Many people who want to be documentary filmmakers go to school to learn about the techniques they can use, the ethical issues they might face, and the art of storytelling and drawing people into documentaries in such a way that they will watch them. This isn’t the only path to becoming a documentary filmmaker, and those who don’t want to go to school have a number of options. Whatever method is chosen, it is important to keep in mind that the documentary market is small, and many documentarians spend the majority of their careers earning little money and receiving little recognition. In the documentary world, a “hit” is a rare occurrence, and people do not pursue careers in documentary filmmaking or journalism for the sake of fame and fortune.
Documentary filmmaking programs are available at a variety of colleges and universities for those interested in pursuing a career as a documentarian. Working as a documentary journalist or photographer is also an option; in this case, journalism programs may be more appropriate than documentary programs. Many graduates go on to do graduate work, which allows them to work with well-known people in the field. A master’s thesis can also be used as a demo reel or portfolio project to help a student get a job.
Apprenticeship with a documentarian is another option for someone interested in becoming a documentarian. In this case, the student can work with someone who makes or produces documentaries to become a documentarian. One advantage of this type of training is that it immediately immerses the student in the world of work. It can also provide opportunities to work in a variety of crew positions and learn about the processes involved in obtaining funding and distribution.
People who want to become documentarians through on-the-job training frequently begin as unpaid interns. Many documentarians work independently and may have limited funding, and when they do have contracts with larger studios, they are frequently expected to keep costs down by hiring unpaid interns. As an intern’s experience grows, she or he can begin to take paid positions, though the pay may need to be supplemented with outside work.
It’s also possible to approach documentary work with a film or television production background. In this case, someone can receive training and work experience in this field before pursuing documentary production.