On Documentary
“On documentary” is a podcast hosted by filmmaker Adam James Smith exploring the art of documentary filmmaking from various points of view. In each episode, Adam interviews an individual from the world of documentary film, including directors, producers, editors, funders, critics, programmers, distributors, and beyond.
Episodes
29 episodes
Dorottya Zurbó & Arun Bhattarai on Exploring Bhutan's Gross National Happiness in "Agent of Happiness"
In this episode, I talk with directors Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó about their new film “Agent of Happiness” that premiered earlier in the year at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. This film explores if and how happiness can be measured? T...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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42:57
Ayman El Amir & Nada Riyadh on Their Cannes-Winning Film "The Brink of Dreams"
In this episode, I talk with directors Ayman El Amir and Nada Riyadh about their new film “The Brink of Dreams” that recently won the Golden Eye award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. This documentary chronicles the lives of a group of young E...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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36:45
Dan Covert on Directing the SXSW Award-Winning Film "Drawing a Life"
In this episode, I talk with artist and director Dan Covert, about his new documentary film “Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life” that recently premiered at SXSW, picking up an Audience Award, and is about to be released on VOD. "Drawing a Life" i...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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22:41
Xinyan Yu & Max Duncan on Directing "Made in Ethiopia"
In this episode, I talk to filmmakers Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan about the challenges of production of their excellent new film "Made in Ethiopia", that just received its premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. "Made in Ethiopia" examines the...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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34:29
Ryan Marth on Composing Music for Documentary Films
In this episode, I talk to accomplished composer Ryan Marth, who has created music for a variety of films. Ryan covers the nuts and bolts of his craft and offers advice for both new composers and for filmmakers on how to go about creating music...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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47:29
Arata Mori & Andreas Hartmann on Documenting the Japanese Phenomenon of "Johatsu"
In this episode, I talk with filmmakers Arata Mori and Andreas Hartmann about their new documentary “Johatsu” that is currently on the festival circuit. Every year, thousands of people vanish without a trace in Japan. The film explorers the phe...
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33:50
Nellie Kluz on Directing and Editing "The Dells"
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker Nellie Kluz on directing, producing, and editing her new documentary film "The Dells". The film explores Wisconsin Dells - the world capital of water parks - through the eyes of foreign students employed o...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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38:17
Michael Pessah on the Art and Practice of Cinematography
In this first episode of season 3, I talk with renowned cinematographer Michael Marius Pessah, who has worked on a wide array of documentary and scripted projects, as well as music videos and commercials. For this episode, we focus on the art o...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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54:41
Loretta van der Horst on Directing "The Border Crossed Us"
In this episode, I talk to Loretta van der Horst about the challenges of directing her new feature documentary "The Border Crossed Us", that recently premiered at IDFA.Loretta's Instagram: lorvanderhorstLoretta's websites:ww...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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43:16
Julien Potart on Building the "sitnwatch" Documentary Streaming Platform
In this episode, I talk to Julien Potart on what it took to build the sitnwatch streaming platform for documentaries, as well as his own films and his work as a programmer for the Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival. Julien's...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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39:08
Silje Evensmo Jacobsen on the Sundance Premiere of “A New Kind of Wilderness”
In this episode, I talk to Silje Evensmo Jacobsen about her excellent and moving new film “A New Kind of Wilderness” that just premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows wild-living British widower Nik Payne as he makes toug...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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26:33
Lesley Chilcott on Creating "Arnold" for Netflix
In this episode, I talk with award-winning director and producer Lesley Chilcott on her experience working with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Netflix series "Arnold". Lesley has also worked on "Waiting for Superman", "CodeGirl", "It Might Get L...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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29:01
Jake Pierrelee on the Art of Color Grading
In this episode, I talk with cinematographer, colorist, and head of Venture Films Jake Pierrelee on the art of color grading for documentary.Jake's Instagram: www.instagram.com/jvkeJake's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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30:36
Jesse Short Bull & Laura Tomaselli on Directing "Lakota Nation vs. United States"
In this episode, I talk with filmmakers Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli on the production and reception of their feature documentary "Lakota Nation vs. United States."Official website: www.lakotanationvsus.movieLaura Tomasellis...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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40:07
Dan Olmsted on the Art of Sound Recording, Design, and Mixing
On this episode, I talk to Dan Olmsted who has worked on a vast array of both documentary and narrative films as a sound recordist, sound mixer, and sound designer, including "Crip Camp", "China’s Lost Daughters", "The Revolutionary Optimists",...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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55:50
Amy Nicholson on Directing and Producing "Happy Campers"
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker Amy Nicholson about her new film "Happy Campers" that recently premiered at DOC NYC.Amy's website: www.filmsbyamy.comHappy Campers website: www.happycampers.film
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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52:09
Yannesh Meijman on Directing and Editing "Hotel Mokum"
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker Yannesh Meijman about his new film "Hotel Mokum" that recently premiered at the International Documentary Festival in Amsterdam. Yannesh's website: www.yanneshmeijman.nlYannesh's Instagram...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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39:28
Maro Chermayeff on Documentary Education
In this first episode of season 2, I talk with Emmy award winning filmmaker Maro Chermayeff. As well as directing and producing many excellent documentary films - such as Half the Sky, Hostages, and Carrier - she is also the founding partner of...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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1:03:22
J. Christian Jensen on the Nuts and Bolts of Documentary Editing
On this last episode of season one, I talk with professional documentary editor and filmmaker J. Christian Jensen. In 2015, after graduating from the documentary program at Stanford, Christian was nominated for an Academy Award for his film “Wh...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:06:51
Natalia Winkelman on Film Criticism for The New York Times
In this episode, I talk with Natalia Winkelman, a film critic who writes for The New York Times, as well as The Boston Globe, Slate, The Daily Beast, and IndieWire. Natalia is also a podcast producer at
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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42:36
Rachel Fleit on Directing "Bama Rush" for HBO Max
In this episode, I talk with award-winning director Rachel Fleit, who recently released “Bama Rush” on HBO Max. The film follows several young women as they prepare to participate in the sorority rush at the University of Alabama and explores w...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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33:28
Emilie Bujès on Visions du Réel
In this episode, I talk with Emilie Bujès, Artistic Director of Visions du Réel, a leading documentary film festival held annually in Nyon, Switzerland. Emilie covers what it means to lead a documentary film festival, the approach to prog...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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43:33
Tijana Petrovic on Experimental Filmmaking, Cinematography, and Sources of Inspiration
In this episode, I talk with filmmaker Tijana Petrovic about her new film "A Field Guide to Coastal Fortifications" that premiered earlier this year at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. We also explore Tijana’s sources of inspiration, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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40:59
Anna Moot-Levin on Her Filmmaking Journey from "Inside Job" to "Matter of Mind" for PBS
In this episode, I talk to filmmaker Anna Moot-Levin. We explore Anna’s experience working on Charles Ferguson’s Oscar-winning "Inside Job" as an Associate Producer and her more recent co-directing and co-producing work in collaboration with La...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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54:01
Peter Nicks on Directing "Anthem" and the Oakland Trilogy
In this episode, I talk to Peter Nicks, Emmy Award-winner, Academy Award-nominee, and Director of recently released documentaries "Anthem" (Hulu) and "Stephen Curry: Underrated" (Apple TV +). Peter details his experience directing "Anthem" and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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38:25