What if nobody “gets” my film?
Dear Doc Doctor: Nobody seems to like my film—they say it’s unclear and hard to follow. Why aren’t they getting…
Fernanda Rossi
Internationally renowned author and story consultant Fernanda Rossi has doctored over 300 documentaries, scripts, and fundraising trailers including the 2009 Academy Award® nominated The Garden by Scott Hamilton Kennedy and the 2007 Academy Award® nominated Recycled Life by Leslie Iwerks. In addition to private consultations, lectures, and seminars worldwide, she has served as festival juror and grant panelist. Ms. Rossi shares her knowledge and research of story structure and the creative process in columns and articles in trade publications. She is also the author of the book Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making your Documentary Fundraising Trailer.
Budgeting for archival footage
Dear Doc Doctor: How can I calculate how much archival footage I’ll need for my film, and how much it…
Making a documentary abroad
Dear Doc Doctor: I’m planning to make a documentary abroad. Am I better off bringing my own crew or hiring…
How much should I hustle?
Dear Doc Doctor: My film projects and ideas are well-suited for public television. But as an independent filmmaker I can’t…
Is it too late to edit myself out of this film?
Dear Doc Doctor: I think I made the mistake of putting myself in my film as the inquisitive filmmaker—as a…
Can I do without professional sound editing?
Dear Doc Doctor: Many people suggested that I add more narration and music to my documentary, which I did, but…
Promoting your film
Dear Doc Doctor: All I can afford in terms of marketing my documentary is my Internet connection and email account….
How can I do this full time?
Dear Doc Doctor: I can’t wait for the time when I am able to be a full-time independent documentary filmmaker—it’s…
Subtilting within reason
Dear Doc Doctor: Should I provide subtitles for the subjects in my documentary who speak Spanglish, or other "hybrid" languages…