Documentary First

Even with Ken Burns and Don Henley attached, funding a PBS documentary is brutal. So what hope do the rest of us have?Erik and Christopher Ewers get real about PBS funding, AI’s impact on filmmaking, and how they landed George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson, Tate Donovan and Meryl Streep for their new PBS documentary Henry David Thoreau.In Part 2 of this conversation, the Ewers Brothers open up about the financial realities of documentary funding, even with Ken Burns and Don Henley attached, why Chris sees AI as the next revolution instead of the apocalypse, how broadcast is giving way to streaming, and the stories behind casting some of Hollywood’s biggest voices. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation.In Part 2, you’ll learn:— Why having Ken Burns and Don Henley as executive producers doesn’t make funding easy and who actually made the Thoreau film possible— Chris’s case for why AI is the digital camera revolution all over again, not the death of filmmaking— The best professional advice Chris ever received and why it will never change— How Chris kept his mouth shut on a commercial set with Jeff Goldblum and how that silence led to Goldblum voicing Thoreau— The story of how Don Henley quietly recruited George Clooney as narrator and Clooney’s reaction when asked how long he’d known Henley— Ken Burns’s advice on directing Meryl Streep: “You don’t.”— How streaming is changing episode length and why “the director’s cut” isn't what it used to be.— Erik’s approach to pre-planning edit cuts for PBS broadcast time slots without sacrificing the story— Why Ken Burns treats his mentorship like tough love — and why Erik is grateful for it— One thing filmmakers need to know about getting a documentary on PBSTimestamps:0:00 Introduction1:21 Unpacking the Thoreauvian mindset2:46 Thoreau’s prescience on consumerism3:50 Erik on Thoreau’s “cost of life” quote and the iPhone4:40 Thoreau and the birth of the Industrial Revolution6:03 Christian’s advice: think from the end back6:50 Chris on the state of the industry — Industrial Revolution to AI10:20 Christian: as a voice actor, AI is a challenge10:53 The best professional advice Chris ever received11:36 Christian on the struggle to fund the next film12:54 Money is always the biggest hurdle13:15 How the Ewers Brothers fund PBS docs without federal money14:49 Ken Burns’s two binders of rejection letters15:07 The Movies That Made Us — encouragement for indie filmmakers16:26 The reality: it’s hard for everybody17:52 Erik on Ken Burns’s legacy projects and the privilege of the brand20:58 Erik on earning the gift — Ken’s tough love mentorship22:00 Broadcast vs. streaming — why episode length is changing23:52 Erik’s editing strategy for PBS time slots25:37 Celebrity voice talent — how they landed Jeff Goldblum27:43 Don Henley’s connections — Ted Danson and Meryl Streep29:09 The George Clooney reveal — “If Don Henley calls, you say yes”30:43 What it’s like to direct celebrity voice talent30:55 Jeff Goldblum in the booth — pure instinct31:26 Ken Burns’s advice on directing Meryl Streep31:52 George Clooney: “Tell me if I suck”32:42 DocuVue Deja Vu — Erik’s picks and Chris’s all-time favoriteDocuView DejaVu Picks:Erik Ewers: Crumb (1994), Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991), Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011), The Thin Blue Line (1988)Christopher Loren Ewers: Man on Wire (2008)Christian Taylor: Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix, 2024)This episode is supported by Virgil Films Entertainment.About the Guests:Erik Ewers — Director, Editor. Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. ACE Eddie Award winner (The Roosevelts, 2015). Based in New Hampshire.Christopher Loren Ewers — Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. Commercial clients include Apple, Coca-Cola, Tiffany & Co., Stella Artois, Volvo, Peter Millar. Based in the NYC metro area.About Henry David Thoreau (PBS):A three-part, three-hour documentary — the first full-length documentary biography of Thoreau. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, Maria Thoreau), and Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing). Available now on PBS and PBS Documentaries on Amazon.Resources Mentioned:— Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026)— Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy (Netflix, 2024)— The Movies That Made Us (Netflix)— Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1854)Listen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/DocFirstAppleSpotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotifyYouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTubeAmazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazonSupport the show on Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreonConnect:Ewers Brothers Productions: ewersbrothers.comConnect with Christian Taylor on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/meetchristiantaylorAll Documentary First platforms: linktr.ee/doc1st

