Documentary First

Documentary First | Christian Taylor
  • 4.8 (31)
  • FILM INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The craft and business of documentary filmmaking — from people who actually do it. Documentary First is a weekly podcast for working and aspiring documentary filmmakers who want honest, in-depth conversations about how documentaries get funded, made, and seen. Hosted by Christian Taylor — award-winning director of The Girl Who Wore Freedom (25+ international awards, distributed through Virgil Films, Swank, and Canal+) — the show draws on 270+ interviews with documentary filmmakers, editors, producers, distributors, and composers across HBO, Netflix, PBS, and the independent doc world. Past guests include Ken Burns, PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor Charles Olivier (HBO's The Jinx, The Redeem Team), and Emmy-nominated director Nick Bruckman (Netflix's Minted). Every week, Documentary First delivers two formats in one feed. The main show features long-form interviews exploring how filmmakers approach their craft, navigate distribution, and build sustainable careers. On alternating weeks, Documentary First: The Deep Dive takes a single insight from a recent guest conversation and goes further — drawing on psychology, philosophy, and real-world experience to uncover the deeper lessons behind the work. Documentary First is the only podcast in the documentary filmmaking space hosted by a working filmmaker with active projects in production and an archive of 270+ conversations spanning every corner of the industry. If you make documentaries or want to, this is your show. Topics include: documentary directing, documentary producing, documentary distribution, film festival strategy, fundraising for documentaries, storytelling craft, documentary cinematography, documentary editing, film music and scoring, sound design for film, entertainment law for filmmakers, archival footage and rights clearance, and building a sustainable career in nonfiction filmmaking. New episodes every week. Subscribe and leave a review! Instagram: @documentaryfirst | Facebook: @documentaryfirst | X: @Doc_First | TikTok: @documentaryfirst | YouTube: @DocumentaryFirst | LinkedIn: documentaryfirst | documentaryfirst.com

  1. The First Generation to Live Shorter Lives Than Their Parents | Deep Dive with Robin Canfield

    6D AGO

    The First Generation to Live Shorter Lives Than Their Parents | Deep Dive with Robin Canfield

