![](\"https:\/\/d17mj1ha1c2g57.cloudfront.net\/v1\/s7fo3SUL5dMVEVTAzJUVaA8i3CU\/1280x\/80\/shotsmag\/production\/clips\/671811b2-157c-4a07-9fd8-28c3ee8840bd\/gettyimages-1292897490.jpg?v=1&quality=70&format=jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAs an Emmy-winning producer, it\u2019s my job to notice what works and what doesn\u2019t in creating powerful films. Knowing when to admit that something isn\u2019t working is an important skill set for a producer and a key strength towards turning out work that the entire team \u2013 and client \u2013 will be proud of.<\/p>\n
One distinguishing quality I\u2019ve noted in the branded content that moves me \u2013 and wins accolades and impressive results \u2013 is the ability to embrace truth and imperfection.\u00a0Today\u2019s audiences are looking for a little grit, a dose of honesty, and frank messages from filmmakers and brands who are willing to \u2018get real\u2019, even if that means showing their candid selves.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Good documentaries don\u2019t happen by accident. They start with an intense period of building trust \u2013 with the subject \u2013 with the client. We need everyone to be their authentic selves, or our audience will sense that something isn\u2019t right.\u00a0 Skirting over something, pretending it doesn\u2019t exist, or just trying to make it too perfect can be quite alienating and seen as too\u00a0slick.\u00a0<\/i>There are great spots that are slick and perfect. I grew up on them and love them still. But there is also a lasting power to something that rebels against that perfection and gives audiences a dose of genuine honesty.<\/p>\n
When we let the audience behind the curtain, even just seeing a silly human moment, we give them a reason to trust us and engage with the film we have made. That truth is intoxicating and we recognise it when we see it. It pulls us in and we can\u2019t stop watching.<\/p>\n
Maybe that\u2019s why smart brands who want to break through the noise and conquer a younger audience with fleeting attention spans collaborate with documentary filmmakers. A documentary can offer a unique skill set for brands: the honed ability to tap into vulnerability.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/d17mj1ha1c2g57.cloudfront.net\/v1\/hcObhhfUDL2WZkRIQfEywVyxq9E\/1280x\/80\/shotsmag\/production\/clips\/84332225-90bd-4b07-8c97-33f9ddead446\/gettyimages-1319656454.jpg?v=1&quality=70&format=jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Documentary filmmakers are especially attuned to breaking down walls between their subjects and the stories they want to tell. We don\u2019t want to ask questions that elicit a rehearsed answer. Even if we need to stay on point or within certain parameters, we try to find opportunities for our subjects to still be human and real about it.<\/p>\n
I was recently lucky enough to executive produce a documentary that was nominated for an Academy Award. Entitled\u00a0STRANGER AT THE GATE<\/em>, it was directed by Smartypants leader Joshua Seftel. The film centred around an Afghan refugee named Bibi Bahrami \u2013 and the members of her little Indiana mosque, who come face to face with a U.S. Marine who has secret plans to bomb their community centre. Emotions run high in the documentary when \u2013 met with a stranger who wishes them great harm \u2013 the mosque congregation shows the Marine nothing but kindness and love, rendering a surprising conclusion to the story. This true story taps into themes of grace, transformation, and hope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n