Master Classes
Heidi Ewing, Marshall Curry, Jennifer Fox and Matthew Heineman with Marcia Rock
Mona El-Naggar
Alan Berliner
Alexandra Pelosi
Chris Hegedus
Judith Helfand
Julia Bacha
Kirsten Johnson
Laura Poitras
Lixin Fan
Michele Stephenson
Nanfu Wang
Video Clips from Master Classes
What is the difference between re-enactment and performance in a documentary and
non-fiction? Meet three filmmakers pushing this form forward. This is an NYU News and Documentary Webinar moderated by Marcia Rock, featuring Nanfu Wang, Kirsten Johnson, and Robert Greene.
The documentary SUBJECT focuses on the experience of sharing one’s life on screen through the participants of five acclaimed documentaries. Co-directed by Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera, the film urges audiences to consider the impact on journalism participants — the good, the bad, and the complicated.
Nadia Hallgren is an award-winning filmmaker and director of photography. Most recently, Nadia directed Becoming, a documentary about former First Lady Michelle Obama, which was released on Netflix and nominated for four Emmys including Best Director, Best Cinematographer and Best Documentary Feature.
How to find the right transitions
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Editor and filmmaker Jeremy Workman, co-founder of Wheelhouse Creative, spoke about the art of creating a trailer that is both appealing and informative.
How much to include in a trailer
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Producer Marylin Ness directed her second feature Charm City (2018). She spoke about moving from producing to directing.
On working with many characters
Distribution and the film’s goal
How to build trust with the subjects
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Heidi Ewing, Marshall Curry, Jennifer Fox and Matthew Heineman
Heidi Ewing
Jennifer Fox
Matthew Heineman
Documentary flexibility in Narrative film
Marshall Curry
Documentary authenticity in Narrative film
Watch Full Event
Watch the Playlist
2020
Dick Johnson is Dead – An Execution Dependent Film
Pace and Payoff
The Process – Stay True to Yourself
2019
How Difficult it is to be a Filmmaker?
2014
2011
Creating a safe space for your characters
Documenting vs generating danger
2010
The delicate role of the cameraperson
Latest Master Class News
Master Class with Judith Helfand
Judith Helfand, environmental documentary maker and co-founder of Chicken & Egg Productions, will be presenting a Master Class on Wednesday, November 29 focusing on the first steps to present your documentary through image and logline.
Master Class with Josh Fine
On October 25, Josh Fine, Senior Segment Producer for HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel presented a Master Class on research methods, where he shared research tips and some of his favorite websites and databases for journalistic research.
Master Class with Abby Ginzberg
On October 4, documentary producer and director Abby Ginzberg joined us for a Master Class on the business side of documentary production, where she shared her expertise on finding funding sources for independent documentaries, marketing films, and writing grants.