I have always felt that documentaries are an opportunity for me to witness a world that I know nothing about.

Crowdsourcing is an invaluable resource for filmmakers, but be prepared for an enormous amount of work.

I have always thought that if you can give viewers the sense of being there a story can be very compelling.

My favorite film is "Meshes in the Afternoon," a short avant garde film directed by Maya Deren. This was the first film that I saw that was actually directed by a woman.

Even after forty years of directing, shooting and editing films, when I collaborate with a male partner, people still perceive the man as the primary filmmaker.

Since I shoot, record audio and edit, I was able to begin the filming without hiring a crew and create a sample to show broadcasters and grant organizations.

Learning how to do some of the technical work on the film can be helpful too and allows you to start the film on your own. However, if you are passionate about an idea, just begin.