Ken Burns and Siddartha Mukherjee on adapting ‘Cancer’ from page to screen

At a time when documentaries are getting more attention from mainstream moviegoers, Ken Burns, the documentarian behind epics including “The Civil War,” “Baseball” and two dozen other films, says the best advice he can offer aspiring filmmakers may seem like platitudes.

“Do I have something to say; who am I? And the other thing is perseverance,” Burns told PBS NewsHour co-anchor Judy Woodruff. “There are many more talented filmmakers than there are available money or places to put it. So it requires a kind of humility, that it’s going to be tough.”

Burns was on the NewsHour set with Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee to talk about tonight’s debut of “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” on PBS.

The three-part documentary explores the history of cancer and cancer treatment, shining a light on the rapid progress being made in areas like immunotherapy that may lead to cures for more types of the disease. The film is based on Mukherjee’s 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.”

During a few extra minutes the two spent talking with Judy, Mukherjee talked about the role hope plays in treating cancer patients.

“It’s a negotiation act, in which you say: well what do you want to do next and how can we help you do that? It’s based on trust, you don’t suddenly pull hope out of your pocket like a magician,” Mukherjee said.

You can watch their full conversation with Judy about “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” on tonight’s broadcast.