DOCUMENTARY WORKSHOP

Centre for humanities

Shwet kamal
INTRODUCTION

A documentary is a broad term to describe a non-fiction movie that in

some way "documents" or captures reality.
Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual, interesting or
unknown angle
Why they are making documentary?
Documentary filmmakers are often motivated to make their films
because they feel a particular story or viewpoint is not being
(adequately) covered by mainstream media.
WHAT IS DOCUMENTARY
 Documentaries can be funny, poignant,
disturbing, ironic, absurd, inspirational, amusing,
shocking or any combination.
 It is a genre of movie making that uses video &
film scenes, photographs and/or sound of real
people and real events which when edited
together creates a particular story, viewpoint,
message or experience.
DEFINITION
  
 "Documentaries bring viewers into new worlds and
experiences through the presentation of factual information
about real people, places, and events, generally -- but not
always -- portrayed through the use of actual images and
artifacts. But factuality alone does not define documentary
films; it's what the filmmaker does with those factual elements,
weaving them into an overall narrative that strives to be as
compelling as it is truthful and is often greater than the sum of
its parts."
 --Sheila Curran Bernard,
TYPES OF DOCUMENTARY
 Poetic documentary
They focus on experiences, images, and showing
the audience the world through different eyes.
Abstract and loose with narrative, the poetic sub-
genre can be very unconventional and experimental
in form and content. The ultimate goal is to create a
feeling rather than a truth
EXPOSITORY DOCUMENTARY

 Expository documentaries set up a specific point

of view or argument about a subject and a
narrator often speaks directly to the viewer,
emphasizing the relationship between the images
presented on-screen and offering verbal
commentary.
OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY

 Observation documentary is a type of

documentary focused on non-interrupted
observation of real-life people and events. The
filmmaker follows real-life events and people
around without disturbing them. It is sometimes
called Cinéma vérité, meaning "truthful cinema"
or a fly-on-the-wall cinema.
PARTICIPATORY DOCUMENTARY

 It is a form of film production that directly

involves people and communities in a
collaborative and inclusive filmmaking process.
Here the process is of producing the film
provides a platform which brings people together
to explore issues, voice concerns, listen to and
tell stories.
REFLEXIVE DOCUMENTARY

 The reflexive documentary mode focuses on the

relationship between the filmmaker and the
audience, pushing viewers to reflect on their
perceptions and re-analyze their notions of truth.
PERFORMATIVE DOCUMENTARY

 Performative documentary films focus on the

filmmakers' involvement with his or her subject,
using his or her personal experience or
relationship with the subject as a jumping-off
point for exploring larger, subjective truths about
politics, history, or groups of people
10 STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE A
DOCUMENTARY
1. CONCEPTUALIZE YOUR TOPIC AND FIND THE STORY

1. Conceptualize Your Topic and Find the Story

Think of a subject or topic that you really care about.
Chances are, you already have a concept that also
encouraged you to make documentaries.
 Your documentary’s purpose

 Your target audience

 Where the documentary will be shown (web,

broadcast, or cinema)
 Filming location

 How big/popular you want the film to be

 Do Some Research
Now that you have chosen the subject of your documentary,
learn everything that you can about it. Unlike regular
cinematic films, documentaries need to be based in truth.
There are probably hundreds of other documentaries that
explore the same subject, so you’ll need to find a different
angle, gather new facts, and search for interesting characters
and possible storylines. Don’t forget to
 Take notes during your research

 Ensure accuracy

 Conduct initial interviews

 Check out similar documentaries

 Go for an interesting, emotional, and/or inspiring angle

 Include key points that will resonate with your audience

2. SELECT ESSENTIAL CAMERA EQUIPMENT
FOR MAKING DOCUMENTARY

Before you can start working on your documentary,

you’ll need to assemble your camera equipment.
Your kit can get as complex as you’d like, but the
most important equipment includes the following
items
 Camera

 Microphone(s)
 Tripod with video head or gimbal
3.PLAN THE PRODUCTION AND STORY STRUCTURE

