Documentary Filmmaking Essentials with Alex Winter

This week hosts Alonso Duralde and Daniel Thompson are joined by actor and filmmaker Alex Winter. Well known for his character-driven and emotional documentaries, Alex shares his journey from acting to NYU film student to acclaimed documentarian, dissecting the societal impact of technology on marginalized groups.
Alex discusses his pivotal works "Deep Web" and "The UA-cam Effect," revealing how he adapts stories to serve their emotional arcs and the complexities of managing vast amounts of footage. Alex also shares his thoughts on the evolving landscape of film distribution, the parallels between the film and music industries post-Napster, and the indispensable role platforms like Kanopy play in preserving and presenting diverse cinema.
Their discussion highlights the challenges of documentary filmmaking, the influence of historical filmmakers, and Alex's latest projects. Plus, Alex, Alonso, and Daniel share some must-watch documentaries available on Kanopy, including recommendations like "Man on Wire" and "Faces Places." Whether you're a documentary aficionado or new to the genre, this episode promises to be a captivating exploration of the art and impact of documentary cinema.
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Producer: Brandon Gray
Executive Producer: Christian Pierce
Graphic Design: Aleksandra Jelic
© Kanopy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Produced by Bramble Jam Podcast
Photo by Rick Wenner
Times Codes
00:00 Introduction
10:01 Alex Winter discusses production processes and challenges.
13:56 Societal impact and individual stories.
19:10 Alex’s struggle with indie filmmaking made him turn to docs.
24:02 UA-cam documentary focused on emotional stories.
27:13 Struggles in the art and entertainment industry.
28:06 Challenges releasing independent films.
37:38 Prioritize meaningful films over mainstream success.
38:35 The impact of the writer’s strike leads to developing multiple projects.
41:46 Documentary filmmakers inspire a vibrant, active life.