3 Documentaries to Watch Right Now

I love watching documentaries and reading biographies about artists because I always get a couple of nuggets of inspiration. That’s why I originally started doing the podcast Improv Nerd so I could learn from other successful improvisers.

This summer I watched a lot of documentaries, and here are three that I wanted to share with you that I thought you would like as much as I did. 

1. Steve! (Martin) A documentary in 2 Pieces
   Streaming now on Apple TVThis Emmy-nominated film is broken up in two parts. The first part focuses on the meteoric rise of Steve Martin as the first rock star of stand-up comedy. At the height of his success, he was selling out stadiums before he abruptly quit.
   
   Martin is an artist who has followed his muse his whole career, and it's fascinating to see the risks he took to become so popular as a stand-up, and to see that if you are original, you will need patience for people to catch on to what you are doing.
   
   The second part of the documentary is about how Martin lives his life today. The second part is shot in a different style, and you get a sense that he is happier than he has ever been. I found him to be self-reflective, wise, and happy, which is slightly different than Martin was in the ’70s.
   
   What I liked: I learned a lot from both parts. The first part was like a master class in stand-up comedy. It shows the risks he took, how he committed to his own vision, and the time it took to find his voice. In the second part, he shares the wisdom he learned along the way about comedy and life, much like your favorite philosophy teacher.
   
2. 20 Feet From Stardom
   Streaming now on Roku or Amazon Prime
   
   The 2013 documentary 20 Feet From Stardom is a beautiful piece of filmmaking with a story that is both inspiring and heartbreaking. And the music is so incredible that it won a Grammy.
   
   In this documentary, we meet some backup singers from some of the biggest hits in popular music. We get a glimpse into their lives and hear from people like Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger and Sting about how much admiration and respect they have for them.
   
   What I liked: I loved realizing that a hit song is a team effort. To hear Bruce and Mick give the back-up singers so much credit for their contribution makes me appreciate them even more. And I loved realizing that for these back-up singers, the music was more important than their individual fame. When people get caught up in the pursuit of fame and start thinking that they should be "going out on their own," they can forget about their art, and it can suffer. For me, this is a good reminder.
   
3. Jim Henson Idea Man
   Streaming now on Disney+
   
   For some people in comedy world, "The Muppet Show" was a big influence, and this documentary is about Jim Henson, the creator behind both "The Muppet Show" and The Muppets in general. This film, directed by Oscar-winner Ron Howard, chronicles the life of this innovator, both his artistic and personal successes and failures and the perseverance and vision it took to get "The Muppet Show" made.
   
   What I liked: Howard does a great job of showing us Henson’s personal life as well as his artistic life, so we get a sense of Henson as a whole person. Though Henson gets credit for The Muppets, he assembled a brilliant team that contributed to their success. I also loved learning that any successful artist has failures along the way. And you can't succeed on one person’s ability alone. It’s all about teamwork, baby.
   
   Want to get a boost to your improv? Don't miss Jimmy's next Advanced Virtual Class starting Monday, Sept. 9!