• Learn practical steps you can implement immediately to kickstart your documentary project.

  • Ensure you're fully prepared with a comprehensive checklist covering all pre-production essentials.

  • Discover the must-have gear to get started on your documentary filmmaking journey, tailored for beginners.

Welcome Filmmaker!

Are you just starting out on your documentary journey?

Wondering what to do first or what to do next?

You've come to the right place!

We realize there's a ton to learn when making your first documentary and we know that it can all feel pretty overwhelming.

That's why we created this quick and easy mini-course.

You'll get step-by-step actionable ideas (many that you can implement immediately), a handy pre-production check-list, plus a starter documentary gear kit list.

Sound good?


How To Access The Starter Kit:

STEP #1: Click the red "ENROLL" button and create your new Desktop Documentaries account (or login-in if you already have an account).

STEP #2: Enter your best email and a password, and you'll have instant access to this mini-course. 

It's that easy!

It's a no-brainer to sign-up. You'll be inspired to move ahead with your project, plus it's 100% free!

As an extra BONUS , you'll automatically receive a FREE subscription to our popular Documentary Tips e-newsletter. More than 30,000 filmmakers and video enthusiasts follow us every week. Join us! (Try it out, unsubscribe anytime).

Go ahead and click the red enroll button and we'll see you on the inside!

What Students Are Saying

5 star rating

A No-Brainer-BEST-Way To Get Started Making Your Own Docu...

Tommy Phipps

The "Documentary Starter Kit Mini-Course" Is The Perfect TOOL, and The BEST Way for Completely GREEN (NEW) Filmmakers To Get Started. I Highly Recommend It!

The "Documentary Starter Kit Mini-Course" Is The Perfect TOOL, and The BEST Way for Completely GREEN (NEW) Filmmakers To Get Started. I Highly Recommend It!

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5 star rating

Excellent way to begin!

Stacey grundy

The starter kit provided great information for those who do not know where to start. It has been extremely helpful to have this type of roadmap to start on t...

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The starter kit provided great information for those who do not know where to start. It has been extremely helpful to have this type of roadmap to start on the documentary filmmaking journey. Thanks!

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5 star rating

No Matter How Much Experience

Michael Speltz

I've been telling stories for my clients and television stations for nearly 40 years. I feel this Documentary Starter Kit Mini-Course is a great find. It h...

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I've been telling stories for my clients and television stations for nearly 40 years. I feel this Documentary Starter Kit Mini-Course is a great find. It helps you feel in the gaps with the layout of gear and behind the scene items like social media, funding, legal responsibilities, budgeting and of course the Fundraising Trailer. I would say it's a must do, and who doesn't like free advice. Thanks for all your help!

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5 star rating

Documentary Starter Kit

Adiyb Muhammad

Absolutely wonderful information to get started even if you are already a film maker.

Absolutely wonderful information to get started even if you are already a film maker.

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4 star rating

Starter Advice.

bill bristow

This is a very good kick starter course for those of us wanting to make documentaries. I have made a few behind the scenes documentaries, and a documentary ...

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This is a very good kick starter course for those of us wanting to make documentaries. I have made a few behind the scenes documentaries, and a documentary about homeless in Los Angeles. This course reminded me of the great use of digital cameras and equipment. My first documentary was with 16 mm and a Nagra tape deck and full crew. So much more with much less gear. Thank You

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5 star rating

Very helpful informative course

Rohan Harvey

I was so pleased to come across the doco starter mini course, it was packed with helpful information to start the ball rolling to making my own. I was so imp...

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I was so pleased to come across the doco starter mini course, it was packed with helpful information to start the ball rolling to making my own. I was so impressed by the end of it that I purchased the full 7 day crash course. Great to find someone so willing to share their knowledge and help others. Many thanks Faith. Regards Rohan.

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5 star rating

Documentary Starter Kit Mini-Course

Sylvia Armendáriz

Glad I found your website. I have no experience in but have a great passion for my documentary and was feeling lost. Not so much since I went through the min...

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Glad I found your website. I have no experience in but have a great passion for my documentary and was feeling lost. Not so much since I went through the mini-course. The first two segments were esp helpful and I'm no longer terrified!

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5 star rating

Spot on!

simon owens

Was a simple and inspiring introduction to those wishing to potentially pursue the subject. Thanks.

Was a simple and inspiring introduction to those wishing to potentially pursue the subject. Thanks.

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5 star rating

Super Br-easy...

Kameena Dawkins

Wow! This Mini-Course was a breath of fresh air. The sometimes dense and hard to comprehend facts of the making a documentary, was made clear to me in this e...

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Wow! This Mini-Course was a breath of fresh air. The sometimes dense and hard to comprehend facts of the making a documentary, was made clear to me in this easy to understand format. With the combination of resources links, pictures and readable text on a well thought out and user-friendly styled website platform, this course has allowed me to 'breathe easy' knowing that I've got help along the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Shine On! K.S.B.D.

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5 star rating

Excellent Mini-Course

Nichole Pope

This documentary mini-course is the perfect starter course. It provides an overview of everything essentially needed to understand the inner workings of crea...

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This documentary mini-course is the perfect starter course. It provides an overview of everything essentially needed to understand the inner workings of creating a documentary. Plus, it's free. I would recommend anyone who's interested in making a first-time documentary to take this course.

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5 star rating

All you need to start you off.

George Kingsnorth

This little course provides you with enough information to get you started in the world of documentary. It's a great way to lead you into the other courses a...

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This little course provides you with enough information to get you started in the world of documentary. It's a great way to lead you into the other courses available which will give you more depth. What is good about these courses are they are coming from people in the industry who are using their experience to help others into the industry. Highly recommend.

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5 star rating

Very useful information. Thank you!

Cj Villanueva

Documentaries are my new career choice, after spending the last 20 years in business development and marketing in healthcare. Your Starter Kit and method of...

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Documentaries are my new career choice, after spending the last 20 years in business development and marketing in healthcare. Your Starter Kit and method of presenting information is exactly what I needed to put things in high gear. The forms, checklists, and advice help get things moving from concept to screen. Thanks!

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