A Masterclass with Bedlam Productions' Gareth Unwin, Simon Egan and Simon Breen as they celebrate the success of The Kings Speech (2010) and discuss their latest documentary projects. They will also examine how the demand for history films often results in documentaries that become dramas. 

Taken from Doc/Fest 2011.

Adam Curtis is a documentary maker with one of the most distinctive visual styles. Prolific in his blogging about some of the world’s most pressing issues, his films often reflect the opinions and arguments he has developed through meticulous research and rigorous planning. In various series commissioned by the BBC, Curtis has made extensive and imaginative use of their archive footage, often employing it as a visual accompaniment to his informative narrative. Recipient of Doc/Fest's inaugural Sheffield Inspiration Award and the winner of numerous other accolades, Curtis has built a reputation for consistently producing innovative output across different spectrums. His films can be broadly characterised by their thought provoking content, carried by twists of irony and laconic humour. His credits include The Living Dead, The Century of the Self and The Power of Nightmares, and span across a career stretching 25 years. 

In this session from Doc/Fest 2011, Adam will be discussing the inspiration behind his latest documentary, All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace. The Three-part series questions that altruistic nature of the human species, and explores the philosophical parallels that can be drawn between machines and ourselves. 

Want to know the tricks of the trade for making your first documentary? Well this is the place to start. This session will cover the crucial areas for making your first feature documentary, looking at how to put your crew together, creative ways to raise a budget, how to make that all important taster video and how to gain access to that amazing story and pitch it. Hear firsthand from a range of young filmmakers who have managed to break through the industry. 

This session was part of the Film Nation: Shorts scheme, a competition that invites young people to make, and vote for, films celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Recorded at Doc/Fest 2011.

British feature documentary hot shots come together to debate the space for docs on the silver screen. Every panellist will bring something different, from highlighting the importance of a story's international appeal, to enlisting a solid key crew, to using an authentic stylistic approach-feature producers, directors and distributors will be sharing their experiences with the audience.