What's New at Desktop Documentaries?

May 18, A Funder's Perspective: The Fledgling Fund

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:59:10 GMT

The Fledgling Fund awards documentary film grants and partners with filmmakers to make big social impact. Emily Verellen, Director of Programs and Communications, answers a few of our questions.

May 16, Living On Amazon.com | Documentary Idea

Wed, 16 May 2012 03:48:08 GMT

This documentary would show how a family could live solely off of Amazon.com. Besides normal utility bills and fuel, a family would never have to go to

May 15, Just Live! $400 Savings - Canon Camera & Lens Bundles

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:26:27 GMT

If you've been thinking about buying a DSLR to shoot your documentary, B&H Photo/Video has just announced a special promotion for their Canon camera and lens sets. This includes the Canon 60D and Canon 7D DSLRs which shoot GORGEOUS video footage. (We own the 60D and LOVE it!) *Offer expires June 2, 2012

May 15, Top 10 Documentary Fundraising Tips

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:54:08 GMT

Here are some top documentary fundraising tips to help you raise money for your documentary project.

May 14, How do I make a documentary about HIV/AIDS?

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:50:02 GMT

Comment or Question: Hi, I'm a 23 years old man from and aspiring film maker from tanzania in east africa. Im a college student. I wanna start my project

May 13, New Look for 2012! Same Great Tools

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:19:29 GMT

Our documentary proposal and budget templates have a snazzy new look for 2012. These are the same great tools helping documentary producers around the world put together professional documentary proposal packages. If you're trying to raise funds for your documentary or want to convince talented and influential people to join your team, a professional proposal is a must-have item along with your fundraising trailer. Learn more about the documentary proposal template and budget template combo pack..

May 12, Is Direct Mail Dead For Filmmakers?

Sat, 12 May 2012 16:55:50 GMT

Direct mail used to be the ONLY way for filmmakers to reach large numbers of individuals. But with the advent of online fundraising and crowdfunding platforms such as IndieGoGo and KickStarter, is direct mail still relevant for filmmakers?

May 9, What Is The Best Way to Catalog Rushes?

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:26:58 GMT

Hi there, I'm in the process of trying to put together a documentary for a punk rock band. My first issue is that I have a TONNE of footage that needs

May 8, Who Can I Trust With My Memoir?

Tue, 08 May 2012 17:00:38 GMT

My name is Jessica Solsona and I was molested for years by my step dad and my mom knew and did nothing. In fact she was mad because she said she thought

May 8, Adam and Me | Documentary Idea

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:35:36 GMT

Adam is my best friend, and has been for 10 years now. I know him like the back of my hand. we met in the spring of 2002 when we we're both 12 years old;

May 8, Your Documentary Fundraising Team

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:26:23 GMT

Putting together a documentary fundraising team is essential if you are trying to raise money for your documentary. In fact, having multiple people on your team is a fundraising strategy in itself.

May 7, Gift Ideas for Mothers Day

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:39:12 GMT

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13—just 6 days away. Our friends at B&H Photo have put together a great group of gift ideas to honor and thank Mom on this special day.

May 3, Why I Bought The Canon 60D

Thu, 03 May 2012 18:31:34 GMT

Canon 60D DSLR -- Awesome Photo/Video5/3/12 - I'm a dedicated Canon camera user. Currently, my very loyal Canon 30D is stuck with the dreaded Err99 error

May 2, Call for Interns at the International Documentary Association

Wed, 02 May 2012 16:23:41 GMT

The International Documentary Association (IDA) is looking for interns. This is a great opportunity if you're interested in documentary filmmaking and making tons of great connections in the filmmaking world. "IDA welcomes dedicated and passionate students seeking exposure to the documentary community, to intern with IDA. We offer valuable opportunities to assist in the planning and execution of our signature programs, including Doc U, DocuWeeks, and the IDA Awards."

Apr 25, This Week's FREE Clip from Pond5 | Sunset Over The Lake

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:46:24 GMT

Every week Pond5 gives away a new free stock footage clip. This week it's a beautiful sunset shot. It's filmed in HD 1080 (1920/1080). They are also offering 25 FREE sound effects. In addition to the freebies, tons of amazing footage of anything you can think of. You can find the free downloads on the Pond5 Homepage. Enjoy!

Apr 24, Voices From The Waters | Film Festival

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:24:58 GMT

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Voices from the Waters Film Festival - 2012, The 7th International Film Festival on Water. Bangalore Film Society in collaboration with

Apr 18, Desktop Documentaries Chosen As A Top 5 Website For Amateur Filmmakers

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:41:07 GMT

We're honored! Desktop Documentaries gets chosen as a top resource for amateur filmmakers. Learn more....

