How to make a documentary
Related posts:
- How to make a documentary
- Logging the documentary
- Editing the documentary
- All the posts about documentary making and the Colombian documentary
I am leaving tomorrow morning to Colombia to make my first documentary film ever. I always wanted to make a documentary.
I’ll be using a little consumer digital mini-DV camera (a Sony DCR-PC120BT, around $800). I bought it six months ago, and I’ve made a few small movies of friends and stuff to practice since.
Here’s an overview of what I’ve learnt so far:
- Image quality (lens, resolution) of a consumer camera is good enough for this documentary. It looks fine played back on a television.
- How I film it has a big impact on the perceived image quality. Use a tripod for many shots. Be aware of lightning.
- Showing the visual evidence is more important for a documentary than shooting pretty shots.
- Hold that shot! First lesson not to look like an amateur: hold that shot. Don’t start zooming, panning and so on if not absolutely necessary. This was a hard lesson but I think I’ve got it.
- Sound is the hardest thing to get right. As long as you point your camera in the right direction and your battery is ok and you have enough film, you’ll get decent visuals. But sound is very hard to get right, and if you get bad sound there is no way to get it good again. I bought a small $70 Sony shotgun mike that goes on the camera, but that didn’t really produce good sound either, so we borrowed a professional shotgun mike from a friend. The mike’s bigger than the camera. This may sound a bit exagerated, but it’s necessary. The mike in the camera (and even the outside mike I bought) just suck to the point of the sound being unusable.
- Editing on the computer is easy. I am using Vegas 4.0.
- When you’re finally doing the shoot, you don’t want technical problems. So I bought a backup battery and lots of tapes. I’ll start a new tape at every shoot, even if the previous tape was only half full.
- It’s nice to shoot little scenes that can complete other scenes (for example when you have a part that’s not usable because it’s out of focus).
- You can’t know exactly how the documentary will work out before doing it. (At least, I don’t).
- You should watch what you filmed every evening to get a feel for what you’ve got, and where the documentary is going.
Me and my girlfriend have found a way of working for interviews and such that seems to work: she asks the questions and points the mike, and I film and listen to the headphones to make sure the sound’s ok. We practices a little bit - I’ll report back on how it worked out.
We are going to film for about a week. Until then.
January 18th, 2004 at 3:22 am
After the first week of filming I can report that holding that shot is hard. The backup battery is turning out to be indispensible. And I still don´t know how it will turn out.
January 26th, 2004 at 11:12 am
Yo dude, just wanted to say i hope you make a great doco!!you sound like you have what it takes to make it. good luck. oh and thanx for the tips they were great!
from
‘A hungry Film Maker’
January 28th, 2004 at 7:00 am
Best of luck. Thank you for posting and sharing. Sincerely, a soon to be documentary maker
January 28th, 2004 at 7:00 am
Best of luck. Thank you for posting and sharing. Sincerely, a soon to be documentary maker
January 29th, 2004 at 10:13 pm
Dudes,
I looove the tips!! I’m about to film a documentary here in Ottawa, Canada about DJing in the Electronica music (House, Techno, Trance, Jungle, etc.)scene along with the “vibe” and the passion from the DJs, the clubbers and other participants. We’ll also be focusing on “after parties” as well as main club events with talented DJs all over. Most importantly, we want it to have an amateur feel, but with a top notch professional feel.
I have it all down pat in my head and your tips were (or will be) invaluable — considering I’m an IT person with a Computer Science background.
Oh well…I’ll let you know how it went!
Peace from Silicon Valley North!
Party on!
January 30th, 2004 at 12:17 pm
Hey thanks for the great tips. Been living in China for the past three years. Decided I want to make a documentary film on an underground rock and roll band. I know nothing about making films anybody know any other good websites.
February 10th, 2004 at 6:27 pm
Hi, i was interested in doing a documentary too. Only thing, when I upload the film from my Dig Video Camera, it takes up an incredible amount of space (5 minutes = 4 Gig). How do you store yours?
February 10th, 2004 at 11:47 pm
I store it as AVI files. 5 minutes take about 1 Gig (Maybe your camera has more resolution, or maybe there is some setting you can change). I bought an external Seagate harddrive with 160 Gigs. They cost about 1US$/Gig.
February 11th, 2004 at 12:10 am
“we want it to have an amateur feel, but with a top notch professional feel.”
That’s kinda confusing ;)
February 14th, 2004 at 3:29 am
Just a few lighting tips I’ve learned from gaffing low/no budget indies.
1. Buy a cheap 650 or 1000 watt light and bounce it off a wall, ceiling, white card, or a colored card or wall. (A general base light does a lot)
2. Don’t key light from the front, keep it off angle at least 30 degrees.
3. Buy a cheap 300 to 500 watt light preferably with a lens, if open face, just put some opal in front and use as a kicker or rim or back light. (A kicker with a general base light is pretty acceptable)
4. USE AVAILABLE LIGHT!!! Inside you may want to put duvateen on the walls as a negative fill.
5. Buy photo bulbs 150 to 500 watt and a photo flood like smith victor- and bounce it off walls and cards etc.
February 14th, 2004 at 3:13 pm
I went with all available light.
