Shooting a Documentary

Tell a story you care about

Start with a subject that excites you. If you’re lukewarm about the subject matter, chances are, the final movie will be too. Make a documentary you’re passionate about and makes sense to you. There will be plenty of people who don’t “get” your idea. But if you get it, that’s what counts.

David Taylor’s story is something that I care about as it is a positive message to young people. It shows that no matter what you have done in the past, you can change your life and he is a positive role model.

Research

Learn everything you can about your documentary subject. Sometimes the story lines are obvious, sometimes not. Do a lot of digging and follow leads. This is where you put on your reporter hat. Gather facts and search for leads on interesting characters and story lines.

David Taylor is well known in Cardiff/Newport so I already knew a lot about him. But before filming we met up with him to plan out what we were going to discuss and include in the film.

Make a Plan

Create an outline. Think about how you’re going to tell your story. What’s the structure? The style? Is there existing footage or photos that help tell your story or will everything need to be shot brand new? Who is your primary character(s)? What are you core story points? What are the elements of your story that are compelling and/or make you “tingle” with intrigue? How can you create that intrigue for your audience? Is there some existing situation you can film or do you need to create the moment?

The main story of the film is about his life story, and how he overcame many troubles and found faith. Also the organisation he created Misfit Media – we wanted to promote this and help him get more attention as it is a good cause.

Create a Shot List

This is a list of the footage and interviews you’ll need to make your movie. Think of it as your list of “ingredients”. Depending on the complexity of your project, you may or may not need to create a budget.

Start Shooting

Are you making documentaries for the web, mobile devices, television, theater? Maybe a combination? Keep in mind how your movie will be viewed because that can dictate your shooting and storytelling style. (tiny details off in the distance will not be seen on an iPhone). Make sure when you’re shooting an event to capture a variety of angles including close-ups, medium shots and wide shots.

Write a Script

Once all of the footage is shot and you’ve gathered the various production elements, time to start organizing it into a script. Pinpoint the most compelling elements of your story and start crafting “mini-scenes” around those events. A script isn’t necessarily what’s spoken or a voice-over. A script describes what the audience is seeing and hearing.

Begin Editing

First you’ll need to choose your video editing computer and video editing software. Once you’re all set with equipment, you’ll start putting down your clips of footage one right after the other in a sequence. The art with editing is to create a “roller coaster” ride of emotion, some parts fast, some slow to create a dynamic viewing experience.