Documentary filmmaking and factual content with Dan Chambers

The Garden Cinema Film Talk

We discuss what makes a good documentary, the rise of true crime and streamers and indulgent filmmaking with producer and commissioner Dan Chambers.

Dan is a producer and commissioner, and is the co-founder and creative director of Blink Films. He was previously Director of Programmes at Channel 5 and has decades of experience in making, producing and commissioning factual content. He’s joined us to talk about the non-fiction format and documentaries in general.

We discuss the appeal of true crime and the rise of the streamers, the crafty storytelling of The Staircase, bias and polemic, new trends in content and funding, the merger of drama and documentary in films by directors such as Ken Loach, as well as the power of documentary over fiction when it comes to recounting certain feats, exemplified by the remarkable Hands On A Hard Body.

Dan shares his insights about the types of format and content that appeal to different markets, from the fashion for “revelations” in the US to the sometimes “quirky”, sometimes “indulgent” factual filmmaking in France, and gives his expert advice to aspiring documentary filmmakers.

Find us on the usual platforms. Send us your comments, feedback and suggestions via Twitter @thegardencinema or by contacting us at [e-mail].