help on Documentary Film

[nunobone]

---

hello peeps, i just wanna ask..
what are the things needed in a documentary film??
i need a guide on making a documentary..

thanks!

[MrBiddle]

Shoot first. Create a story later. You tend to cheat if you script what you want to see beforehand. Leave it to the writer for storification. But you can prepare some questions for people you are to interview.

But what the narrator will be telling the audience and the chronological structure of it should be tackled later, after everything is in the can.

and of course your equipment which would depend on your choice.

[MrBiddle]

anyway, for basic equipment, it is ok to use a makeshift consumer camcorder - so long as it has a DV terminal so you can cut your documentary digitally. and a computer that is compatible for an IEEE 1394, (FireWire - of the same size as the DV terminal of your camcorder) and it's gotta be a gigabyte chomping harddrive.

For 3rd party capture (and editing!) software, I recommend Sony Vegas. I hear there's already even version 6.0 of the said software.

Anyway, that's just basic equipment for video production, di ko suhito anang mga sound-sound cos di ko hilig og Karaoke.

but there are people here who can give you more informative response on this subject:

pnoize2k4
jomark
vanceloma
hellweek
idlewild
Blongkoy
angryliar

[vanceloma]

uy, na mention ko, im so flattered.

anyways, you can always refer to the "Technical side of filmaking" thread,

But I feel comfy in this thread here, I'm gonna give a no nonsense approach to covering your docu.

1.) have a theme
2.) imagine the finished docu as you shoot.
3.) have lots of tapes, you never know when a "money shot" appears.
4.) try to have a lot of l footage, especially useful for montage shots(kanang related). you don't want your documentatry to be boring by relying too much on a "talking head" interview (see channel 6 "Cebu hot stories" channel for a bad example on documentaries, kadyot lang ha? kay malanay imong eyes.)
5.) AUDIO!!!! this must be very priority especially interviews. keep in mind where you are gonna interview, you might find out too late na ang ambient sound sa aricon, ga drown na sa imong audio sa interview.
6.) set an appointment to people who you are gonna interview and such, klarohi lang, pero i think SOP naman ni.

I assume you're gonna use a standard video cam right? there's no problem with that, even Minnie Crowse just used a hi-8 cam on her docu about that illegal mining in siquijor which made her win several Int'l film festivals. naka nindot ana, RAW kaayo ang dating sa imong docu, very real gyud.
try to experiment with your cam prior to the shoot, it really helps.

also VERY IMPORTANT!!! ALWAYS PREPARE A CARDBOARD BOX!!!!

why? well, kung ang imong documentary is very controversial and dangerous, unya naa naka sa danger zone, you can get out of the situation easily. like say, film kag mga rebel people, unya nag pinatyanay naman sila, use the cardboard box as a disguise and ditch the scene for your safety, they'll never know you're there...
[img width=180 height=135]http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1337/mgs2cap022ti.jpg[/img]
as demonstrated by rouge agent Solid SNake here

also very useful for getting into those place you really wanna film pero TIGHT kaayo ang security. It worked for me .....my friend didn't make it though....

NO ONE will ever suspect a cardboard box.

[exudos]

1. WARNNG: ALWAYS GET A SEPARATE AUDIO!!!! we could lend you our boom if u dnt hav one..
2. a. HANDHELD: for IMPORTANT b. STICKS: for interviews.
3. ALWAYS remember the: INTRO, CONFLICT and RESOLUTION
4. Prepare (this is what most of the indies sometimes cannot do)
5. USE USE USE ... Sony Vegas it can turn ur video into dreamlike.
6. on shoot, take COVERAGE shots
7. know whats boring and whats interesting
8. MONTAGE! <--------- a special thing
9. Voice overs and Musical bingbongs (theres a software that u could create some backsounds)
10. AND ASK B4 shoot: IS ur documentary.. USEFUL, TRUTHFUL and NOT POINTLESS...

Dont worry : U could always do DOCU DRAMA if u want to .. dont fake just exaggerate

I wish taht cod help u very muchos... :mrgreen:

[vanceloma]

It's all about the cardboard box.

[MrBiddle]

6. on shoot, take COVERAGE shots

Puros ra man na MASTER tingali. Unless ga refer ka about multiple cameras.... kay kung naai mag pinosilay, panagsa ra man musugot kung ingnan nimo pwedi balik mo sa sugod osbon to ninyo tanan inyong gibuhat kaganiha? If naai usa ka tawo na injured. di na ka TAKE 2. :-b

[exudos]

well, thats the magic.. it depends on how the DIRECTOR does his necessary plan shots..

about sa pinusilay... ILA NANANG PROBLEMA..

How about .. nagpinusilay sila sa eskina.. Master.. Na-igo ang bida.. padolong matay.. i cut dayon sa imong montage na BEACH SCENE para effect.. then balik dayon sa death bed.. with ONLY YOU music.. dba pang EMMY nana!
--

Lets pray that the cardboard box is durable..

[koto]

Im an experience in making this kind of projec, so ill share what i learn before:
1. arrange a meeting with ur group mate and THINK!!! of topic that u are going to document (ex. how drain ur shit!, whats life being a "tao grasa")
2. assign the role of ur memners so that way GUBOT,... (ex. si pedro mao ato cinematographer, si maria atong lighting, si juan ang director og host sa atong docu)
3. make a workplan or list of how are u going to put it all together (murag storyboard or written plan)
4. WAIT!!1 make sure u got the equipment (basic eq.: Hi8 or mini DV cam + tape, lighting & mic, transpo, food!!!! ,for postproduction a decent PC for the editing later on & etc....) dont forget to test them 1st. (for the PC i require at least AMD or P4 1.6ghz or higher, Â*1gig of RAM, 64 or 128mb Vcard, atleast 40gig of VACANT space in HardDisk, headphones, capture card or firewire ( i recomend leadtek or Pinacle for baratohon nya arangan sa fire wire Inno DV p900 lang!!!), 17inch flat screen monitor (lower the brightness and contrast so that u would not get eye irritation when u edit) CD-burner or much better if done in DVD format so DVD burner is a must.
5. respect each others group mate opinion for Idea's!!! para way gubot and HAVE FUN!!! Â*

[MrBiddle]

atleast 40gig of VACANT space in HardDisk, headphones, capture card or firewire

Yup. 40GB at least should suffice kay 13GB raman na ang 1 hour of uncompressed audio video interleaved DV footage.