In this story consultation, we restructure the rough cut of the innovative documentary "10 Questions for Henry Ford".Founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford makes a complex protagonist. I guided the director to edit Ford’s character transformation: from a popular American hero, to an anti-Semitic tyrant, to a ghost who finds redemption. Be sure to check out this episode’s emotional conclusion!Working with director Andy Kirshner was a dream. A professor at the University of Michigan, he’s intelligent, modest, and deeply attuned to his film’s thematic statement on masculinity.
Thankfully, this NEA recipient (Kirshner) had enough story sense to understand that the Three Act structure is moldable, not formulaic. And he had the plot points--backed by archival documents--to explore the automaker’s relationship with his artistic son, Edsel.
Kirshner creatively stretches the documentary form by setting up Ford (played by actor John Lepard) as a spook who returns to Detroit one hundred years after his death. What did this troubled ghost want?
Turns out, he had an outer quest, and an inner quest. The director had also intercut two plot lines, past and present. But the parallel arcs didn’t intersect. We needed to create some connective tissue. Find out how we did it!
EPISODE #1 TAKEAWAYS
- Adapt the Three Act Structure for a non-fiction film
- Where to position the inciting incident
- Use a midpoint to edit character transformation
- The outer tangible quest vs. the inner psychological quest
- Tips to shape a powerful climax scene
FILM PREMIERE10 Questions for Henry Ford will be premiering live at the Ojai Film Festival, sometime between Nov 5-8. The film will be available in a virtual version version of the festival between Nov. 9-14.QUOTABLES
“We’re going to harness the dramatic power of the three-act structure as best we can, while sticking to the historical truth about Henry Ford.”
- Karen Everett, Story Consultant
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Trailer for 10 Questions for Henry FordFilm's WebsiteDirector's WebsiteAndy Kirshner IMDbNew Doc Editing, LLCKaren Everett IMDb
PERMISSIONSPermission to use the content of this podcast is provided by Andrew Kirshner, Producer/Director of 10 Questions for Henry Ford.
Music provided by award-winning composers Gunnard Doboze and William Ryan Fritch.
BIOKaren Everett is one of the world’s leading documentary story consultants. Her business New Doc Editing helps filmmakers structure and edit compelling non-fiction films. Karen taught editing for 18 years at the #1-ranked U.S. documentary program at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.
