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Documentary First

The craft and business of documentary filmmaking, from people who actually do it.

Documentary First is a weekly podcast for working and aspiring documentary filmmakers who want honest, in-depth conversations about how documentaries get funded, made, and seen. Listen Notes ranks the show in the top 5 percent of all podcasts worldwide.

Hosted by Christian Taylor, award-winning director of The Girl Who Wore Freedom (25+ international awards, distributed through Virgil Films, Swank, and Canal+), the show draws on 295+ conversations with documentary filmmakers, editors, producers, distributors, and composers across HBO, Netflix, PBS, and the independent doc world. Past guests include Ken Burns, PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor Charles Olivier (HBO’s The Jinx, The Redeem Team), and Emmy-nominated director Nick Bruckman (Netflix’s Minted).

Every week, Documentary First delivers two formats in one feed. The main show is a long-form interview about how filmmakers approach their craft, handle distribution, and build a career that lasts. On alternating weeks, Documentary First: The Deep Dive takes a single insight from a recent guest conversation and goes further, drawing on psychology, philosophy, and hard-won experience to find the lesson underneath the work.

Christian hosts from inside the work, not from the sidelines. She has films in production right now, so she asks the questions a working documentary filmmaker actually needs answered, because she needs them answered too.

Topics include: documentary directing, documentary producing, documentary distribution, film festival strategy, fundraising for documentaries, storytelling craft, documentary cinematography, documentary editing, film music and scoring, sound design for film, entertainment law for filmmakers, archival footage and rights clearance, and building a sustainable career in nonfiction filmmaking.

New episodes every week. Subscribe and leave a review.

Instagram: @documentaryfirst | Facebook: @documentaryfirst | X: @Doc_First | TikTok: @documentaryfirst | YouTube: @DocumentaryFirst | LinkedIn: documentaryfirst | documentaryfirst.com

Copyright: © Documentary First, all rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 141 | Documentarian and the Day Job Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

Today we’re joined by Mindy Cook, a documentarian cinematographer and “marketing specialist” for the Girl who Wore Freedom.

First we dive into talking about the pitch to Netflix, an upcoming Q&A with members of the film. Then we talk about rejection, keep moving forward.

Then Mindy walks us through how she joined The Girl Who Wore Freedom, documentary filmmaking, and working in the non-profit sector. Mindy praises mentorship and then we discuss film school.

Episode 140 | Screenwriting with Zach Callaghan Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

Today we’re joined by Zach Callaghan, writer on The Brave Dutch, who previously wrote for The Girl Who Wore Freedom. He goes through the process of screen-writing for film. Christian speaks on leading a team with fresh perspectives and allowing them to add their ingredients to a proverbial "stone soup."

Episode 139 | Minding the Gap with "Ted Lasso" Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

Today we talk about Ted Lasso, Halloween costumes, and how to deal with the lulls in production.

Christian talks through what she’s working on right now, the prep she’s doing for The Brave Dutch, and partnership proposals with various organizations.

Episode 138 | Post Production Sound with Jason Hoban Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Jason Hoban, sound designer for The Girl Who Wore Freedom and Documentary First Podcast, discusses the art and science behind making audio mixes for film, etc. He has wielded the microphone as a foley artist, and has extensive experience editing audio using Pro Tools. In addition, he shares how he got his start as an audio engineer.

Episode 137 | Screening at Massanutten Military Academy Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

Today we talk about Research and Development, screening the film for cadets, Christian dealing with a heckler, the emotional journey it sent her on, and how it might change her future films.

We talk a little about the future of the podcast, the way production and documentary work intertwine with everything in your life, and boots-on-the-ground research.

Today we talk about Research and Development, screening the film for cadets, Christian dealing with a heckler, the emotional journey it sent her on, and how it might change her future films.

We talk a little about the future of the podcast, the way production and documentary work intertwine with everything in your life, and boots-on-the-ground research.

Mentioned Links: Public Screening Rights: https://guides.uflib.ufl.edu/copyright/video Jason Rugg's @Jaxandchawn Favorites: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTP-yhglu6k/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkkTQXl7TS/

Episode 136 | The Brave Dutch Pre-Pro Odyssey & Reflection on Rest Oct 13, 2021

Show notes

Christian’s back from her Odyssey, we get an update about her trip, the things she learned about. We get a look at how Christian has learned about giving people rest time, including herself. We talk about self-care, then dive into Christian’s great uncle’s journey with the 334th Infantry.

Episode 135 | Hope On the Walls and Lunch at the Oranjehotel Sounds Fun..At First Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

Today we're joined by TGWWF and The Brave Dutch Co-Producer, Michelle Coupey, Christian's still in the Netherlands and has some updates about The Girl Who Wore Freedom!

Then we dig into the Brave Dutch, Christian's amazing day, learned a bit about Buren, Netherlands (https://www.visitingthedutchcountryside.com/gelderland/one-day-in-buren-netherlands/) and The Brave Dutch Podcast: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-brave-dutch-rhes-low-jr-DfVvMksbz5K/

Christian visited The Oranjehotel internment camp, got to hear the history, the atrocities commited there, and what bits of hope were scrawled into the walls.

The Propaganda Cartoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D6d6_-Vngo"

When anyone preaches disunity, tries to pit one of us against the other you know that person seeks to rob us of our freedom and destroy our very lives."

https://www.oranjehotel.org/en/

Episode 134 | Applying Lessons Learned and The Brave Dutch! Oct 01, 2021

Show notes

Josh is finally back, we talk through some updates about the Girl Who Wore Freedom on Delta Air Lines, Christian gives us an update about a future L'Oréal event, and Fort Bragg.

We get an update about Grueling Glory, the short film, it's film festival run, and Christian explains the difference between feature/short film festival submissions.

Christian gives us an overview of the Netherlands' role in World War II, the bombings, the surrender, the resistance. Then we dive into the story of The Brave Dutch.

Episode 133 | Special Ops & Spin-Offs (Sort Of) Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

We're joined by Flavie again! Christian is in the Netherlands on a pre-production trip. But first, she shares what parts of France she had the visited on the way, including memorials, museums, and the Pegasus Bridge. This recent trip to Europe involves meeting with her son on a mock special-ops mission called Falcon Leap. They attended the Operation Market Garden ceremonies in the Netherlands and talk about its significance.

Episode 132 | Cue The Music Cue Sheet! Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

Jeff and Jason play switcheraoo! After a film update, Christian shares about plans to travel to the Netherlands for a scouting trip for "The Brave Dutch." Then, composer Jeff Kurtenacker explains how he had to name each musical piece in the movie, even if it were the shortest of études. All the details must be recorded on the timeline, including who were the authors and performers; In addition, a demonstration of rights needed to be on the cue sheet.

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