The Top Documentary Film Makers (and What Makes Them Great)

What Makes a Great Documentary Film?

There are a few different aspects that need to come together to make a perfect documentary. Plenty of award-winning documentary film makers know how to choose their topics perfectly, and this is a huge part of the process.

The topic of a documentary might be quirky, it could be something that very few people have heard of such as the interesting Searching For Sugarman documentary, where a couple of South African friends set out to find their underground musical hero, the mysterious musician Rodriguez.

Alternatively, the topic might be something that affects the whole world. World wars, economics, geographical topics are all very popular, but perhaps what makes a truly great documentary film is having a unique take. Teaching people something that they did not know and would not otherwise know and understand is one of the crucial parts of making a great documentary.

Of course, at Insight Studios we also understand that it is crucial that the film is professionally made. Some documentaries are made in really challenging situations. For instance, cameramen might only get the chance to get a specific shot once, and this means you may have more handheld footage and creative shooting methods. From the concept of the film, all the way through to making a professional and captivating edit in post production, Insight Studios can guide you through every step of the way.

Best Documentary Film Makers

Let’s dive into our list of the top documentary film makers, informational films are obviously somewhat subjective in terms of whether they resonate with you, but we’ve included some amazing, award winning documentary film makers to get you started and work out exactly what films you love most.

Samantha Stark

In the world of documentary film makers female voices continue to grow. Samantha Stark is well-known for her unique look at the world of celebrity. She has made some interesting films and exposes about the media industry and its treatment of child stars.

She directed the documentary film “Framing Britney Spears,” which was an international hit, showing how the legal system in America exploited Britney, and showing what a difficult private life the star had.

Stark has also worked on “The Weekly” from The New York Times as well as TV series, “Independent Lens.” She is still working and creating fascinating documentary films.

Michael Moore

Over the last 30 years or so, Michael Moore’s films have been a huge part of culture and activism, especially in the US. He is known for taking a critical swipe at many parts of American culture and the way that the country is run.

He boasts the highest-grossing documentary at the American box office ever, and his films have had real cultural impact. Projects like “Bowling for Columbine” and his 2020 film “Planet of the Humans” show his unique take and his masterful method, even though not everybody agrees with his take. In “Planet of the Humans” he focuses on the impact of humankind on the planet throughout history.

Moore has won Academy Awards for his work and now also has a very popular channel on YouTube.

Werner Herzog:

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog has been described as one of the most influential filmmakers alive. In fact, he was named in the list of the world’s most influential people by Time in 2009.

This is a director who is dedicated to his craft, and has even supposedly come close to death in his pursuit of the perfect shot and the perfect documentary.

While Herzog isn’t afraid to take on topics that impact everyone, he also does an amazing job of diving into the world of individuals. In “Land of Silence and Darkness” he made a documentary following a woman who was deaf and blind in her struggles with daily life. In “Grizzly Man” he follows a grizzly bear enthusiast. Many of his films are original in their ideas and shine a light on parts of society we don’t always see in daily life.

As well as being influential, Herzog has been prolific through his career and has over 30 documentary feature films to his name. He has also made Twenty fiction works, and eight short films, as well as working in opera and as a director and screenwriter on television. Herzog has also taken on acting roles. A truly impressive director, if you were to study the art of the documentary film there is no denying that Herzog would be one of the people you explore.

Martin Scorsese

You may well know Scorsese best for creating some of the most famous fiction films ever. He has been nominated for Oscar awards an amazing eight times, and his works are up there with the most influential in the world of cinema, pioneering new production techniques in the process of turning himself into a household name. Did you know he has also made some incredible documentaries?

“My Voyage to Italy” is an award-winning documentary in which he traces a journey through Italian cinema, exploring his own heritage and what influenced him to become one of the world’s biggest directors.

Scorsese also made a 2011 documentary about the life of the Beatles guitarist George Harrison.

In fact, Scorsese was making and releasing documentary films before he made his directorial debut in the Hollywood industry. “New York City… Melting Point” came out in 1966, and is described as “A documentary about New York City produced in collaboration with the United States Information Agency (USIA) for educational and information purposes”. It is by no means his best work, but an interesting piece of trivia to know about.

Errol Morris

Errol Morris is a master when it comes to documentary films. His Oscar-winning film “The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara” is just one example of amazing work.

In fact, in “The Thin Blue Line” which told the story of a man who was wrongfully accused of murder, the documentary caused the authorities to look again at the case, and they would release him one year after it was released.

Morris is not afraid to shine a light on individual stories throughout history. In “The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography” the movie focuses on the career of an acclaimed photographer.

Morris is still working today and expanding on his long and illustrious career.

Brett Morgen

Brett Morgen has made some fascinating documentaries, often with a unique take on celebrity lives and even tragic tales from their past. In “Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck,” he used a variety of special effects and animation, while using the diaries of the troubled Nirvana musician to create a fascinating overview of his life, particularly before he was famous.

Morgen has also worked on “Jane” which follows anthropologist Jane Goodall who is a public figure know around the world for her studies of animals and in particular the primate world.

Morgen is working on a David Bowie production which may be similar to the recent Beatles documentary to hit streaming services. It uses thousands of hours of unseen (or rarely seen) footage of the music icon.

Renan Ozturk

Ozturk is a contemporary adventurer and film maker, and his projects are amazing for the sort of people who are interested in adventure. He has created films like “Sherpa: Trouble on Everest” giving an amazing overview of what climbing the peak is like. He’s been involved with some huge brands, working as a photographer and videographer.

Ozturk was also given the prestigious award of National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year in 2013. While there is not much of a light shone on social issues in his works, the stunning landscapes and true sense of adventure make for an amazing watch. These are worth seeing on the big screen if you get the chance.

While not director, Ozturk was involved in Meru, a documentary film about the first ascent of the “Shark’s Fin” route on Meru Peak, Himalayas. The film won the Audience Documentary Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Fest.

Summary – The Art of Documentary Film Making

The best documentary films and documentary film makers are able to provoke an emotional response from their watchers and keep people interested in the stories in question.

At Insight Studios, our portfolio of documentaries and non-fiction productions puts us in an amazing place to help you to create a documentary film. If you have an idea for a challenging or thought-provoking film then you can get in touch with our amazing team. We’ll take your film from a spark of an idea and turn it into something stunning and impactful, ready to show to your audiences. Reach out to Insight Studios today to get your documentary project off the ground.