He edited nearly every Ken Burns film since The Civil War. He still didn't know who he was.Henry David Thoreau wrote that most people lead lives of “quiet desperation.” But what did he actually mean - and what does it look like inside a successful career?That’s the question Christian Taylor explores in this episode of Documentary First: The Deep Dive, after her conversation with Erik and Christopher Ewers—two brothers who just directed a three-part, three-hour PBS documentary on Thoreau. The film is narrated by George Clooney, with Jeff Goldblum voicing Thoreau, Ted Danson as Emerson, and Meryl Streep voicing several women in Thoreau’s life. It’s executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley.What struck Christian wasn’t the star-studded cast or the prestige credentials. It was a quiet confession from Erik - Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33 years - who admitted that despite decades of career confidence, he didn’t really know himself. He described himself as “lost and wayward.” And it was his own documentary about youth mental illness that finally woke him up.That led Christian back to Thoreau’s famous line and to a realization: Thoreau wasn’t describing unhappy people. He was describing people who don’t even know they’re suffering. People whose competence has become the hiding place.What You’ll Learn:Why competence can mask a total lack of self-knowledge - for decadesWhat Thoreau actually meant by “quiet desperation” (it’s not what most people think)How Erik Ewers’s own documentary became the mirror that showed him himselfThe connection between Thoreau’s grief, Christian’s grief, and the impulse to strip life down to what’s realA practical challenge for filmmakers and creators: rest is where the seeing happensThe Core Idea:Your craft can take you everywhere - except inward. The stories we tell have the power to tell us something back, but only if we’re paying attention. This episode explores what happens when the noise finally stops and we’re left standing on honest ground.Featured Guests:Erik Ewers – Director, Editor. Ken Burns’s senior editor for 33+ years. Multiple Emmy winner. ACE Eddie Award winner (The Roosevelts, 2015). Based in New Hampshire. Has worked on nearly every Burns film since The Civil War (1990). Co-director of Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026), Hiding in Plain Sight (2012) and The Mayo Clinic (2018)Christopher Loren Ewers – Director, DP. 20+ years behind the camera. World-class cinematographer. Has been shooting for Burns and Florentine Films since The Vietnam War. Commercial clients include Apple, Coca-Cola, Stella Artois, Volvo and Peter Millar. Based in the NYC metro area.Christopher Ewers Commercial WorkAbout Henry David Thoreau (PBS):A three-part, three-hour documentary – the first full-length documentary biography of Thoreau. Executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley. Narrated by George Clooney. Voices by Jeff Goldblum (Thoreau), Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Meryl Streep, and Tate Donovan. Henry David Thoreau premied on PBS on March 30 and 31, 2026. Available now on PBS and wherever you stream PBS content.Henry David Thoreau Series TrailerPart 2 of the interview with Erik and Chris Ewers drops April 9 - covering PBS funding realities, AI and the industry, and how they landed Jeff Goldblum, George Clooney, Tate Donovan and Meryl Streep.Resources Mentioned:Henry David Thoreau (PBS, 2026) - available on PBS and PBS Documentaries on AmazonHiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness (PBS, 2022)Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1854)About The Deep Dive:This companion podcast airs on alternate weeks from the main Documentary First podcast. Every other week, Christian takes one idea from a recent conversation and explores it more deeply - examining what it means, why it matters, and what to do about it.Hear the full interview:Listen to Episode 274 of Documentary First for Christian’s complete conversation with Erik and Christopher Ewers about the Thoreau documentary, working with Ken Burns, and the brother dynamic behind the filmmaking.If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a review! For more in-depth discussions, early releases and extra content, support our Patreon: tinyurl.com/DocFirstPatreonListen & Follow:Apple Podcasts: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAppleSpotify: tinyurl.com/DocFirstSpotifyYouTube: tinyurl.com/DocFirstYouTubeAmazon Music: tinyurl.com/DocFirstAmazon