March 4th, 2004 at 1:21 pm
These are great tips (especially about lighting and sound), good luck to you! I know nothing about any of this but will shoot a doc in the coming weeks in China. Good luck to all of us! Roland
March 28th, 2004 at 6:53 pm
Hey thanks for the tips.
I am trying to do a documentary about an asylum here in New west BC.
Does anyone know any other computer program that could be useful, or sites???
I am trying to get as much info as possible
Thanx again
Good luck to you and your documentary.
Rhiannon
March 30th, 2004 at 10:35 am
Just a note to say good luck, I’m about to start my own documentary. I’m in London done a few production one is a soap opera which I wrote and directed last year. Documentaries are a big thing here in London, they are all over the place. Again good luck
Desree
April 13th, 2004 at 3:47 am
thanks for the tips. I found them a good starting point for a documentary I am about to shoot.
April 20th, 2004 at 2:12 pm
Great pointers here, thanks! Good luck to everybody. I want to film my first doc on the making of my debut album by the Dead Sea. I want to also capture some of the amazing landscapes out here in the dsesert. I’m looking out for any pointers on websites, etc. I will post any if I find them.
April 27th, 2004 at 2:21 am
Hey I’m a sophmore in high school in Arizona and i wanted to make a documentary on Students at high schools and how they are with peers/teachers/etc. Right now i’m really stuck. I got some ideas but i’m not sure where to go now. I mean should i do lots of interviews or should i talk alot or what???????????? I’m kinda confused right now. My friend is a movie maker. So I’m usually the guy that does all the behind the scenes stuff. Well thanks for the tips they really helped. also if you have any websites that have tips or anything useful please let me know.
April 27th, 2004 at 2:22 am
Hey I’m a sophmore in high school in Arizona and i wanted to make a documentary on Students at high schools and how they are with peers/teachers/etc. Right now i’m really stuck. I got some ideas but i’m not sure where to go now. I mean should i do lots of interviews or should i talk alot or what???????????? I’m kinda confused right now. My friend is a movie maker. So I’m usually the guy that does all the behind the scenes stuff. Well thanks for the tips they really helped. also if you have any websites that have tips or anything useful please let me know.
April 27th, 2004 at 2:23 am
Hey I’m a sophmore in high school in Arizona and i wanted to make a documentary on Students at high schools and how they are with peers/teachers/etc. Right now i’m really stuck. I got some ideas but i’m not sure where to go now. I mean should i do lots of interviews or should i talk alot or what???????????? I’m kinda confused right now. My friend is a movie maker. So I’m usually the guy that does all the behind the scenes stuff. Well thanks for the tips they really helped. also if you have any websites that have tips or anything useful please let me know.
May 12th, 2004 at 8:12 pm
Hi. I am trying to make a documentary on Alcoholism. Right now I am rather in a tough position because I cannot decide the actual point of this. Alcoholism has effected my life in many ways and today I would probably not be the person i am having not experienced what i have. Can you give me some insight on the actual “point” of making a documentary? Meaning, is it not to only make people aware, but share something about yourself? id be so appreciative if you could help, thanks a lot.
May 13th, 2004 at 5:03 am
I’m making, producing a doc on drug addiction, to create awareness and hopfully show how it effects the life of the people who are not addicts, likewise it has affected my life greatly, all’s good now though…
May 22nd, 2004 at 11:48 pm
HI.I’m a Senior in Highschool and i’ve wanted to make a film for a couple years now and i thought that i would make a documentary or two before I begin, to gain more experience and knowledge. And your tips have really helped me, thank-you.
P.S If anyone else has any helpful tips i’d be happy to hear them. Thanks. (e-mail= laura_bernard87@hotmail.com)
June 7th, 2004 at 2:04 am
I am an American but have lived in the Caribbean and South America (mostly Colombia) for years. I want to make a documentary on the Colombia that I know….not the one that the US docs paint. I am hoping to begin in late Aug. 2.004. Is there anyone (American, Colombiano or others that would like to participate, in whatever form, or have ideas?
June 8th, 2004 at 10:36 pm
Thank you! I just picked a topic today for my first documentary on single parents in small town america. I went to school for Media but did not learn as much as I had hoped. Being severley in debt, and working as a temp I hope I can really start my career by taking things into my own hands. These tips will be great!! Thank you so much for your advice!!
July 7th, 2004 at 3:54 pm
Hi — I am doing a documentary on homeschoolers in high school. Were can I go to learn more about planning the content. Also are there any festivals for non professional documenaries? Some place to go and see “award winning” programs from which I and my partner could learn and or perhaps submit our project?
