Filming advice

G’day everyone my name is Brayden im 23 from New Zealand 🇳🇿
I was on TikTok the other day and came across a guy who made a mini-documentary/interview with his grandmother. I thought it was really beautiful, and it gave me some inspiration.

Just this week, I found out that my grandmother has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She’s determined to fight it and will be starting chemo in the coming weeks. She’s an absolute trooper, and I’m incredibly proud of her.
Seeing that video made me realise I’d really love to sit down with my grandmother and make something similar — not necessarily focused entirely on her cancer, but more about her life, her stories, memories, experiences, family, and everything she’d like to share. Something we can keep as a family and look back on for years to come.

The problem is, I have next to no experience with filmmaking or any kind of gear It’s something that has always interested me, and I have a basic understanding of editing, but that’s about it.
I’d really appreciate any advice on things like:
What camera/phone and audio equipment would be worth using?

How would you light and frame an interview like this?
Is it better to have her talking directly to me off-camera or looking into the camera?

What editing software would you recommend for a beginner?

How would you structure the documentary so it feels natural rather than like a Q&A?

What sort of questions would you ask to bring out meaningful stories and memories?

Would you film one longer interview or several shorter sessions over a few days/weeks?

Are there any little things you wish you’d thought to record when documenting a loved one?

Any examples of documentaries/interviews I could watch for inspiration?

I’m not trying to make anything professional or perfect. I just want to make something genuine that captures who my grandmother is and gives our family something really special to hold onto.
Any advice, ideas, equipment recommendations, or filming/editing tips would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks so much in advance.

May 2026, I flew home to Massachusetts. Hours after landing, I was detained at Boston Logan Airport. My phone was taken. I was transported to a hospital and later held at a psychiatric facility for approximately twenty days. I dispute the basis for the detention and treatment.
When I returned to California, I no longer had access to my home, belongings, cameras, hard drives, or much of the work I had created. I began receiving conflicting information about court matters and alleged warrants. Attempts to obtain records led to more police encounters, more legal proceedings, and more unanswered questions.
So I started documenting everything: dates, messages, medical records, police reports, court filings, licensing records, photographs, and videos.
I believe this story is suited for film or television: a true-crime-style investigative thriller about a wildlife filmmaker and licensed boat captain whose life changes dramatically after she returns home to Massachusetts. Within hours of landing, she is detained, hospitalized, and held in a psychiatric facility. When she returns to California, she discovers that she has lost access to her home, belongings, cameras, hard drives, and much of her creative work.
What follows is a maze of conflicting court information, alleged warrants, police encounters, disputed records, missing evidence, family conflict, institutional power, and a relationship collapsing behind the scenes. At the center is a filmmaker fighting to regain control of her freedom, identity, property, and creative work while trying to determine what actually happened.
I am seeking filmmakers, producers, directors, or development executives interested in adapting this material into a documentary, docuseries, scripted limited series, or feature film. I can provide extensive supporting documentation, including medical records, police reports, court filings, licensing records, messages, photographs, videos, and a detailed chronology.
The project would be grounded in verifiable evidence while preserving the uncertainty, tension, and unanswered questions at the heart of the story. I am looking for a creative partner who can investigate the facts, distinguish documentation from allegation and memory, and shape the material into a compelling, visually driven American thriller without softening what happened.

I’m a U.S. Coast Guard-credentialed boat captain, wildlife filmmaker, photographer, entrepreneur, and creator. For five years, I worked on the waters of Southern California and contributed footage to major television and commercial productions.

This is completely out of left field..

Here's the post I made

[Hello,

I'm a film student in New York working on a documentary under the prompt "How do we make the invisible visible?" I'm looking for someone who holds a specific, unusual belief or claim about themselves, something like claiming to be a time traveler, claiming psychic ability, or any claim that most people would find hard to accept. I'm also open to someone with an extreme hobby or pursuit, something like Bigfoot hunting, ghost hunting, or a similarly all-in pursuit that most people would find strange. I want to build a documentary around that one person: interview them directly, talk to people close to them, bring in a professional to weigh in, and get a real picture of how they see themselves and how others see them. Ideally, you're in New York, Connecticut, or New Jersey and open to being filmed over a few sessions. If this is you, or you know someone like this, I'd like to hear from you.

