Documentary Making from Start to Finish Andy Carvin www.andycarvin.com www.digitaldivide.net [email_address]

What is a Documentary? doc·u·MEN·ta·ry: A work, such as a film or television program, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner and often consisting of actual news films or interviews accompanied by narration. Or in simpler terms: A nonfiction story told through moving images and sound.

doc·u·MEN·ta·ry:

A work, such as a film or television program, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner and often consisting of actual news films or interviews accompanied by narration.

Or in simpler terms:

A nonfiction story told through moving images and sound.

Essential Elements Images: people, places, things, text, etc. Sound: narration, voices, music, sound effects, background sounds ("nats") Edits: The integration of images and sound

Images: people, places, things, text, etc.

Sound: narration, voices, music, sound effects, background sounds ("nats")

Edits: The integration of images and sound

Images+Sounds+Edits=Style You strike a balance based on what you wish to communicate: Fast edits and loud music to convey action Disjointed images and unusual pacing Straightforward editing for a journalistic feel

You strike a balance based on what you wish to communicate:

Fast edits and loud music to convey action

Disjointed images and unusual pacing

Straightforward editing for a journalistic feel

The Documentary Team Executive Producer Producer Researcher Writer Cameraperson Editor Talent

Executive Producer

Producer

Researcher

Writer

Cameraperson

Editor

Talent

Executive Producer The person who’s ultimately in charge Usually overseeing more than one production Responsible for setting goals, deadlines Has the power to delegate tasks ... In other words.... The Teacher is the Executive Producer!

The person who’s ultimately in charge

Usually overseeing more than one production

Responsible for setting goals, deadlines

Has the power to delegate tasks

... In other words....

The Teacher is the Executive Producer!

The Producer In charge of a specific production Keeps Exec Producer in the loop Plans production schedule, assigns tasks In charge of the overall vision of the project Keeps log of all footage shot on location Students share role of the producer

In charge of a specific production

Keeps Exec Producer in the loop

Plans production schedule, assigns tasks

In charge of the overall vision of the project

Keeps log of all footage shot on location

Students share role of the producer

Researcher Identifies potential interview subjects, characters Fact-checks and verifies all ideas included in the documentary; quality control Helps “fill in the blanks” by researching information about characters, topics, plot

Identifies potential interview subjects, characters

Fact-checks and verifies all ideas included in the documentary; quality control

Helps “fill in the blanks” by researching information about characters, topics, plot

Writer Creates storyboards Writes script Helps weave the story together

Creates storyboards

Writes script

Helps weave the story together

Cameraperson Scouts location with production team Shoots video

Scouts location with production team

Shoots video

Editor Does the technical work of editing documentary Works to insure that story is told in specified time length

Does the technical work of editing documentary

Works to insure that story is told in specified time length

Talent Interview subjects On-screen host Narrator Voiceover artists (reading/translating voices of characters)

Interview subjects

On-screen host

Narrator

Voiceover artists (reading/translating voices of characters)

The Team in a Classroom Context Students working in small groups Each student given the opportunity to learn each role (writer, editor, cameraperson, etc) Encouraging students to take roles in which they excel Organized into small teams (3-6 students)

Students working in small groups

Each student given the opportunity to learn each role (writer, editor, cameraperson, etc)

Encouraging students to take roles in which they excel

Organized into small teams (3-6 students)

The Three Stages of Documentary Making Pre-production: Planning the film Production: Shooting it Post-production: Putting it together

Pre-production: Planning the film

Production: Shooting it

Post-production: Putting it together

Pre-Production Team assignments "The Pitch" Story outlining/storyboarding Research Arranging interviews Scouting Locations Shot list

Team assignments

"The Pitch"

Story outlining/storyboarding

Research

Arranging interviews

Scouting Locations

Shot list

Team Assignments Breaking students into small groups Discussing the various tasks (writing, researching, editing, shooting, etc) Delegating responsibilities to individual students - or agreeing how responsibilities will be shared among the group Reviewing assignment deadlines Giving your team a production company name (AC Productions, etc)

Breaking students into small groups

Discussing the various tasks (writing, researching, editing, shooting, etc)

Delegating responsibilities to individual students - or agreeing how responsibilities will be shared among the group

Reviewing assignment deadlines

Giving your team a production company name (AC Productions, etc)

“The Pitch” Students have to pitch story ideas to teacher Encourage teams to brainstorm stories Present top three ideas to class Class discussion of story ideas Teams take best idea, summarize it in less than one page of text: what’s the story, why they’re doing it, and how they’ll do it

Students have to pitch story ideas to teacher

Encourage teams to brainstorm stories

Present top three ideas to class

Class discussion of story ideas

Teams take best idea, summarize it in less than one page of text: what’s the story, why they’re doing it, and how they’ll do it

