DocFixEverything is Illuminated!
One of the most important things for succeeding in the DocFix program is realising that everyone who has come before you, all the clients with their testimonials, and every single student of storytelling (including me), have all been bad at something in our life - including storytelling.
I was once bad at storytelling, then ordinary; then I got the hang of it, and then I knew what I was doing...
But through practice and taking the time to understand the fundamentals and then implementing them, you can change.
If you join our program you may feel as though you are drinking through a fire hose, but the mindset you need to have is that of a storyteller.
Yes, storytelling is an art, but it is also a science, which involves being open to your craft, practising, and getting better.
Any storyteller gets better over time with practice.
By adopting that mindset—that you can improve anything with practice, a growth mindset—you will set yourself up not only for success in this program but also for being a great storyteller in the future.
By the end of the DocFix, what it takes to create a great story should be perfectly obvious.
There will be no doubt about why your story works or why it doesn't. It will make perfect sense - both logically and emotionally.
You won't be persuading people why your story is so great - you are just showing them.
Of course, that is where you end up. But what is the process like of getting there?
For instance, it's incredibly common in the edit to spend days or even weeks struggling over your story to finally get to a place that is so clear and obvious that you can't believe that it took you so long to see something so straightforward.
The reason for that is that you've been through an essential process in the edit.
The 'solution', especially in something as complex as a story, rarely appears all in one go. You have to make a series of choices and decisions to arrive at that place.
And for that reason, at every step of the process (not just in the edit, but whenever you trying to clarify your story), you are inevitably going to come up against roadblocks in your process. There will be times when you don't seem to get it when it doesn't seem clear.
This is not only normal, it's essential.
Embrace it.
Every single storyteller in human history has had these same roadblocks or obstacles.
It's because you are on the right path. It is impossible to create a great story without being a little lost, confused or unsure.
Think about it as proof that you are doing the right thing.
Every story you tell, documentary or fiction, depends on you having a perspective on your material...
...and, whether you like it or not, who you are is going to be tangled up in your story.
Your prejudice, your previous experiences, your beliefs and so on will affect your point of view on the story.
But the reason you are tackling this idea is probably because you want to work things out. So, at first, you will be not only making sense of the story, but also what you think about the story.
That takes reflection. If it seems too easy, it's probably because it is...
... and it's probably because you are not thinking about this hard enough.
But - and here's a big but - if you have a process, you can go right up to the problem and tackle it head-on, not stumble into it in the dark.
It's there; you have to tackle it. And the DocFix process shows you how.
So, what you are doing is applying a process...
Think of it as if you lose your house keys while walking home at night. The best and, in fact, the only sensible place to look is under the nearest street lamps.
It's not because it's more likely to be there, but because you've got nowhere else to look. As you grow your skills, it's like building more and more street lights.
Everything is illuminated!
Now, suddenly, you have far more places to look to find your answer. But, for a little while, as you are building these street lamps, there will be a little stumbling around in the dark.
This is just a first summary of the obstacles you will be facing, but whatever they are, they are normal and expected, and they mean you are doing exactly the right thing.
Are you interested in working with me on this? Get in touch and we work out the best way forward for you.
All the best - Nigel
PS—I'm completely reworking the DocFix Program to make it even more effective, painless, and efficient.
Since we've had students (in this case, Ryan) tell us:
...the new version should be really special.
Or, at the very least, better.
BUT... this program is still personalised. I work with you. Storytelling is unusual - it is bound up in who you are and how you see the world. For you to make massive progress, I need to understand where you are tripping yourself up.
I simply don't want to take on more people than I can serve. I have to close access at various points, and have to turn people down. If you do think you need help, let me know.
But through practice and taking the time to understand the fundamentals and then implementing them, you can change.
If you join our program you may feel as though you are drinking through a fire hose, but the mindset you need to have is that of a storyteller.
Yes, storytelling is an art, but it is also a science, which involves being open to your craft, practising, and getting better.
Any storyteller gets better over time with practice.
By adopting that mindset—that you can improve anything with practice, a growth mindset—you will set yourself up not only for success in this program but also for being a great storyteller in the future.
By the end of the DocFix, what it takes to create a great story should be perfectly obvious.
There will be no doubt about why your story works or why it doesn't. It will make perfect sense - both logically and emotionally.
You won't be persuading people why your story is so great - you are just showing them.
Of course, that is where you end up. But what is the process like of getting there?
For instance, it's incredibly common in the edit to spend days or even weeks struggling over your story to finally get to a place that is so clear and obvious that you can't believe that it took you so long to see something so straightforward.
The reason for that is that you've been through an essential process in the edit.
The 'solution', especially in something as complex as a story, rarely appears all in one go. You have to make a series of choices and decisions to arrive at that place.
And for that reason, at every step of the process (not just in the edit, but whenever you trying to clarify your story), you are inevitably going to come up against roadblocks in your process. There will be times when you don't seem to get it when it doesn't seem clear.
This is not only normal, it's essential.
Embrace it.
Every single storyteller in human history has had these same roadblocks or obstacles.
It's because you are on the right path. It is impossible to create a great story without being a little lost, confused or unsure.
Think about it as proof that you are doing the right thing.
Every story you tell, documentary or fiction, depends on you having a perspective on your material...
...and, whether you like it or not, who you are is going to be tangled up in your story.
Your prejudice, your previous experiences, your beliefs and so on will affect your point of view on the story.
But the reason you are tackling this idea is probably because you want to work things out. So, at first, you will be not only making sense of the story, but also what you think about the story.
That takes reflection. If it seems too easy, it's probably because it is...
... and it's probably because you are not thinking about this hard enough.
But - and here's a big but - if you have a process, you can go right up to the problem and tackle it head-on, not stumble into it in the dark.
It's there; you have to tackle it. And the DocFix process shows you how.
So, what you are doing is applying a process...
Think of it as if you lose your house keys while walking home at night. The best and, in fact, the only sensible place to look is under the nearest street lamps.
It's not because it's more likely to be there, but because you've got nowhere else to look. As you grow your skills, it's like building more and more street lights.
Everything is illuminated!
Now, suddenly, you have far more places to look to find your answer. But, for a little while, as you are building these street lamps, there will be a little stumbling around in the dark.
This is just a first summary of the obstacles you will be facing, but whatever they are, they are normal and expected, and they mean you are doing exactly the right thing.
Are you interested in working with me on this? Get in touch and we work out the best way forward for you.
All the best - Nigel
PS—I'm completely reworking the DocFix Program to make it even more effective, painless, and efficient.
Since we've had students (in this case, Ryan) tell us:
What I've learned in 12 weeks of this course blows away everything that I've spent the last 10 years learning in other books and seminars and workshops and everything else. If I could trade this one course for every other story course I've ever taken in my life, it would be a no-brainer; I would do it in a second.
...the new version should be really special.
Or, at the very least, better.
BUT... this program is still personalised. I work with you. Storytelling is unusual - it is bound up in who you are and how you see the world. For you to make massive progress, I need to understand where you are tripping yourself up.
I simply don't want to take on more people than I can serve. I have to close access at various points, and have to turn people down. If you do think you need help, let me know.