Becoming a documentary filmmaker can be achieved through attending school, working as a journalist or photographer, learning from a filmmaker, or starting as an unpaid intern. The documentary market is small, and success is not measured by fame or fortune.
Many people who want to become documentary filmmakers choose to go to school to learn about the techniques they can use, the ethical issues they may encounter, and the art of storytelling and drawing people into documentaries in a way that ensures they watch them. This isn’t the only way to become a documentary filmmaker, however, and those who aren’t interested in attending school have a variety of options. Whichever method you adopt, it’s important to be aware that the documentary market is small and that many documentary filmmakers spend a good part of their careers earning little money and minimal recognition. A “hit” in the documentary world is relatively small, and people don’t get into documentaries or journalism for the fame and fortune.
Numerous colleges and universities offer documentary programs for people who want to become a documentary filmmaker. It is also possible to work as a journalist or documentary photographer. In this case, journalism programs may be more suitable than documentary programs. Many graduates complete postgraduate work and offer the opportunity to train with notable people in the field. A master’s thesis can also be used as a portfolio or demonstration project, which can help the student to get in the door.
Another option for someone interested in training as a documentary filmmaker is to learn from a documentary filmmaker. In this case, the student can become a documentary filmmaker working with someone who makes or produces documentaries. An advantage of this type of training is that it immerses the student in a world of work experience immediately. It can also allow for opportunities to work in a variety of crew positions and learn about the work behind financing and distribution.
People who would like to become documentary filmmakers on work experience often start out as unpaid interns. Many documentarians work independently and may have limited financial resources, and when they have contracts with larger studios, they are expected to keep costs low by using unpaid interns on their teams. As an intern gains more experience, he or she may begin to accept paid employment, although the salary may need to be supplemented with outside work.
It is also possible to approach documentary work from a background in film or television production. In that case, someone may receive training in that area and may also have work experience before moving into documentary production.
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