There are a number of things that you need to know if you are interested in the production of documentaries. The first thing that you need to do is to develop an idea. You need to know what it is that you want to present to your target audience. Conducting a research prior to production is very important as it will help in the identification of tastes and preferences of this audience.
The next thing that needs to be done is to develop the story. It is important that you establish a story arc. Just like in narrative films, viewers like to see growth and development in the characters as they are faced with different situations. Ideally, the whole story should be divided into three parts namely the beginning, the middle and the end or conclusion. This kind of arrangement is also known as the dramatic structure.
One must have access to the materials required for the production. This may mean travelling to a different geographical location or getting authorisation to access some classified information. For instance, if one is creating a documentary on an army operation, they will need to be allowed to access areas that are not normally accessible to civilians. Interviews are an integral part of a documentary. They serve to add credibility to the work created. Therefore securing appointments well in advance is advised.
There are a number of challenges that one needs to be aware of even as they plan on starting their project. Lack of adequate resources is perhaps the commonest. These resources may be in form of machinery, manpower or even time. Such situations make it difficult to complete the task within the stipulated time and subsequently lead to frustration. Passion in the work is therefore very important.
Once the ideas have been collected, and all the resources put together, a script can then be written. It is wise to consult with persons who have created similar programs so that they can give you advice on a number of things. The first copy of the script should be read by an expert in the field so that any errors are identified at this stage. Any additions are made at this stage.
A good documentary is one that has an emotional centre. In other words, it allows the audience to feel what the characters are feeling. If the characters are sad, for example, the same must be conveyed to the viewers. Conversely, if the characters are happy, the same emotion should be felt amongst the audience. This is the best way of ensuring that you have communicated your message.
There are a number of common mistakes that are made by filmmakers. You need to avoid these as much as possible. One of the commonest is that a good number of filmmakers fail to choose a theme for their work such that it has no driving force behind it. The recreation of events is often done with wrong techniques. Inappropriate choice of music is another common mistake. Adequate research helps avoid of these mistakes.
The last step is advertisement or distribution of documentaries. This can be done in various forms of print and electronic media. The cheapest available option is the use of social networks which are not only cheap but effective as well. They also allow one to obtain feedback easily.
The next thing that needs to be done is to develop the story. It is important that you establish a story arc. Just like in narrative films, viewers like to see growth and development in the characters as they are faced with different situations. Ideally, the whole story should be divided into three parts namely the beginning, the middle and the end or conclusion. This kind of arrangement is also known as the dramatic structure.
One must have access to the materials required for the production. This may mean travelling to a different geographical location or getting authorisation to access some classified information. For instance, if one is creating a documentary on an army operation, they will need to be allowed to access areas that are not normally accessible to civilians. Interviews are an integral part of a documentary. They serve to add credibility to the work created. Therefore securing appointments well in advance is advised.
There are a number of challenges that one needs to be aware of even as they plan on starting their project. Lack of adequate resources is perhaps the commonest. These resources may be in form of machinery, manpower or even time. Such situations make it difficult to complete the task within the stipulated time and subsequently lead to frustration. Passion in the work is therefore very important.
Once the ideas have been collected, and all the resources put together, a script can then be written. It is wise to consult with persons who have created similar programs so that they can give you advice on a number of things. The first copy of the script should be read by an expert in the field so that any errors are identified at this stage. Any additions are made at this stage.
A good documentary is one that has an emotional centre. In other words, it allows the audience to feel what the characters are feeling. If the characters are sad, for example, the same must be conveyed to the viewers. Conversely, if the characters are happy, the same emotion should be felt amongst the audience. This is the best way of ensuring that you have communicated your message.
There are a number of common mistakes that are made by filmmakers. You need to avoid these as much as possible. One of the commonest is that a good number of filmmakers fail to choose a theme for their work such that it has no driving force behind it. The recreation of events is often done with wrong techniques. Inappropriate choice of music is another common mistake. Adequate research helps avoid of these mistakes.
The last step is advertisement or distribution of documentaries. This can be done in various forms of print and electronic media. The cheapest available option is the use of social networks which are not only cheap but effective as well. They also allow one to obtain feedback easily.
