Observation is a dying art


‘If you really want to communicate something, even if it’s just an emotion or an attitude, let alone an idea, the least effective and least enjoyable way is directly’ - STANLEY KUBRICK

Suckas always be asking: "What are your favorite docs?" or "What docs do you recommend?" Well here you go...

American Movie * Hands on Hard Body * The Act of Killing * Jesus Camp * Minding the Gap * Man on Wire * The Thin Blue Line * Harlan County USA * I Am Trying to Break Your Heart * Don’t Look Back * Grizzly Man * Stop Making Sense * Hearts of Darkness * Lake of Fire * Hoop Dreams * Some Kind of Monster * Koyaanisqatsi * The Fog of War * When We Were Kings * Jiro Dreams of Sushi * Blackfish * Free Solo * Paradise Lost * The Cove * Honeyland * Pumping Iron * Style Wars * Dogtown and Z-boys * Anvil! The Story of Anvil * Undefeated * King of Kong * Gleason * The Imposter  * The Queen of Versailles * Tickled * Senna * The Devil and Daniel Johnston * Beyond the Mat * OJ: Made in America * The Crash Reel * Scratch * Taxi to the Dark Side * Searching for Sugarman * Beautiful Losers * Endless Summer * Spinal Tap * The Jinx * Get Back * The Last Dance * Icarus * The Up Series * Cocaine Cowboys * The Staircase * Surfwise * Dance Moms

I think this is a good place to start.

I like breaking songs, breaking their backs. I like songs with scars on them

“A lot of times, that’s what you’re doing in a song. You’re listening and thinking, ‘What does it need?’ Some of what goes into song-building is almost a medical Frankenstein process. What does it need? It’s very beautiful but it has no heart, or it has nothing but heart and it needs a rib cage, or whatever. I’m usually good at the medical questions about music. Eventually I’ll probably just be a medical consultant in music. I’ll be called in to look at sick songs and I’ll either say, ‘Put the sheet over it,’ or, ‘Operate.’ I’ll have a little bag with my saw. Sometimes you have to break the leg and then reset it. I’m good at that. But it’s painful. But if you didn’t call me in early and you need me now, you gotta be willing to go through some discomfort. I like breaking songs, breaking their backs. I like songs with scars on them—when I listen to them I just see all the scars.” - TOM WAITS

It’s hard to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going.


There are as many ways to make a film as there are potential filmmakers. It’s an open form.
If anyone tells you there is only one way, their way, get as far away from them as possible, both physically and philosophically.
Those with whom you choose to collaborate, if you make good choices, can elevate the quality and content of your film to a much higher plane than any one mind could imagine on its own. If you don’t want to work with other people, go paint a painting or write a book. - JIM JARMUSCH