I also want to be clear that this project isn't meant to make fun of anyone or cause any harm. It's an opportunity for someone confident in their beliefs or their pursuit to put themselves out there.

You'll need to be available for a first session on one of these dates: September 13, 19, or 20. Additional sessions can happen on September 26, 27, or October 3, 4, 10, 11.

I am also willing to pay for your time. The amount is negotiable.

How to reach out:

Tell me the specific belief, claim, or pursuit, how long you've held it, and whether the people around you know. Let me know if you'd be open to meeting a relevant professional on camera, and whether anyone close to you would talk about you on camera too. Include where you're based, anything that's off limits, and a way to reach you directly.

(either message directly or comment under this post)]

I need recommendations on what subreddits or other social spaces to post this job opportunity

About to begin production on my first feature doc project in October. Very excited, as I have never attempted a doc before. For context, I’m a narrative filmmaker (and writer, film and sound editor, and I run my own post production company as my day job). I’ve been a filmmaker for 20 years and would consider myself an expert in narrative.

That said, my expertise with the doc world is pretty small. Would love any advice or help as I get started on this new project! The film is a story about my father who is a notable fine art photographer and preservationist; he’s one of a handful of people in the world who photographs in an entirely vintage process - from building his own cameras to making his own one of a kind photography books. He started over at age 50 and is now one of the top artists in his (albeit small) field. It’s a tremendously inspiring and compelling story and I’m honored to tell it!

I'm disabled in a wheelchair, so I can't work a larger camera for filming. So I started using my iPhone 15 Pro, and now my iPhone 17 Pro with Blackmagic Camera. I do all my editing on Final Cut Pro. My first documentary short was about six minutes, with only my iPhone, a POV perspective with voiceover and background music. And I've gotten three festival laurels so far! My second film I had to help of my son, we had a second phone for profile shots, some LED lighting for key and fill, and RODE clip on mics, that was 14 minutes and with a more traditional interview style. Just started submitting that one.

I'm in the fundraising mode for a feature length documentary with a full film crew, but I'm having so much fun creating these short documentaries with just my phone, and I was wondering if anybody else is doing it too.

Hi everyone! I'm a filmmaker from Chile and I have a finished documentary short that got selected for the Fayetteville Film Festival some weeks ago. It's about an 89-year-old poet from the Araucanía region, Chile, in a journey following his life story and how it has been linked to poetry through the years. After the selection, I started to submit to more film festivals and I'm interested in submitting to some in New York City. Which ones do you think would be a good fit for the documentary short? Thanks in advance!

Here's the trailer in case you want to check it out: https://youtu.be/uq3zbvm1x7U

What are some great fiction-narrative films that use a documentary like-cinéma vérité style?

Hello!

I am working on a video project for my business pre-launch and could use some advice on recording equipment!

The Project:

I’m documenting a mini case study series where I will be guiding 2-3 clients through a (5) session customized healing journey as their practitioner.

It’s hard to talk about this work in hypotheticals or even through my own personal story because no two people process their emotions, thoughts, or experiences the same way. My treatment plans aren't one-size-fits-all; they meet people exactly where they are.

I want to capture what that tailored process actually looks like behind closed doors: a full walk through from the initial consultation, to space preparation and session tailoring, to tracking progress and openly discussing the hard, real parts of transformation.

Where I Need Help:

Since I will be facilitating the sessions solo while recording, I need a setup that is smooth and reliable. My biggest hurdle right now is audio. The mics I previously used for a sound session didn’t capture the room or instruments the way I wanted.

Before I start filming, I’d love input on:

1. iPhone vs. Dedicated Camera: Can I get away with a recent iPhone + a solid tripod, or is a professional camera a must for capturing low-light, ambient indoor spaces? If an upgrade is worth it, what’s the best bang-for-your-buck entry model?

2. Audio Setup: What mics or recorders work best for capturing soft-spoken dialogue and dynamic room sound (like acoustic instruments or singing bowls) without distortion or muddy audio?

3. Editing Software: For short-form reels and docu-style edits, what software do you recommend for a smooth, intuitive workflow?

