Independent films and documentary filmmaking are a not a cheap undertaking, but they are attainable with the right financing and equipment. You have a wide variety of camera options to choose from. From small cameras, to professional style video recorders, to high definition options, the choices are only contingent on your style choice and your budget.

Documentary and nonfiction film supplies and equipment also encompass accessories such as camera bags, lenses, post production software, computers and more. Your time and money aren't just spent on the video that you film, but also in the work that goes into the documentary after it is filmed.

To find more about documentary and nonfiction film supplies and equipment:

1. Compare documentary film production cameras.

2. Check out documentary filmmaking camera and project accessories.

3. Invest in high quality documentary and nonfiction film post production software.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

See what camera options you have for documentary filmmaking

Look at documentary film production cameras available on the market. Compare for price, quality and features.

I recommend: Start by reviewing top digital camcorders on CNET. Think about reviewing the high def camcorders for the best quality video available. Find out even more information on digital camcorder from PCMag.com. Read the latest reviews, find the top rated products and look at the top sellers.

Find documentary and nonfiction film project accessories

Locate the best in documentary film production accessories for your camera, your project and/or your post production.

I recommend: Check out the wide range of documentary film accessories and hardware from B&H Photo. They offer video cameras and accessories, production equipment and accessories, post production equipment, carrying and support equipment as well as general accessories. Order your documentary filmmaking camera bags from Wolf Business Associates. Purchase a bag large enough to safely store all of your documentary film information while you are filming. Make sure that your passports, travel documents and any permits are readily available and are kept safe and dry.

See what post production software is available for documentary film projects

Check out available software packages used in documentary film production after the video is in the can.

I recommend: Consider using Apple software products for your post production. They offer a wide variety of tutorials and software for your product. Final Cut Studio is one of their video and audio production products. So is Final Cut Express. Pinnacle Studio, a division of Avid, also offers post production software for your documentary and nonfiction film projects.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Think about adding a stabilization system with a balance and docking bracket to help you reduce camera shake while making documentary films. As a documentary film maker, reducing camera shake will improve the professional quality of your movie.

Share your thoughts on a subject matter or try and sway opinions by creating or working with a documentary film project. Documentary filmmaking is a craft to be taken seriously. Knowing the right places to find films, find gear to make your own films and/or find funding can mean the difference in purchasing or creating a shoddy versus high quality piece of work.

You can easily find the documentary film work of others online, and you can also upload your own work for comment and critique. Exercise your documentary film maker skills, and even consider entering your work in local or national film festivals.

To work or play in the documentary film genre, you should:

1. Determine if you are looking to watch, purchase or create your own documentary film project for your business.

2. Set your budget and decide if you need to find outside funding to create a documentary film.

3. Support the works of other artists by downloading, viewing and reviewing their documentary film pieces. Consider the purchase of documentary films and business documentaries that are on DVD.

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Purchase documentary filmmaking tools

Start your documentary filmmaking off right with proper cameras and software. Once you are done, work to burn your masterpiece onto DVD or disseminate it worldwide on the Web.

I recommend: The Panasonic AG-DVX100 is a camera that was used on an Oscar nominated film. Final Cut Pro is a Mac software to clean up your work. Check out PC Magazine's DVD burner review.

Download or upload documentary film pieces

Show off your documentary filmmaking skills or download the works of others at free documentary film sites devoted to the support and forwarding of documentary film works.

I recommend: Download and watch free documentary video films online on Documentary Films .NET. Use the Documentary Film Network to watch free high quality online documentary films. On the site, you can also upload documentaries for free. You can also raise funding to produce your own films or utilize their free entry in their directory.

Support the genre of documentary filmmaking while honing your craft

Support the documentary filmmaking genre and learn new techniques by buying the DVD works of other producers.

I recommend: Purchase the latest independent films on DVD through IndieDocs.com LLC. Docurama is another source for documentary DVDs to purchase.

Be informed about independent films

Join a documentary film institute or society to network with fellow artists. Go back to school or college for the first time to further your documentary film education. Look for funding for your next documentary and nonfiction film project. Even enter a contest to see how your documentary film maker skills stack up to others.

