Training

Be Organised & keep your Receipts. (from the office supply shop invest in folders or binders- you will thank yourself later).

Legal, permits & release.

Interview Questions/notes.

Archive footage/clips.

Crew/contact.

Sponsor/funders.

Location info.

Production timeline.

Music & sound.

Editing

Insurance.

Narration/voice over.

Receipts.

DOCO Genres.

Criminal Justice - crime & puinishment, police and exploring injustices both sides.

Pop Culture- lighty-hearted in nature. Explore current and popular happenings from past adn present. Topics can range from all kinds of artistis, to movie, TV, music and trends.

Exploration & Scientific- going places that humans rarely get a chance to see, usually scientific in nature.

Socio-Cultural- A wide ranging genre. Usually made up of topics of race, sexuality, woman rights and ineqalities as well as daily life of underpresented culture.

Sports- follow the heroes and villian of sporting world. They can be in conjuction with another genre.

Travel & Food- off teh beaten path, exotic places and intresting food and people.

Historical- looking at events from past, many interviews & experts, archival footage adn sometimes renactments.  

Documentary (checklist)

Choose the right stroy. Find stories that natually come to you and are low in cost, not stories which will be stuck with short funding. Think big with each project remember you need big money for big dreams (this is not to dishearten you but the truth is money will create opportnities. Saying so thats not the case all the time. Follow the story adn write the structure with funds in mind).

Find stories and techniques that can be done with money readily available, not with money that may be...later.

Dicipline. Be extremely careful and consistent at every stage of planning and production. Make the project all mucle and less fat.

Format and equipment are important but not the end of the world. Make note, a historical moment shot on a phone camera is worthe many times more regardlessof the quality.

Use experienced people and control personal cost by adjusting your schedule/time and NOT RATES.

AVOID air travel if possible.

Make the film quickly.

The status-que must be maintained. Clear decision flow-the producer/director is in charge.

DONT miss a deadline...no matter what.

Do not use outside material only home movies, personal photos, music, documents for which you own rights and FAIR material which you have documents.

Subjectivity, Objectivity & storytelling

Making a social point of view doco/film.

Look and study history of documentary film. That wasy you are not trying to invent something that its already there and you can learn from many examples. Base yourself in places with active social causes or join a club, welfare/social org. Look at credits of good doco's and see where these production houses are located/based.

Exploring unpopular or negetive subjects.

Remmeber always its all about POV (point of View). i guess one can spin and idea to fit ones agenda or POV however there is a fine line between selling your soul for money or be honest adn true by mobilising the crowd towards a common cause however unpopular or negetive. Be objective.

One-sided sensesationalist ploitical doco's.

Fantastic as long as they are upfront about it. there is nothing wrong as long as audience know what it is. good example is SUPER SIZE ME... which is very one sided film and in so many ways sensational...however it is loaded with tons of material that are FACT. Support your POV with evidence.

Important part of Storytelling.

NArration. you got to have a good character, some kind of story arc and plot points-something got to happen. there got to be begining, middle and end (most of the time). Whats the story POV and perspective? You can make a film about some people who go donckey (kidding) ridding but thats a topic.... whats the film really ABOUT...

Subjective & Objective.

Once again its all about POV. every film is about A statement...belive it or not. As soon as you start to record a situation... you start to think , who, how and where and all these are important part of storytelling from many viewers POV. Think of the bricks of the house.... every story is a brick or a UNIT (shot), every brick that you puttogether, you indirectly stat to creare in audience mind a primary unit of communication. its always what you want to say, truth or not is not is is Question of who is asking. ALL ART is subjective and even docos (being non-fiction) is a form of ART. However tryt o be OBJECTIVE and follow a journalistic standard. Get your facts right andback up your statement.

Research, Development & Structure

Most important thing is one has to love the process. its all about discovery.

If your budget allows, very important to get some one who does it for a living to have a look at your story.A good researcher can help you with endless experience and fresh POV.

Dont ever confuse a good topic with a good story. 9personally i go with good story-but thats me)

I love research. This stage is very intresting (frustrating) and tricky one. it can be a pain (for your imagination and creativity) because you are always thinking...something more i need to research. the most important issue is BALANCE. create a realistic deadline and stick to it.

Research, Research & more Research... (you will thnak yourself later). If possible hire some one to help you, if you got small budget then you better be ready to get your hands dirty. Character-who are you going to focus on? Whose POV is this story told? What Questions are you examining? what are you trying to SAY?What is your POV?.... all these can change as the story line unfolds but start with something.

Begining, middle and end are ok but your story need to have STRUCTURE.

Think things clearly through.... there is saying, before you make your mind, wait 24 hours. Dont assume the audience will understand or know.

If all fails , Dont be afraid of NARRATION, sometimes its the easiest way to get from A to B.

 Ideas & Proposals

A big mistake is sending your idea/proposal to just anybody. (reseach, call, network or simply google..find out who is where adn in charge). A funder/sponsor will want something different.

it need to have the desire/need for the world to see and the project to be made.

If you can write then hire someone to do it for you.

Do tons of research.

Tailor it to each funder and personlaise it.

No more than 3 pages.

A general description/statement of the need of the project.

very important part of proposal is Treatment (totally Visual in nature, basically saying what people will see)

Time line adn production plan/location/structure or any other important info.

Audience. Who adn where are you trying to reach. (distribution)

What format you gonna use or shoot (Equipment)

Your Crew/Team (a short discription of their previous work)

 Budget