A documentary short film is a point of view on an autonomous world. Whether your subject is the Arab Spring, human happiness or animal cemeteries, it must be interesting and "say something" about the world. Contrary to what you might think, a short documentary takes as much time as a feature film - but it's also just as fun to shoot. If you want to start shaping your vision, there is no better time than now to shoot a short documentary.
Steps
Step 1. Write the subject of your story
You will need a subject, or you will not have a movie. Thinking about an idea, be sure to write something interesting for your viewers. For example, if you write for someone who likes drama, add a lot of drama. Comedy, add comedy, etc.
Step 2. Watch documentaries
Once you understand the style of documentary you intend to do, analyze similar films to identify the conventions. Be sure to pay attention to the narrative structure of documentaries, as this is where most amateur documentary makers fall.
Step 3. Write a treatment
- Summary of the documentary.
- Objective / purpose of the film
- Outline your script to make sure it meets all the requirements for a good short film. Describe each section of the film, for a short no more than 300 lines are needed at this stage.
Step 4. Identify the most important scenes in your movie
Step 5. Develop the motivations of the characters
Characters with no purpose or personality are not real characters.
Step 6. Include a shocking event in the narrative
One that affects all the characters.
Step 7. Create a shot list
Step 8. Storyboard the individual scenes
Step 9. Show the finished product to friends, family, teachers, etc
Step 10. Be ready for anything
Write down the worst things that could happen during filming and how you might deal with them. Remember to think about both technical and narrative issues.
Step 11. Get ready to shoot
Choose the equipment, something that can record videos. There are many choices. The process could take months or even years, but you have to keep looking. Make sure your video recorder is compatible with the rest of the equipment.
Step 12. Learn to use the equipment
Learn how to start and stop recording, forward, rewind, play and whatever else you need. Postpone special effects for future projects.
Step 13. Choose a subject - to base your film on
Remember, you need to complete the project. Think about who, what and where you will shoot. Build a basic idea for a story and in case of problems, read short stories to get inspired.
Step 14. Write a script
Be sure to develop characters with various personalities; your film will not be interesting if they are all the same.
Step 15. Draw a storyboard, illustrating the takes you intend to use
Don't worry about following it perfectly. It is a good idea to shape your thoughts on paper to see if you can communicate the idea "visually" rather than letting the actors communicate all the concepts. The viewer first looks and then listens.
Step 16. Find people who are willing and willing to work hard on your film
Provide food for the staff. They will appreciate it and will be around more.
Step 17. Prepare a calendar
This will keep you focused on the project.
- Keep a production journal.
- Identify the days when you and the staff will be available.
- Find the most important scenes.
- Record interviews as soon as possible.
Step 18. Shoot the movie
If you want to talk about your dog, you can film him eating, sleeping and playing and maybe add some music. If you have very little time, consider using a second camera to double the efficiency.
Step 19. Interviews
- Plan the questions. The simplest way is to write down who, what, why, where, how and when, and then prepare the questions around these points.
- The subject must be comfortable and honest when being filmed.
- Talk to interviewees before shooting. Talk to them for at least half an hour to put them at ease around you.
Step 20. Keep a production journal
In the diary you can keep track of the progress of the shoot, the mistakes made and how to avoid them in the future, and ideas on what to shoot in other scenes.
Step 21. Write down all the footage
Before proceeding with the editing, look at the entire shot, taking notes on each shot specifying if it works or if there are technical problems. This will save you a lot of assembly time.
Step 22. Edit your film
Many cameras are limited in editing and some have special effects. Learn to “put together” pieces of footage and add music or voiceovers to your movies. Check the manual use of your camera or use software such as iMovie to complete the editing. One way is to use your burner to make copies to show to friends and contests. If your film is digital, you can also export the finished product in a readable format to be emailed. Also, if your movie is digital you can upload it to YouTube or Vimeo or a similar site. Check the site formats to decide how to export your movie.
Advice
- Learn to assemble. Not only will it save you time when it comes to editing the shot, but it will help you give the documentary the desired pace.
- Let yourself be carried away by the imagination!
- Make multiple backups of the footage.
- Request constructive criticism from your audience. Listen carefully to their comments, and make the necessary changes to reinforce your film, even if it means re-editing or reworking some scenes.
- Storyboarding every single scene will make you think about the right shots for every conversation, every ounce of action. Don't be afraid of creativity. A great example of a director famous for unusual angles to create the atmosphere of his films was H. C. Potter.
- Show the movie.
Warnings
- Get permits for all equipment.
- Make sure you are told how to use it.