    What if the documentaries no streaming platform will buy are the ones that could save your kid's life? Today's children may be the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents. That's the central argument of The 100-Year Effect, a documentary I watched at the Julian Dubuque International Film Festival the same weekend I watched two other films that turned out to be telling me the same urgent story. In this Deep Dive on Documentary First Episode 276 with Robin Canfield, host Christian Taylor unpacks what three independent documentaries (The 100-Year Effect, Ali Eats America, and Déjà Vu) reveal about what corporations have done to our food, our farms, and our bodies. And she makes the case that purpose-driven documentaries are doing for our culture what investigative journalism has always done for our democracy. They shine a light into the dark places. They show us where we are sick. And right now, they are fighting for survival. Anchored in Robin Canfield's framework from his book Purpose Driven Documentaries: A Field Guide to Creating Impact, this episode features a C.S. Lewis sermon delivered in Oxford in June 1941, a Bourdain-style culinary road trip born in a hospital room at Walter Reed, and an argument for why what we choose to watch is now a civic act. In this episode, Christian explores: Why today's children may be the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parentsWhat three independent documentaries have in common, and what they're trying to wake us up toHow childhood radiation treatment connects to Ali Allouche's second cancer diagnosis at 17How Robin Canfield's framework of purpose-driven documentary anchors all three filmsWhy investigative journalism and purpose-driven documentary serve the same civic functionWhat C.S. Lewis preached in Oxford in June 1941, while bombs were falling on LondonHow Anthony Bourdain's spirit lives on in a sick teenager's restaurant mapWhat corporate consolidation has done to American small family farms over the last four decadesWhy the streaming algorithm is burying exactly the films we need mostWhat you can do, in less than five minutes, to help these films find an audience CHAPTERS: 0:00 The first generation to live shorter lives than their parents 1:45 Show open 1:58 Robin Canfield, Actuality Abroad, and the spine of this episode 3:31 Film 1. The 100-Year Effect: what corporations have done to our bodies 4:25 Film 2. Ali Eats America: a sick kid, a map, and a Bourdain-style road trip 9:22 Film 3. Déjà Vu: American small family farmers and the slow consolidation 10:39 Three films, one story 11:24 C.S. Lewis on mud pies and the holiday at the sea 12:37 Documentaries as the immune system of a free culture 14:15 What you can do, and why it matters 15:11 We are far too easily pleased Frequently Asked Questions: What is the central argument of The 100-Year Effect? The 100-Year Effect, directed by Bill Stuart, argues that today's children will be the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents. The film features OHSU medical scientist Dr. Kent Thornburg, who traces this trend to corporate impacts on our food supply, prenatal nutrition, and environment over the last several decades. Six in ten American adults have a chronic disease, and the film argues this is not primarily a lifestyle problem. What is purpose-driven documentary filmmaking? Purpose-driven documentary is a term popularized by filmmaker Robin Canfield in his textbook Purpose Driven Documentaries: A Field Guide to Creating Impact. It refers to documentary work made primarily to create social, cultural, or civic impact rather than to maximize commercial return. Robin trains filmmakers through Actuality Abroad to tell the stories of changemakers, the people quietly doing good in places corporations and governments would rather not be seen. What is Ali Eats America about? Ali Eats America, directed by Greg Morris and Roush Niaghi, follows two-time teenage cancer survivor Ali Allouche as he travels across the United States visiting restaurants in 17 states. The project began in a pediatric ward at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, was inspired by Anthony Bourdain, and was funded through a GoFundMe campaign that Bourdain himself donated to. What documentary won Best Documentary at the 2026 Julian Dubuque International Film Festival? Déjà Vu, directed by Bedabrata Pain, won Best Documentary at the 2026 Julian Dubuque International Film Festival. The film traces the corporate consolidation of American small family farms over four decades, paralleled with the historic Indian farmers' protest movement. Why are purpose-driven documentaries struggling for distribution? Streaming platforms increasingly prioritize commercial returns and algorithmic engagement metrics, which favor entertainment-led content over investigative or impact-driven storytelling. Purpose-driven documentaries often address subjects that corporate sponsors and platforms find commercially uncomfortable, including chronic disease, food systems, agricultural consolidation, and the healthcare industry. Many of these films are now made on credit cards, GoFundMes, and personal savings. About the Three Films: The 100-Year EffectDirected by Bill Stuart (previously The Rock), The 100-Year Effect features OHSU medical scientist Dr. Kent Thornburg making the case that today's children will be the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents. The argument: this is driven by what corporations have done to our food, our environment, and our prenatal nutrition. Website: 100yeareffect.com - https://100yeareffect.com Ali Eats AmericaDirected by Greg Morris and Roush Niaghi, produced by PopGun POV Inc. Ali Eats America tells the story of Ali Allouche, a teenage two-time cancer survivor, and the Bourdain-inspired culinary road trip across America that became his reason to keep going. Website: alieatsamerica.com - https://www.alieatsamerica.com/ Déjà VuDirected by Bedabrata Pain, a former NASA engineer who helped invent the CMOS image sensor. Déjà Vu won Best Documentary at the 2026 Julian Dubuque International Film Festival. The film traces the corporate consolidation of American small family farms over four decades, paralleled with the historic Indian farmers' protest movement. Website: Déjà Vu - https://dejavu-the-movie.com/film-team/ About Documentary First: The Deep Dive: Each week, host Christian Taylor takes an insight from a recent Documentary First filmmaker interview and explores it through literature, philosophy, current culture, and the universal human experience. It is a companion show to Documentary First, built for documentary filmmakers, lovers of story, and anyone who wants to think more deeply about what we are watching. Christian Taylor is a documentary filmmaker (The Girl Who Wore Freedom), actor, voice actor, and podcast host based in the United States. Resources Mentioned:- a...

