It says a lot about a person to dedicate themselves to documentary filmmaking. One can argue a special ethos exists in those who venture the long, tedious, delicate, and enriching journey of documentary film production. From concept to completion energy and passion is required for the legwork required in gathering the necessary materials to tell a nonfiction tale. Dedicated and inspired personalities is a must have for producers and directors who must not only in the end entice viewers and audience members alike to care enough about a specific film story but must be inspired and self-motivated along the way from beginning to end to completing such documentary film projects. In short, the characteristics that make documentary filmmakers who they are is a unique blend of impressions at multi-layered and multi-levels of features.

While it’s true that documentary filmmakers are made not born—in the end, such filmmakers didn’t choose documentary filmmaking—rather, it chose them. Proverbially speaking documentary projects requires the kind of attention to details, charisma in conducting on-camera interviews, highly acute communication skills, and above average multitasking skillset really at all levels of media and video production. Even with major budgets flowing in the six figures documentary film producers and directors would still need to wear multiple hats while undergoing a project to its finished execution. Embarking on the pathway to unscripted narratives on camera where happy accidents are bound to come is a gift and God-given tendency that so few have.

Ideas in the world of film are a dime a dozen. A plethora of film projects time and time again go unfinished. Independent documentaries is the one unique medium of media expression that doesn’t really fit in any particular TV programming or film business model. Hence, documentary filmmakers must be the kind of overachievers determined to create nothing into something with the intention it resonates with a niche audience. Heck, even marketing of documentary films ranges in fascinating tendency that usually generates yawns in corporate boardroom meetings. Word-of-mouth, social media plugs are really the only consistent driving force to raising awareness on an upcoming documentary film ready to hit the open market. And, even that comes with no agreeable formula. Like the very reality of how funding for documentaries is often funneled in unfriendly time waves through the three phases of production—pre-production, production, and post-production—documentary filmmakers must be moved by a unique and often rare personality. This personality is harvested, channeled, and utilized as the project moves forward in development through production and finally editing.

The ones who tread into documentary film production particularly as first-time producers and directors bent on completing a single passion project or giving voice to a serious topic or issue usually move on once they completed the docujourney. Why? Ask that documentary filmmaker with multiple credits of producer and director roles to his or her name. He or she will tell you that this “crazy” career pursuit isn’t for anybody. But, one can argue—so is accounting? And, construction work? And, lawyering? Those professions and others require a certain brand of personalities to completing the job. Yes, however, the documentary filmmaker isn’t that unique career endeavor where others don’t fit in but has the kind of personality that is necessary in combination of others. In other words, documentary filmmakers—for good reason—are usually great public speakers, solid grant writers, strong leaders, efficient multi-taskers, stellar researchers, and so on. There isn’t a school of thought, collegiate programs, or training schools to mold the next documentary filmmaker where soon-to-be mechanics, nurses, attorneys, engineers, and doctors go for accreditation and learn adequately the tools of the trade. And, all them come with the characteristics to pursue such career endeavors. Instead, multi-layers and varying factors in character are vital for documentary filmmakers to perform.

Given the nature of the beast—documentary films don’t come with any set rule for execution and nonetheless fall into varied patterns of creative undertaking to “pull it off” as projects get completed. Here, spontaneity, resilience, focus, determination, insight, sagacity, and open-mindedness must all flow together in harmony as one. These tendencies and features all make for a special kind of persons daring themselves to take on the challenge of documentary film production. This is not, of course, to say documentary filmmakers are better than others or living incarnates of God. Rather, this is to show that documentary film personalities has a unique placement in the precarious film/TV industry and the benchmark to make real today’s documentary film art.