3 answers
Von
Student
Redondo Beach, California
1
Question
Asked
143 views
What is the most rewarding part of pursuing a career in Documentary Filmmaking? #Spring25
Hello, I am a Sophomore in College pursuing a career in Filmmaking.
Login to comment
3 answers
Patrick Phillips
screenwriter
19
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
Von! Great question, thank you. I worked on a few sports documentaries providing archival footage. That was fun. My biggest reward was working on a documentary in Fiji! Specifically, the remote island of Gaimaia. I was there 3 weeks in December.
I was cameraman for a doc about a family; a wife and husband named Una and Pela, their 3 children and their village life on the island. We filmed them fishing, weaving, singing, building, farming, etc. Gorgeous footage! Start with that, right? I lost weight, got tan, went reef swimming, saw a shark up close! Mind-blowing coral reefs. So, it was more than just the storytelling, more than the doc we were making. It was a cultural trip forever burned into my soul, man! All of it. Fact I got to photograph it is just icing on the cake.
Short version: docs pay less and require more work. But... you get embedded with your subject. Not just write, film, and edit them, but also to live with them. Eat with them, swim with them, sing, fish and hunt with them. Maybe pray and cry with them. Maybe shed truth on their story, maybe bring justice to something or someone. Or just show us a window into a world unlike the one we wake up to every day. Some are master documentary filmmakers at doing all this and they reach big audiences and make a good living doing it. It's all worthy.
Good luck, Von! I can't wait to see your work!
Best,
Patrick
I was cameraman for a doc about a family; a wife and husband named Una and Pela, their 3 children and their village life on the island. We filmed them fishing, weaving, singing, building, farming, etc. Gorgeous footage! Start with that, right? I lost weight, got tan, went reef swimming, saw a shark up close! Mind-blowing coral reefs. So, it was more than just the storytelling, more than the doc we were making. It was a cultural trip forever burned into my soul, man! All of it. Fact I got to photograph it is just icing on the cake.
Short version: docs pay less and require more work. But... you get embedded with your subject. Not just write, film, and edit them, but also to live with them. Eat with them, swim with them, sing, fish and hunt with them. Maybe pray and cry with them. Maybe shed truth on their story, maybe bring justice to something or someone. Or just show us a window into a world unlike the one we wake up to every day. Some are master documentary filmmakers at doing all this and they reach big audiences and make a good living doing it. It's all worthy.
Good luck, Von! I can't wait to see your work!
Best,
Patrick
Steve Jacobson
Creative Leader/Content Creator/Producer/Editor/Storyteller
76
Answers
Westlake Village, California
Updated
Steve’s Answer
Starting in entertainment was just the beginning for me. Moving into documentaries opened up a whole new world. It's a fantastic way to broaden my horizons, meet fascinating people, make a difference in lives, and discover things I never knew. I've talked to medical researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, rocket scientists at JPL, passionate philanthropists, talented winemakers, and so many more. Where else could I meet such diverse people and learn about so many exciting topics? It's an amazing way to connect with the world. When you find ways to help others and improve communities, there's nothing more fulfilling.
Go out there, learn, grow, and leave your mark in this field. May you positively impact people and communities.
Go out there, learn, grow, and leave your mark in this field. May you positively impact people and communities.
Devin Rice
Filmmaker
9
Answers
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Updated
Devin’s Answer
Hi Von, this is a good question and you are ahead of the curve to be thinking ahead as a college sophomore.
It would be difficult to single out a “most rewarding” aspect of a career in documentary filmmaking. I can, however, speak about the top three most rewarding things (not in any particular order). One very rewarding thing is shedding light on a cause or subject matter that can expand awareness and create positive change. Another very rewarding aspect is getting paid to travel, see new places, meet interesting new people, (which frequently results in making new friends). This inevitably leads to expanding one’s own knowledge and understanding of people, different cultures and the world in general. Yet another very rewarding aspect is in developing long time relationships with other talented, passionate filmmakers. Over my long filmmaking career, I have developed an awesome network of producers, grant writers, researchers, directors, DPs, sound recordists, editors, ACs, etc. They are both colleagues and friends, and I’m extremely grateful to be in their company.
Wishing you the very best in your filmmaking journey!
It would be difficult to single out a “most rewarding” aspect of a career in documentary filmmaking. I can, however, speak about the top three most rewarding things (not in any particular order). One very rewarding thing is shedding light on a cause or subject matter that can expand awareness and create positive change. Another very rewarding aspect is getting paid to travel, see new places, meet interesting new people, (which frequently results in making new friends). This inevitably leads to expanding one’s own knowledge and understanding of people, different cultures and the world in general. Yet another very rewarding aspect is in developing long time relationships with other talented, passionate filmmakers. Over my long filmmaking career, I have developed an awesome network of producers, grant writers, researchers, directors, DPs, sound recordists, editors, ACs, etc. They are both colleagues and friends, and I’m extremely grateful to be in their company.
Wishing you the very best in your filmmaking journey!