Television Documentary Writing

[52greg]

Can anyone tell me how I might approach getting into that area?

[cynicallad]

Move to Los Angeles and intern at the History Channel. I know that sounds snide, but seriously, I've met dozens of people who just kept moving up over a period of years.

The Learning Channel also works.

Documentary type stuff is non-union and (comparitively) low paid, so it's actually one of the easier segments to break into.

[zeprosnepsid]

I thought most of the History Channel and their friends were based in CT/NY.

[cynicallad]

They've got a lot of activity around Los Angeles as well. A friend of mine works on Dogfights out here. New York's also an option (as is Stamford, for some reason), but in the long term being in Los Angeles gives you more freedom to go to other jobs afterwards.

[zeprosnepsid]

Well that makes sense!

As a side note, if you can't move or can't move now but do live near a major city or something you can try your local PBS stations. It'd probably easier to get a foot in the door there and then you at least come to LA or NY with some credits. PBS in Boston (WGBH) makes a good amount of the national programming for instance.

Good luck either way =)

[cynicallad]

Well that makes sense!

As a side note, if you can't move or can't move now but do live near a major city or something you can try your local PBS stations. It'd probably easier to get a foot in the door there and then you at least come to LA or NY with some credits. PBS in Boston (WGBH) makes a good amount of the national programming for instance.

Good luck either way =)

Also a good point. Regardless, you've either got to start at the bottom, or make your own and post it on public access/youtube (a la that horrid LOOSE CHANGE).

In my experience credits from affliate stations in small markets don't carry much weight in LA, but are slightly better than nothing (a friend of mine went from an executive at a Florida station to a paid intern upon moving to Los Angeles - it wasn't a lateral move, but his related experience allowed him to beat out the recent college grads).

Said friend later show-ran a reality show on A&E that ran for 3/4's of a season, whatever that's worth.

[52greg]

Thanks for your help. I was hoping I could contact the production companies online, but I guess that'd be too simple. Picking up and moving to LA is out of the question for me, but I live in the metro Indianapolis area, so maybe I'll check out the PBS route. What kind of money can a writer make on such projects?

[cynicallad]

I couldn't even tell you for LA (as it's non-union and hence has no guaranteed minimum) let alone Indiana. You'll have to find out for yourself, but I'd guess not much.

[Bergerac]

I write television documentaries for a living and I don't live in L.A.... though the companies that I work for are headquartered there... I basically work in the field or at my home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I get between $4200 and $5500 per episode, which, for me, is good money... seeing that I write 50+ episodes per year.

I also get a monthly fee when I produce a show, usually between $5000 and $10,000 per month for the duration of the season.

What I recommend to get into documentary television as a writer: 1) make your own documentary and be nominated for a major award, 2) have a BIG FAT education so that you are the expert in the field.

Most companies have in-house writers; I am the sole writer for three production houses and I still have plenty of opportunity to do my own stuff.

I'm sure there are lots of other ways but this is the road that I've traveled.

[52greg]

I write television documentaries for a living and I don't live in L.A.... though the companies that I work for are headquartered there... I basically work in the field or at my home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I get between $4200 and $5500 per episode, which, for me, is good money... seeing that I write 50+ episodes per year.

I also get a monthly fee when I produce a show, usually between $5000 and $10,000 per month for the duration of the season.

What I recommend to get into documentary television as a writer: 1) make your own documentary and be nominated for a major award, 2) have a BIG FAT education so that you are the expert in the field.

Most companies have in-house writers; I am the sole writer for three production houses and I still have plenty of opportunity to do my own stuff.

I'm sure there are lots of other ways but this is the road that I've traveled.


Yes, I certainly would call that good money. May I ask-- are your shows on the Discovery Channel, The History Channel, that type of production?

[Bergerac]

Yes, I certainly would call that good money. May I ask-- are your shows on the Discovery Channel, The History Channel, that type of production?


Yes, I have written episodes for the Discovery Channel, DiscoveryKids, the History Channel, NationalGeo, the Military Channel, the Learning Channel and about half a dozen others. I've done Network E/I and, in fact, write a series (in its 6th year) that runs first on Network.

I do a lot of documentaries for countries other than the US. I do B-roll work when it's interesting. I have never written anything for PBS nor have I ever worked as an in-house writer for a cable network but I do know they have writers who re-work footage to make other shows. Those gigs are usually of the "work your way up" variety and I prefer producing the projects I'm working on as well as writing them and, accordingly, I have my own team(s).

The key to this work is coverage: the available footage tells you what it wants you to write... which is exactly the opposite of screenwriting.

It's lucractive and exhilarating work, filled with adventure beyond description BUT I can't see doing this as I grow old, hence I'm starting to write other things, too. It's time for me to start the transition into other mediums.

I wish you luck!

[52greg]

Yes, I have written episodes for the Discovery Channel, DiscoveryKids, the History Channel, NationalGeo, the Military Channel, the Learning Channel and about half a dozen others. I've done Network E/I and, in fact, write a series (in its 6th year) that runs first on Network.

I do a lot of documentaries for countries other than the US. I do B-roll work when it's interesting. I have never written anything for PBS nor have I ever worked as an in-house writer for a cable network but I do know they have writers who re-work footage to make other shows. Those gigs are usually of the "work your way up" variety and I prefer producing the projects I'm working on as well as writing them and, accordingly, I have my own team(s).

The key to this work is coverage: the available footage tells you what it wants you to write... which is exactly the opposite of screenwriting.

It's lucractive and exhilarating work, filled with adventure beyond description BUT I can't see doing this as I grow old, hence I'm starting to write other things, too. It's time for me to start the transition into other mediums.

I wish you luck!

Thanks for sharing that information, and for your good luck wish. Judging from the variety of networks that use your work, your must write over a range of subject areas.