Documentary Treatments are Due Today

Documentary Treatments are Due Today.
Please put them in the classes folder (period 4) on the STAFF server.

Today you will create a list of 30-40 documentary questions that you will ask at lest four to five people involved with your subject.

Mr. Mitchell’s 4 Hints to create better documentaries
1. Keep the camera rolling, capture as much footage as possible.
2. Research your topic…become an expert.
3. Come prepared at interviews with a list of questions. Ask how and why questions.
4. Avoid bias in your story. Tell the facts and avoid taking sides.

Documentary Narration/Text/Organization

First, read this section on interview techniques here.

When you are done, please turn this assignment into the classes folder on the staff server using the naming convention_narration assignment.

Intro
Write three to four sentences describing topic in great detail . Give crucial information and history as needed. Feel free to use documented statistics.
For example, if you are doing a piece on gas prices then find out how expensive gas has been over the last twenty years. Why the change? What are the factors etc? Do cars get more or less miles per gallon?

Next, list at least five specific examples of of B-Roll you will use. Provide dates, locations, and shot type of the footage.
Will you use any footage from sources other than your own camera? If so, what will they be?

Again, if you are doing Gas prices you might want to show people filling up at the gas station, a shot or two of gas price signs, people driving cars, and money exchanging hands etc.

Body
Narrate or use text to move from one interview to the next. If you do your interviews well, the interviews will tell the story and your narration will be minimal.
For today’s assignment, pretend you have three different examples and interviews for your topic.
What will you cover in this section? What will the audience learn? Please list the people who have interviewed or will interview and also list the B-Roll that will play underneath those interviews.

Closing
What did you conclude from your documentary (using both sides of course)? You aren't trying to prove a point here as this is more of a recap of what we saw in the body of your documentary.
What should the audience know that ties all the information together? What is next for your subject or subjects?
Your closing narration should be at least three to four sentences.

Again, drop this assignment in the classes folder. Hopefully this helps you organize your documentary.

Documentary Questions

Documentary Questions

1. What is your documentary subject?
2. Why did you choose this subject? Why would this be interesting for us to watch(two-three sentences)? How will it differ from other documentaries that have been shown before?
3. What do you think your audience can learn from your documentary? (one-two sentences)
4. What type of B-Roll will your video need (three-four specific examples)
5. How will you make sure you can cover all sides of this subject? Who will you interview and where will you interview them? (two-three sentences)?