The Documentary Film Makers Handbook is an essential resource manual for anyone who wants to know more about breaking into this exciting field.

Documentary films have enjoyed a huge resurgence over the last few years, and there’s a new generation of filmmakers wanting to get involved. In addition, the digital revolution has made documentaries even more accessible to the general filmmaker. Documentary films can now be shot professionally using cheaper equipment, and smaller cameras that enable filmmakers to be less intrusive and therefore more intimate in the subjects' lives. With an increasing number of documentaries making it to the big screen (and enjoying ongoing sales on DVD), the time is right for this information-packed handbook by Genevieve Jolliffe and Andrew Zinnes, which will guide more documentary filmmakers toward potential artistic and commercial success.

Written by the authors of the Guerilla Guide series of books, The Documentary Film Makers Handbook features incisive interviews with dozens of industry professionals, on subjects as diverse as interview technique, the NBC News Archive, music rights, setting up your own company, pitching your proposal, camera rental, filmmaking ethics, working with kids, editing your documentary, and DVD distribution.

The Documentary Film Makers Handbook also includes in-depth case studies of 24 of the most successful documentary films of recent years, including Mad Hot Ballroom, Born into Brothels, Touching The Void, Beneath The Veil and Amandla!

What people say:

"…an in dispensable new compendium from the folks who brought you The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook." — Documentary Magazine.

"…a book like The Documentary Film Makers Handbook is long overdue, and an essential tool to help new and future generations of filmmakers continue to raise expectations and challenge audiences to reconsider the world around them." — Creative Screening Weekly Magazine

"Genevieve Jolliffe and Andrew Zinnes directly transpose their tried and true formula for movie-making guides to the world of non-fiction films. Packing in everything you could want to know about setting up, shooting and distributing your work, this is the last word on its subject. Five Stars." — Empire Magazine

"If you approach learning as a hands-on, learn from others endeavor, this Handbook has a plethora of useful information that will elevate your knowledge level to that of some of the finest documentaries in the world." — Film Festival Today

About the Authors:

Genevieve Jolliffe has written, produced, and distributed award-winning low-budget feature films in the UK for the past ten years. Her awards include The Centerpiece Film of the London Film Festival, British Independent Film Award nominations for Best Director and Best Film, as well as earning her a place on Variety's list of Top Ten Directors to watch. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and writing partner, Andrew Zinnes. With her husband and screenwriting partner Andrew Zinnes, she has sold projects to Warner Bros and is currently working on several feature films both independently and within the studio system.

Andrew Zinnes has worked in development at Paramount Pictures and at USA Networks. He left to become a script analyst, and worked for Morgan Creek Productions, Artisan and several script analyst companies. He has taught documentary filmmaking at the NY Film Academy and has lectured on filmmaking at schools and colleges around the US. He is a founding partner of the film company Crazee Pictures.