can be applied to various fields. Using a case study of a documentary called "Conquering Cancer,"  Sue encourages listeners to think beyond just creating a film and moving on to the next project. Instead, she advocates for hybrid distribution and maximizing the potential...

In this episode, Sue Collins gets into the importance of making money from the sale of your film and how marketing and distribution play a crucial role in this process. Sue emphasizes the need for independent filmmakers to become masters of marketing their own brands and films and shares tips on how to get started with marketing and also three ways to make money off your film.    Got a question? A...

This week host, Sue Collins discusses outreach and why it's important when it comes to  making an impact with your film. She dives into five strategies you can use to start an outreach plan.  These are strategies Sue uses when she produces her own impact films that reach their intended audience and support real-world change.  Got a question? Ask here 📩 Want to stay up to date with the latest...

How do you successfully release an impact film?  If you're an upcoming filmmaker, an independent film producer or, you just want to know how to reach an engaged core audience,  then this episode will help you.  During the episode, I mentioned a project called Take Heart.  You can find Take Heart on Youtube   Take Heart takeheart.tv Take Heart takeheartrhd.com and if you'd like to read th...

This week Sue shares a practical process for turning your dream project into a reality. With 15 years of experience in project planning, Sue finds that this system with five big moves can be applied to any project to get it started, planned out, and into reality.  This system can be applied to projects of any size and can even be used for personal goals.   You can often listen to experts, watch vi...

This Moonshine Moonshot episode is a fusion.   Part nuts and bolts on music composition, music licensing, and the pros and cons of both in filmmaking.  Discussing whether you should hire a composer or license the music.  Do you need a music supervisor? Can you do both? The second part of the episode is about getting your project made.  You’re likely here listening because you are a filmmaker or an...

Does starters anxiety have a grip on you? What are the biggest blocks filmmaker have in getting their film made?  You're not alone in the struggle to get a new project underway.  But you might not lack motivation. A couple of things might be holding you back from getting your butt into gear and making your movie a reality.  I'm sharing three big reasons in this episode and some ways to g...

I thought it would be good to do a refresher on 'What is an impact film? ' And why you might want to make one.  It’s good timing to do this little refresh as we’ve been deep diving into all things documentary film production the past few months and we’re working our way to post-production.  Later in the episode, I’m going to walk you through the difference between distribution and outrea...

This week I’m sharing the Two Steps you need to know in order to master how to define your ideal audience.  Because once you know who your project is for it's much easier to reach them.  And if you follow these two steps you’ll be much more likely to release your film to an audience who will connect and engage with it.  And let's face it, a big reason for making movies that matter is so...

Publicity & public relations for your film.  The week I'm talking to you about  When to engage your publicist or PR person? How do you attract media to promote your film?   How do you attach a publicist or PR person?   Do you need a PR person or can you do it yourself in-house? Ultimately what I'm talking about here is - How do you get your film the publicity it needs to cut through...

From the point of ideation you'll have to think through your film in every detail.  You’re thinking about the story and all the elements. You'll spend months planning everything. But filmmaking is a constant balance between detailed planning and flexibility.  How will you handle it when things change, you hit a road block or something goes wrong? This episode is all about adaptability an...

Being the big boss on the film set is a difficult job, and it's one that you can master!  And once you do, you'll be on your way to creating a film to release into the world.  Speaking of releasing a film, Sue's also just released a Live the life you please across cinemas in Australia so you'll get a sneak peek behind the curtain on how that release is going! But the main event...

Navigating a work-life balance when making a documentary is a tricky task! And one that Sue has become very accustomed to.  To make it work, you need to learn how to make it work for you!  How do you balance having a family? Or having holidays? Or stop yourself from completely burning out? (All valid questions!) So today, Sue is going to break down how she manages this exciting but crazy lifestyle...

In this weeks episode I'm sharing a few more troubleshooting tips.  How do you ensure you arrive at your destination with all your luggage, or at the least, enough gear to do the shoot?  Isolating smoke detectors and what if you can't travel?   There are so many things that can go wrong when you're out and about filming for a documentary and these troubleshooting tips are to help yo...

Documentary production is an exciting time, but it's also full of daunting obstacles that need to be managed.  In this week's episode, we're talking through even more of the problems we've encountered as filmmakers and how we've dealt with them (or not!). We're going to discuss: -Faulty gear -Nervous talent -Losing locations Just to name a few! For MORE INFO check out...

Making a movie can be a daunting task, and there are many potential mishaps that can derail your production.  In this video, we'll share the top tips and tricks we've picked up over our many productions to help you avoid disaster! Including (but not limited to!) -Fighting nature -Sick crew -tricky talent -and faulty equipment  Whether you're a seasoned filmmaker or just starting out...

There's more than just filming needed to make a movie - you've got to know how to take production stills! And it's not just for some fun photos to show your friends (as great as that is!). So in this Moonshine Moonshot, we're looking at WHY you need to take stills, how to get the perfect action shot for a poster, different ways to utilise behind-the-scenes pics and the key to g...

Filming in unique and unforgettable locations is definitely a perk of documentary-making! But it requires excellent planning to pull off.  In this episode of Moonshine Moonshot, we're going to talk about the major differences between filming interstate or overseas, vs filming in your own town and all the different jobs, equipment, crew and time allocation that is needed to make your location...

Though capturing the moving image is a key part of movie making, so is capturing sound! So on this week's episode of Moonshine Moonshot, we'll be talking all things microphones, boom stands, and the importance of recording the best possible sound on shoot day.  We'll cover lapel microphones, boom microphones, the zoom recorder and all the little neat gizmos and tricks that can help...

What camera do you need to film your documentary?  The number one question I'm always asked is ‘What camera do you use?’ It’s a great question and  I love it because I know I'm among friends! There are a lot of different types of cameras out there, and it can be difficult to know which one is right for your documentary. In this video, we'll walk you through the different types of ca...

When you're making a documentary film it is important that you get consent from the participants who appear in your film, or you might find yourself in quite a pickle.  I know, sometimes it can be a little unclear as to when and who you need to get consent from. Luckily, in this episode of Moonshine Moonshot I'm going to break down everything you need to know about consent, AKA: how to g...

Who do you need on your crew?  What are the essential roles that have to be filled at any shoots you set up?  That’s what we’re digging into today so that by the end of this video you’ll know exactly who to hire and what you need them to do. To make the best film, you need a good crew! Cinematographer, director, lighting, sound, there are so many roles to fill. So, it's time we talk about you...

Hey there filmmakers! In this episode, I'm sharing with you the 3 types of documentary storytellers you can use and how to choose the right one for your project.   The storyteller in a documentary is like a guide, they take the audience on the journey. In some cases, a narrator will provide context and commentary. While in others, the storyteller may be a presenter who appears on screen to sh...

As you would expect, production is a huggggge topic and I wouldn’t dare anyone to try and cover it in one single video! So today, we’ll be looking at the five key ingredients that every production needs.  Well. Six, kinda.  These ingredients are interviews, b-roll, observational footage, archival footage, specialist shots, and animation. But how exactly do they play into your documentary? Producti...

It’s at this point in the process I find it best to come back to one simple question: ‘Why am I making this documentary?’  Really think about it. What was the idea that lit a flame in your mind that just couldn’t be put out? And why did you decide that a documentary was the way this story needed to be told? This week, we’re going to take the time to pull our heads out of the thorough and deep plan...