Writing Documentaries

[52greg]

I write a blog covering space-related topics, the content of which is syndicated. Could that help me get work writing television documentaries?

[Plot Device]

Not sure myself.

The History Channel has contracts with about a dozen small production companies which crank out regular content for them --and some of those production companies have much higher standards of scholarship and journalistic integrity than others. And the CGI work for some companies is superior than at others. And when they do historical re-enactments, the quality of the costuming and the acting varies from one production to the next. (My fav so far on History Channel was their Thanksgiving special three years ago, really superb. And my second fav was their treatment of the true story of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae which was produced in conjunction with the release of the movie 300 two years ago.)

You might try looking into the current roster of companies who are sub-contracted with such networks as History Channel and Discovery Channel, etc, to see what they're looking for in a writer.

[Plot Device]

Oh and ... check out this guy's YouTube channel. His name is Christopher Barnatt, a university professor in the UK and a self-described futurist. He and a couple of his students make all these videos themselves. Very high quality stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ExplainingTheFuture




And here are two great videos by him from just recently:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94rEqHP9dOQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trDEdKWsuVw

I'm under the impression that he writes all of the scripts himself, and then his students just shoot it and edit it later with graphics.

One thing that kinda bugs me is that he has an annoying habit of waving his arms when he speaks, constantly "shrugging" them up on down quite overtly. He has admitted that this is a problem and says he's trying to stop it, but it's a habit from years of his own personal lecture hall style.

[52greg]

Thanks for your advice. Is there someplace I can go online to get the roster of contracted production companies, or it is a matter of watching the series I'd want to write for and getting the production company from the credits at the end?

[Joe270]

And my second fav was their treatment of the true story of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae which was produced in conjunction with the release of the movie 300 two years ago.)

I thought the HC version was better than the film.

Sorry to derail. . .

[Plot Device]

Thanks for your advice. Is there someplace I can go online to get the roster of contracted production companies, or it is a matter of watching the series I'd want to write for and getting the production company from the credits at the end?


Here's a Google search I did just now. I used quotation marks and Googled: "produced for the Discovery Channel."

Have at it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22produced+for+the+Discovery+Channel%22&btnG=Search

[Plot Device]

I thought the HC version was better than the film.

Sorry to derail. . .

;)

[52greg]

Here's a Google search I did just now. I used quotation marks and Googled: "produced for the Discovery Channel."

Have at it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22produced+for+the+Discovery+Channel%22&btnG=Search

Thanks for your help.