1. +
The
Documentary:
a basic
overview
by ITF Jenny Kijowski
profkijowski@gmail.com
http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/jkijowski/
http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/brooklynitfs/
2. +
documentary
Fact-based film that depicts actual events and persons.
Documentaries can deal with scientific or educational topics,
can be a form of journalism or social commentary, or can be a
conduit of propaganda or personal experience.(from the Concise Dictionary
at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/documentary)
3. +
The 3 Stages
1) Pre-production: planning your film
2) Production: shooting your footage
3) Post-production: putting it all together
4. +
Pre-production:
the vision
What story do you want to tell?
Do some research to hone in on the particular angle you want to take.
Fact check, find historical documents, download images for use in your
film (remember to document your citations!)
Watch some documentaries—get inspired!
Feed Me a Story by local filmmaker Teresa Loong
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea by Ken Burns (extended
preview on PBS)
Raising Adam Lanza by PBS’ Frontline series
What are your limitations and constraints?
Do you have the resources you need?
You can rent equipment from Macaulay:
http://macaulay.cuny.edu/community/doit/av-request-form/
5. +
Pre-production:
who, what, where, when & how
Who are the main players?
Set up interviews and get permissions
Have your questions ready and practice them on people.
What are the critical shots?
Where are the main places?
Scout your location(s) if possible.
When are you going to get it done?
What are your time constraints? Make a schedule.
How are you going to get it done?
Assign group members to particular tasks, such as director, primary
videographer, interviewer, project manager, etc.
6. +
Pre-production: Create a Storyboard
brainstorm ideas, map out the flow of your story
Image from https://coursework.stanford.edu/access/content/group/Multimedia/storyboards/kenneth_chan_storyboard001.png
7. +
Production
and…action!
Shooting video
Take more footage than you think you will need
Don’t forget the value of “establishing shots” to situate your viewer
What details might be useful?
Conducting interviews
Have your prepared questions, but don’t be afraid to ad lib
Try to conduct your interviews in quiet places with natural lighting
Go for consistency
Taking photographs
Still images can add dimension and texture
Be mindful of production value
Unless skillfully used, footage taken in poorly lit, noisy or busy environments can
detract from, rather than add to, your documentary
8. +
Post-production:
revisit your initial vision
Review/revise your storyboard
Does your footage conform to the story you initially set out to tell, or
is there a different story that emerges?
Please be respectful of other people’s stories.
Does your footage have a focus?
Considerations of audience
Who is your intended audience? Who else might see it?
How will your film be interpreted?
What are the limitations on your control over reception?
9. +
Post-production:
the rough cut
Edit your footage in iMovie
Use your storyboard as a guide
Identify the most relevant clips and quotes
Edit your footage down to your desired time limit
Don’t use effects yet
Focus focus focus!
10. +
Post-production:
the final cut
Audio
Write and record your voiceover script(s)
add music & sound effects
Ensure that your audio levels are equalized throughout the film
Visual
Use transitions to help ensure smooth flow between clips &/or images
Add captions/text where necessary or desired
Avoid overusing special effects
Advanced iMovie tutorial
http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/alterman13/2013/03/31/advanced-
imovie-presentation/
11. +
Additional Tips
Transcribe your interviews
Make the text available for download
Don’t create your film in a bubble
Have an outside set of eyes to critique your documentary
Copyright
Everything belongs to somebody. There are rules to using music, images and
videos you find online. See my tips for preventing copyright infringement at
http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/jkijowski/resources/using-music-images-
videos/.
Citations
Professor Alterman has stated that all factual material must be fully sourced in
footnote form, according to either Chicago Manual of Style or the Modern
Language Association (MLA) guidelines.