I recommend: Find out what's new with the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute. Check out the documentary film making programs from the New York Film Academy. Find additional funding and a source for financing documentary films through ITVS. Try entering your work at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Documentary film production can be accomplished through one camera or many. Work your budget accordingly to rent or purchase gear that will give you a suitable enough quality to match your need.

Documentary filmmaking is a special medium for educating others about the world around them, as well as the means to express strongly held opinions. A talented documentary film maker communicates with an audience using sights and sounds. Documentary and nonfiction film for beginners presents an avenue toward creative expression.

Most beginners find documentary film production engaging from day one. They learn the art and craft of documentary film techniques using a camera, light and composition to achieve their objectives. Students of documentary film making learn to operate a camera, light a subject, develop a script and edit for a final project.

1. Funds are available for financing documentary films and independent films by beginners that will attract audiences and admission money.

2. Beginning filmmakers can start making documentary films with practice at special family events or in the local community.

3. Documentary film making is nonfiction so the beginner should start with careful research on an interesting topic.

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Check out the work of individuals currently making documentary films

Documentary filmmaking appears on television and other media, as well as on award programs such as the Academy awards. However, there are many films in circulation that target special interest groups. There are many examples of dynamic documentary and nonfiction film that will provide the beginner with plenty of insight into the current projects.

I recommend: Creative Hat is a website organized and written by current documentary filmmakers. The California Film Institute has current information on projects of great interest to beginning filmmakers.

Find classes focused on documentary and nonfiction film for beginners

Many people often find documentary filmmaking fascinating, but the hard work necessary is not always visible. Beginning filmmakers should find classes or workshops where they can get some practical experience before committing to a full program devoted to documentary filmmakers. Interested students will find some online documentary film classes and evening or extension classes at local community colleges or universities.

I recommend: Film School Online is a great place to start for students can start with a single course and later go on to obtain a certificate. The Digital Media Academy is an institution devoted to filmmaking, and students can take courses online or in convenient locations around the country.

Enroll in a certificate or degree course in documentary film production

Filmmakers often learn most of their techniques through practice and mixing with others passionate about their art and craft. A great film school is the place to meet experts and other beginners devoted to the creation of great documentaries and nonfiction films. Beginners can start from step one and move on to brilliance through a dynamic program devoted to the creation of quality programs.

I recommend: USA Study Guide has detailed information on filmmaking and quality programs. The New York Film Academy has a reputation for quality educational programs and the filmmaking program offers many opportunities.

Documentaries have carved out their own place in the film production and entertainment industry, growing so popular in recent years that the genre itself has begun to subdivide. With advances in modern technology, making nonfiction or documentary films is now within the realm of possibility, even for a small business. When exploring options in filmmaking for your business, start with a basic understanding of the following documentary and nonfiction film key terms.

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Documentary

A documentary film, or nonfiction film, is a movie that attempts to document reality or real-life situations without any bias. It films life as it is with a natural, factual dramatic flair used to center the narrative flow of the film.

I recommend: American Movie Classics Company has in-depth information on everything about documentaries, from time line history of the genre to examples of the finest documentaries.

Docudrama

A docudrama is a film that depicts factual, historical events that have been dramatized, and uses narrative techniques to present historical facts in a storyline.

I recommend: Read about docudramas at BookRags.

Mondo film

A mondo film might also be called docu-ganda, and both are terms used to refer to a documentary film that is made to present facts that have been manipulated by the film director. They tell a certain side of the issue with bias.

I recommend: Gain a better understanding of docu-ganda or mondo films by reading about them at The Christian Science Monitor.

Nature documentary

A nature documentary is a film that depicts animals, plants, geography and any other non-human form of nature in their natural habitat. They are often used for education or broadcast on public television networks.

I recommend: Get a better idea of what a nature documentary consists of after watching clips and trailers by Light & Shadow.

Travel documentary

A travel documentary is a film that captures the essence of travel destinations, offering the facts in a fair, balanced and non-commercial way.

I recommend: Browse through the website of Matador Ventures to learn more about the role that travel documentaries play in the industry.

Animated documentary

Animated documentaries combine both animation and documentary elements to present factual evidence, and they often recreate historical events through animation.

I recommend: Learn everything there is to know about the art form of animated documentaries from Frames Per Second Magazine.