Ken Burns
Florentine Films
Walpole, New Hampshire USA
"We cannot proscribe any kind of thing for the other. We can only wish that the conditions are such that they are able to do what their heart wants to do."
Career Roadmap
Ken's work combines: Film, Television, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I can't tell you how to become a filmmaker because each person's path is their own. I do advise periodically evaluating yourself to determine if filmmaking is what inly rejoices. It takes a courage to realize and admit that you don't have something to say and filmmaking isn't for you. Make sure you put effort into self-evaluation so you don't waste your life on a dream that isn't really yours. Whatever you're doing, you'll know you're making a right step if you feel a spark of authenticity.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
Hampshire College
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
My mom died of cancer when I was 11 years old—after her death, my father was very strict on my brother and me, but he would forgive our strict curfews if we were watching a movie.
2.
At 12 years old, I decided I wanted to become a filmmaker after seeing my father feel free to cry and release his emotions while watching a movie.
3.
I initially wanted to be a Hollywood filmmaker, but was redirected toward documentaries in college because most of my professors were documentarians.
4.
I had always been interested in American history—I realized I could merge my two passions in filmmaking and history, and make a career out of it.
5.
When working on my first film about the Brooklyn Bridge, my landlord was raising my rent and I thought I’d have to get a “real job”...but I realized that then I wouldn’t be able to achieve my dreams.
6.
I moved to rural New Hampshire to get away from the corporate model of filmmaking and learn how to edit without that financial worry.
7.
My first film was nominated for an Academy Award for best feature documentary—people assumed I’d move back to New York but I decided to stay in New Hampshire and go against the grain.
8.
I’ve since created a variety of documentaries on U.S. history subjects, including the Civil War, the Roosevelts, and baseball—my work has earned two Academy Award nominations and multiple Emmy Awards.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
We won't support your film. You're too young to be a filmmaker.
How I responded:
I got hundreds of rejection letters when I was making my first film about the Brooklyn Bridge. I looked very young at the time and people saw me as a child trying to sell a film. I persevered and my film was eventually nominated for an academy award. I kept all of the rejection letters as a reminder that you can outlast the naysayers.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My mother died of cancer when I was 11 years old. It was like a grenade had blown up in our emotional lives. But it also triggered circumstances for me to find my true passion. Tragedy can provide the catalyst and courage to go forward and do things.
While creating my first film, I was living in New York and thought I'd have to leave my dreams and get a better paying job. Instead, I moved to rural New Hampshire to live on nothing and finish the film. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.