field notes

Stories behind the stories

Writing from the studio between films. Dispatches from the field, notes on the craft, and the stories that never make the final cut.

Dispatch · August 2026

Ten stories, one night in Denver

The NEA’s highest honor turns fifty-nine this year, and it exists because of school desegregation. On the history of the Human and Civil Rights Awards, and the ten people and organizations honored in 2026.

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Studio · August 2026

Why we make documentaries

Most of our films started with one person deciding a story was worth the trouble. On why we do this, and what Field Notes is for.

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