July 7th, 2004 at 3:55 pm
Hi — I am doing a documentary on homeschoolers in high school. Were can I go to learn more about planning the content. Also are there any festivals for non professional documenaries? Some place to go and see “award winning” programs from which I and my partner could learn and or perhaps submit our project?
July 13th, 2004 at 6:11 pm
Thanks for the awesome tips. It’s reassuring to know there are others out there who are just as new to this as me!
I am just starting my first documentary about relationships. I realised I have no clue what men think and for the longest time I was pretty darn sure I knew. So I am interviewing couples and singles for what they want from a relationship and if that is really possible.
Your tips hav really helped in starting on the right foot. How much did you spend on producing your documentary?
November 30th, 2004 at 3:55 am
[...] t page. How to make a documentary is still going strong - I’m the second result with a post from january. I almost feel a responsibility there, so I de [...]
December 10th, 2004 at 6:20 pm
I am a high school teacher. Starting on monday I will be teaching a new elective and I want the end product of the class to be a documentrary film. Anyone ever taught this to HS students. Any suggestions about how I should set up the class
thanks
Pat
December 11th, 2004 at 10:12 pm
Hi everyone! Thanks for the great tips. At the moment I want to start a documentary which unveils the truth regarding the airline industry. As it’s my first documentary, does anyone know any good websites which list tips (other than this site) and how to write professional scripts?
Thanks!
February 20th, 2005 at 7:25 pm
hey there. you see, i’ve been thinking of doing a documentary for this film festival for amateur movie makers, wondering, if your tips will help- thanx!
March 16th, 2005 at 8:46 pm
does anyone know where i can find information on the legalities of interviewing minors and also filming outside maybe inside shots of a public high school.
good luck on the columbia documentary
March 30th, 2005 at 6:23 pm
hey all, i had a great idea for a documentary, but am not sure how to go about doing the actual documentary itself, just buy a decent video recorder, and interview people and follow what i wanna follow or what? i need some serious suggestions, let me know if u’ve got any dreamergirl2004@hotmail.com
jess
September 12th, 2005 at 10:08 am
i am making a documentry on drug addict for 10 min.its a college project to be submitted before 22nd sepetember 2005.can u help me before that
October 12th, 2005 at 12:17 pm
I am thankful for your website. I want to shoot a graphic documentary on the effects of crack cocaine. If you have any technical updates or advice for a professional editor and attaining legal clearance for personal interviews please advise me.
Thanx.
October 13th, 2005 at 9:45 pm
respond to this yahoo address its yr mom :)
October 13th, 2005 at 9:47 pm
i miss you the most..come home
October 26th, 2005 at 12:37 am
Do you know of a school in California that teaches documentary production? Thanks.
November 4th, 2005 at 3:45 am
Hi there - I am producing a documentary for my thesis - and need an experienced camera / sound operator based in Medellin - that speaks English. Can anyone help me out? Please email me at inbudapest@hotmail.com I also need an experienced editor (with gear) in Medellin. Thanks. Diane
December 7th, 2005 at 10:07 am
hey man, thanks for the tips. im sure they will come in useful. im starting to film to day for my 25 min documentary for an ngo. its gonna be my first production of this length but i feel good about it. thanks again.
December 10th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
I really want anyone to recommend a great microphone for the money to make a documentary. The hyperlink for this sight no longer works. Shotgun mics range from $60.00 to $800.00. But what works really well for not to much. Allan
December 10th, 2005 at 2:57 pm
Please email me if you can recommend a great performing reasonably priced shot gun mic. arondo@bellsouth.net
December 12th, 2005 at 1:19 pm
This is really cool ….reading everyone’s posts has got me back on track to begin making my film, I’m motivated once again…..keep on postin’ people!!
December 23rd, 2005 at 6:42 am
Hi there,
This site is a good start for anyone to start making a documentary. One point, (point 9), I am shooting a documentary on a band call Radiohead. They are profesional band and you do not want to waste their time. This is why I think it is important to have at least a basic layout of what your documentary will look like, a story board if you like. It is always good to know where you are heading, and of course on the day of the shooting, film as much as you can to add on to your story board!
December 28th, 2005 at 3:19 pm
I haven’t started but thank you for the info. I didn’t know where to start and I didn’t want to without info as this. I don’t want to spend money that I don’t have. At least I know where to start now. However, I have a lot to learn!
January 5th, 2006 at 2:39 am
the goal is the path.
January 17th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Started taking class. Great tips. You are stating the same and more that my prof said. Start shooting this coming Saturday.
Can’t Wait!
