How SXSW Documentarians Wrangle Wild Stories into Poignant Cinema

There’s a specific kind of madness that sets in when you’re a documentary filmmaker. You start with a pitch, a plan, and a protagonist, but somewhere between "action" and the edit suite, the universe decides to laugh at your outline.

At this year’s SXSW, a panel of three filmmakers shares how they have mastered the art of the pivot: Marq Evans (Capturing Bigfoot), Scott Veltri (The Ascent), and Bayan Joonam (Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero). From uncovering 60-year-old secrets about the world’s most famous cryptid to following a "real-life superhero" into a drug sting, these creators represent the "by filmmakers, for filmmakers" ethos we love at No Film School.

They aren’t just observers; they are investigators, mediators, and—occasionally—targets. Whether you’re shooting on a Sony mirrorless rig in the Tanzanian jungle or digging through 16mm archival reels in your basement, their takeaways on navigating the "unreliable subject" are essential for anyone trying to sustain a career in non-fiction storytelling.

1. Follow the Story...Wherever It May Lead

We've all had documentary ideas that we work on for years that we think will be our big break, but...never amount to much. This is why it's smart to be open to changes in your plan, to follow the story wherever it goes. Marq Evans reminds us that the best stories often arrive as a mess, not a polished logline. His film didn't start as a "Bigfoot doc"; it started with a mysterious 16mm reel and a professor’s hunch.

"I can't say that I ever went into this thinking, 'I want to make a Bigfoot documentary.' This story kind of fell into my lap... It was just that curiosity and that early research component." — Marq Evans

The Takeaway: Don't force a narrative onto your footage in the first month. Give yourself permission to "sit on it," do the research, and let the thread pull you toward the real story.

2. The Friction Between Documentary and the Hero's Journey

As filmmakers, we love a good Monomyth. We want the redemption arc. But Bayan Joonam’s experience with Phoenix Jones—the Seattle MMA fighter turned costumed vigilante—serves as a warning: real life is messy, and trying to force it into a "superhero" structure is a form of dishonesty.

"In the beginning, I think I really wanted his story to fit that arc, but it became clear that real life doesn't work that way. So making the decision to ignore the parts of his story that didn't fit cleanly felt dishonest." — Bayan Joonam

The Takeaway: If your subject is "unreliable," embrace the friction. The conflict between the myth the subject wants to project and the reality of their actions is often more compelling than the hero's journey itself.

3. Trust is a "Years-Long Process," Not a Production Phase

For Scott Veltri and his team, filming Mandy—a bilateral amputee climbing Kilimanjaro on her hands—required navigating deep-seated trauma. You can’t just walk onto a set and expect someone to reveal their darkest secrets because the "red light" is on.

"That was a years-long process... Getting her to talk about that night and try to recollect and letting us explore it in the film took a lot of work, making her feel safe, a lot of vulnerability on her part and just a bunch of different conversations." — Scott Veltri

The Takeaway: Especially for those of us working on shoestring budgets, "time" is your most valuable piece of gear. Spend it building rapport off-camera so that when the cameras are rolling, the subject feels safe enough to be vulnerable.

4. Lean into the Investigation (and Hire a Pro)

Sometimes, the "filmmaker" hat isn't enough. You have to be a detective. Scott Veltri’s team leaned on a former police chief to track down leads that were 14 years old. If you’re making a doc that touches on true crime or cold cases, "boots on the floor" research is irreplaceable.

"There's a lot of research you can do yourself from home... but there was a former police chief... who is just like an old school boots on the floor guy. He just goes to the places, into people's homes." — Scott Veltri

The Takeaway: If your story involves a mystery, don't just rely on Google. Sometimes you need to go to the location and knock on doors. If you can’t afford a PI, track down court records, or search the public domain and local archives to verify the truth.

5. Flip the "Empathy Switch" to Break Through Resistance

When a subject becomes hostile or shuts down—like Phoenix Jones threatening to punch Joonam—the instinct is to get defensive or walk away. Joonam suggests a different tactic: total transparency and a radical shift in perspective.

"Sometimes you have to shut off a part of yourself to really engage with the subject where they're at... Let me just flip the empathy switch and just be like, 'Okay, let's see where this is going because you don't want to go where I'm going.'" — Bayan Joonam

The Takeaway: When the interview gets tense, remind the subject that the camera is a mirror. If they are being difficult, that is the story. Record the resistance; it’s often the most honest moment you’ll get.

6. Protect Your Subjects from Online Backlash

We often think our job ends at the "Picture Locked" stage, but in the age of digital vitriol, our responsibility extends to how our subjects handle the public's reaction—especially in communities like the Bigfoot "believers" or political activists.

"I'm more concerned for my subjects and how the backlash, how they're going to handle that. So we're trying to prep them for that... just to keep cool heads if they're approached about the subject." — Marq Evans

The Takeaway: As creators, we have to prepare our participants for the "day after." If your doc is disruptive, your subjects are the ones who will live with the consequences long after the credits roll.

7. The Edit is Your Three-Act Redemption

How do you turn 40 hours of "unreliable" interviews or a grueling mountain climb into a movie? You go back to the basics of screenwriting. Marq Evans credits his editor, Michelle Whitten, for finding the emotional heart within the chaos.

"I think we're always looking for... a traditional three-act structure... thinking of [subjects] as your characters in a way and your protagonists... By having that framework, it's always, I guess it makes it a little bit easier to get to that result." — Marq Evans

The Takeaway: No matter how "verité" your footage is, don't be afraid to apply narrative structure. Map out your beats before you start cutting.

'Capturing Bigfoot'Courtesy of SXSW

Final Thoughts from the Panel

Filmmaking is often about the tension between the "hero" we want to see and the "mess" we actually find. Whether it’s Scott Veltri witnessing a literal miracle on Kilimanjaro or Bayan Joonam realizing his superhero is an "anti-hero" with bench warrants, the power of documentary lies in the gray areas.

As filmmakers, we have to be willing to lose our drones to bird attacks (looking at you, Scott) and our preconceived notions of the truth. Stay curious, keep the "empathy switch" handy, and remember: if the subject wants to punch you, just make sure your face is in focus.

Be sure to check out the rest of our SXSW 2026 coverage!