Apr 18, Shut Up Little Man | Documentary Review

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:00:32 GMT

What a ride! This film is funny and thought provoking at the same time. At its core, Shut Up Little Man! is about two guys that had two very loud neighbors

Apr 12, Trucking TV Series or Documentary Idea

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:03:29 GMT

Hallo my name is Georgi Metodiev Nikolov. I think I have a great idea for tv show and tv series with tow standart units (tow standart lorries) and 4 hgv

Apr 12, Straight Edge Teenagers Documentary Idea

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:12:32 GMT

Here's my documentary idea pitch: a look into how straight edge teenagers fit in/don't fit into society. Teenagers are often given bad press and accused

Apr 11, Target Targa Newfoundland Documentary Idea

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:20:36 GMT

This documentary idea is about a father/daughter race car driving team launching out on an adventure. Watch as Douglas, the beat up old stock car dad

Apr 10, Visitor Question: What is the purpose of a documentary?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:24:44 GMT

Question: I am doing a project on documentaries and your website has been a lot of help. All I really need to find now is the true purpose of documentaries. Thanks for all the help. Answer...

Apr 10, Visitor Question | How do I come up with an idea if the character is dead

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:36:10 GMT

Hi my name is Grace. I want to shoot a short docu about how my grandma died of cancer. It was detected early enough so she succumbed after surgery. My question is how do I make a docu about her even though she's dead? Answer...

Apr 8, Video Editing Software | Final Cut Pro Tutorials

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:23:50 GMT

Final Cut Pro is a popular video editing software with documentary filmmakers. If you need some extra help, try out these Final Cut Pro tutorials from the iTunes Store. It's a great series that includes a free Overview & Quick Start Guide, a Titles & Effects tutorial and much more.

Apr 5, Circling Samoa by Kayak Documentary Idea

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:50:01 GMT

I aim to become the first white man to circumnavigate Samoa solo in a kayak. The kayak is rigged with a series of waterproof HD cameras, all I need is

Apr 3, Documentary Fundraising Tool Kit

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:28:08 GMT

The documentary fundraising tool kit is an all-in-one package to help you launch your filmmaking fundraising efforts. Included is a 200-page fundraising guide, templates and fundraising ideas.

Apr 3, Best Video Editing Software For Your Documentary Project

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:48:13 GMT

Video editing software comes in all shapes and sizes. Prices range from free to thousands of dollars. Which one’s right for you? Here are some tips for choosing the best video editing software.

Apr 1, External Hard Drive | Best Choices for Documentary Filmmaking

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:12:23 GMT

An external hard drive is a must-have item for video editing projects, either as a back-up or for additional space to hold footage.

Mar 31, What Is Video Production

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:06:53 GMT

Are you asking yourself what is video production? In this article we lay out the basics concepts behind the process of making a video or documentary.

Mar 31, Visitor Question: Should I Get Paid For My Memoir If It's Made Into A Documentary?

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:04:36 GMT

I have written my Memoir, Gail Of Wind A Hard Walk Into Reality, and it is selling very well. Now a filmmaker wants to to a documentary on it. Should I be getting paid for it? Answer...

Mar 22, Asia Europe Short Films Contest

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:10:16 GMT

Asia-Europe Short Films Contest is looking for young creative filmmakers! Submit your short, up to 3 min long film of any type to express your views

Mar 21, Visitor Question: Should I Get Paid For My Memoir If It's Made Into A Documentary?

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:44:42 GMT

I have written my memoir and it is selling very well. Now a filmmaker wants to to a documentary on it. Should I be getting paid for it? Answer... (read more)

Mar 17, Canon Rebel T2i | Camcorder Review

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:41:05 GMT

Posted by Scott: Yesterday, I interviewed Dr. Vincent Harding. We discussed his relationship to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Koinonia Farm. While this was very interesting in and of itself; what made this interview special was that I was able to use a Canon T2i to record video. This is a big deal because: 1) I've been wanting to test a DSLR camera solely for its video abilities.. and 2) I wanted to run it side by side with my Panasonic DVX 100A. I've not been happy with the image quality of the DVX (of course not, it's not HD!) and having the chance to....

Mar 10, Flip MinoHD | Camcorder Review

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:07:19 GMT

Our team at Desktop Documentaries uses a variety of cameras. Part of what we try to express is that you can make a good documentary without all of the "Hollywood" equipment. We are big fans of the Flip MinoHD video camera. We've used it on loud construction sites and used it to capture some pretty good fall colors. Although the Flip MinoHD is no longer in production, if you come across a good one on Amazon or elsewhere it may very well be worth the small amount of money to get some pretty big results. Even though we like the Flip Mino... (watch Flip video samples)

Mar 10, Visitor Question: How Do I Make A Good Movie?