Story Outlining/Storyboarding Mapping out the flow of the story using drawings and/or text Brainstorming what ideas will be conveyed where in the documentary’s timeline Identify major ideas/images to be conveyed Optional: planning style of particular shots Tools for storyboarding: Inspiration, Kidspiration, MS Word, pencil and paper

Mapping out the flow of the story using drawings and/or text

Brainstorming what ideas will be conveyed where in the documentary’s timeline

Identify major ideas/images to be conveyed

Optional: planning style of particular shots

Tools for storyboarding: Inspiration, Kidspiration, MS Word, pencil and paper

Storyboard example Here’s a typical storyboard template: a series of boxes for drawings and text. Online: www.chc.edu/grat708/blankstoryboard.html

Here’s a typical storyboard template: a series of boxes for drawings and text.

Online:

www.chc.edu/grat708/blankstoryboard.html

Research Investigating the topic Fact-checking Finding historical documents, photos, etc

Investigating the topic

Fact-checking

Finding historical documents, photos, etc

Arranging Interviews Identifying main characters Identifying “experts” Scheduling appointments Planning interview questions

Identifying main characters

Identifying “experts”

Scheduling appointments

Planning interview questions

Scouting Locations Deciding where you plan to shoot video Visiting sites ahead of time to get a sense of the space Planning the order in which you will shoot in different locations Identify what the best shots are in each location

Deciding where you plan to shoot video

Visiting sites ahead of time to get a sense of the space

Planning the order in which you will shoot in different locations

Identify what the best shots are in each location

Creating a Shot List A complete list of shots you want to get Images of particular people Contextual footage (“B-Roll”) Establishing shots Shot list often based on storyboards

A complete list of shots you want to get

Images of particular people

Contextual footage (“B-Roll”)

Establishing shots

Shot list often based on storyboards

Production Shooting Video Conducting Interviews Capturing Audio Collecting Still Images Keeping a Shot Log

Shooting Video

Conducting Interviews

Capturing Audio

Collecting Still Images

Keeping a Shot Log

Shooting Video Shooting primary footage (interviews, action) Establishing shots to provide location context Cutaways (peripheral footage for editing) B-Roll (footage that accompanies what’s being said by characters or narration) Always shoot more than you think you’ll need Safety shots - just in case! Make sure your batteries are charged!

Shooting primary footage (interviews, action)

Establishing shots to provide location context

Cutaways (peripheral footage for editing)

B-Roll (footage that accompanies what’s being said by characters or narration)

Always shoot more than you think you’ll need

Safety shots - just in case!

Make sure your batteries are charged!

Conducting Interviews Getting subject comfortable in front of camera Eye perspective Looking at camera or just off-camera, but not both in the same interview off-camera is more common Avoid too many people behind the camera Have subject repeat question as statement Q: When did you start the band? A: We started the band back in 2003...

Getting subject comfortable in front of camera

Eye perspective

Looking at camera or just off-camera, but not both in the same interview

off-camera is more common

Avoid too many people behind the camera

Have subject repeat question as statement

Q: When did you start the band?

A: We started the band back in 2003...

Capturing Audio In a professional shoot, an audio engineer would record a continuous audio track Not necessary for classroom purposes Compromises: Bring two cameras, one always rolling, capturing continuous audio Bring handheld audio recorder Continuous audio important for music footage

In a professional shoot, an audio engineer would record a continuous audio track

Not necessary for classroom purposes

Compromises:

Bring two cameras, one always rolling, capturing continuous audio

Bring handheld audio recorder

Continuous audio important for music footage

Collecting Still Images Photos very useful when video footage isn’t available Public library photo archives good resource Scan photos at very high resolution Higher quality Allows you to zoom in on parts of the photo Example: The Atlantic City Boardwalk

Photos very useful when video footage isn’t available

Public library photo archives good resource

Scan photos at very high resolution

Higher quality

Allows you to zoom in on parts of the photo

Example: The Atlantic City Boardwalk

Keeping a Shot Log A notebook of all footage captured on video What you shot When you shot it What tape it’s on This means you need to label your tapes!

A notebook of all footage captured on video

What you shot

When you shot it

What tape it’s on

This means you need to label your tapes!

Post Production Transcribing interviews Annotating shot log Uploading footage Story planning Script writing Editing

Transcribing interviews

Annotating shot log

Uploading footage

Story planning

Script writing

Editing

Transcribing Interviews Identifying useful quotes Noting location of quotes on each tape Transcribing saves time in the long run! Example: Tape 3, Sam Sheridan Interview 15:13: “Sure, it’s a dangerous sport, but so is football or hockey....” **** 16:04: “I’m a little worried, but not too worried.”

Identifying useful quotes

Noting location of quotes on each tape

Transcribing saves time in the long run!

