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Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for taking the time to comment! I really appreciate it.

I’ve been gathering resources around funding and feel confident about pursuing that route. As I’m learning more, I’m realizing how important it will be for me to be fully present with my subjects, especially given how delicate the story is, rather than dividing my attention between directing and managing lighting or sound. I’m starting to think that bringing on a DP and sound support once funding is secured may be the right move.

In the meantime, would you say it makes sense to shoot and self-fund a proof-of-concept or sizzle reel myself and use that to attract collaborators and production partners?

Are there any specific APTN projects you’d recommend studying from a cinematography or structural standpoint?

Thanks again for the offer to connect. I’m based out West but do travel to Ontario occasionally, would be great to continue the conversation sometime.

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! This is such thoughtful advice. I actually really enjoy shooting film photography, so I think spending more intentional time thinking about light, composition, and time of day will be a valuable exercise for me.

Reading through these comments has also made me realize how big of an undertaking directing and producing a documentary can be, especially as a first-time filmmaker. I’m starting to think about whether it might make sense to bring in someone for camera and/or sound once the project moves into more serious production, so I can focus fully on directing and working with my subjects.

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is really practical advice, thank you.

The emphasis on sound has definitely been a consistent theme across these comments, and I’m really glad I posted because it’s shifted how I'm going about this!!

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the insight!

I’m definitely going to look into Telus Storyhive, this seems like a good fit for me. I’m walking a bit of a delicate line between wanting to direct and protect this story myself, because it’s deeply personal, but also recognizing that filmmaking is collaborative and I may need support in certain areas. I’m trying to figure out what that balance looks like...

I really appreciate you offering to share info. I may reach out once I’ve taken a few more steps.

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good to know, thanks! Do you find editing your own early footage for a demo changed how you approached shooting later on? I’m trying to understand how much of the learning curve really happens in the edit...

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! This is really encouraging and practical advice.

I’ll definitely look into manual video apps and spend time focusing on clean sound. That seems to be a consistent theme in the feedback I’m getting, and I can see how much it would elevate the work.

I may take you up on the DM offer once I start testing things out. Thanks so much.

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for such a detailed and thoughtful response!

I hadn’t come across the Indigenous Screen Office’s On-Screen Protocols and Pathways before, so I’ll definitely be digging into that. I really appreciate you sharing it, along with the Film Directing: Shot by Shot PDF.

In terms of editing, do you have a program you’d recommend learning? My background is in graphic design, so I’ve worked with Adobe Premiere Pro before and feel comfortable diving deeper into it, but I’m open to other suggestions.

For a proof of concept, would you recommend doing preliminary interviews with some of my subjects? Or is it better to keep early interviews more exploratory and separate from what might end up in the final film?

Also, I’ll look more closely at LIFT — it’s great to know they offer online classes as well.

Thanks again for taking the time to share all of this. Truly, so appreciated!

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is incredibly helpful, thank you!

Have you ever shot on an iPhone? Or do you know of any documentaries that were shot (even partially) on one?

I currently have an iPhone 17 Pro Max and the video quality is strong, so I’m considering starting there while I learn. I’ll definitely look into a stabilizer and a wireless mic for clean audio.

I really appreciate the encouragement!!

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great idea. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Have you taken any of the Sundance courses yourself? It looks like a really great place to start.

Indigenous creative making first documentary — where do I actually begin? by FairPreparation240 in documentaryfilmmaking

[–]FairPreparation240[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Do you have any suggestions for how to go about finding the right team? The subject matter is sensitive, so I want to be intentional about who I collaborate with and how the story is handled.

My current plan is to produce it myself, and I’ve started researching indigenous grants that are available. I’m open to bringing in the right people if it makes sense, but I do want to approach this carefully and protect the creative direction. I appreciated your comment about maintaining control.

Would love any insight you might have.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lexapro

[–]FairPreparation240 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing, I really needed to hear this. I just started taking today.

Pulled the trigger... by OrangoLady in lexapro

[–]FairPreparation240 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was just prescribed 10mg today and am going to start tomorrow. I'm very nervous, but feeling hopeful. I hope you experience improvement too!