MCC Film Blog

Yes, it is very realistic to assume we will shoot something over the summer. In addition to a GROUP Project, it is feasible that each and every one of you could easily begin your own documentary film over the summer. Documentary filmmaking is a combination of research and data gathering. Data gathering primarily consists of shooting footage.

Documentary Process

One of the reasons many filmmakers begin with a documentary is that it is more affordable and more accessible film form. Unlike dramatic narrative, there is rarely a big production shoot concentrated into a few weeks. It's a steady trek to collect interviews and b-roll until you achieve enough critical mass to tell a compelling, coherent story. So, in my opinion, here's the process.

• Choose a topic you are VERY passionate about
  
• If you're very passionate, you probably know quite a bit about it already. Write all that you know about as your preliminary reference.
  
• Brainstorm ideas about how you could tell this story. Think of many slants (different approaches or ways of telling the story).
  
• Brainstorm visuals: interviews, b-roll, illustrations
  
• Begin your interviews. Capture key people immediately.
  
• Continue to research. Your interviewees will tell you things you didn't know and lead you to new points of interest.
  
• Record more interviews and more b-roll.
  
• At a certain point (it may be six weeks, six months or six years), you will achieve a critical mass. You have enough information to EDIT a compelling story.
  
• Edit your documentary.
  
• Distribute your documentary.
  
• Begin another project.

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