    16 min
  2. Robin Canfield on Teaching iPhone Documentary in 20 Countries

    APR 23

    Robin Canfield on Teaching iPhone Documentary in 20 Countries

    Why do documentary subjects freeze for a professional camera - but open up to an iPhone? Robin Canfield shares why he films with iPhones, how he teaches documentary in twenty countries, and the communication skill he says every documentary filmmaker overlooks. Robin joins us from Saigon, Vietnam, during a four-week documentary program with international students. He shares why he switched from Canon cameras to phones, how his crews rebuild story structure at 1 AM using sticky notes on a wall, what happened the day a government minder followed him into a Hoi An coffee shop, and why he thinks communication is the skill every documentary filmmaker overlooks. In this episode, you'll learn:— Why documentary subjects freeze in front of professional cameras but open up around Phones — How Robin and his students have produced more than 200 short documentaries in 20+ countries — The paper-cut editing method Robin uses when the timeline on the computer isn’t telling the story — Why communication may matter more than any gear you buy — How to film ethically in countries where you're a guest, and what to do when the government is watching — Why Robin screens every film locally before leaving, so the people in the story can see it first — How Actuality Abroad started with a coffee cooperative story in Guatemala — How a journalism background becomes a foundation for documentary filmmaking — Why filmmakers can’t wait for someone to fund their work anymore — What Robin means when he says "everyone is a storyteller, and everyone could be a better one" Timestamps:0:00 Introduction 1:11 Robin in Saigon — the Documentary Outreach program 2:52 Growing up with a camera — Dad’s darkroom 5:35 Journalism at Oregon State 7:31 Founding Actuality Abroad — the Guatemala test run 11:34 Writing Purpose Driven Documentaries 15:49 Why Robin switched from Canon cameras to iPhones 16:32 Why subjects freeze for cameras and relax around phones 17:04 Filmmaking is a craft you learn by doing 21:21 Everyone is a storyteller 24:42 Documentary filmmaking is problem solving 25:54 International production and visa logistics 29:32 The government watcher in a Vietnam coffee shop 34:50 The paper-cut editing method 39:13 Rights, Creative Commons, and protecting films 42:43 The Edinburgh tavern — being American abroad 45:06 Learning to crowdfund and ask for what you need 48:42 DocuView Deja Vu: The Pez Outlaw DocuView Deja Vu Pick:Robin Canfield: The Pez Outlaw (Netflix, 2022) This episode is supported by Virgil Films Entertainment. About the Guest:Robin Canfield is the co-founder and Director of Global Operations at Actuality Abroad, a media-centered study abroad program that has produced more than 200 short documentaries in 20+ countries. He trains his crews on iPhones with Tilta rigs, not traditional cinema cameras. He is the author of Purpose Driven Documentaries: A Field Guide to Creating Impact (Focal Press), a textbook for students and storytellers making social impact documentaries. He grew up around his father’s darkroom, studied journalism at Oregon State University, and has been a photographer and filmmaker most of his life. Based in Orlando, Florida. Some of Robin's Recent Works:“Los Maestros del Mañana” - Los Maestros del Mañana - July/August 2025, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico - Documentary Outreach (4 week program) “Welcome to La Perseverancia” - Welcome to La Perseverancia - May 2025, Bogota, Colombia - Field Study (custom program with 10 adult former-foster-care-youth from Chicago) “What Feeds Us” - What Feeds Us - January/February 2025, Bangkok, Thailand - Documentary Outreach (4 week program) “Anything is Possible” - Anything is Possible - July/August 2024, Tangier, Morocco - Documentary Outreach (4 week program) “Seeds for the Future” - Seeds for the Future - July, 2024, Uaxactún, Guatemala - Storytelling Expedition (2 week program in the Maya jungle in Guatemala) About Actuality Abroad:Actuality Abroad is a media-centered study abroad program that pairs filmmaking students with NGOs and social enterprises around the world. Since its founding, the program has produced over 200 short documentaries in more than 20 countries, including Guatemala, Colombia, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Vietnam. Students work in small crews, follow a full pre-production and editing curriculum, and screen their finished films locally before leaving each country. ***Interested in going on a trip with Actuality Abroad to Guatamala this July? Visit the Actuality Abroad website and hit the "Apply Now" button.*** Resources Mentioned:— Purpose Driven Documentaries: A Field Guide to Creating Impact by Robin Canfield (Focal Press) — The Pez Outlaw (Netflix, 2022) — The Cove (2009) — Poverty Inc. (2014) Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon Support the show on Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreon Connect:Actuality Abroad: actualityabroad.com Actuality Abroad on Vimeo and YouTube — search "Actuality Abroad" Connect with Christian Taylor on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/meetchristiantaylor All Documentary First platforms: linktr.ee/doc1st

    51 min
  3. They Wanted My Voice to Train AI - What Thoreau Knew About Living Deliberately in a Revolution

    APR 16

    They Wanted My Voice to Train AI - What Thoreau Knew About Living Deliberately in a Revolution