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:54:14 GMT

OK, here's the deal, I'm doing a documetary on Pierre Troudeau (15th Prime Minister of Canada) for a school project and I DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MOVIE MAKING, I mean I'm 12 years old! I have NO idea where to even start this project is like 50% of my grade PLEASE HELP!!!!!!! YOU'RE MY LAST HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Answer.... (read more)

Mar 8, Visitor Question: How do you create an effective script/outline and production schedule for a webisodes documentary series?

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:12:41 GMT

Hello! I've been working on my first documentary for over a year now. Its about music festival culture & communities. My goal was to start shooting at the beginning of festival season on 4/2/12. Although I won't be able to meet this deadline for the full length film... (read more)

Mar 5, Avion - The Story Of My Life | Documentary Idea

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:40:00 GMT

Avion – The story of my life documentary idea: This is a true story and memoirs of my life and are based on the numerous challenges and struggles with

Feb 27, 'Undefeated', 'Saving Face' snag Oscars in best documentary categories

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:55:00 GMT

Undefeated, a inspirational documentary about a struggling inner-city high school football team in Memphis, won the 2012 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature during the 84th Academy Award Show in Los Angeles yesterday. Saving Face, which tells the story of two Pakistani women, both acid attack survivors, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short. These two Oscar wins mark the first Academy Award for an African American director (Undefeated) and a Pakistani Director (Saving Face). Read more and watch the trailers...

Feb 24, Confessions of a Filmmaking Amateur | Dumb Mistakes I've Made On A Shoot

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:17:08 GMT

Our Filmmaking Amateur Guest Blogger is back with an update on his recent out-of-town shoot. He's kicking himself for some dumb mistakes, but still manages to see the humor in it all. See if you can relate to any of these classic filmmaking amateur blunders.

Feb 23, Free Film Clips | What is B-Roll?

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:28:01 GMT

B-roll footage is any supporting visuals that helps demonstrate the theme or thought of your story. It can be used in between interviews or to visually explain what a narrator is describing. If the narrator is talking about a cat in a tree, b-roll is the...

Feb 17, The Corporation | Documentary Review

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:22:05 GMT

Corporations are people, my friend., Mitt Romney, 2012. I think we all know that Ford, McDonalds, Monsanto, Lockheed Martin, Haliburton and Bank of America

Feb 15, What are the best questions when interviewing an artist in order to make a documentary about his career?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:24:34 GMT

Question: I am making a documentary about an artist from Lowell! He is a photographer and a film maker... very talented and different in his work! I just

Feb 14, Under The Rainbow | Documentary Idea

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:48:27 GMT

This documentary will tell the story of Cape Town and how it treats gay men and women. In a city that is considered the gay capital of South Africa, it

Feb 11, Catfish | Documentary Review

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:48:54 GMT

I recently watched another of HBO's documentaries called Catfish and found myself yet again compelled to review it. The synopsis of Catfish is a NY based

Feb 10, Confessions of a Filmmaking Amateur | Practice Makes for a Perfect Production

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:40:25 GMT

Our Filmmaking Amateur Guest Blogger says practice makes perfect in his latest blog post. He's got a big shoot coming up and he talks about what he's been doing to get prepared.

Feb 9, Featured Documentary February 2012 | Bombay Beach

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:22:24 GMT

Every month here at Desktop Documentaries, we choose a featured documentary that we think is awesome and profile it on our homepage. Winner of the Best Documentary prize at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival and just released on Amazon, Bombay Beach is a unique and charming story that is not your typical documentary. Set to the music of Bob Dylan and Beirut, Director Alma Ha’rel weaves together stories of the residents of Bombay Beach, CA with "surreal poetry and beauty".

Watch full length Bombay Beach on Amazon Instant Video.

Feb 9, Burzynski | Documentary Review

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:21:11 GMT

If you want to see first-hand how corporations have control over our government, watch Burzynski. Dr. Burzynski created a medicine that does wonders for

Feb 7, Share the Love with a Valentines Day Video

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:41:42 GMT

Got a sweetheart you'd like to impress for Valentines Day? Or just want to let someone know you care? Upload your photos and video clips to a very cool online editor called Animoto and within minutes you'll have a gorgeous personalized music video. It's FREE for mini-videos or as little as $5 for longer videos and downloads. You'll be amazed how easy this is and how awesome your videos will look. Be sure to look for the special Valentines-themed templates.

Feb 7, One Man Film Crew

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:30 GMT

Question: I finished University last year with a Bachelor of Communication (journalism and politics), and I'm now studying for my masters. Recently, I

Feb 6, UFOs: The Secret History | Documentary Review

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:41:52 GMT

I love a good UFO story. And there are a lot of bad UFO stories out there. Many are just rehashed versions of something that someone else has already created.