Writer’s Block in San Francisco

I am currently on a shoot in San Francisco.  I’m primarily here to conduct interviews and tape B-roll for a series of short videos.  In an effort to complete another project due at the end of the week, I am writing scripts in my “downtime.”

I have nothing against San Francisco, but I am jet lagged, miss my family, had to change rooms at 2:30 in the morning because of water dripping from the ceiling onto my bed and, if I may be blunt, my gastronomic system is a little backed up.  None of this has put me in the mood to come up with pithy and energetic host script copy.  So what to do?

I’ve devised a few tactics over the years to help me continue writing even when I really don’t want to.  A deadline is a deadline. So it’s handy to have a cadre of tricks to help bust through that block when necessary.

• Dance to fast music – This is my number one, go-to block buster.  I put on one song with a driving beat, sing loudly and dance passionately.  For me, this is a shortcut to meeting my muse because I totally leave the writing behind for 5-minutes and come back refreshed and energized.
• Take a chore break – If I am at home, I find it helpful to work on rhythmic activities like washing dishes or folding clothes while my sub-conscious works on the work. I almost always come up with an exciting breakthrough this way.  If I am in an office, I might clean my desk or do some filing, anything to keep my hands busy but my mind free.
• Walk away from the writing – Get out and take a walk.  This is another way to get the blood pumping and the words flowing.
• Go over the top – Write wild and crazy, over the top stuff.  Try alliterations or some rapping and rhyming. It’s fun and you just might come up with ideas that make the final draft.
• Check out a list of clichés – If I am having difficulty with a subject matter, I often look up a list of clichés on the internet.  Yes they are staid but they can also be entertaining. And even better yet, they can help me get a grasp on concepts in a focused and fun way.
• Get help – I have a couple of producer friends that I can call or email with a problem section and they help me work it out with a fresh eye.  I do the same for them. It’s kind of like having a writing elf.  And let’s face it, two heads are better than one.

In this particular San Francisco block, I’ve elected to write something else, something that I know would flow – this blog. It’s been fun and I’m feeling ramped up to continue the writing-for-hire.  If you have any other tricks let me know. I’ll post them and maybe try them next time. Happy writing!

The Work of Indpendent Documentarian: An Interview with Emmett Williams

Just what does an independent documentarian do?  Where does he/her get  ideas?  How does he/she make a living at it?  I recently had a conversation with Emmett Williams, independent producer, to find out how he manages a career making documentaries.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Emmett on several projects and am impressed with his scope of work.  His television credits include producer, writer, editor and camera operator.  His work can be seen on such national networks as The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TV Land and public television.  Emmett is also a song writer/performer, photographer, concert producer and journalist.  his passion for media and the arts is clear to anyone that has worked with him.  Emmett, a vegetarian, even ate seal meat to connect with his subjects during a shoot in Alaska.  What I’ve found particularly striking is his commitment to his projects and his ability to keep a sense of humor about everything his does.

As an independent producer, what type of productions do you produce/work on?
Mostly, I produce long and short form documentaries. Sometimes they’re ideas that I’ve come up with and sometimes I’ll partner with a non-profit organization to make a film about a topic that is important to them. For example, the film “Camp Twitch and Shout – The Movie”, which will be available online December 7, is a partnership between myself and the Tourette Syndrome Association of Georgia.

There are also a few online only projects that are in the works that are destined for YouTube or the Mission Man Media website, like a series of shorts about artists called “The Form Appears” and another series entitled “Everyone Has A Story”.

Finally, there are a few things I want to do that will be specifically for museums and galleries.

How do you find the projects that you work on?
It’s rare that I go out searching for stories to tell. Usually the stories just arrive serendipitously. For a documentary that will start production in January, the idea came from a conversation I had with a friend in a bar just a few months ago. There are an endless amount of stories out there that are waiting to be told, you just have to keep your ears open. I’m fortunate to be in some form of production on projects that will keep me busy through the first half of 2011.

How have you raised funds?
Every way possible. I’ve won grants, been funded by the organizations that I’ve partnered with, friends, family, the coin jar in my bedroom. Any way possible. I read somewhere that it takes 3 years on average to raise money for a documentary. You have to spread your fundraising wings as far and wide as possible.

I’m in the process of raising money now for a project in Africa and I’ve literally sent hundreds of emails, applied for grants all over the world and spoken with people on three continents trying to get it made.

