Writing for Documentaries

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  • Writing for Documentaries

    Any advice fellow scribes?

    I'm working on my first doc right now and just wondering in what ways documentary scripts differ from dramas, comedies, and the like. The process. Resources. Everything.

    New field for me only having experience with traditional scripts. Thanks.

  • #2
    Re: Writing for Documentaries

    I hope this link proves helpful:
    http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/...ary_script.pdf

    Or this:
    http://www.desktop-documentaries.com...-a-script.html

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    • #3
      Re: Writing for Documentaries

      I'd say the biggest difference is you can just go interview people, record what they say and edit it and BOOM: documentary.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Writing for Documentaries

        Originally posted by Ven View Post
        Any advice fellow scribes?

        I'm working on my first doc right now and just wondering in what ways documentary scripts differ from dramas, comedies, and the like. The process. Resources. Everything.
        There's really no comparison - it's an entirely different methodology. Back in the day I produced/directed for a few of the major networks as well as indie docos. Nearly everything is different and there are different styles of doco. The only docos that are fully written before production are usually essay-style docos and nature and science docos, where you a presenting a specific subject and know exactly what you want to say ahead of time. Other docos are investigative where you have an outline of the argument you want to pursue and you research the topic, conduct interviews and set pieces and then edit the results to compile your argument.

        There's also a huge difference in the way doco scripts are formatted and if your doco is for a network it will need to include timing and often footnotes for sources. As with features there will be a large folder explaining the many deliverables. You can find sample doco scripts online and networks will have templates for the styles they prefer.

        Maybe be more specific about what you are doing. The biggest part of doco making is research and preparation, followed by post-production, followed by the filming itself which usually occupies the least amount of time relative to the rest.
        "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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        • #5
          Re: Writing for Documentaries

          Thank you David and Scriptonian. I really appreciate such a thorough and knowledgeable response.

          The documentary is a biographical one, and I think it would be a cross between more mainstream cinematic and something like 30 for 30. I have an outline and did the research. I've drank, cried, dreamed, and generally created a vision for what I want to accomplish. I've been meaning to turn it into a script for awhile now. I guess I would like to get more into filmmaking ... writing of course, but also editing and directing. Especially editing, creating the story. I imagine since I've already done the research, that post-production will take by far the most amount of my remaining time.

          Say ... what kind of $$$ are involved for licensing fees? I can see myself buying or renting my own camera and equipment. Hiring or partnering up with someone to do the editing. Going the indie route for film crew if needed. Certainly I have no problem putting my own money and hard work into this project, but the more I think about it the more overwhelming it seems to try and do this all by myself, never mind worrying about how to finance the licensing fees.

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          • #6
            Re: Writing for Documentaries

            Originally posted by Ven View Post
            The documentary is a biographical one, and I think it would be a cross between more mainstream cinematic and something like 30 for 30....

            Say ... what kind of $$$ are involved for licensing fees? I can see myself buying or renting my own camera and equipment. Hiring or partnering up with someone to do the editing. Going the indie route for film crew if needed. Certainly I have no problem putting my own money and hard work into this project, but the more I think about it the more overwhelming it seems to try and do this all by myself, never mind worrying about how to finance the licensing fees.
            Okay, I understand where you are now. In the 90s when I did a lot of this I met many people in your position. There aren't many simple answers. I think the first thing you need to know is whether this is just a personal project that you will do come what may, or whether it is something that is going to be targeted to a network or the festival circuit. Look at the credits for some documentaries similar to the one you want to make and this will give you an idea of the personnel and resources that might be required.

            Does your story have appeal to a wide audience, or is it a niche subject more suited to online and DVD distribution? If you want to run it on the festival circuit you need to look at the indie production requirements. If you want a network to pick it up you'll need to find an existing strand into which it will fit and then submit an outline and proposal to the network. As with features, the competition is fairly intense.

            Don't buy a camera and shoot it yourself unless you have a natural talent for this and an absolutely compelling subject whereby cinematic shortcomings might be forgiven. More important than a camera is sound recording - sound must be technically excellent and is less forgiving than picture. You can shoot pick-up footage if needed, but unusable audio is dead and gone. Unless you have unlimited funds you'll need to get most things right first time. Don't be seduced by the fact that there are cheap cameras capable of producing excellent images - this is a small part of what's required.

            You need an engaging outline for a compelling story, engaging on-camera talent, and your work needs to pass the so-what test. Bring your experienced doco editor on board early and discuss the project with him or her so you understand what's needed before you can begin post-production. Every person and every private location that appears on camera will need a signed appearance release and waiver. Some networks won't let you produce material for them without insurance. And, the technical requirements for your deliverables will vary depending on where and how the work will be shown or distributed. These are fairly standard for features being picked up for distribution but vary somewhat for networks.