    Someone tried to harvest Christian's voice for AI training. The pitch was polished, the project sounded real. But when she responded with ten professional questions, the conversation ended. Permanently. In this Deep Dive on Episode 275, Christian connects that experience to her conversation with Erik and Christopher Ewers, the brothers behind the PBS documentary Henry David Thoreau. Chris Ewers argues that every technological revolution has felt like the end of the world — the Industrial Revolution, digital cameras, and now AI. Each time the tool became indispensable. Then Christian pulls in Thoreau himself — the man who railed against the railroad and then rode the train 70 times. He used the tool deliberately. In this episode, you’ll hear:The full story of the suspicious voice-over job offer and the ten questions that ended it.Why Christian’s VO business is declining while her filmmaking and podcasting are thriving.Chris Ewers’s case for why AI is the digital camera revolution all over again.Thoreau’s “cost of a thing” quote and why it hits differently in the age of AI.The contradiction of Thoreau and the train — and what “live deliberately” actually means now.Jeff Goldblum at the mic and George Clooney saying “tell me if I suck” — what AI will never replace. Timestamps:0:00 What George Clooney Told the Directors 0:18 Show open 0:28 The Ethan Caldwell story 2:33 Where I stand with AI 3:49 The Ewers Brothers and the revolution that always comes 5:09 Clip: Chris Ewers on AI and the digital camera revolution 7:15 Thoreau, technology, and the train he swore he’d never ride 9:25 What “live deliberately” actually means 9:44 What Ethan Caldwell’s silence reveals 10:45 Goldblum, Clooney, and what machines can’t replicate 11:59 Closing Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon Support the show on Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreon About the Guests (from DF Episode 275): Erik Ewers: Director, Editor. Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. Based in New Hampshire. Christopher Loren Ewers: Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. Based in the NYC metro area. About Henry David Thoreau (PBS):A three-part, three-hour documentary. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Emerson), Meryl Streep, and Tate Donovan. Available now on PBS and PBS Documentaries on Amazon. Resources:Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026) | Walden by Henry David Thoreau (1854) Hear Part 1: Episode 274, “I Didn’t Know Myself: Erik & Chris Ewers on Ken Burns, PBS & Thoreau” Hear Part 2: Episode 275, "Erik & Chris Ewers on PBS Funding, AI & Directing Goldblum, Clooney & Streep" Connect:Ewers Brothers: ewersbrothers.com Erik Ewers: @melonhd | linkedin.com/in/erik-ewers-38122729 Chris Ewers: @christopher_loren_ewers_dp | linkedin.com/in/christopherewers Christian Taylor: @meetchristiantaylor I linkedin.com/in/meetchristiantaylor All platforms: linktr.ee/doc1st

    13 min
  4. Erik & Chris Ewers on PBS Funding, AI & Directing Goldblum, Clooney & Streep

