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A script for a documentary will be a bit looser than a script for a narrative
work, but it will still provide a roadmap for both production and post-produc-
tion, so don’t skip this step.media. You’ll understand the reason for that
when you begin post-production.Post-production
So you have finally reached the point when
you have gathered all the assets – interviews,
b-roll, digitized photos, graphics and other as-
sorted clips and even stock footage – that will
make their way into your doc. Now, organiza-
tion is key. There is no way around the fact
that you are going to have to transcribe the
interview footage or have it done, and make
sure to include time codes. Highlight the
sound bites that you like.Post-production is when all your hard work finally comes together into a
finished doc. As you edit, make sure you have the appropriate hardware and
that your media is backed up in at least three places.DOCUMENTARY MAY 2019
DOCUMENTARY
with your concept. Then, write an outline that
represents the skeleton of your documentary. The
treatment, a one-page explanation of the doc, adds
some meat. But where you’ll add most of the flesh
— the passion, the attitude and the meaning — is
the script. Once that’s done, you’ll need to figure
out locations and talent, as well as what they’ll
need to say and do. You’ll need a shot list so you
can take it with you and cross out everything as
you shoot it.
Most documentaries — unless you are focused
on a time before the 1900s — are interview-
driven. Every person you interview will need to
contribute something to your overall storyline.
The questions you prepare must guide them into
that story. Thus, it’s important to study how to
obtain good interviews as you prepare to take
your documentary into production. Likewise,
you’ll want to do specific research about your
subjects so you know you’re asking the most
relevant questions.
Additionally, a documentarian needs to have
integrity. Trust is important and you must keep
any promises you make. If and when you find
people willing to tell their story, respect their
time and give them credit in your doc.
On the creative side, think of what you want
in the background for your interviews, and what
sort of b-roll you’ll need to collect. Consistency is
key to making your doc feel cohesive.
Our San Diego video production company has
shot interviews for several documentaries over
the years. For the History Channel’s “Dogfights,”
for example, the producers put a bomber jacket
and aviator helmet behind each interviewee,
with a simple black duvet in the background.
As you plan your shots and the overall look,
figure out what equipment you’ll need to shoot
your documentary. At the moment, 4K format is
not only popular but required by distributors like
Netflix and Amazon Prime. To that end, whoever
edits the doc needs a robust computer system
and editing software.Production
When you begin rolling the camera, save time
by jotting down on your script the reel number
and time-code numbers for best takes. These
numbers and adjoining notes will be invaluable
for your editor. It’s been said that “tape is cheap”
and that’s been proven on multi-camera reality
shoots. So, get lots of b-roll to help with your
show, especially if interview-driven. That said,
try not to overwhelm your editor with too much384 C06 Documentary.indd 48 3/19/19 2:28 PMVIDEOMAKER >>> MAY 2019 49
Patty Mooney is a Partner at San Diego’s lon-
gest-standing video production company, Crys-
tal Pyramid Productions where she wears many
hats including Producer, Writer, Editor, Sound
Tech and Teleprompter Owner/Operator.You can comment on this article by going online:
http://www.videomaker.com/?p=72000212When you pull your assets into your
hard drive, organize the folders so
you know exactly where everything
is. A simple hierarchy works well; for
instance, “Video Clips-Cam A,” “Video
Clips-Cam B,” “Music,” “Voice Over,”
“Photos,” “Graphics,” etc. Replicate
these folders as bins in your video
editing software.
Make sure you have your assets and
timeline backed up in at least three
places. If it’s not backed up in three
different places, it’s not backed up.
Hard drives can and will fail. It’s not a
matter of “if,” but “when,” and you do
not want to be months-deep into your
edit when it happens.
The beauty of editing is that you can
place chunks of video on a timelineand keep rearranging them until you
have a flow that you like. Also, stick
to your script as much as possible. No
script is completely set in concrete
until your show is finished, but a good
script should provide a solid jumping
off point for the initial edit. Finally,
make sure you get feedback from
other producers, trusted friends and
even family members throughout the
editing process.When it’s done, have a private
showing with your collaborators and
crack open a bottle of champagne.
Enjoy the celebration. Tomorrow you
can hunker down and begin the work
of marketing your “baby.”DOCUMENTARY
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Contact our storage experts at [email protected]. Learn more about QNAP’s
video storage solutions: http://www.qnap.com/solution/video-storage/EDIT. STORE. SHARE.
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