Sometimes you work on freelance gigs for other people.  How do you feel about that? Do you limit the size and scope of freelance gigs?
Making documentaries is cyclical in that you make a film, then raise (beg) for money for your next one, so you have to earn money during that downtime in between projects. If I’m inbetween projects, I’ll preferably do some freelance writing or producing for television or for a company that needs something small, but I’ll do anything really to keep me out of an office.

BUT if someone from an office is reading this…and hiring on a temporary basis….

You often work as a one-man band producing, shooting and editing. Is there a lot of pressure to be responsible for every aspect of a project?
I really prefer working alone because I like the intimacy of just being one-on-one with the subject. I’ll often spend a few days just hanging out with whomever I want to interview before I even bring out a camera. I think if you are prepared ahead of time and really know your equipment it cuts down a lot on the possibilities of something going wrong. Of course, life would be easier with a crew as far as dealing with the equipment.  But for me, its worth the few times when I’ve forgotten briefly to turn on the audio or left something back at the hotel to continue to work independently. And the more you do it, the easier and more organized you become. The real key is a comfortable backpack and pants with lots of pockets. If you have those two things you’ll be fine.

Do you feel that there is a lot of room for creativity when producing a documentary?
The style of documentary that I like to do relies a lot on serendipity to be honest. I like to leave a lot of time to wait for things to happen.  Often, things are happening quickly and you are happy just to get the shot. While this style doesn’t lead itself to as much creativity as a fiction film, there is always a little room to put your own personal stamp on a film. It really takes sitting down before you start shooting and making a firm decision about the look and feel of your project.

I also think the most important aspect of making a documentary is the story and content. No matter the style, if you have those two things you can craft a strong project.

What is your favorite part about producing and why?
My favorite part is that moment that happens in most interviews where the subject finally lets their guard down and really opens up about whatever you are trying to get out of them. I really think everyone has a story and it’s my job to get it out of them.

What is your favorite project to date and why?
I’m editing the first of a four-part series called “Native Past, American Present” about the efforts Native Americans are making to hold on to their history, culture, and identity. I recently spent a month in Alaska on the project and everything about it was special. Incredible people, important stories, and beautiful landscape. That’s been my favorite so far, and I plan on going back next fall to spend two months working on part two of my series. And while I’m there I’ll be working with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska to teach filmmaking to Native children.

How did you get started?
I’d worked in television for about ten years when I decided that I really preferred working for myself, or at least on projects I really believed in. One day I decided that’s what I would do. In hindsight, it might have been less complicated to ease into documentary filmmaking instead of jumping into it blindly, but I knew what I wanted and somewhat knew how to get there. So, I just announced that I was a filmmaker and it’s grown from there.

Any advice for those seeking to do what you do?
Just do it. Cameras are dirt cheap, editing software most likely comes with your computer, and its free to put your stuff up online. There are an infinite amount of stories to tell. There are really no excuses if it’s something you truly want to do.

For more information about Emmett Williams and his work, please visithttp://www.emmettwilliams.com.

Secrets to Funding Your Dream Documentary

Here is an except from my interview with Bill Einreinhofer from the CD recording of the  teleseminar “How To Fund Your Dream Documentary.”  Bill is a National Emmy-Award winning producer, writer and director with over 20 years of television production experience.  He shared a lot of useful tips about how to raise money to produce a documentary.  Here he discusses how to approach potential funders.

SYDNYE: Before you introduce yourself and how fabulous you are and how fabulous your idea is, you need to know why and where and how much they give?

BILL: Yes. This is where you start looking at the giving history. This is where these various reference libraries, whether you go to the actual library or whether you view it online line, find out where the money has gone in the past. What are their interests if they are a foundation? Of if they are a corporation, who they are trying to reach? Corporations, I’ve gotten corporation grants to do public television programs, and it’s because those particular corporations wanted to reach the audience that public television gets. You have to figure out what the grant maker wants. And then be able to tell them, “I can deliver what you want to you.” It only makes sense. I mean obviously, it these people are going to be making grants or if they are going to be making advertising buys, they have certain needs. You have to understand what those needs and be able to tell them “this is how I can help you meet those needs.”

SYDNYE : So we’ll talk a little bit more a little bit later about distribution because that is part of it.

BILL: And this is probably the biggest mistake that many people make. In that they’ll put together a wonderful proposal. They’ve got a great theme. They’ve got colorful characters. A really, really good story, they’ve figured out exactly how to shoot it and edit it. They know what the look is and they don’t put anything about how they are going to distribute it. And if no one is ever going to see this program, this film, then why fund it?

You can learn more tips from Bill Einreinhofer about funding documentaries on the 45-minute audio CD “How To Fund Your Dream Documentary.”