February 3rd, 2006 at 2:50 pm
i need to know how to make a documentary.could you help me? e-mail me at nerd_turner@yahoo.com and tellme how.
thanx
cody
February 8th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Hey all!, I just have finished reading most of the comments left here. I’m not usually one to check out online forums seeing as they are indeed a dime a dozen. I have to say though because this is an industry that interests me greatly it’s great to see so many people getting into it. I wish all of you the best of luck in your film ventures. I started filming in 1999 using now outdated technology without even having a computer for editing. I’ve now been a little more up to date not as far as industry standards are concerned but….you know! My humble adivice to all of you is definately consider options that exist outside of the box. While trying to maintain the most professional “comparing” quality do not lose sight of your content which is always most important. Some of the best things I’ve ever seen and felt through film have been presented poorly believe it or not!. I see in this industry a rush to present “Industry Standard” material where the content is compramised with good intent but wrong priority. We now live in 2006 where we as artists are all striving to say something to stand out from the rest. I’m not saying don’t look good but don’t sacrifice your vision. You can see by the crap presented to us that some and not all artists have forgotten the point. Anyways thanks for reading and hell if you’re looking for a great editing program - I use Vegas video 4. the Program is so user friendly and has so much depth it’s not even funny, followed by Adobe after effects pro. for special effects, it has some awesome filters and things I haven’t even touched base with yet but it’s not as intimidating as some. Ulead 3d is an awesome titling program in which you can combine with vegas using a little Kroma keying. Remember this too people!, the internet has so much information and free tutorials on programs that are seemingly more difficult than you can handle. I learned more than alot of people have here in my community in a short time by utilising free information. It’s not hard folks and once again GOOD LUCK to you all!. If you have any responses to this feel free to email me back at myabyss@hotmail.com
February 13th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
Hi there - Its a great subject and filming Documentaries is a hard thing if you’re doing it for the first time - I have been working on my first one for a long time now - And I have some good shots - but like you said less of the zooms the better (ive ruined some of my best shots!) - it totally ruins the look and feel.
Im having trouble taking out some of my earlier zooms and messed up shots without ruining the dramatic pace but I think I can manage it in software.
Internet is the best place for free tutorials - And I have to say its growing more and more people are putting up tutorials which is great. I just checked out one site which gave some hints on documentary shooting - check it out below.
http://www.videouniversity.com/selldoc.htm
Anyway Ill leave you all to it.
Suchet
Anyway good luck with your documentary I wish you all the best.
Suchet
February 19th, 2006 at 12:50 am
Hi all,
I think you are all on the right step… turning your visions to a reality. I just completed my second doc at the Grand Canyon and now in pre-production on my third, and it all started with the “what if” question.
You are all there in there.. somewhere closer to shooting, others closer to completion. I congratulate everyone no matter the age or demographic. We are all story tellers and I can think of no better way to tell a story than a camera and mic.
Good luck!
GT
March 10th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
I’m glad I came across this site!
So many enthusiastic people out there. I hope they all make it!
I have been searching so much for a good minidv camcorder. I’m about to go crazy!
Can someone please give me some recommendations?
I’m traveling to my home-country this summer and will stay for a while.
I love filming but my old minidv just wont do anymore.
I want to make nice movies with mostly landscape and nature, people and charming places.
I want to sell dvd’s and I already know where to turn too and I’m sure it will work out great if I can only do it right….
I’ve gotten a good respond about this.
So I’ve been told a 3ccd would help me even in the $1000 budget. But I’m still confused!
What would be the best to get in that price range? What do I need to think about to make it work on anybody’s dvd player?
What about legal rights to do this?
You’ve helped here with microphone, but I’m not sure about picking up good light for indoors.
I want to practice before I leave so if I could get some hints and help soon I would really appreciate it!
Like I said, it does not have to be super professional, but it needs to look good.
I’ve read that a minidv can do a lot for professional looking documentaries, but in what price range are people talking about?
How did the Sony DCR-PC120BT work?
Hope to get some answers!
Thank you for this site!
May 3rd, 2006 at 8:11 pm
Hi, I am tyring to make a documentary and use adobe premiere pro. I am trying to put background music for a historical documentary. any thoughts, guides about how to choose the documentary. We tried the county library but they have no suggestions and said that we could take some cds and try it out. does not seem very good. anyone ideas? would appreciate an early input bec this is due in a couple of days and I just found this site
May 9th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Camcorders: The bigger in physical size the CCD is, the better the quality of the picture captured. They range from 1\3 inch square to something like 3 inches square or so (I forget exactly). The 3 inchers are very costly.
3CCD: If it has 3 CCDs in the camera it may or may not make a better picture. On some camcorders, 2 of the 3 CCDs are use to stabalize the picture and only one CCD records the light. Better picture quality comes in part from using all 3 CCDs to capture the image.
With other 3CCD cameras all 3CCDs are used to capture an image and it is better than one CCD could capture. The light is split into 3 colours by a prism, into Red Green Blue, with each colour going to the respective CCD. This gives better picture quality, but no image stablization. There likely is a camera with 3CCDs that does image stablization and 3 colour RGB at the same time.
