The Documentarian - by Roger Nygard (Paperback)

About the Book

The Documentarian is the ultimate go-to source for making documentaries. It explains how to conceive, shoot, and sell a documentary, along with specific advice overall in how to succeed in the independent film business.

Book Synopsis

In this complete guide to making documentaries, readers will find a primer that Library Journal notes "abundantly supplies suggestions for those in the business" and says "casual readers will savor stories about the genre's history."
"I have a great idea for a documentary. Now what do I do?" The Documentarian: The Way to a Successful and Creative Professional Life is the ultimate go-to source for making documentaries. It explains how to conceive, shoot, and sell a documentary, along with specific advice overall in how to succeed in the independent film business. Included is wisdom from experts like film agents, publicists, festival directors, and award-winning documentary filmmakers such as Davis Guggenheim, Liz Garbus, Rachel Grady, Freida Lee Mock, Errol Morris, Sam Pollard, Michael Tollin, Frederick Wiseman, Marina Zenovich, and others. Author Roger Nygard describes his journey through the film business, including a revealing case study of the documentary Trekkies, sharing what it took to push that film to a record-setting sale to a major studio, with a huge payout for the filmmakers. Whether you're planning just a short subject or a sweeping survey of a major topic, The Documentarian will arm you with essential knowledge and insights, as well as the inspiration to go forth and make your project a reality.

Review Quotes

"Documentary filmmaker and TV director Nygard intersperses this anecdote-filled handbook with helpful synopses of his and others' work. Among them are Ken Burns, Charles Guggenheim, Michael Moore, Errol Morris, Frederick Wiseman, and lesser-known figures. He defines a documentary as an audiovisual communication method with a thesis and conclusion reflecting reality. With camera positioning and film cutting, an auteur presents a subjective view through a selection of a primary documentary technique: expository (with narration), unfiltered observational, or participatory (with the filmmaker's viewable inclusion). He adds reflexive, performative, poetic, and mockumentary methods to this list. The book contains hints for documentarians that are transferable to other professions: employment of agents, contracts, copyrights, lawyers, outlines, referrals, and random chance. Nygard extols film festivals, classes, websites, and social media as opportunities to promote personal brands. Nygard abundantly supplies suggestions for those in the business; casual readers will savor stories about the genre's history." --Library Journal

"Where the f*#! was this book when I started making documentaries? Do not film one frame until you've read this book!" --Jordan Brady, Documentarian, I Am Comic

"You have all you need in this treasure trove of advice, tips, and warnings. It will save you time, money, and psychoanalysts' bills." --Alan Miller, First Frame Magazine

"Whew! I jammed through this book because I NEEDED to know what I would uncover next. It's the best guide book I've seen on how to make a brilliant film." --Kat Alioshin, Documentarian, Animation Outlaws

"The negotiation of the sale of the movie read like a nail-biter! The book is a practical manual for making and selling your first documentary, guided by a who's who list of industry expertise. A must read for any new filmmaker." --Jonny Elwyn, Cut/daily

"It took me over two decades to learn half the knowledge this book lays out, step-by-step, using actual experiences, to help anyone become an expert in documentary filmmaking." --Ryan Wise, Documentarian, I Am Thor

About the Author

Roger Nygard grew up outside Minneapolis on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. At age seven he discovered his father's 8mm camera and began making short films. He never stopped. Nygard has since directed TV series such as The Office and The Bernie Mac Show, and he has edited Emmy-nominated episodes of VEEP and Curb Your Enthusiasm. As an award-winning documentarian, Nygard has balanced humor and seriousness in films like Trekkies and The Nature of Existence. His previous book, Cut to the Monkey: A Hollywood Editor's Behind the Scenes Secrets to Making Hit Comedies, was published by Applause Books in 2021.