Rustin Thompson is a writer and filmmaker who has made six feature length documentaries, beginning with 30 Frames A Second: The WTO in Seattle (2000), which won several Best Documentary awards and was named one of the Top Ten films of the year by the American Library Association. He is a former CBS News cameraman and national Emmy award winner who, along with his wife and filmmaking partner Ann Hedreen, own White Noise Productions, where they've made more than 150 short documentaries for non-profits. Thompson is also host of the popular Americana radio program Road Songs on KBCS.FM and is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Washington. He lives in Seattle.

"Smart, to the point, and full of important info. It will be helpful for all kinds of filmmakers - those starting out or those wanting to change their practice. A great book." --Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director, Women Make Movies

"A passionate appeal for a return to a more intimate approach to documentary filmmaking, free of large crews and lengthy fundraising schedules. In an engaging and lively style, it teaches you how to master all the roles that are necessary to make a great documentary and remain true to your creative vision. Recommended for those new to the field and experienced filmmakers who want inspiration to keep making films!" --Julia Haslett, Assistant Professor of Documentary Film, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

"A powerful and in-depth exploration of intimate, minimal crew documentary filmmaking. Smartly written, incorporating excellent illustrations of the best practices, Get Close drills into the art and aesthetics of non-fiction storytelling and is a must for teaching this curriculum. I look forward to using it." --Jane Winslow, Co-director, Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, Associate Professor of Broadcast Production, SUNY Oswego

"A well-written, accessible, and much-needed guide to making documentaries without big budgets or big crews. Thompson, a television news cameraman who became a documentary filmmaker, shows how to capture experiences with a lean team of only one or two members." --B.J. Bullert, Professor, Core Faculty at Antioch University, and author of Public Television: Politics and the Battle over Documentary Film