Sony has a High Definition Camcorder on the market ($2,000 CDN) with a 30 gig hard drive or so. I am not sure if the HD is a play on words by Sony or not. By this I mean I am not sure if the camera actually records in High Definition format like you see with High Defintion tv these days … Sony may mean that the camera is High Definition compared to say, their other cameras. You’d have to look at the manuals and see if the specs are true High Defintion broadcast quality. Sony has a new technology in their HD camera (and high end non-HD cameras)that replaces the CCD. It is called “CMOS” or something like that. Sony says it gets as good picture quality as 3CCDs even though it is one chip. Time will tell.
Camcoders have 20 to 30 gig hard drives now. The bad news is, if you drop it and wreck the drive, then you have lost all your information. With DV you would lose only 20 to 30 minutes (if any). The camera has electronics that detects if the camera is falling, and if so, it moves the hard drive head to a safe place before it hits the ground.
I’m not sure if the hard drives are removable or not. It would be an advantage if they are.
With a hard drive in a non HD camera, you can record about 7 hours of video with it set at the best picture quality or about 12 to 20 hours in the lower picture quality settings. The batteries last about 2 hours. One advantage with a hard drive is that it will take about 1 hour of download time to transfer 7 hours of video to your computer. With tapes and DV it would take 7 hours.
FYI all CCDs capture the image in gray and black and white, not colour! The computer in the camera uses the shades of gray and black and white as a guide to make the image into colour. Go figure.
This may not apply any more because the information is years old now, but I’ve heard of camcorders that take still pictures too (I know it is common now) but back then, with one model, if you were shooting a video, and you wanted to take a still shot while still shooting video, all you had to do was press a button and the still shot was captured while the video was being shot. There was a catch with some models though, the still shot would leave a blank spot in the video!! You might want to check this out if you buy a camcorder. It may or may not be able to take a still pic while shooting video.
I don’t own a camera and have never shot video. I got all this from the net.
If you shoot in High Definition, you will have to buy all new HD filters. Old filters will distort the image.
June 28th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
i am starting a documentray on the youth of my area. im going to be a sophmore in high school next year and my mom, whose on the village board, said that if i new anyone who wanted to do anything the village just hired a man to do some work with the new professional video and audio equipment the village just bought. im excited about getting to use the brand new professional equipment to shoot my first documentary, but i have no idea what im doing or how anything works?
help!
e-mail:zxysoccer609@aim.com
July 17th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
Hi,
I’m a beginner at this as well. I’m moving from Arizona to New York City. I’m a music teacher and I’m going to New York to teach, as well as take an acting class. I thought it would be interesting to document my move (since I’m driving across the country) and also my first year there. Any suggestions on doing a film on yourself? Is this too complicated of an idea? Should I try to find someone else to be a camera person, and if so, where do I look?
Thanks for anyone’s input! You can e-mail me at fionamusica@aol.com.
August 1st, 2006 at 4:02 pm
Hello everyone I just need some tips, in how to make a documentary youreself, or even better If someone lives in the New York area could e-mail me and be and meybe even do it toghether, the documentary is about how people from Ecuador work hard every day to support there familys and how they go tru a lot of trouble to earn some money and like that help there folks back home, it also going to include how men do dangerous jobs like working in asbestos, and woman selling there body etc. etc. well if some one is interesting in the idea please weite I;ll be able to cover some expenses.. my email is dannyverdugo2002@yahoo.com..
August 18th, 2006 at 2:28 am
Hey everybody,
I am from Nepal and me along with a friend are planning to make a documentary.We are planning to make a documentary on people who have been abducted by the then “Royal Nepal Army”. There whereabouts are unknown and not a single case has been lodged.It’s a tough issue to be covered but our hearts in the rite place.We just need some advice on how to get it started.If you have any suggestions,we’d appreciate it.This is our maiden venture and yeah all the tips sent in have been helpful.
We’d appreciate it if you guys could just mail us if you have anything to suggest .our email eyeontoe@hotmail.com.
Than-x
August 23rd, 2006 at 11:08 am
Hey… thanx for the tips and all the comments too. I have just taken my first Video shots. I am in West Africa in Nigeria… in the Niger delta and am doing a documentary on the history and culture of my people ( an aboriginal and indigenous group!). its just a personal venture.. i ve got a a vacation after leaving University..whatever.. I have had no previous experience whatsoever.. i use a SONY DV8 fdor my first shot.. the new yam celebrations… emmm i am beginning my major work in 2 week.. ( interviews and all) . Its daunting.
But hey! thanx everyone for ur tips am learning.. and if u ve got anything to say.. pleae shot.. am here
August 23rd, 2006 at 11:11 am
and yea… Its jowhorile@yahoo.co.uk. if you have any suggestons.. thanx
August 28th, 2006 at 5:22 am
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September 2nd, 2006 at 10:43 am
Hey! I’m also from west Africa (Nigeria) and it’s always been my dream to become a documentary film maker. I believe that there is so much going on in Africa and all over ther world that is not realy being talked about. I’m really more interested in Aids, poverty and culture. I have no experience whatsoever and film schools are so freaking expensive. I’m a fast learner and would learn fast if there is anyone willing to teach and guide me. Pls feel free to mail me at meeh001@hotmail.com.
