Documentary Nuts & Bolts
Date & Time
Location
Description
Join seasoned documentary filmmaker Kim Johnson for this two-part workshop designed to walk you through the essential elements of creating a compelling short documentary film. In this immersive class, you’ll learn how to craft, capture, and convey powerful, real stories from the ground up—starting with the spark of an idea to finishing a polished final product for screening or distribution.
Part 1 – Pre-Production & Production
Explore how to generate ideas and develop a strong creative style, as well as capture compelling stories and supportive footage. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the skills to film and interview with confidence, ensuring your documentary is both captivating and authentic.
Part 2 – Post-Production & Distribution
We’ll move into the editing process, learning how to organize and create a cohesive and compelling story. With guidance from Kim’s first-hand experience and examples, you’ll receive supportive instruction and feedback which will prepare you how to complete your film with a creativity and technical tools that will set you up for success.
Whether you’re a beginner or looking to hone your filmmaking skills, this workshop provides a immersive environment where you can learn the nuts and bolts of documentary filmmaking, from start to finish. Bring your ideas, your questions and your passion for storytelling!
Tuition
Instructor
Kim Johnson
Kim Johnson is a thinker and a filmmaker. She has been a producer and documentary filmmaker for over 20 years. Her collaborative, naturalistic production approach sets her subjects at ease and results in films that convey poignant information, fresh thinking, and incisive observations which resonate powerfully with viewers.
After receiving her BA from Duke University and MA from Stanford University in documentary film production, Kim’s career has included working as an ethnographic filmmaker/strategist for Interval Research, founded by Paul Allen of Microsoft as well as in television at CNN, BBC, PBS, and NBC Sports on a variety of international productions, including an Emmy-nominated film on Mt. Everest, with blind climber, Erik Weihenmayer, and team.
Kim has extensive agency experience as senior producer and filmmaker at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, where she applied her engaging filmmaking approach to qualitative market research projects for clients including Microsoft, Domino’s, Volkswagen, Best Buy and Coca Cola. Her most recent project portfolio includes Do Good Foods, Al Gore’s Climate Reality and Google Food Labs and other clients in the health and wellness industries where Kim is continually working to capture relevant topics and communicate meaningful issues in the natural products industry development and growth.
Kim recently moved back to Minneapolis after living in Boulder, CO, for over 20 years and enjoys time at her cabin in Northern Minnesota. She is also a part-time teacher at Creative Arts Secondary School and is a big proponent of the arts and an outdoors enthusiast.
Class Registration Guidelines & Cancellation Policy
- Space is assigned on a first-come basis. Registrations must include payment in full. Registrations are accepted after registration deadlines if space is available.
- If minimum enrollment has not been reached by 7 days prior to the start date of a class, FilmNorth may cancel it, in which case registrants will immediately be notified and receive a full refund within 2 business days. A check will be issued for registrations that were paid in cash. In lieu of a refund, students have the option of applying their tuition to another class scheduled in the same calendar year.
- For those needing to cancel a registration at least 7 days prior to the first class session, 100% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. For registration cancellations received less than 7 days prior to the first class session, 50% of the tuition will be refunded minus a $25 administrative fee. As of 5:00 pm the day prior to the first class session, no refunds or credits/exchanges will be given (Friday at 5:00 pm for Sunday classes).
- Tuition is not prorated for missed class sessions.
- By registering for this class you are agreeing to our Community Values Statement.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding this class, please send us an email or call (651) 644-1912 ext. 2.