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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 121 | More with "Crazy GI George"! Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Jason’s back! George is back! Josh, well, he’s gone!

We get a quick update on the film, then we dive into George’s film career which for him, started at 81.

George recaps his efforts to get gates put on a cemetery and how he brought teachers over to Europe to show them the gravity of the soldiers sacrifices. At that point, George started making documentaries to show the high price of freedom and interviewed people who had lost their freedom.

Then, George gives us a list of all the films he's made and goes into why he made each of them.

Episode 120 | George Becomes a Filmmaker! Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

George Ciampa is back to finish off his cliff hanger ending from the previous week. But first, an update on more film festival wins, Christian’s travels, and her experiences with D-Day celebrations. Then we get an update on Delta and Michelin.

Fort Bragg is opening a museum dedicated to Normandy, and Christian has been invited!

George gets back into his story, seeing the German girl again in 1949 in the Ringling Bros. Circus.

Then, we start to get to George's career at the LA Times. Finally, we start to touch on his film career, and his efforts to get gates put onto a military cemetery in France.

Episode 119 | Time to Fly! Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

Jeff Kurtenacker, the music composer of TGWWF, fills in for Josh Lindsay and Jason Rugg! Christian shares exciting news regarding partnering with Delta and Michelin, and even meeting with Delta Airlines CEO, Ed Bastian, in Atlanta, GA. Then, connections made during film processes are discussed and the latest stats on distribution are shared.

Support us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/DocFirstPodcast

Episode 118 | What Happens When a Film Releases? Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

The Girl Who Wore Freedom is out on iTunes and lots of other streaming services. We talk through reviews, strategies, cinnamon rolls, and what it's like to release a film online.

We walk through the marketing plan, going grassroots, asking for ratings and letting reviews help bump the film up in the iTunes charts. The marketing wins and losses, plans for the next film, and discoverability.

Then an update on the Delta deal and what it is like to to build a collaborative team behind the film, and how different that is compared to having a huge investor.

Episode 117 | WWII Veteran George Ciampa Returns Again! Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

This week, George Ciampa joins the pod for another occurrence, but first off, by the time this publishes, The Girl Who Wore Freedom film has been made available for purchase on Apple TV or iTunes as of June 1! Thanks to your support, the film has finally reached a wider audience!

George tells more stories of his time at war in Germany, of being "bivouacked" and the Battle of the Bulge. The progression of his personal mental health being surrounded by so much death is discussed as well as happy moments making friends with German trapeze artist, "Margot".

Episode 116 | WWII Veteran George Ciampa Returns! May 26, 2021

Show notes

Today we’re joined by George Ciampa again, but first we need a film update. Some exciting release news for the film, in flight entertainment, and cable in Canada! And getting ready for the iTunes soft launch of the film.

Then, we hear about George Ciampa’s experience at the Battle of the Bulge, and beyond. George digs in and tells us about his experience digging temporary cemeteries, the bombings from German forces and the local farm kids helping support American troops. We talk about military humor, finding moments of joy through the sorrow, and dodging buzz bombs.

Episode 115 | WWII Veteran, Filmmaker George Ciampa May 19, 2021

Show notes

Today we're joined by George Ciampa, a WWII veteran and documentary filmmaker. But first, an update on the Delta Airlines Partnership, then we dive deep into George's history and how he became a filmmaker.

We encounter some tech issues, and keep on trucking, like any podcast or filmmaker should. George walks us through his experience landing on Omaha Beach during D-Day, digging graves and the losses of Operation Tiger.

Episode 114 | Partnerships and Non-Profit Possibility May 13, 2021

Show notes

This week was kinda quiet on the film front, so we talk through some of the things that happened, future plans for D-Day film screenings and the future of Christian's filmmaking career.

Then Christian gives us an update on the Delta Airlines relationship and Christian's next film & Living Stories. Christian talks us through her 501c3 organization, what it means for the future and trying to keep things legal.

Episode 113 | Translation Deep Dive May 05, 2021

Show notes

Christian gives us her usual update on the film, her experience in the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, and maybe some wins...??? Then she walks us through some of the amazing things she got to see and participate in at the festival, the connections made, and friendships forged. You'll have to listen to find out!

Then, we're joined by Michelle Coupey. She's back to talk about translations, transcriptions and being on location. She advises having several team members who speak both languages as it's most helpful for getting entry into locations where you don't speak the language and with the public while filming. Then the we talk about her adventures in translating, and taking poetic license with subtitles.

Episode 112 | Festival Marketing Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

Christian's in Dubuque, Iowa for the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival! We talk through the festival activities this week, the overwhelming experience, and how the festival tried to stay COVID-19 free.

Christian tells us about Dubuque's unique history, and how the festival makes use of their venues and burning cable cars.

Then we get into branding, both personal and for your film, how to grab eyeballs and do something special at a festival while keeping it on brand. In closing, we check in with Jason and Josh's personal projects.

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