Some misguided directors think the message of “see how awful it is” will spur audiences into actionable awareness. But viewers can get paralyzed by bad news. Thankfully, when co-producers Shannon and Patricio Cohn asked me for a story consultation, they already had a name for this problem: “suffering fatigue”. Below the Belt (2022) is a well-directed, verite-style documentary. It follows four women seeking treatment for endometriosis, a painful chronic condition. In Act Three of their f...
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Some misguided directors think the message of “see how awful it is” will spur audiences into actionable awareness. But viewers can get paralyzed by bad news. Thankfully, when co-producers Shannon and Patricio Cohn asked me for a story consultation, they already had a name for this problem: “suffering fatigue”. Below the Belt (2022) is a well-directed, verite-style documentary. It follows four women seeking treatment for endometriosis, a painful chronic condition. In Act Three of their f...
Ep #2 - The Deadly Denouement…Plus, Speak to Multiple Worldviews
The Art of Documentary Storytelling
30 minutes
3 years ago
Ep #2 - The Deadly Denouement…Plus, Speak to Multiple Worldviews
In this episode, I help director Vicki Lesley revamp her rough cut's slow ending. Now released, The Atom: A Love Affair (2020) is a witty documentary about the politics of nuclear power. It was the first indie feature for this experienced BBC TV producer. Analyzing the rough cut, I discovered a powerful, story-driven documentary that loses its dramatic oomph in the final 20 minutes. It suffered from what I call “the deadly denouement”. When a film can’t find a way to wrap up, view...
The Art of Documentary Storytelling
Some misguided directors think the message of “see how awful it is” will spur audiences into actionable awareness. But viewers can get paralyzed by bad news. Thankfully, when co-producers Shannon and Patricio Cohn asked me for a story consultation, they already had a name for this problem: “suffering fatigue”. Below the Belt (2022) is a well-directed, verite-style documentary. It follows four women seeking treatment for endometriosis, a painful chronic condition. In Act Three of their f...