September 14th, 2006 at 9:16 am
I hope you can help me.
I am a student of anthropology at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. One year ago I set in motion a project that would finish my degree and open up a plethora of opportunities for the future of my academic career. For the past year I have been working to create a documentary film about a spiritual movement within global dance culture. My film will be the first of its kind to show this side of dance culture from an outside perspective. I feel that the film will not only create an awareness of the movement but also help to destroy a long-standing stigma against the community.
For the month of August and September I had planned to travel up and down the western coast of the United States attending intentional dance events and conducting interviews with numerous members of the community as well as scholars also involved with this community. My funding for this project rested upon a student loan that I have just recently learned I cannot receive due to an administrative glitch in the paperwork. The loan that I applied for was for the Fall semester, though my project has been registered with the university a summer session therefore the loan which I applied is no longer available to me.
I am currently in San Francisco and halfway through my film and research
with only a month left to go before I return with all my collected documentation. Due to the problems I have had with the loan I am looking for donations to help me finish my film and research. Contributions
will help to pay for equipment, gas, entrance fees to events, and basic
living and traveling expenses. If you are interested in sponsoring
my project with a small donation, your contribution will be greatly
appreciated and acknowledged in the film as well as at all of its showings.
Any donation will be honored.
Please help me to continue this amazing opportunity to bring my story back to you. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to seeing you all at the film presentation following completion of this project. I look forward to your support. Please send your contribution to Andrew Johner, P.O. Box 901 Decatur, IL 62525. Feel email me jeronimo9999@hotmail.com if you have any questions.
With grateful appreciation,
September 15th, 2006 at 7:47 am
thanks for the tips i have to make a doco for my school project and needed the help
x
October 1st, 2006 at 10:52 pm
Hi there,
I’m a senior in high school and in a few months I will be participating in an awesome program at my school called Senior Project, where I will actually have a little over a month to leave the traditional classroom and explore basically any area I choose. Considering I’ve always wanted to make a documentary, but have never had the time, I’ve decided this is the route I’d like to take. One of my greatest passions being Spanish, and living in Chicago where we have an incredible Latino population, I’ve also decided that I’d like to focus my documentary somehow on the Latino population, and more specifically immigrants (both documented and illegal.)
This being a pretty hot topic in the current times, I’d like to delve into the issue of illegal immigration - where and why and how often it occurs - but considering my time and resource constraints, I’d like to try and steer clear of politics as much as I can.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me regarding how to approach a topic such as this? Above all I’m afraid of exploiting people, which is the last thing I want to do. How have other documentary makers shed light on a delicate subject without offending the people they wish to portray?
I’d greatly appreciate any advice you have!
eelram128@aol.com
October 4th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
I am doing a documentary for a personal project for the International Bacclaureate program i am in.
Thank you
October 11th, 2006 at 5:35 pm
Hey I am a student in gr 12. I am doing a project on”how do make documentaries” thanks for the tips eh!
October 13th, 2006 at 2:29 am
I have to make a 5 minute public history documentary for school. Thanks for the tips, I’m excited to start!
October 13th, 2006 at 5:50 am
So you want to make a docco! (documentary) 13-10-06
With all the free to air, cable, and satellite television programs, all the internet viewing, sites such as YouTube and the many various and diverse viewing topics, you have decided that you would like to add your own unique individual style to a bottomless pit of viewing information.
And you want to know…..how do I this?
Well you have taken one step in the right direction, of which there are ultimately hundreds of thousands. You have made the right step in the fact you are looking for information on how to make a docco.
You ask yourself how, who, what , when, where do I start! Who do I speak to? What equipment do I use. How do you I convey my ideas, who do I see or talk to, what do I shoot? For every question you ask yourself at this early stage another ten appear in your mind. It all seems so daunting, yet there is still the desire to make a film.
Try, firstly to put your idea on paper or PC, so that you can read and visualize what it is that you are actually trying to form in your mind.
What is the ultimate goal? Is it to inform, is it to make some money, is it to challenge yourself, is it to develop a career, is it for a hobby?! The reasons for making a docco can be as many and as varied as the topics themselves. Your reasons may or may not change as you progress through your journey as a film maker.
By placing your idea on paper you can begin to put some structure into your idea. It gives you a start, a reference point from which to begin your journey.
Hollywood moviemakers use something called a storyboard. They often use pictures.
I want to make a documentary to inform, if I’m successful I would like to make money. I would like to make the world a better place, to allow people to change their thinking on particular issues and possibly improve living conditions and standards in areas where there is much room for improvement and understanding.
You may already have a topic in mind. You know you want to convey your story via a film.
Do you have the equipment? You can use a hand held video recorder, you can even use an older eight millimeter. Ask yourself what is my budget?