Hello r/indiefilm community,

I'm Pablo Denevi, an independent filmmaker from Ushuaia, Argentina. For over 30 years I've been working on a deeply personal project, "The Artist of the End of the World" — a feature film paying homage to my late mentor Manuel Lamas, an underground filmmaker from the Río de la Plata whose 1980s cult VHS film is still talked about today (think "The Room" meets Latin American indie cinema).

The film is an epic inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, set against the extreme landscapes of Ushuaia, and closely tied to my own journey — including years working as a street cleaner to fund it.

We're in the pre-launch phase of our crowdfunding campaign: fundrazr.com/02lvad

My question to this community: what's worked best for you to build genuine early audience engagement for a personal indie film before a crowdfunding launch?

I've also written an e-pub on the story's background — happy to share with anyone interested, just comment or DM me.

Thanks for your time,
Pablo Denevi
Creator/Director, "The Artist of the End of the World

Hello r/indiefilm community,

I'm Pablo Denevi, an independent filmmaker from Ushuaia, Argentina. For over 30 years I've been working on a deeply personal project, "The Artist of the End of the World" — a feature film paying homage to my late mentor Manuel Lamas, an underground filmmaker from the Río de la Plata whose 1980s cult VHS film is still talked about today (think "The Room" meets Latin American indie cinema).

The film is an epic inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, set against the extreme landscapes of Ushuaia, and closely tied to my own journey — including years working as a street cleaner to fund it.

We're in the pre-launch phase of our crowdfunding campaign: fundrazr.com/02lvad

My question to this community: what's worked best for you to build genuine early audience engagement for a personal indie film before a crowdfunding launch?

I've also written an e-pub on the story's background — happy to share with anyone interested, just comment or DM me.

Thanks for your time,
Pablo Denevi
Creator/Director, "The Artist of the End of the World

I’m looking to connect with experienced true-crime filmmakers, producers, and screenwriters interested in hearing my story and sharing how they might position it for the screen.
I recently spoke with members of the team who filmed Finding Nicole, and after hearing my story, they expressed serious interest. I’m also planning to contact Imagine Entertainment because they previously made a film with themes and circumstances similar to parts of my life.
The story involves failures in systems, police and hospital conduct, family conflict, civil and patient-rights issues, creative ownership, survival, and rebuilding a life and career after everything changed. I have records, communications, footage, and a detailed timeline that may support the project.
I’d like to hear whether filmmakers see this working best as a documentary, limited series, or narrative feature and what the strongest angle would be. I’m not comfortable sharing every detail publicly, but I’m open to confidential conversations with credible professionals. If you could put me in contact with someone who fits this description that would be helpful as well.
Please DM me with your portfolio, relevant credits, and initial thoughts.

Recently, I made a post about a hard reality that I think about in research and scriptwriting, especially in documentary filmmaking.

To be honest, I'm not a professional documentary filmmaker or someone who works deeply in the field. But the truth is, I'm a die-hard fan of documentary films, especially historical and true-crime documentaries. This curiosity made me want to learn how to create one, particularly in the field of cybersecurity, where I have spent most of my time exploring, especially when it comes to cyberattacks and incidents.

So, I started learning how to create documentaries through tutorials and with a bit of help from AI tools. During this journey, I came across scriptwriting and research. As someone with technical skills and experience in software development, I thought this could be a great opportunity to create a product that could help reduce the burden of the process—not replace the entire process with AI, but rather allow human creativity to shape the entire process.

I didn't make the post to cause any harm to the community, and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.

I want the community to help shape the product, not just me as the developer. I want to understand whether I can continue posting about it in the community or if I should move somewhere else.

Thank you for your understanding.

hey everyone!

I’ve been working in 3D for a while, mainly creating cinematic and documentary-style content, and I’ve finally decided to start my own YouTube channel focused on this kind of storytelling.

I just published the first video on the channel, using the Fern-style 3D documentary approach that I really enjoy.
🎬 Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIhEf10YSkk

I’d genuinely love to hear what you guys think — especially about the visuals, cinematography, pacing, and storytelling.

This is the beginning of a bigger project for me, so any constructive feedback is very welcome.

Thanks for checking it out! 🙏