    APR 9

    Erik & Chris Ewers on PBS Funding, AI & Directing Goldblum, Clooney & Streep

    Even with Ken Burns and Don Henley attached, funding a PBS documentary is brutal. So what hope do the rest of us have? Erik and Christopher Ewers get real about PBS funding, AI’s impact on filmmaking, and how they landed George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson, Tate Donovan and Meryl Streep for their new PBS documentary Henry David Thoreau. In Part 2 of this conversation, the Ewers Brothers open up about the financial realities of documentary funding, even with Ken Burns and Don Henley attached, why Chris sees AI as the next revolution instead of the apocalypse, how broadcast is giving way to streaming, and the stories behind casting some of Hollywood’s biggest voices. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. In Part 2, you’ll learn:— Why having Ken Burns and Don Henley as executive producers doesn’t make funding easy and who actually made the Thoreau film possible — Chris’s case for why AI is the digital camera revolution all over again, not the death of filmmaking — The best professional advice Chris ever received and why it will never change — How Chris kept his mouth shut on a commercial set with Jeff Goldblum and how that silence led to Goldblum voicing Thoreau — The story of how Don Henley quietly recruited George Clooney as narrator and Clooney’s reaction when asked how long he’d known Henley — Ken Burns’s advice on directing Meryl Streep: “You don’t.” — How streaming is changing episode length and why “the director’s cut” isn't what it used to be. — Erik’s approach to pre-planning edit cuts for PBS broadcast time slots without sacrificing the story — Why Ken Burns treats his mentorship like tough love — and why Erik is grateful for it — One thing filmmakers need to know about getting a documentary on PBS Timestamps:0:00 Introduction 1:21 Unpacking the Thoreauvian mindset 2:46 Thoreau’s prescience on consumerism 3:50 Erik on Thoreau’s “cost of life” quote and the iPhone 4:40 Thoreau and the birth of the Industrial Revolution 6:03 Christian’s advice: think from the end back 6:50 Chris on the state of the industry — Industrial Revolution to AI 10:20 Christian: as a voice actor, AI is a challenge 10:53 The best professional advice Chris ever received 11:36 Christian on the struggle to fund the next film 12:54 Money is always the biggest hurdle 13:15 How the Ewers Brothers fund PBS docs without federal money 14:49 Ken Burns’s two binders of rejection letters 15:07 The Movies That Made Us — encouragement for indie filmmakers 16:26 The reality: it’s hard for everybody 17:52 Erik on Ken Burns’s legacy projects and the privilege of the brand 20:58 Erik on earning the gift — Ken’s tough love mentorship 22:00 Broadcast vs. streaming — why episode length is changing 23:52 Erik’s editing strategy for PBS time slots 25:37 Celebrity voice talent — how they landed Jeff Goldblum 27:43 Don Henley’s connections — Ted Danson and Meryl Streep 29:09 The George Clooney reveal — “If Don Henley calls, you say yes” 30:43 What it’s like to direct celebrity voice talent 30:55 Jeff Goldblum in the booth — pure instinct 31:26 Ken Burns’s advice on directing Meryl Streep 31:52 George Clooney: “Tell me if I suck” 32:42 DocuVue Deja Vu — Erik’s picks and Chris’s all-time favorite DocuView DejaVu Picks:Erik Ewers: Crumb (1994), Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991), Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011), The Thin Blue Line (1988) Christopher Loren Ewers: Man on Wire (2008) Christian Taylor: Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix, 2024) This episode is supported by Virgil Films Entertainment.About the Guests:Erik Ewers — Director, Editor. Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. ACE Eddie Award winner (The Roosevelts, 2015). Based in New Hampshire. Christopher Loren Ewers — Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. Commercial clients include Apple, Coca-Cola, Tiffany & Co., Stella Artois, Volvo, Peter Millar. Based in the NYC metro area. About Henry David Thoreau (PBS):A three-part, three-hour documentary — the first full-length documentary biography of Thoreau. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, Maria Thoreau), and Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing). Available now on PBS and PBS Documentaries on Amazon. Resources Mentioned:— Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026) — Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix, 2024) — The Movies That Made Us (Netflix) — Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1854) Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon Support the show on Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreon Connect:Ewers Brothers Productions: ewersbrothers.com Connect with Christian Taylor on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/meetchristiantaylor All Documentary First platforms: linktr.ee/doc1st

    40 min
  5. Erik & Chris Ewers: Quiet Desperation—Competence vs Self-Knowledge: Deep Dive on Episode 274

    APR 2

    Erik & Chris Ewers: Quiet Desperation—Competence vs Self-Knowledge: Deep Dive on Episode 274

    He edited nearly every Ken Burns film since The Civil War. He still didn't know who he was. Henry David Thoreau wrote that most people lead lives of “quiet desperation.” But what did he actually mean - and what does it look like inside a successful career? That’s the question Christian Taylor explores in this episode of Documentary First: The Deep Dive, after her conversation with Erik and Christopher Ewers—two brothers who just directed a three-part, three-hour PBS documentary on Thoreau. The film is narrated by George Clooney, with Jeff Goldblum voicing Thoreau, Ted Danson as Emerson, and Meryl Streep voicing several women in Thoreau’s life. It’s executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. What struck Christian wasn’t the star-studded cast or the prestige credentials. It was a quiet confession from Erik - Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33 years - who admitted that despite decades of career confidence, he didn’t really know himself. He described himself as “lost and wayward.” And it was his own documentary about youth mental illness that finally woke him up. That led Christian back to Thoreau’s famous line and to a realization: Thoreau wasn’t describing unhappy people. He was describing people who don’t even know they’re suffering. People whose competence has become the hiding place. What You’ll Learn:Why competence can mask a total lack of self-knowledge - for decadesWhat Thoreau actually meant by “quiet desperation” (it’s not what most people think)How Erik Ewers’s own documentary became the mirror that showed him himselfThe connection between Thoreau’s grief, Christian’s grief, and the impulse to strip life down to what’s realA practical challenge for filmmakers and creators: rest is where the seeing happens The Core Idea:Your craft can take you everywhere - except inward. The stories we tell have the power to tell us something back, but only if we’re paying attention. This episode explores what happens when the noise finally stops and we’re left standing on honest ground. Featured Guests:Erik Ewers – Director, Editor. Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. ACE Eddie Award winner (The Roosevelts, 2015). Based in New Hampshire. Has worked on nearly every Burns film since The Civil War (1990). Co-director of Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026), Hiding in Plain Sight (2012) and The Mayo Clinic (2018) Christopher Loren Ewers – Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. World-class cinematographer. Has been shooting for Burns and Florentine Films since The Vietnam War. Commercial clients include Apple, Coca-Cola, Stella Artois, Volvo and Peter Millar. Based in the NYC metro area. Christopher Ewers Commercial Work About Henry David Thoreau (PBS): A three-part, three-hour documentary – the first full-length documentary biography of Thoreau. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Meryl Streep, and Tate Donovan. Henry David Thoreau premied on PBS on March 30 and 31, 2026. Available now on PBS and wherever you stream PBS content. Henry David Thoreau Series Trailer Part 2 of the interview with Erik and Chris Ewers drops April 9 - covering PBS funding realities, AI and the industry, and how they landed Jeff Goldblum, George Clooney, Tate Donovan and Meryl Streep. Resources Mentioned:Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026) - available on PBS and PBS Documentaries on AmazonHiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness (PBS, 2022)Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1854) About The Deep Dive:This companion podcast airs on alternate weeks from the main Documentary First podcast. Every other week, Christian takes one idea from a recent conversation and explores it more deeply - examining what it means, why it matters, and what to do about it. Hear the full interview:Listen to Episode 274 of Documentary First for Christian’s complete conversation with Erik and Christopher Ewers about the Thoreau documentary, working with Ken Burns, and the brother dynamic behind the filmmaking. If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a review! For more in-depth discussions, early releases and extra content, support our Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreon Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon

    16 min
  6. I Didn't Know Myself - Erik & Chris Ewers on Ken Burns, PBS & Thoreau

    MAR 26

    I Didn't Know Myself - Erik & Chris Ewers on Ken Burns, PBS & Thoreau

    He's edited nearly every Ken Burns film ever made. But he couldn't edit himself. What does it take to build a filmmaking career inside Ken Burns's world — and what happens when the hardest part isn't the craft, but learning who you are? Erik and Christopher Ewers are brothers who co-direct for PBS under the Ken Burns banner. Erik has been Burns's senior editor for 33+ years. Chris is a DP who's shot for Apple, Coca-Cola, and Tiffany & Co. Their latest project: Henry David Thoreau, a three-part PBS documentary series executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley, narrated by George Clooney, with Jeff Goldblum voicing Thoreau, Ted Danson as Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Meryl Streep. Henry David Thoreau premieres on PBS March 30. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. In Part 1, you'll learn: — How Erik ended up working for Ken Burns through a real estate deal involving window treatments and carpets — How a 22-minute visitors center film became the doorway to a three-hour PBS series — What it's really like to co-direct a documentary with your brother (even Ken Burns couldn't do it with his) — How Chris balances high-end commercial work with documentary filmmaking to sustain a creative career — The challenge of filming Walden Pond with only two usable photographs of Thoreau — Why knowing yourself is the most important skill a filmmaker can develop — and Erik's deeply personal story about discovering that through his own film Part 2 drops April 9 — covering PBS funding realities, AI and the industry, and how they landed Jeff Goldblum, George Clooney, and Meryl Streep. This episode is supported by Virgil Films Entertainment.About the Guests:Erik Ewers — Director, Editor. Ken Burns's senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. ACE Eddie Award winner (The Roosevelts, 2015). Based in New Hampshire. Christopher Loren Ewers — Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. Commercial clients include Apple, Coca-Cola, Tiffany & Co., Stella Artois, Volvo. Based in the NYC metro area. About Henry David Thoreau (PBS): A three-part, three-hour documentary — the first full-length documentary biography of Thoreau. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Meryl Streep, and Tate Donovan. Henry David Thoreau premieres on PBS March 30. Available on PBS and wherever you stream PBS content. Christopher Ewers Commerical Work Henry David Throeau Series Trailer Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/DocFirstApple Spotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotify YouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTube Amazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon Connect:Ewers Brothers Productions Christian Taylor on X Christian Taylor on Instagram Christian Taylor on LinkedIn Documentary First on X Documentary First on Instagram Documentary First Productions Linktree

    52 min
  7. What Francesca Bridgerton and a D-Day Veteran Both Discovered About Grief I Deep Dive on Ep. 273