As with anything in life ‘you get what you pay for’. What I mean by ‘pay for’ I don’t just mean in monetary terms. By applying a good deal of thought you are ‘paying’ with your brain.
The quality and impact of your film will be directly dependent on the time, effort, and finances you decide to allocate to the making of it. If you have a great idea and a unique way of conveying it to your audience then you may very well succeed with an 8mm camera.
If you can afford better equipment then do so. Every element that you can reasonable improve on, will make the final product that much more viewable by your audience.
……..to be continued.
October 18th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Hey,
Thanx for the great tips, I think they will be very useful. I am a post graduate student from jamaica, west indies. I’m about to embark on a documentary about Classism in Jamaica (1st one ever). If n e one knows some good sources for me to formulate ideas or get material please halla at me at evil_kanyevil_1@yahoo.com. I’m so lost and don’t know where to start. PLEASE HELP.
p.s. ur family seems so nice Pete.
October 20th, 2006 at 4:16 am
its a gud web site and i wana know more about how to make documentry how to add its music what should be the opening and evry information related to documnetry send me on my adress plzzzzzzz
November 10th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
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November 17th, 2006 at 5:42 am
this website is great i need to learn loads!!
November 21st, 2006 at 5:07 pm
I’m filming a mockumentary about the misadventures of a group of snowboarders. My shotgun mic is just terrible. Does anyone know the best value shotgun mic for the most reasonable price?
November 27th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
hey, this is great, really interesting, but im still a little lost! im only 17 so iv never done anything like this before, but i want to do a film and television degree and they place a mega amount of emphasis on having a SERIOUSLY good pportfolio. My aunt has just qualified for next year’s special special olympics word games, and i was thinking this could be a really interesting (and accessible!) thing for me to document, the team’s training, etc, and also the mental illness side of it?
My only problem is, i have no idea how to go about even beginning this! i have a JVC miniDV camcorder and…well that’s about it! my bedget isn’t exactly sufficient to cover any other euipment either, but in some ways that is the least of my worries. i want this to be as best as i possibly i can, and was just looking for tips on ow to go about filming it as a documentary?????!!!!
November 28th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Hey,
I’m in Toronto and I’m currently putting together a storyboard about HIV/AIDS in Canada - is there anyone who is interested? It is my first documentary. I worked at the 16th Int’l AIDS Conference and was really inspired. However, I could use some help.
Please e-mail me at rori_brownie@hotmail.com
November 28th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Peter!!!!SO I have created a document to hand out to youth interested to make a doco…As of now I have included your pointers pointers (changed them around a bit though) I was wondering if this would bee okay to hand out as a resource to youth at a media that matters film festival in new zealand and to have as a resource at the NGO i work a t (global education center) Ill site this page on it.. if not ill take the pointers out. let me know….
Here it is:
So you want to make a documentary… There are no rules on how to make a documentary, however here are some ideas that may make the process a little easier.
Starting: How to pick a topic: A documentary can be about pretty much anything as long as it remains based on fact and non-fictional The most important thing is to be interested and passionate about the topic you choose.
Before you can go out and start filming it helps to have a plan to go by. Start by thinking about what the ultimate goal of the documentary is. What do you want to get across to the viewers? By
Think about how you want to get across your idea. The two typical styles of docos are observational (tells a story as it happens by following the action and events of a story as they take place), reconstruction (tell the story after it’s happened via interviews and other material and dramatic reconstructions.)
So are you sharing a personal experience? Are you trying to get a belief across or portray a balanced two-sided story? Do you want to include history behind your film or just a specific story/moment in time? These are some good things to think about and by placing your idea on paper you can begin to put some structure into it and you’ll have a reference point from which to start your journey.
When creating films many filmmakers create a storyboard to help structure their thoughts and create path for the film to follow. Essentially a storyboard is to a film as an outline is to an essay except a storyboard contains pictures to represent the different shots and segments. Its purpose is to give you a rough guide of which to follow, yet doesn’t contain overly specific details or creativity. Once you have your storyboard complete you have a guide of what is going to be in your film so you know what you should go out and film. Seems unimportant? The thing is is that if you don’t have an outline of what you are going to do you can end up creating a lot more work for yourself in the end…you can get some blank story boards to fill in @@@@
Many emotions and feelings can be expresses just on the angle in which you shoot something, or the lighting in the room…so think about what you want each shot to express before you start filming.
Watching other films and docos can help give you a better understanding about the different techniques as well as give you ideas about where to go from here.
Shooting: 10 Basic Techniques and pointers:
1. How I film it has a big impact on the perceived image quality. Using a tripod for many shots can help improve the quality.
2. Be aware of lightning. It may seem bright to you in the room, however before shooting an entire hours worth of film be sure to check how it looks on the camera first.
3. Showing the visual evidence is more important for a documentary than shooting pretty shots.
4. Hold that shot! First lesson not to look like an amateur: hold that shot. Don’t start zooming, panning and so on if not absolutely necessary. It makes it a lot harder to edit later on and can ruin entire segments.
