DOCUMENTARY FILMS
A documentary is media that intends to inform an audience about a non-fiction topic/subject. It can be in video format or a podcast/audio show format.
Here are two professional examples of documentaries
AUDIO DOCUMENTARY PODCAST
Your task is to tell the story or inform about a subject in either VIDEO or AUDIO format.
What about a mockumentary? A mockumentary is media that acts like a documentary however it is meant to be humorous and is usually fictional. You may choose to make a mockumentary. The tricky thing about a mockumentary is to get a story CLOSE enough to the truth but just a little off, that is part of the magic.
What kinds of things should be included in the documentary/mockumentary?
B ROLL
COMPONENTS OF A DOCUMENTARY / MOCKUMENTARY
BROLL - Include B Roll. Check out the videos above for reminders
INTERVIEWS - Learn to ask good questions (not yes or no) and learn how to get people to respond to you to make it easier to edit.
LOWER THIRDS - Lower thirds are the text that go on the bottom third of the screen to describe who we are listening to.
MUSIC
Music used in a documentary usually meets the following criteria:
Repetitive - The music will usually be repetitive so as to not be going through too many contrasting sections
Instrumental - Having a vocal track in the background can compete with your narration, interviews or voice-overs
Softer - Watch the volume levels
Isn’t self-seeking - Any background music shouldn’t be something that is stealing thunder from what is taking place on screen. i.e. Screamo genre music might not be appropriate
Great sites to find free music.
INTERVIEWS & AUDIO
Asking the right questions and learning how to train your interviewees is an important skill to acquire for successful documentary film making. Have a listen to these audio tips I have made for you!
OTHER SAMPLES
EVALUATION
The same rubric will be used to evaluate these films. Use the following questions, if you need to assess how your video stands up to the rubric.
-Have I included all the necessary elements? B-Roll? Music? Lower Thirds?
-Have I ensured, to the best of my ability, that there are no mistakes in the final video?
-Have I used my best judgement when creating camera angles for all scenes?
-Have I ensured, to the best of my ability, that the audio is free of distractions?
-Have I told the story in a way that flows and make sense? Did I stay true to my original intent with this story?
Video: 40 marks