Doug Block is a multiple award-winning, New York-based documentary director, cameraman and producer. My discovery of his blog was quite by accidnt but I’m glad I found it. His latest series of blog posts are about (naturally) documentary Film.

He had the occasion to speak as a guest in Anthony Kaufman’s NYU Contemporary Documentary class. What he gave was his list of The Ten Rules of Personal Documentary Filmmaking. They’re fun and irreverent and best of all. . . true.

• RULE #1: Don’t make it all about you (even though, of course, it’s all about you)
• RULE #2: A personal doc is not your personal therapy.
• RULE #3: Don’t tell us your feelings. Show or indicate your feelings.
• Rule #4: A sense of humor is essential (especially self-deprecating humor)
• Rule #5: Put your story in context.
• Rule #6: Don’t make yourself out to be better than your other main characters.
• Rule #7: If you’re in it, don’t overstay your welcome.
• Rule #8: If you’re shooting it, learn how to shoot. (this is a big one)
• Rule #9: You’re not really you. You’re just a character in a story.

These are all great rules and if you look arefully, you can put them to use in your own life.

If you want to read more of Doug Block’s blog, click here