5. Sound is the hardest thing to get right. Sound is the one factor that tends to get forgotten about while shooting, and the problem is that you can’t fix bad sound. So it is worth taking the time to record good sound right from the start.
6. When you’re finally doing the shoot, you don’t want technical problems. So bring a backup battery and lots of tapes.
7. It’s nice to shoot little scenes that can complete other scenes (for example when you have a part that’s not usable because it’s out of focus).
8. You can’t know exactly how the documentary will work out before doing it.
9. You helps to watch what you filmed every evening to get a feel for what you’ve got, and where the documentary is going.
10. Remember that you as the filmmaker may know a lot more than the audience knows on the subject and can run into the danger of assuming that they know when they don’t. So be sure not to leave out important details and information that will help strengthen your doco.
And most importantly have fun!!!
Cameras: Camcorders: Normally the bigger in physical size the CCD is, the better the quality of the picture captured. Nowadays there are a whole range of options, but normally a cheap camcorder or digital camera is fine.
Sound: Sound tends to be forgotten about, and once recorded there is nothing that can fix bad sound, so your best bet is to get it right the first time. One thing that can help is using extra mics to get the sound. The most common mics are:
· Broom: A large microphone attached to a broom/pole that enables one to get better sound without the mic or person holding the mic getting in the shot.
· On camera mic/top microphone: The microphone that comes in the camera.
· Radio microphone: A small mic that can be clipped onto somebody. It has a transmitter that is plugged into the camera. These are mainly used for interviews.
When filming try to get the mic as close as possible to the subject and minimize background noise. Also listening through headphones will let you know what it will sound like when playing back, so that way you can fix any problems during the shoot.
Lighting: Lighting is important as it can affect the mood and how your film is perceived. The best bet is to use available light. Also be aware that when filming outdoors the unforeseen may happen and it may affect the shots you take.
Legal Rights: Music, film clips, photography, and certain other material cannot be used in films without permission. If in doubt be on the safe side and contact the person who created/owns what you would like to use and get their permission, or you can check out material which is available for anybody to use under the creative commons licence at http://creativecommons.org This is a collection of videos, audio, images, essays and text which anybody can use if they follow the proper guidelines and give credit to the creators and ‘enables legal sharing and reuse of cultural, educational and scientific works.� Or you can always create your own stuff! Also get the permission of people you’re filming that it is okay to do so.
So what are you interested in? Whatever it is go out and start filming!!!
November 28th, 2006 at 9:16 pm
or if anybody thinks that there is anything else that i should add to this or take off or anything, id love some input
cheers!
December 5th, 2006 at 9:31 am
OMG! whoever that Marilu person is, I AM DOING THE SAME THING FOR MY PERSONAL PROJECT this year!!! lol!
i am currently working on a documentary on my school, and it would be really helpful is someone could give me some tips. e.g. should there be a topic to it? like a specific theme? or can it be a random collection of things about my school? i m really confused. also, is there any good and easy software to use? someone suggested me to use Pinnacle but i m not sure if that’s really the choice. also, is there any good sites with tutorials on filming? (i am asking a lotta q’s!!)
it would be really really healpful if someone could give me some suggestions on my documentary too!!
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!
my e-mail address: judyhung18@hotmail.com
December 12th, 2006 at 6:36 am
Do Mini DVD and DVD recorders produce quality just as good as Mini DV? Please email me. I want to enter a film festival next week and have some money to buy a camera now. rroseando@aol.com
Thank YOU!
December 21st, 2006 at 4:25 pm
i am 14 and i want to make a documentary i just need a little guidance on what to do. i also need info on where i can get sponsors because i am kind of broke. please email me back
May 11th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Type in:
Make Your Own Documentary Film
10 Easy Steps from Conceptualization to Completion
on the search box at http://www.suite101.com
for some other great tips and ideas
May 16th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Interesting. This is the post that led me to your blog. My name happens to be Peter also, hehe.
I have some prior experience with video work (weddings, mock reality show) but I’m researching online because for whatever reason I’m stuck on planning out what the point of documenting these musicians I work with is.
Where are we trying to go? What is going to be conveyed. What is the point of each video release and how is it going to attract viewers that enjoy the content… all that fun stuff :P
June 15th, 2007 at 2:05 am
[...] How to make a documentary post continues to rock [...]
June 29th, 2007 at 12:41 am
Wow….so many comments…
this post was great…I often see mefeedia in my stat reports…You guys are doing an awesome job!
July 27th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Thanks for the awesome info.
In July 2007, have there been any newer recomendations for camera or sound equipment?
July 27th, 2007 at 10:25 am
What about signed releases?
When you interview somebody do you have to get written permission to use their image and words?
I’ve been looking this up on the net and haven’t found an answer. I hope somebody here can help answer this.
Thanks in advance.