9/01/2013

How To Create Interesting Documentaries

By Amanda Baird


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 creator needs to develop an interesting story based on the preconceived idea. This is what is popularly referred to as the story arc. It seeks to describe the process that the characters undergo as they achieve their objectives. In other words, the story must have three parts that are also characteristic of narrative films namely the beginning, the middle and the end.

The other important thing is access. If you plan to create a documentary about a given subject, then you must be in a position to access the required material. This also includes getting hold of experts in the field who will help add credibility to your work. For instance if one is creating a documentary on operations of the military, they must have the required authorisation that allows them to collect data.

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.

Advertisement of the completed piece of work is definitely very important. Traditionally advertisement of documentaries has been done through print and electronic media. This has changed and the trend now is to use the internet. Social media, in particular has allowed the sharing of new materials with other persons at a very low cost. It also provides an avenue for members of the audiences to air their views regarding the documentary.




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