5 Questions From Tour + 5 Recommendations
Today’s live chat is NOT HAPPENING TODAY due to a scheduling snafu (my bad!), but I’ve got you covered with this midweek bonus post about Q&As, the beauty tax, nonfiction recommendations & more.
Penny Lane Is My Real Name
Penny Lane is My Real Name is a newsletter about making art and making a living in documentary film.
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Latest posts
100% HUMAN
An indie filmmaker tries to prove to a machine that she writes her own newsletter.
How to make a real person into a character
On casting, characterization, and the strange alchemy that makes audiences care about your documentary subjects. (And yes, more ethics.)
The Work is the Reward
Opening weekend, and the mental trap of thinking "bloom season" is the only reward.
Why Documentaries Can Never Be Escapism (and Why That is Good Actually)
On the eve of releasing a documentary into theaters, I continue to ask, "Are Documentaries Movies?"
What Is It Like To Be An Owl?
An owl, a philosopher, and the impossible challenge of documentary filmmaking.
Betting on Myself (Again)
Twice a year, I disappear for 10 days and try to come up with 10 new ideas for documentaries. Here's why I do it, and how you can too!
3 Documentaries for People Who Choose to LOL
More funny doc recommendations for anyone who believes comedy is more than just a distraction from reality, but one of the best ways to see it clearly.
How to take feedback (without losing your soul)
Also: I am adding a new subscription tier and perks for paid subscribers!
Are documentaries movies?
Let's be real. We all kinda know they're (mostly) not! But documentary's theatrical crisis might come from misunderstanding what people value about nonfiction in the first place.