The Insiders' Guide to Factual Filmmaking

Table of contents

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: SURVIVAL SKILLS

1. THE FACTUAL FILM-MAKER’S SKILL-SET

A Survival Guide for Newcomers to the Industry

PART 2: CREATIVE SKILLS

2. THE ART OF TREATMENT WRITING

Persuading a Commissioner Read your Proposal from Beginning to End

3. ON LOCATION

Filming Images, Directing Sequences and Working with Reporters

4. TALKING HEADS

Choosing Contributors, Conducting Interviews and Making your Characters Look and Sound Good on Camera.

5. VISUAL STORY-TELLING

Constructing and Illustrating a Linear Narrative

6. FROM PAPER CUT TO FINE CUT

Editing A Factual Film

7. HOW TO THRIVE IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

Factual Film-Making For Online Platforms

PART 3: PLANNING SKILLS

8. REDUCING RISK

Keeping Crew and Contributors Safe on Research and Film Trips

9. PLANNING A PRODUCTION

How to Organise Yourself Before, During and After a Film Shoot

　

PART 4: UNDERCOVER SKILLS

10. SECRET FILMING

Evidence, Ethics, Safety and the Law in Undercover Film-Making

　

PART 5: FINANCIAL SKILLS

11. COUNTING THE COST

Budgeting a Factual Film

Biography

Tony Stark is a documentary filmmaker, executive producer and former BBC commissioner with a 30-year career making high profile documentary films and series for broadcast television, specializing in investigative filmmaking. His films have been shown on the BBC, Channel Four, ITV, Al Jazeera, American PBS channels and many European TV channels. His programmes have been nominated for several industry awards: a BAFTA, the Foreign Press Association Media Awards, the Association for International Broadcasting and the San Francisco International Film Festival. For more information go to moonstonefilms.co.uk　　

‘I only wish that Tony Stark had written this book 35 years ago when I started making documentaries. Tony's engaging and insightful work is essential reading for anyone who wants to get a head start in the field. Absorb what not to do as well as learn from the experts who Tony has gathered, all of whom provide sage advice to the budding documentarian.’
Jeff Bieber, Executive Producer, WETA Washington DC

‘Tony Stark’s company made for me at Channel Four one of the most important and difficult documentaries I commissioned in my career. So I would notice any guide he wrote. What I love about this guide is that it’s practical and informed and it also shows you that a talented person with a great idea can break through. TV documentary used to be for the few. Now it’s for the many. Tony Stark genuinely wants the many to get their chance.’
Dorothy Byrne, Editor-at-Large, Channel 4 TV

'This excellent and thorough book covers every aspect of factual programme making, so is an invaluable resource whatever your level and is particularly useful for aspiring shooter producer directors and series producers.'
Cat Lewis, BAFTA, RTS, Rockie & Int Emmy winning Exec Producer and CEO of Nine Lives Media

'Video of one sort or another is rapidly becoming the medium of choice in this digital world. Tony Stark’s Insiders' Guide to Factual Filmmaking is an essential buy for anyone aspiring to enter that world and make a living from it. Practical, clear and very thorough.'
George Carey, Independent producer and former editor of the BBC Newsnight and Panorama strands'

'The book provides practical hints on how to present an idea and shoot the actual film [... and] very pragmatic tips on how to do a TV and online documentary film in a very competitive market, starting from idea proposal and continuing through its shooting and financing. There are many juicy quotes from interviews with 19 British and American industry professionals'
Modern Times Review

'This guide contains some tough messages for aspiring documentarists. The demand and supply equation in this field is notoriously lopsided. Often good film ideas fall for that reason alone: too many stories chasing too little airtime and money. Tony Stark’s book could just as easily be called a “A Survivor’s guide…”. Follow his meticulously researched advice and insights, and you’ll stand a much better chance of achieving your goal of becoming an accomplished documentary maker.'

Samir Shah, CEO, Juniper, an independent TV & radio production company - and a former head of current affairs, BBC TV