How We Film

Stop Using Music to Fix Your Film

🎬 Emmy-winning editor Sam Billinge breaks down why music should never lead your storytelling—and how relying on it to create emotion is a rookie mistake. In this episode,

How Do You Know If Your Story Is Actually Good?

Sam Billinge, Emmy-winning editor and author of A Practical Guide to Documentary Editing, shares what makes a story actually work—and why most filmmakers get it wrong. If

Netflix’s Sam Billinge: Edit Footage for a Killer Story

Learn to edit footage like Emmy-winning editor Sam Billinge (Netflix’s Surgeon’s Cut, Apple+’s Make or Break)! 🎬 In this episode, Sam shares pro tips to craft a killer st

No, Color Grading Won’t Save Your Film — Do This First

Most filmmakers rely on postproduction to fix things — but by the time you’re color grading, it’s often too late. In this episode, I sit down with colorist Enikő Edelsbru

Why Most Filmmakers Regret Skipping This Step (Colorist Advice)

Most filmmakers think of color as the final polish — something you fix in post. But what if it’s actually where the vision begins?In this episode, I talk with Eniko Edels

Why Your Film Still Looks Amateur (Even With Expensive LUTs)

You bought the LUT. You followed the tutorial. But somehow... your footage still looks amateur. Why? In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Enikő, a professional c

You Got Into a Festival—Now What?

You made it. Your film got into a festival. Maybe even an Oscar-qualifying one. But now what?In this episode, Alex Lee—festival director of Doc Edge—opens up about what r

Will Anyone Care About Your Film? Here’s the Truth.

What if your fear of being ignored is the very thing holding your film back?In this raw and honest conversation, Alex Lee—director of Doc Edge, one of the world’s Oscar-q

Why Great Films Get Rejected at Festivals — And How to Fix It

Why do great films still get passed over by festivals? In this episode, I talk with Alex Lee, director of Oscar-qualifying Doc Edge, about the real reasons programmers r

Why Most Filmmakers Fail After Getting Into Film Festivals — And How to Win

🎥 Are you dreaming of getting your documentary into a big film festival?It’s not enough. In this episode, Alex Lee, director of Doc Edge (an Oscar-qualifying festival), s

American Film Market Guide

Most filmmakers show up to AFM expecting a life-changing deal—but the reality is very different. In this episode, Abbie and Connor, co-founders of A2C Entertainment, shar

Can You Really Make Money from Filmmaking?

In this insightful interview, Abbie and Connor, founders of A2C Entertainment, share their journey from aspiring filmmakers to successful studio owners. They discuss the

Interview Tips Filmmakers Wish They Knew

Interviews can make or break your documentary. Anthropologist Laura Korculanin shares essential insights to master this often-overlooked skill, revealing techniques to bu

Fix Bad Audio Fast (Mixer Behind Disney+ Docs: Sam Castleton)

Struggling with noisy audio or unclear dialogue?Sam Castleton, dub mixer at Halo Post whose audio work appears in documentaries streaming on Disney+, Apple TV+, and NatGe

Cinematic sound for Filmmakers (with Sam Castleton)

In this episode of How We Film, dub mixer Sam Castleton—whose work can be heard on Netflix, Disney +, and many other platforms—dives deep into the power of cinematic soun

Documentary Filmmakers How Far Is Too Far?

How do you balance creativity and factual truth? How these 2 things come together? Is there such a thing as fly on the wall in documentary filmmaking? I talk about how di

Mastering Cinematography (With DP Joe Katches)

📽️ What makes a great cinematographer? How do you choose the right lens? And how do you work with a director to bring a vision to life?In this episode of How We Film, Joe

Filmmaking Success Is NOT What You Think (with Joe Katches)

Many aspiring filmmakers believe that a film school degree or a perfect career path is the key to making it in the industry—but the reality is very different. In this epi

Beyond PBS: The Hard Truth About Film Distribution Part 3 of 3

🎥 Think getting your documentary distributed is tough? Yeah… it is. But it doesn’t have to be a total nightmare. In this episode, I’m back with Zach Baliva (Potentially D

What's the Secret to Mastering LONG FORM Storytelling?

Going from short-form content to long-form storytelling isn’t easy. It’s like comparing a marathon to a speed run. So, what needs to change to make the switch—and why? Le