What is a Documentary?

A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record. "Documentary" has been described as a "filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception" that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. Documentary films were originally called 'actuality' films and were only a minute or less in length. Over time documentaries have evolved to be longer in length and to include more categories, such as educational, observational, and even 'docufiction'. Documentaries are also educational and often used in schools to teach various principles. Social media platforms such as YouTube, have allowed documentary films to improve the ways the films are distributed and able to educate and broaden the reach of people who receive the information.  [Wikipedia}

As documentaries have become increasingly popular, they have also become more significant voices in the media. Students in many fields -- not only film and video students, but students in sociology, political science, international affairs and law -- now aspire to make documentaries. They intend to build these documentaries into websites, use them in campaigns, exhibit them at film festivals and attach them to research projects.

Ethical Questions

Once a filmmaker has accepted the responsibility that comes with acknowledging the filmmaker's point of view, he or she confronts a range of ethical questions in making a documentary. These ethical questions occur within three kinds of relationships: those with subjects, those with viewers and those with co-producers (including funders, sponsors, backers and partners). Questions to consider:

• Does a documentarian have an obligation to his/her subjects other than to document their lives?
• How does a documentarian build trust with subjects and deal with concerns for privacy?
• Is it ever acceptable to deceive or withhold information from subjects about what you are doing?
• How can a documentarian honestly maintain viewers' trust while also making an artful and effective film?
• Can activism be combined with documentary without compromising it?
• What are a filmmaker's obligations regarding accuracy in representations such as reenactments, in chronology and with archival material?

Choosing a Topic

You need to consider a topic. You'll be telling the story in an active voice. You'll need to check out cameras so that you can record footage. You'll also be able to download footage (and document the source) in order to tell your story.  Some topics to consider, but are not limited to:

Planning

You will need to do all of the planning for your film before you start filming. Your finished documentary should be between 3 - 5 minutes, not including your title and credits.

• Storyboard
• Interview Questions
• Script / Narration
• Shot Locations
• B Roll Footage

Filming

Remember that the video said you shoot much more film than what you think you need for your documentary.  Composition and shot type are still crucial to an interesting film.

Editing

You'll need to edit your footage down to 3 - 5 minutes.

Clean edits

Good use of B Roll

Good use of transitions

Background music as necessary

Title:  Follow along with this tutorial to create your title screen in After Effects. Use any thick font, and colors associated with your topic.  When you finish, you'll import the clip into Premiere and set the Speed/Duration for 7 seconds.

Credits:  Make a single text box for your credits. You'll animate it so that it drops down onto the screen, and then slides off at the bottom. Make sure it lasts long enough for viewers to read it. You'll do this in Premiere.

Turning it in

You'll need to upload your finished film to your YouTube Channel and create a post in your ePortfolio that has the following:

1. Title of the assignment:  Documentary Film
2. Answer the Reflection Questions
   1. What important fact did you learn about your documentary topic?
   2. Have you ever watched a documentary? If so, which one?
   3. When you watched your finished film, did you find it interesting? Why or why not?
   4. What would you do differently if you could?
3. Take a screenshot of your Timeline "\" and embed below the questions
4. Embed your YouTube video.