 This is the part where you can create a more detailed plan for
shooting your documentary
 With all the necessary information at hand, think about how
you’re going to present your story
 Depending on the direction of your story, you may have to
shoot all-original footage and create moments or include
existing footage and other materials that can help you tell your
story
 . Determine your core story points, compelling elements in
your story, primary characters, storytelling structure, and
general storyline.
4. CREATE A BUDGET
 This step may not seem important for small, one-man crew documentaries, but
creating an overall budget allows the documentary filmmaker to determine just
how far they can go to improve their output without going overboard
 Equipment and studio costs
 Liability insurance
 Production crew
 Copyright fees
 Location permits
 Props
 Catering
 Post-production editing
 Marketing expenses
 Distribution costs
 This can also be the perfect time to look for sponsorships and plan fundraising
activities if you wish to increase your budget.
5. MAKE A SHOT LIST

 There’s no need to write the script for your

narrative at this stage of the filmmaking process.
Should you choose to add voice-overs to make
viewing more intimate for your viewers, it’s
important that you wait until after the final
product has been approved so you don’t limit the
filming of your documentary to a predetermined
narrative.
6. SECURE LEGAL AND COPYRIGHT PERMITS
 Before you start shooting and using existing
material, don’t forget to follow the legal
guidelines set for documentary filmmaking
 This includes obtaining rights for the use of
footage, music, and other materials that are
bound under strict copyright laws.
 As much as possible, use your own music to
avoid having to spend time, effort, and money—
unless there’s a very important reason why you
have to use somebody else’s.
7. SCHEDULE THE SHOOT
 With so many factors involved in the process of
documentary filmmaking, you’ll need to make plans that will
help eliminate unexpected problems that can delay your
production and affect your set budget
 Here are some things to consider when scheduling the shoot:
 Arrangement of travel plans for on-location shoots
 Call times and assignments for production crew
 Scheduling of interviews with respondents
 Obtaining permission to film existing materials and
documents
 Coming up with back-up plans
 Filmmaking and editing timeline
8. START SHOOTING

 When deciding on the filmmaking equipment to

use for your documentary, consider how you
want your film to be viewed
 . Capture everything that you need to feature,
including existing materials (like important
pieces of evidence) and some real-world footage
(like people in their daily lives) to strengthen
your documentary.
9. EDIT YOUR VIDEO
 Once you’ve gathered all of the necessary audio, video,
and other digital material that you need for creating
your documentary, it’s time to start editing your video.
 Using your computer and video editing software, you
can start importing your clips in a sequence.
 The first obvious step is to arrange your captured videos
chronologically according to your proposed
documentary timeline.
 If you’re doing the editing yourself, consider doing it
like the pros do: mix it up with fast and slow parts to
create a more exciting and dynamic viewing experience.
 Once all of your footage has been laid out, clip
and trim your videos as needed.
 Eliminate any unnecessary footage that can
bore your audience and does nothing to
contribute to your original idea
 Polish the final video by ensuring that your
scene sequences are in the right order and
adding effects to keep transitions smooth.
10. SHARE YOUR DOCUMENTARY

 After the long hours of planning, filming, and editing,

it’s finally time to show off the amazing result of your
hard work and creativity
 The next good problem that you will have to face is the
choice of where you will be showcasing your work. If
your final output is fairly high in quality, you’ll have
more options, but it may also depend on your budget.
 You can start by doing a free screening for your closest
friends and family. Get their reactions and have those
with a wide social reach write online reviews for your
documentary.
 You can then start marketing your film for free on
YouTube and social media sites, with old-fashioned
print ads, and via word-of-mouth. It may also help to
create a trailer that will add intrigue to your film
without giving too much of it away.
 If you really think your film deserves to be marketed
further, based on positive initial reactions and
reviews, you can hire a professional distributor to
help bring your film to a much larger audience
 You can also consult local TV stations and other film
distribution outlets for possible tie-ups and referrals.
ELEMENTS OF A DOCUMENTARY
 Successful documentaries generally feature five
key elements. Each element represents an
important storytelling tool, leading your audience
to understand and relate to your subject matter.
By using a combined approach, your
documentary will feel rich and varied while
providing plenty of information
THE FIVE ELEMENTS
 Interviews: Direct interviews with experts
provide important information and context for the
subject matter.
 Cutaways: This footage will serve as stationary
footage, or B-roll, for helping to create mood and
give more insight about locations and subjects.
 Archival Footage: Connect subjects in the past
to the present with archival images and footage.
 Cinema Verite: Live action footage relating to
your subject matter will provide additional
context, letting the audience watch the concepts
of the documentary play out in real time.
 Process Footage: Behind the scenes content will
often result in interesting educational experiences
as the audience learns along with the filmmakers.