    MAR 19

    What Francesca Bridgerton and a D-Day Veteran Both Discovered About Grief I Deep Dive on Ep. 273

    In Bridgerton Season 4, Francesca Bridgerton stands in the middle of her husband’s funeral and says something no one expects: “I want to feel joy.” Eighty years earlier and four thousand miles away, a D-Day veteran stood on Utah Beach watching children play in the water where his friends had died—and said something just as unexpected: “That’s why we came.” In this episode of Documentary First: The Deep Dive, Christian Taylor connects these two moments to a discovery C.S. Lewis made in his grief journal A Grief Observed—and asks what it all means for the stories we tell as filmmakers. The answer surprised her. It might surprise you too. What You’ll Learn: What 20+ D-Day veterans told filmmaker Jake Schroeder when he asked if it was disrespectful to play on the beaches where men diedThe C.S. Lewis line that connects grief, praise, and joy—and why filmmakers need to hear itHow Bridgerton Season 4, Episode 7 modeled a radically different response to lossG.K. Chesterton’s 1908 concept that reframes everything: why joy might be bigger than the painChristian’s challenge to filmmakers: What if we gave our audiences permission to dance? The Core Insight: C.S. Lewis noticed that his grief wasn’t bringing him closer to his wife—it was cutting him off from her. Only in moments of least sorrow did she come rushing back, vivid and whole. He realized there are different modes of loving someone you’ve lost: grief focuses on the absence, but praise focuses on the fullness. And when love takes the form of praise, joy shows up inside it without being forced. That’s what Francesca Bridgerton discovered at John’s celebration of life. It’s what Anthony Malin was doing when he watched children splash on Utah Beach and wept. Same love. Different mode. Plus: Christian’s personal story of losing her mom and finding A Grief ObservedWhy the most powerful story we can tell might not be about the suffering—but about the moment afterHow The Girl Who Wore Freedom approaches joy in the soil soaked with blood Featured Guest: Jake Schroeder—Founder of the D-Day Leadership Academy, former professional musician and youth sports director. Jake brings high school students to Normandy to learn leadership through the stories of D-Day, and has spent years taking veterans back to the beaches where they fought. References Mentioned: Bridgerton Season 4, Episode 7: “The Beyond” (Netflix)C.S. Lewis — A Grief ObservedG.K. Chesterton — Orthodoxy (1908)Jake Schroeder / D-Day Leadership AcademyThe Girl Who Wore Freedom (Christian Taylor’s film)Anthony Malin — D-Day veteran, LST driver, Utah Beach About The Deep Dive: This companion podcast airs on alternate weeks from the main Documentary First podcast. Every other week, Christian takes one powerful idea from a recent conversation and explores it more deeply—examining what it means, why it matters, and what to do about it. Hear the full interview: Listen to Episode 273 of Documentary First for Christian’s complete conversation with Jake Schroeder about D-Day, leadership, and what veterans can teach us about purpose. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4lp6cdjyyd52omtOQB6Tz8?si=88968b4ec2794312 If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a review!

    15 min
  8. D-Day Leadership Academy: Jake Schroeder on WWII Veterans, Normandy & Redefining Success

    MAR 12

    D-Day Leadership Academy: Jake Schroeder on WWII Veterans, Normandy & Redefining Success

