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 ModesEXPOSITORYFrank Lloyd Wright (1998, Ken Burns)

Documentary ModesEXPOSITORYFrank Lloyd Wright (1998, Ken Burns)

- “Voice of God” narration

- direct presentation of facts

- can include all kinds of “evidence”

Documentary ModesOBSERVATIONALHoop Dreams (1994)

Documentary ModesOBSERVATIONALHoop Dreams (1994)

-minimal (or no) narration

-long takes, real-time, synch-sound

-present tense

-never (or almost never) see or hear the filmmakers

Documentary ModesINTERACTIVERoger and Me (1989, Michael Moore)

Documentary ModesINTERACTIVERoger and Me (1989, Michael Moore)

-filmmaker is present on screen

-filmmaker makes the action happen

Documentary ModesESSAYISTICHistory and Memory (1998, Rea Tajiri)

Documentary ModesESSAYISTICHistory and Memory (1998, Rea Tajiri)

-uses “first person” address: “I”

-tells personal stories from a personal viewpoint

-does not try to be “objective”

Documentary ModesEXPERIMENTALTarnation (2003, Jonathan Caouette)

Documentary ModesEXPERIMENTALTarnation (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 RepresentationHow 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