Join us as we delve into the unique journeys of Emmy-nominated documentarians, exploring their early influences and the transformative power of streaming in the industry.
TV Documentary and Nonfiction Roundtable Insights
What do a bowling trophy, a summer camp rifle contest, and an elementary school spelling bee have in common? They’re the humble beginnings of some of this year’s Emmy-nominated nonfiction storytellers.
Mike Sweeney (Conan O’Brien Must Go), Chris Smith (100 Foot Wave), Joseph Patel (Sly Lives!), Morgan Neville (SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night), and Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper) came together for Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts roundtable, offering their insights into documentary and nonfiction television. Watch the full group panel above, or click on each name to view their individual interviews.
Early Wins and Quirky Beginnings
Before earning Emmy nominations and walking red carpets, these creatives collected unexpected (and often hilarious) first trophies — proving everyone starts somewhere.
For Sweeney, it was a “Most Improved Bowler” trophy earned in eighth grade. “I really had things going on in eighth grade,” he jokes, though he admits he hasn’t bowled in over 40 years — and if he does, gutter guards are nonnegotiable.
Neville won a .22 rifle target-shooting contest at summer camp, an achievement he recalls with an amused nod to the era: “This is what kids used to do in the ’70s. They’d give us guns.”
Patel’s first accolade? A certificate for being a fourth-grade “Math Champion,” a feat that thrilled his South Asian mother. Smith, meanwhile, recalls winning a Rubik’s Cube contest in Lansing, Michigan, though he confesses he could only solve three sides. “I have a newspaper article somewhere,” he swears.
Greenbaum emerged victorious in a school-wide spelling bee as a second grader. Competing against older students, he remembers nervously rubbing his back for comfort the entire time, saying, “It got me through.”
Inspirations that Sparked a Flame
When asked about documentaries that inspired them, the nominees highlighted a range of formative influences.
Greenbaum points to the importance of structure in nonfiction filmmaking. “I used to approach documentaries by asking, ‘What’s an interesting world?’ — but I’ve learned to also ask, ‘What’s the story?’” He cites The King of Kong and Neville’s Best of Enemies as key influences.
Neville highlights landmark docs like Hearts and Minds, Sherman’s March, and When We Were Kings. He also gives credit to Smith’s American Movie for showing that documentary filmmaking could be both creative and viable.
Smith remembers watching Michael Moore’s Roger & Me and Errol Morris’ The Thin Blue Line, which he saw as defining the genre during his youth in Michigan, before adding, “Then I saw Hoop Dreams, which kind of just blew me away.”
Patel, whose work often intersects with music, praises Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, saying, “I’m still floored by that documentary and how these very famous musicians allowed themselves to be so vulnerable on camera.”
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For Sweeney, the inspiration came from comedy, not traditional nonfiction. “I always loved Saturday Night Live sketches, Second City Television, and well-done parodies,” he explains, adding that his work with Conan O’Brien felt like a natural extension of blending humor and storytelling.
The Power of Streaming
The streaming boom has transformed the reach and accessibility of documentaries, a development all panelists acknowledge with enthusiasm — and a dose of realism.
Neville credits streaming platforms with elevating documentaries to the mainstream. “Streaming has put documentaries on the same shelf as every other type of film,” he says, though he acknowledges that the algorithm-driven world often favors broad-appeal projects. “It’s harder for niche films to break through — and I love niche projects!”
For Greenbaum, streaming’s accessibility is transformative. “I know people who wouldn’t go to a theater to see a trans project,” he says. “In a small rural town, they might not want to be seen there — but at home on Netflix, they can put it on.”
Smith marvels at the larger audiences streaming platforms bring. “I did independent films for 20 years and had five at Sundance. You could almost count how many people saw them on two hands,” he says. “It’s undeniable that streaming gives people more opportunities to see your work.”
Patel recalls the challenges of adapting to the streaming era. “We were told, ‘If you don’t hook the viewer in 30 seconds, they’re going to turn it off,’” he says. “I thought that was absurd — until they showed us the numbers at a test screening. Then I was like, ‘OK, I get it.’”
For Sweeney, moving from network television to HBO Max has been a welcome change. “We don’t get notes,” he says. “We’re left alone. They get it, they’re helpful — HBO has been great.”
The Emmys for documentary and nonfiction programs will be handed out during the second night of the Creative Arts ceremonies on Sept. 7.
This article and video are sponsored content by Disney/Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, and Peacock.
