In editing your documentary, you get your first real chance to explore how your subject’s story is going to stack up.
Some examples of participatory documentaries include: Reflexive documentaries are similar to participatory docs in that they often include the filmmaker within the film. Interested in learning more about the craft of creating excellent documentaries? Military? However, for the actual interview audio, you’ll want to use a lavalier microphone setup. For example, a montage containing a negative theme followed by a positive theme may give the viewer the idea that the positive theme is the main theme of the montage.

Presenting the facts and reality isn’t always clean cut and unbiased.

Lighting, color scheme, framing and camera angle all impact the audience's perception of the person who is speaking.

That being said, great stories can be hidden anywhere (à la Jiro Dreams of Sushi), you just have to find it.

Research is the most important phase of Pre-production and is the foundation of your script. The possibilities of shots are endless, but your main focus should always be on your subject and how he or she interacts with the environment around them.

Here are some other opinions and options for documentary gear to consider: With your gear all laid out, you can begin production on your documentary film. Basically, documentaries have been around since the dawn of cinema. You can read Simon’s interview and purchase tickets to to the preview here. Whichever role they assume, their input is important to create the skeletal form that you then flesh out with “story” as you develop your outline. If you’ve made it this far through our guide, it’s safe to assume that you are now an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker — congratulations! Interviews on opposing sides of an issue may be shown to give the viewer comprehensive information about a topic. This inclusion can be as minor as a filmmaker using their voice to prod their subjects with questions or cues from behind the camera — or as major as a filmmaker directly influencing the actions of the narrative. Once you have all of the facts and materials, then you can sit down and write the script and voice-overs.

Interviews are also a very important technique for character introduction. Best of luck!


Once you decide on your subject and what type of documentary you’re going to make, it’s time to gear up for production. For filmmakers, this approach offers a valuable lesson in experimenting with all the elements of documentary filmmaking by finding creative compositions, challenging juxtapositions, and different forms of cinematic storytelling. Here are some things to consider: One of the last components of a documentary film (or any film for that matter) is the soundtrack.

The ultimate goal is to create a feeling rather than a truth.

The soundtrack and music will help develop that pace and give a powerful foundation to your film. What are you hoping to convey? Without research, it would be impossible to conceive what an interviewee is going to say and how that ties into your message.

Like any good story, your documentary needs a strong beginning, middle, and end. Any question that is not open ended gives them a quick escape and nothing for you to use. You should setup a small shotgun mic on the top of your camera.

Documentaries by nature are reactionary and unscripted. The final question to ask yourself: what will make your documentary the most visually interesting?

Writing and rewriting the script is part of the process as you continue to define your message and refine the story. You’ll want to set everything up as much as possible in the beginning or else things can take a turn quickly and you’ll be looking at a mess.

If you are interested in more of our comprehensive guides, check out Professional Video Editing Tips and Techniques and Cinematography Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Director of Photography. As a documentarian you need to be flexible and ready to record stories that are in the moment despite whatever limitations you may have. For cameras, it’s no surprise that Canon products were overwhelmingly preferred, with the C300 closely beating out the 5D and 7D options. a great post about the history of the documentary and its different sub-genres Research, research, research before you film your interviews. Those looking for the most direct form of documentary storytelling should explore the straightforward expository style. Narrative montages involve the planning of sequence of shots used to indicate changes in time and place within a film. The ideal way (after PremiumBeat, of course) would be to get a custom soundtrack recorded by a composer once you get picture-lock. It is the first single released from his first album Treddin' on Thin Ice (2004). This visual representation of the characters thoughts helps position the viewer in the story, and helps the viewer better understand what the character is saying. They can still connect because of the clarity of the message. They move you back away from the unique world which you are giving your audience access to, and give them more outside information to help them shape their opinions and understanding.

Take real inventory of your surroundings and your resources. The observational style has been very influential over the years, and you can often find filmmakers using it in other film genres to create a sense of realness and truth.

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Let’s start at the end. When you first arrive on location, start listening for any unusual sounds. Hopefully some of the advice and articles above will help you in your documentary filmmaking journey. Without self-imposed deadlines and scheduled plans, it can be easy for things to never get done.

styles. Just fold a piece of gaff tape into a small triangle (making sure all sides are sticky) then attach your mic to the tape and the tape to an underside of a shirt or tie.