Basic Documentary Genres Outline

Introduction to Documentary

What is a documentary ?

What is a documentary ? “ Get two documentarians together, and the chances are high that they will argue about what documentary is . Even though documentary has evolved continuously from its inception, its purview and methods remain ambiguous , and its parameters keep enlarging . Uncontested, however, is what remains central to documentary’s spirit – the notion that documentaries explore the mysteries of actual people in actual situations .” – Michael Rabinger “Directing The Documentary”

What does a documentary do?
Preserve
Persuade
Analyze
Express
Discuss
Explore
Intervene
Enlighten

Documentary’s “Contract”
Agreement between filmmaker and
Audience
Do one’s best to tell the ‘truth’
Authenticity, Truth claim
“ None of this is made up”
It’s okay to have an opinion

Documentary Modes * Consider how each of these modes/ examples are in dialogue with this contract

Documentary Modes EXPOSITORY Frank Lloyd Wright (1998, Ken Burns)

Documentary Modes EXPOSITORY Frank Lloyd Wright (1998, Ken Burns) - “Voice of God” narration - direct presentation of facts - can include all kinds of “evidence”

Documentary Modes OBSERVATIONAL Hoop Dreams (1994)

Documentary Modes OBSERVATIONAL Hoop Dreams (1994) -minimal (or no) narration -long takes, real-time, synch-sound -present tense - never (or almost never) see or hear the filmmakers

Documentary Modes INTERACTIVE Roger and Me (1989, Michael Moore)

Documentary Modes INTERACTIVE Roger and Me (1989, Michael Moore) -filmmaker is present on screen -filmmaker makes the action happen

Documentary Modes ESSAYISTIC History and Memory (1998, Rea Tajiri)

Documentary Modes ESSAYISTIC History and Memory (1998, Rea Tajiri) -uses “first person” address: “I” -tells personal stories from a personal viewpoint -does not try to be “objective”

Documentary Modes EXPERIMENTAL Tarnation (2003, Jonathan Caouette)

Documentary Modes EXPERIMENTAL Tarnation (2003, Jonathan Caouette) -obeys the documentary contract -otherwise, anything goes

When watching documentaries, remember…
Everything in a documentary is intentional
Who/what/when/where/why/how are all decided by filmmaker: camera movements, framing, editing, music, etc
What are possible biases?
Relationship between filmmaker and subject
What’s the claim to truth/ authenticity?
Relationship between documentary and reality
Is subject being represented in a way that won’t harm his/her integrity?

Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking
Working with the community
Collaboration
Interview Release Forms

Modes of Representation How do documentaries present ideas?
Combo of visual and audio components
Voice- over narration
Interviews
Related Media
Original video (primary footage, b-roll
Original images (still photos, graphics, charts, maps, etc)
Archival film/ video
Archival images (still photos, graphics, charts, maps)
Dramatizations
Text
SOUND (music, effects, background - room noise)

Production Phases: Your Workflow
Pre-Production
Research, treatment, write script, storyboard/shot lists, gather photos, set up interviews
Production
Conduct interviews, record primary/b-roll footage, record voice-over narration (if necessary), edit script
Post-Production
Edit script, video editing, music, sound effects

Pre-Production: Production Schedule
Get in your groups and decide your topic
Assign roles to each member according to the syllabus timeline
Work to create treatment/script
Schedule times for production

Pre-Production: the Treatment
Outline what you hope to create as a film (be specific)
Introduction of your topic (with a hook!)
Specific information that explains the events/issues
Conclusion
Layout your production plan (use the Production Schedule Worksheets!)
What components are going to provide specific information. (Who? When? Where?)

Production
Get to it!
Record interviews
Shoot b-roll film
Locate found footage
Note: some footage will be created during post-production

Production
Crew Roles
Director
Producer
Cinematographer (DP)
Sound

Post-Production
Log and organize your footage
Create a script that revises the treatment, but considers the footage attained
Begin sequencing the footage in Final Cut Pro (Assembly Cut)
Go back and forth with the previous 2 steps
Record voice-over narration (if necessary)

Stages of your project
Assembly Cut
Barebones version. It just establishes the information in a sequence
First Cut
Begin to consider how you want to represent your information
Ex: Show interview…use graph…use created footage with text…voice-over narration over b-roll footage

Stages of your project
Final Cut
Smooth out the modes of representation
Smooth transitions between shots
Add all music/sound effects and fix audio levels
Add text (Check the font, size and spelling)
Export as a DVD

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Basic Documentary Genres Outline

by Evan Hughes

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