Reality Ink

September 23, 2021

Dispatches from The Flaherty: A Review of 'Flash Flaherty'

The overwhelming interest in the first Flaherty book and the comments received by MacDonald and Zimmermann from those who had actually "been there" painted a much fuller picture of the impact The Flaherty Seminar had made on them.

Read more
May 9, 2021

In Their Own Words: A Compact and Accessible Digital Guide to the Masters of Nonfiction Filmmaking

In Their Own Words: Documentary Masters Vol. 1 , written by Alex Heeney, Elena Lazic and Brett Pardy, is a compact eBook from Seventh Row that is

Read more
September 27, 2020

Docs for Change: ‘Story Movements’ Celebrates the Power of the Form

What was the first documentary film you saw that shifted something within you? That helped you see an issue differently? Changed your behavior?

Read more
August 17, 2020

Pamela Cohn's 'Lucid Dreaming' Offers Inspiration and Insight for Nonfiction Storytellers

The joy of human-to-human dialogue about the creative process is the heart of Pamela Cohn’s book, Lucid Dreaming: Conversations with 29 Filmmakers .

Read more
June 12, 2020

‘Screening Reality’: A History of American Documentary Film

When was the last time you picked up a book—a historical survey on documentary film, to be more exact—and discovered a page-turner? My guess is, you

Read more
March 9, 2020

'Documentary Across Platforms' Considers the Places Nonfiction Can Go

Through a collection of 20 essays written over two decades, Patricia Zimmermann, Professor of Screen Studies at Ithaca College and co-director of the

Read more
March 7, 2020

Nick Fraser Tells 'A Story of Documentaries'

From cover to cover, Say What Happened: A Story of Documentaries is, just like its author, Nick Fraser, a class act. Fraser is a formidable presence

Read more
October 31, 2019

The Ethnographic Roots of Women in Documentary Film

Documentary film historically has provided a more welcoming and accessible environment for women filmmakers compared to theatrical feature filmmaking

Read more
August 22, 2019

An Ethic of Curiosity: Assessing the Work of Barbara Kopple

ReFocus: The American Directors Series , from Edinburgh University Press, has an admirable mission statement: “The series ignores no director who

Read more
July 31, 2019

Tracing the Roots of Ethnographic Cinema in 'Where the Roads All End'

Science fiction scholars believe that Murray Leinster’s 1945 short story, “First Contact,” was the original use of “First Contact” to represent the

Read more

Reality Ink

Pages