3. COMMON
PROBLEMS IN
STORYTELLING
TIME IS FROZEN
CHARACTER IS MISSING
MEANINGLESS STORIES
RELEVANCE IS ASSUMED
STORYTELLING IS PREDICTABLE
LIMITED USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA
4. HOW TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS
Show
Show people
being active or
doing things.
Provide
Provide people
an interesting
dimension.
Explain
Explain why an
event is or isn’t
taking place
and why a
certain trend is
currently
happening.
Prove
Prove how the
story is
connected to
the bigger
picture or how
relevant it is.
Experiment
Experiment with
storytelling or
think of a
different way
to tell a story.
Enhance
Enhance the
story by making
use of the
internet.
5. HUMANIZING
THE STORY
PEOPLE – THE MOST INTERESTING CREATURES
ON EARTH
PEOPLE, IN TURN, ARE MOST INTERESTED IN
OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
EMOTION CREATES A RELEVANCE OF SHARED
FEELINGS BETWEEN A CHARACTER AND THE
VIEWER, THUS COMMANDING ATTENTION.
7. BASIC RULES IN
DOCUMENTARY
SCRIPTWRITING
Visual medium – Write to video!
• Less words, less voice-over, much better.
• Use simple, short sentences.
• Before starting to shoot your film, ask
yourself “What is your point?”
Let the video speak.
8. BASIC RULES IN DOCUMENTARY SCRIPTWRITING
Avoid redundant
sequences/thoughts
Do not preempt soundbites.
Do not summarize what was already in the bite.
Avoid “radio announcer style” of voice-overs.
A documentary is a form
of discovery.
Let your audience discover their own emotions and
conclusions.
Be clear with continuity.
Scenes involving case studies should flow naturally.
Take note of the time, day, and clothes.
9. TOPIC VS.
TREATMENT
HOW A STORY IS TOLD IS MORE
IMPORTANT TO THE AUDIENCE THAN
WHAT IT IS ABOUT.
THE BEST STORY IS A WELL-TOLD TALE
ABOUT SOMETHING THE READER FEELS
IS RELEVANT OR SIGNIFICANT.
11. BASIC RULES IN DOCUMENTARY SCRIPTWRITING
Do not overuse
METAPHORS, avoid
cliches, and do not
spoonfeed emotions,
thoughts, and conclusions.
Bring it closer to your
audience – HUMAN
INTEREST. By the end of
the documentary, it has
to create an impact.
13. TREATMENT/STORYTELLING
STYLES
• Use of story "thread“
• Use of flashbacks
• Use of splitscreens
• Combination of different treatments
There are a million ways of telling and retelling a
story. Be CREATIVE. Be CLEAR. Find the most
effective way to present your elements.
16. RESEARCH!
• The weather
• What the team should bring or wear to a shoot
• Directions, exact location, estimated travel time
• Facilities available and not available in the area
• Language barrier
• Cultural differences
• Permit from government agencies
• Permit for shoot locations
• Dangers that the group should prepare for
17. ACTUAL
SHOOTING
Basic shots
- Wide (establishing)
- Medium
- Close-up
- Extreme close-up
- Pan L-R or R-L
- Zoom in or out
- Tilt up or down
