Customer Reviews

The Art of the Documentary: Ten Conversations with Leading Directors, Cinematographers, Editors, and Producers

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Consider this book a master class in documentary filmmaking.

Megan Cunningham's interviews are incredibly engaging - she manages to at once explore each documentarians' creative process, AND discuss how these various filmmakers achieved their success, AND to discuss specific films in-depth AND to elicit the filmmakers' fascinating views on theoretical issues such as what constitutes "cinema verite" or whether documentaries can be considered art.

Furthermore, Cunningham's book is wonderfully readable and well organized (and full of photos!). I especially enjoyed how Cunningham devoted equal space to such luminaries as Errol Morris and lesser known but equally powerful documentarians such as Lauren Lazin. The book manages to seamlessly cover more than 50 years of American filmmaking and it's wonderful to have the thoughts of multiple generations of directors, editors, and cinematographers compiled in one volume.

Whether you're a fan of documentaries, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, or unfamiliar with the entire field and would like to learn more, "The Art of the Documentary" is the book for you.

Right from the introductory discussion of whether or not a Documentary film is really "Art" 'The Art of the Documentary' is an absorbing read. Author Megan Cunningham gets us inside the minds of a very diverse range of filmmakers who share little in common, other than that they are driven to to make factual films.

Each of the filmmakers speaks with their own voice and we share the passion they have for their craft. Megan draws them out without getting in their way.

I'd class this as a "must read" for anyone who has even a passing interest in documentary filmmaking. Even an avid viewer of documentary films will gain insight into the minds of the filmmakers.

I am about to run out to get my kids but we got Megan Cunningham's book in the mail, and last night, exhausted, I picked it up to check it out and was immediately so impressed with it - seriously, the lay out, the photos, and everything. Then, I began to read it, and wound up just totally getting sucked into the interviews. I got through the first 2 interviews already when I was originally only going to take a quick peek and then actually begin reading it this weekend. It is so well done! I love reading it, and I know nothing about docs etc.. But it brought up SO many perspectives that I never would have thought of that pertain not only to docs, but all art forms, and just life in general. I love the questions she asks, and I can now see why it was such an honor to work with these folks who she interviewed. Amazing, and obviously so brilliant. Wow. That is all I have to say. I am no book critic, and I rarely read books other than those related to my work, but I really enjoy this book and have already learned a ton from it. I can't wait to read the rest and for my husband to read it too.

After reading several chapters, and struggling to assemble my own one-minute documentary for a class project, I'm paying closer attention to how a documentary is put together from an artistic, expressive point of view. We used this book in a short, informal class for older adults. We started by writing a one-minute description of an important moment in our lives. We recorded the narration, then added photos, videos, and recordings. I found that with each additional step I could pare back excess verbiage and let the images convey the ideas. There are plenty of technical books about how to operate a digital camcorder. Thank goodness, this isn't one of them.

The Art of the Documentary
By Mary Cunningham
Review by Pi Ware

Mary Cunningham's "The Art of the Documentary" is an attractive full-color compilation of interviews with some of the world's foremost documentarians. It's an intimate and insightful glimpse into both the art and craft of docs and a must-read for filmmakers serious about creating non-fiction work. You'll learn how Errol Morris creates "first-person cinema" using The Interrotron; why Ken Burns locks music before script, how D A Pennebaker futhered art via technology, and how cinema-verité documentarians like Haskell Wexler are able to "inspire" scenarios within their films.

Notably missing are the king of the personal documentary, Ross McElwee, and the masterful doc team of Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger. But Cunningham fills the spaces with interviews of the behind-the-scenes players--editors, executives and cinematographers. And in doing so she gives you a broader picture of the doc world and deeper insights into what it will take for you to make a successful non-fiction film.

If you love docs, are interested in producing or shooting docs, or just want to know more about the brains behind the best out there, this book is a must.
An easy read with great insights from some of the brightest folks in modern doc cinema.
One of the few books on the subject that captures the vivacity of the subject. Ideas and ideals pop from the pages. A truly awesome read.

Megan Cunningham's Art Of The Documentary offers ten conversations with some of the best documentary directors, editors and producers in the industry. Nonfiction documentaries reveal the methods and focus their directors, which is captured in chapters which begin with project concept and move through the entire production process. Plenty of color photos illustrate each director's works.

Ever wanted Ken Burns or others in the pantheon of documentary greats as your personal film making mentor? This book gives you that and more. This versatile book is as perfect for someone just starting out in documentary films as it is for a veteran who wants in on a few secrets of the masters. Our film production company read from it aloud on location and everyone, from the producer to the cinematographer to the researchers, all gleaned practical tips from it. The interviews are substantive, insightful and most importantly, very useful. A real keeper for those interested in learning nuances and techniques from a wide range of documentary styles.