In this video I’m breaking down the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the past three years of being a documentary filmmaker (and doing a bunch of branded doc projects along the way). It honestly still sounds wild to say out loud, but looking back at my first doc made me realize how much my process has changed—especially when it comes to what actually makes a story land. I share five core takeaways. First: less gear tells better stories. I’ve seen it over and over—people bring a whole Pelican case, use 20%, and spend the day thinking about “fancy shots” instead of the character. Second: trust your audience. You don’t need to over-explain in voiceover; show, don’t tell, and let people connect the dots. Third (a hill I’ll die on): show more of your character’s world, not just the “cool” part—contrast is what makes a story feel full. Then we get into the painful-but-necessary: kill your darlings in scripting and editing, because 99% of the time if you’re debating it, it should go. And finally, if you’re directing/producing, learn how to make creative decisions on a deadline—pre-production is your best friend, and confidence on set makes your client feel secure. My biggest advice? Go film your first documentary now—you’ll learn faster than you think.