Example:

Tape 3, Sam Sheridan Interview

15:13: “Sure, it’s a dangerous sport, but so is football or hockey....” ****

16:04: “I’m a little worried, but not too worried.”

Annotating Shot Log Similar to transcribing interviews, but focuses on summarizes where images are located. Adding more detail to your shot log, now that you’ve had time to review it. Example: Tape 13 Flea Market Footage 21:03: Establishing shot of comic book stand 21:44: Close-up of customer, looking down, reviewing comic book 21:58: ECU of customer’s hands, counting money

Similar to transcribing interviews, but focuses on summarizes where images are located.

Adding more detail to your shot log, now that you’ve had time to review it. Example:

Tape 13 Flea Market Footage

21:03: Establishing shot of comic book stand

21:44: Close-up of customer, looking down, reviewing comic book

21:58: ECU of customer’s hands, counting money

Uploading Footage Upload all the video clips you may use Be sure to give each clip “padding” - several seconds before and after meat of the clip Organize clips in bins either by tape or subject Name clips by time stamp and subject: Tape 3, 16:04 Sam: “I’m a little worried” = 031604SamWorried.mov

Upload all the video clips you may use

Be sure to give each clip “padding” - several seconds before and after meat of the clip

Organize clips in bins either by tape or subject

Name clips by time stamp and subject:

Tape 3, 16:04 Sam: “I’m a little worried” =

031604SamWorried.mov

Story Planning Outline of the entire script “ 3x5” planning: writing best quotes, main story sections on 3x5 cards to experiment with story order; Inspiration/Kidspiration useful as well Identifying best footage, matching them with story sections/quotes, putting them in order

Outline of the entire script

“ 3x5” planning: writing best quotes, main story sections on 3x5 cards to experiment with story order; Inspiration/Kidspiration useful as well

Identifying best footage, matching them with story sections/quotes, putting them in order

Script Writing Done in conjunction with story planning Script should weave together story elements, quotes, matched with appropriate images Judge the script by how it sounds read aloud, not how it reads on paper Basic script for narrator: narration/quotes Three-columned script for everyone else: Time Code Video Narration/Interview Quotes

Done in conjunction with story planning

Script should weave together story elements, quotes, matched with appropriate images

Judge the script by how it sounds read aloud,

not how it reads on paper

Basic script for narrator: narration/quotes

Three-columned script for everyone else:

Time Code

Video

Narration/Interview Quotes

Editing Recording narration - do lots of takes! Rough cut - putting clips in order, no F/X Team, teacher, class review rough cut Corrections based on group input; another review Polishing: adding dissolves, graphics, etc Final cut: documentary is complete In real world, review/corrections process repeated again and again and again!

Recording narration - do lots of takes!

Rough cut - putting clips in order, no F/X

Team, teacher, class review rough cut

Corrections based on group input; another review

Polishing: adding dissolves, graphics, etc

Final cut: documentary is complete

In real world, review/corrections process

repeated again and again and again!

Questions to consider How much time each week/month will be dedicated to production? Will production take place throughout the year? Should students work on one project all year or produce multiple projects?

How much time each week/month will be dedicated to production?

Will production take place throughout the year?

Should students work on one project all year or produce multiple projects?

Don’t Forget Copyright Videos shown publicly/online must honor copyright Red flags: TV video clips and music Using someone’s music w/o permission can get school in trouble; get permission from publisher! Creative Commons (CC): http:// search.creativecommons.org Magnatune.com : Free music for nonprofit projects using noncomercial/attribute/sharealike CC license License low-cost music: http:// www.productiontrax.com GarageBand Use original student music - they own the copyright! Always cite copyright holders in credits

Videos shown publicly/online must honor copyright

Red flags: TV video clips and music

Using someone’s music w/o permission can get school in trouble; get permission from publisher!

Creative Commons (CC): http:// search.creativecommons.org

Magnatune.com : Free music for nonprofit projects using noncomercial/attribute/sharealike CC license

License low-cost music: http:// www.productiontrax.com

GarageBand

Use original student music - they own the copyright!

Always cite copyright holders in credits

A New Twist: Video Blogging Create a school blog for premiering videos Upload videos to the blog Mentoring opportunity - Get experienced filmmakers and video bloggers to critique students’ work Cutting edge: only a handful of educational video blogs in the world today Would have to conform with school AUP

Create a school blog for premiering videos

Upload videos to the blog

Mentoring opportunity - Get experienced filmmakers and video bloggers to critique students’ work

Cutting edge: only a handful of educational video blogs in the world today

Would have to conform with school AUP

Thank You! Andy Carvin [email_address] www.digitaldivide.net www.andycarvin.com

Thank You!

Andy Carvin

[email_address]

www.digitaldivide.net

www.andycarvin.com