Civic Life Project - What is a Documentary

1. What Is A Documentary?
"Documentaries bring viewers into new worlds and
experiences through the presentation of factual
information about real people, places, and events.”
Sheila Curran Bernard, Documentary Storytelling

2. A Documentary Has
• Factual Information
• Real People
• Real Places

3. A Documentary Has:
• Factual Information
– Not distorted
– Not one-sided
• Daniel Patrick Moynihan – “Everyone is entitled to his
own opinion, but not to his own facts.”

4. A Documentary Has:
• Factual Information
– Not distorted
– Not one-sided
• Real People
– Actors - sometimes such as in Civil War films
– Recreations – sometimes in crime reports

5. A Documentary Has:
• Factual Information
– Not distorted
– Not one-sided
• Real People
– Actors - sometimes such as in Civil War films
– Recreations – sometimes in crime reports
• Real Places
– Maps
– Graphics

6. Essential Elements
• The Open
– Grabs Your Attention
– Sets up the subject matter
– Draws in the viewer

7. How To Do That
• Emotion
• Shock
• Interesting Video
• Interesting Information

8. Emotion

9. Shock

10. Interesting Video

11. Interesting Information

12. The Documentary
• Set Up
• Body
• Conclusion

13. The Documentary
• The Set Up
– Tell them what you are going to tell them
– Brief outline of the subject
– Make the audience want to watch

14. The Documentary
• The Body
– Tell them what you are telling them
• Voice Over narration
• Video that shows the subject matter – B-roll
– Sometimes voice over
– Sometimes full sound
• Interviews that add information, impact or emotion
• Graphics that enhance the viewer’s understanding

15. The Documentary
• The Conclusion
– Tell them what you just told them
• Summary of important elements
– Use different graphics
– Additional information
– Opinion of the producer
• The viewer has the information to understand the
subject
• Now the producer can present a point of view

16. The Close
• Title
– Music Full Sound
• Credits
• Fade to black

17. How To Get There From Here!
• Find a subject
– Something you are:
• Want to know more about
• Angry about
• Confused about
– Something related to a constitutional issue
• Free speech, Freedom of Religion, Free Press
• Interstate commerce
• Taxation, Gun control, Criminal prosecution

18. How To Get There From Here!
• Do some research
– Get the basic information
– Find potential interviews
– Locate places for B-roll video

19. How To Get There From Here!
• Write a treatment
– A basic outline
– Explains the subject
– Tells why we should care
– Shows how you will get it done

20. How To Get There From Here!
• Line up and shoot interviews
– First prepare questions
– Listen to responses and follow-up
– Take notes

21. How To Get There From Here!
• Shoot B-roll video
– Match video to elements of interviews
– Use video to show subject matter
– Video is essential to cover voiceover narration

22. How To Get There From Here!
• Produce a Rundown
– An outline of the documentary
– Lets everyone know the order and flow
– Organizes elements for everyone working on the
video

23. How To Get There From Here!
• Create Graphics
– Help explain subject
– Reinforce visually the narration

24. How To Get There From Here!
• Write the voiceovers
– Provides the basic information
– Short declarative sentences
– Keep them tight and to the point
– Remember to coordinate with the video

25. How To Get There From Here!
• Edit the elements
– B-roll edited to match the narration or vice-versa
– Interviews edited for proper effect
• For emotional impact
• For credibility
– Cut for proper length

26. How To Get There From Here!
• Assemble the documentary
– Pull all the elements together in a cohesive piece
– Trim videos or re-cut when necessary
– Rewrite and record voiceovers where necessary