Documentary First - podcast cover

Documentary First

Christian Taylordocumentaryfirst.com
Documentary First is your bi-weekly podcast exploring the craft of documentary filmmaking. Each episode features in-depth interviews with filmmakers, industry experts, and professionals, providing valuable tips and behind-the-scenes insights on how powerful documentaries are made. Whether you're a seasoned documentarian, an aspiring filmmaker, or just curious about documentary storytelling, you'll find expert advice, creative inspiration, and practical knowledge. Tune in and discover what it takes to create compelling documentaries that captivate audiences and leave a lasting impact.
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Episodes

Episode 16 | Next

Director Christian Taylor looks ahead to the next steps for “The Girl Who Wore Freedom” and speculates about what it will be like to watch the film at the first focus group events.

Jun 28, 201917 minSeason 1Ep. 16

Episode 15 | Bilingual

Working with footage and audiences that represent at least two distinct languages is no small task. Director Christian Taylor talks about the complexity of subtitling and her project’s tight turnaround for sound and score.

Jun 21, 201917 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Episode 14 | Composer

A good composer understands both emotion and serendipity. There's no better example than how Jeff Kurtenacker came to be the Lead Composer on The Girl Who Wore Freedom. Listen in as Director Christian Taylor shares his story and how she learned to communicate with emotion.

Jun 14, 201916 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Episode 13 | Tools

When you're a bootstrapped documentary you sometimes have to pick free or inexpensive tools to get the job done. For The Girl Who Wore Freedom Director Christian Taylor talks about the pain of editing ("killing your babies" to get the timing and tone right) and shares some of her favorite tools that she's come to love (including Google Drive, Trello, Frame.io, and Zoom).

Jun 07, 201916 minSeason 1Ep. 13

Episode 12 | Editor

A good editor is hard to come by and The Girl Who Wore Freedom was blessed with one of the best: Bill Ebel. Learn more as Director Christian Taylor shares her appreciation for Bill and the qualities (and hard truth) that make him the best possible editor for our documentary.

May 31, 201919 minSeason 1Ep. 12

Episode 11 | Garage

All great things begin in a garage. Josh, Jason, and Director Christian Taylor explore the ins and outs of film editing from a garage in Tennessee. Christian also shares the roller-coaster that is translating, subtitling, and script-writing.

May 24, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 11

Episode 10 | Balance

Is there such thing as work/life balance in film-making? Director Christian Taylor discusses La La Land, the creative process, striking the right tone, and putting family first…always.

May 17, 201919 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Episode 9 | Dark Night of the Soul

What do you do when you're at your all time low and ready to call it quits? In this episode, producer Christian Taylor tells the story of her (extended) visit to her editor in Tennessee to get the film done, how she ran out of money, and how donors came through on the day they were going to end the project.

May 10, 201917 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Episode 8 | Rewrite

In this episode, producer Christian Taylor shares the results of her first preview of the film; and it's not good. She faces reality of deadlines, debt, and the editorial process as she considers the end of the project.

May 03, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Episode 7 | Assembly

A lot has developed since the last episode and the film is currently undergoing the assembly edit. In this episode you'll what that means and why everything Christian Taylor has told you up to this point is wrong.

Apr 26, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 7

Episode 6 | Harry Kropnicki

The wonderful story about Harry Kropnicki, Daniel Banazio and Flo Plana.

Apr 19, 201913 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Episode 5 | Cuts

Wading through 600+ hours of footage, cutting off appendages, and finding your story—we’re looking at the realities of first-time filmmaking.

Apr 12, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Episode 4 | Helmets

Real questions from real listeners posed to a real first-time filmmaker. Christian, Josh, and Jason explore the many uses of helmets, the smells of war, and the healing power of beer.

Apr 05, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Episode 3 | Grit

Documentary filmmaking takes way more than setting up a camera in a breathlessly scenic, historic destination. It starts with determination. Christian, Josh, and Jason cover the grit of getting started in filmmaking and how to craft a pitch packet.

Mar 29, 201915 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Episode 2 | Favorites

Christian, Josh, and Jason explore their all-time favorite documentaries and the inspirations for “The Girl Who Wore Freedom” film.

Mar 22, 201916 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Episode 1 | Origins

Today we talk origin stories. We’re looking at how Director Christian Taylor got her start in filmmaking, the necessity of building a good team and how being a Mom helped her as a producer! Christian, Josh, and Jason discuss voiceover, working with a virtual team and the importance in belief.

Mar 07, 201915 minSeason 1Ep. 1
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