    He sang the national anthem for the Colorado Avalanche a thousand times, coached 4,000 inner-city kids, lost it all, and rebuilt on the beaches of Normandy — where a WWII veteran watched children playing on Utah Beach and said through tears: "That's why we came." Jake Schroeder—former frontman of OP Gone Bad, national anthem singer for the Colorado Avalanche, and executive director of the Denver Police Activities League—now runs the D-Day Leadership Academy, bringing inner-city youth to Normandy, France to learn leadership through the stories of World War II. After concussions, insurance costs, and political shifts dismantled his youth sports programs serving 4,000 kids a year, Jake pivoted. Inspired by the WWII veterans he’d been bringing back to Omaha Beach and Utah Beach since 2011, he transformed his nonprofit into a Normandy-based leadership program built on five pillars drawn from D-Day: leading from the front, total commitment to mission, chaos, preparation, and empathy. In this conversation, he and host Christian Taylor—director of the award-winning documentary The Girl Who Wore Freedom—explore what success really means when the money isn’t there but the mission keeps growing. What You’ll Learn: What does the D-Day Leadership Academy teach kids in Normandy?How do you pivot a nonprofit when your core programs collapse?What did WWII veterans say about people recreating on Normandy’s beaches?How do you define success when your documentary or nonprofit isn’t financially profitable?What are John Elway’s three rules for running a successful charity event?How does Stoic philosophy help when you’re facing failure in filmmaking or leadership?What documentary films should you watch? Elway to Marino, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, Cold War on Ice Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:07 How Christian and Jake met in Normandy, France 04:56 The Girl Who Wore Freedom documentary connection 06:19 Following up on failure: Epic Bill and redefining success 09:00 OP Gone Bad band years: when the road is worth it 12:16 Stoicism and choosing your response to hardship 15:06 Virginia Beach at night: perspective and insignificance 17:16 Documentary filmmaking relationships that last a lifetime 18:36 Denver Police Activities League: origin and mission 22:00 Starting inner-city hockey with the Colorado Avalanche 23:56 Youth sports crisis: specialization, concussions, and insurance 27:12 The pivot: shutting down programs and reimagining the mission 28:04 How the Normandy leadership program began (2015) 30:16 What the D-Day Leadership Academy program looks like today 33:31 Five pillars of D-Day leadership: empathy, chaos, preparation 36:04 Expanding to adult leadership retreats in Normandy 42:45 Normandy tours: culinary, yoga, couples, and classical concerts 45:13 The Girl Who Wore Freedom guided tour and charity auction 47:55 What WWII veterans said about children playing on Utah Beach 49:49 Message to documentary filmmakers: your film matters 51:53 John Elway’s elevator advice on charity events 55:58 DocuVue Déjà Vu: Elway to Marino, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, Cold War on Ice About Jake Schroeder: Jake Schroeder is a fourth-generation Colorado native, former frontman of the funk-rock band OP Gone Bad, and sang the national anthem for the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) over 1,000 times across 25 years. He began volunteering with the Denver Police Activities League in 1999, became executive director in 2014, and transformed the organization into the D-Day Leadership Academy—a nonprofit that brings inner-city youth, police officers, and combat veterans to Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France to learn leadership through the stories of D-Day, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. He lives in Golden, Colorado with his partner Brooke Ferguson, principal flutist of the Colorado Symphony. Website: Home | D-Day Leadership Academy If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a review! VIRGIL FILMS LINKS: Home (New) Virgil Films (@VirgilFilms) on X Virgil Films and Entertainment Virgil Films (@virgilfilms) • Instagram profile

    59 min
See All (286)

4.8
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

The craft and business of documentary filmmaking — from people who actually do it. Documentary First is a weekly podcast for working and aspiring documentary filmmakers who want honest, in-depth conversations about how documentaries get funded, made, and seen. Hosted by Christian Taylor — award-winning director of The Girl Who Wore Freedom (25+ international awards, distributed through Virgil Films, Swank, and Canal+) — the show draws on 270+ interviews with documentary filmmakers, editors, producers, distributors, and composers across HBO, Netflix, PBS, and the independent doc world. Past guests include Ken Burns, PBS American Masters creator Susan Lacy, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning editor Charles Olivier (HBO's The Jinx, The Redeem Team), and Emmy-nominated director Nick Bruckman (Netflix's Minted). Every week, Documentary First delivers two formats in one feed. The main show features long-form interviews exploring how filmmakers approach their craft, navigate distribution, and build sustainable careers. On alternating weeks, Documentary First: The Deep Dive takes a single insight from a recent guest conversation and goes further — drawing on psychology, philosophy, and real-world experience to uncover the deeper lessons behind the work. Documentary First is the only podcast in the documentary filmmaking space hosted by a working filmmaker with active projects in production and an archive of 270+ conversations spanning every corner of the industry. If you make documentaries or want to, this is your show. Topics include: documentary directing, documentary producing, documentary distribution, film festival strategy, fundraising for documentaries, storytelling craft, documentary cinematography, documentary editing, film music and scoring, sound design for film, entertainment law for filmmakers, archival footage and rights clearance, and building a sustainable career in nonfiction filmmaking. New episodes every week. Subscribe and leave a review! Instagram: @documentaryfirst | Facebook: @documentaryfirst | X: @Doc_First | TikTok: @documentaryfirst | YouTube: @DocumentaryFirst | LinkedIn: documentaryfirst | documentaryfirst.com

Information

  • Creator
    Documentary First | Christian Taylor
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    286
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Documentary First, all rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Documentary First

You Might Also Like