Create a Documentary Video

Hello Students,
As part of your multimedia studies you are to produce a documentary short. The focus of the documentary should link with the student experience at SCHS and provide an insight into life on our campus. Students may work in groups of 1-3. Documentary film making is often a solitary experience and some of the best documentaries are driven by a singular vision, but at the core it's goal is to communicate and inform. The way this is done is open to creative interpretation and variety.

Documentaries are a great way to inform and delight the viewer. It can be a view into worlds that we rarely see. If you have access to someone unique, a place people don’t normally get to see or if you want to share a unique perspective than this is a great opportunity to share those things with the world or perhaps your future selves. When creating your documentary the idea is to shoot as much footage as you can, and weave it into something informative and entertaining through editing, narration and timing. The goal should be a good story that is factual, informative and entertaining all at the same time. If the final video creates an "immersive" experience than the documentary filmmaker has achieved the ultimate goal of communication.

Video Production Documentary Project

Project Details and Requirements:

• This is a team based project, teams may be no larger than 3.
• Final run time should be 5-7 minutes maximum. Longer is acceptable as long as the tempo and material holds up.
• Each project must have a title sequence and credits.
• Each team must produce and use a production logo at beginning of their documentary.
• Each team must produce a 1 page film proposal for approval. Upon approval a script or treatment must be written along with a storyboard or shot list. Guidelines for each are provided in a packet. Read the entire project info packet before proceeding. 
• Each team must screen a rough cut and a fine cut for feedback. 
• Videos must be approved for inclusion in yearbook/website by administration.

Pitch it!

To begin your documentary film project assemble a team and pitch your idea to your instructor (me).

Treatments for Documentaries: Write 1-3 paragraph description of project

Since most documentaries and experimental films do not have scripts, they frequently use the treatment to summarize their project. The treatment for an experimental film should express what the audience is going to see, hear and feel – it should be clear and descriptive. The treatment for a documentary may be less descriptive because much of the information (the interview, for example) may not have been filmed yet: documentary treatments typically spend more time establishing the conditions of filming and the questions the filmmaker intends to address. Nonetheless, a documentary treatment should also establish what the film is going to look like and sound like to best of the director’s knowledge. It should present the issues and information to be investigated and what new perspectives the viewers may experience through the documentary film.

The Documentary Workflow:
Whether your short video is interview based, based on spontaneous events (rally days, games, spirit week) or is a mix of both it is important to identify your subject and style of film. Here is the basic workflow begin to end:

1. Identify topic/subject/focus
2. Pre-arrange interviews when possible
3. Pre-arrange crew to be present for shooting
4. Check out equipment before hand (equipment is often limited)
5. Be on location and equipped with charged batteries
6. Record everything, ask questions
7. After shooting backup footage to single workstation
8. Organize files (video-still-audio-graphics-logos)
9. Import all assets into Premiere
10. Review all footage (log time code for good clips)
11. Begin editing footage to create rough cut
12. Add intro titles/logos/credits
13. Preview rough cut for feedback
14. Create new edit or refine edit
15. Add soundtracks/sfx
16. Preview for final cut
17. Make final edits and refinements
18. Export final version

New Line Cinema Production Logo

Logos

Your team must produce a logo for your “production company”. This can be drawn by hand, created in photoshop or illustrator. It could be a still image, or even animated.

Teams:
Students may work in teams of 3 maximum and all team members are expected to contribute equally. Editing can be laborious, the workload should be shared by all.

Help and Assistance:
I am your advisor and facilitator and have years of experience in video production. Rely on my expertise to help your project to completion.

Good luck Filmmakers!

- Mr.W