            If it's a biographical story, ask yourself how many bios have been successful in the last ten years, and where they were exhibited. Are you doing something like Errol Morris' 'Fog of War', or something more conventional? Above all, ask yourself why it should appeal to an audience and have a good answer ready for everyone you meet. I don't want to deter you, but it is a minefield for novices and your best effort needs to go into exhaustive preparation. You need to know everything you're going to do well before you start shooting anything. There are exceptions to everything, but you have to be very fortunate to be exceptional.
            "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Writing for Documentaries

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              Okay, I understand where you are now. In the 90s when I did a lot of this I met many people in your position. There aren't many simple answers. I think the first thing you need to know is whether this is just a personal project that you will do come what may, or whether it is something that is going to be targeted to a network or the festival circuit. Look at the credits for some documentaries similar to the one you want to make and this will give you an idea of the personnel and resources that might be required.
              I have another script I've been working on, that is my life's work. It's what got me into screenwriting and film, and I hope to see it made into a movie one day. Along the way, this documentary became another passion project of mine. It started as something more limited, but the more I conceived of it, the more I realized that it's really appealing as a feature film for wide distribution, something that should be given maximum effort and care. It's just such a fantastic story, it's now become my #1 priority, consuming my thoughts and time, and I've started dreaming about this being my debut into filmmaking (beyond writing).

              Well, those are the goals anyway.


              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              Does your story have appeal to a wide audience, or is it a niche subject more suited to online and DVD distribution? If you want to run it on the festival circuit you need to look at the indie production requirements. If you want a network to pick it up you'll need to find an existing strand into which it will fit and then submit an outline and proposal to the network. As with features, the competition is fairly intense.
              I would say it has a core audience as well as appeal to a wider audience.

              1. It's a biographical story about a very famous and popular person at the international level. Given who this person is and what they do, I think there is a core audience (much larger than niche) who would see this film.

              2. Additionally, one couldn't ask for a more compelling central character or narrative as a storyteller. The outline practically wrote itself. I'm just fortunate that I put in a lot of time doing the research, and I think I know enough about narrative structure, to have organized everything into the most effective presentation possible.

              3. There is no market saturation. This is a contemporary famous person who has literally never had a single feature film made about them. I've seen all the 30-60 minute TV docs, English and foreign, which are either propaganda or "real" but with a more limited focus. Nothing takes this person's life story and puts it on the big screen for a couple of hours the way I'm aiming to do.

              4. Finally, this person will have increased publicity in the coming years. Any story about them would be sure to have increased demand.

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              Don't buy a camera and shoot it yourself unless you have a natural talent for this and an absolutely compelling subject whereby cinematic shortcomings might be forgiven. More important than a camera is sound recording - sound must be technically excellent and is less forgiving than picture. You can shoot pick-up footage if needed, but unusable audio is dead and gone. Unless you have unlimited funds you'll need to get most things right first time. Don't be seduced by the fact that there are cheap cameras capable of producing excellent images - this is a small part of what's required.
              Yeah, I definitely agree with you here. This started out as a smaller project, just something I wanted to put together on my own. A montage. A short production. Then suddenly I developed a narrative and wanted to tell a story. My sister has a recording studio and I thought I'd record VO there. Then I found myself wanting to shoot footage ... and on and on.

              I guess I've finally reached the point where ... if I want to realize my vision for what this film should become ... I'd like to start reaching out and working with others.

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              You need an engaging outline for a compelling story, engaging on-camera talent, and your work needs to pass the so-what test.
              The engaging outline is the one thing I already have. The subject is a seemingly mythical hero figure who comes from nothing to the status of world-renowned; lives today in the flesh and blood; and starts out following down the traditional path of the hero's journey, only to defy convention and become a more emotionally complex (and beloved) person.

              Another thing to mention--
              I would like to make this documentary an actual repository for this person's body of work.

              For instance, when you see a film about a singer, you might get a few re-created pieces of songs (set pieces around the main plot); or a film about a politician might include a few famous lines of speech. But in this case, I'd like to include a large (although not complete) portion of this person's body of work, so that a viewer can see the film and think to themselves: "here is this person, and here are the things they did in their life".

              I am confident that this person's body of work adds an aesthetically pleasing quality to the film's presentation. In fact, that would be part of the appeal to watching the film in the first place. There is a legendary story to be told, but wow ... look at those set pieces!

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              Bring your experienced doco editor on board early and discuss the project with him or her so you understand what's needed before you can begin post-production. Every person and every private location that appears on camera will need a signed appearance release and waiver. Some networks won't let you produce material for them without insurance. And, the technical requirements for your deliverables will vary depending on where and how the work will be shown or distributed. These are fairly standard for features being picked up for distribution but vary somewhat for networks.
              Who would you recommend contacting first? Trying to pitch to? Or hire?

              If you were in my shoes, what steps would you take first?

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              If it's a biographical story, ask yourself how many bios have been successful in the last ten years, and where they were exhibited. Are you doing something like Errol Morris' 'Fog of War', or something more conventional? Above all, ask yourself why it should appeal to an audience and have a good answer ready for everyone you meet.
              As for the distinctness of the film, and why it should appeal to an audience, I hope I answered that in the blocks above.

              Originally posted by DavidK View Post
              I don't want to deter you, but it is a minefield for novices and your best effort needs to go into exhaustive preparation. You need to know everything you're going to do well before you start shooting anything. There are exceptions to everything, but you have to be very fortunate to be exceptional.
              Thanks for your input David. I do know these things are minefields; in screenwriting, we're all familiar with the 99% of hacks who turn out drivel, can't sell it, and then complain that the system is rigged against them.

              Of course, all it takes is a can't-miss, exceptional story, and the will to get it done.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Writing for Documentaries

                Originally posted by Ven View Post
                Who would you recommend contacting first? Trying to pitch to? Or hire?

                If you were in my shoes, what steps would you take first?.
                Seems like you've got a good handle on what you want to do. Bios are more about character than history and the foundation of a good bio is a great character. Who to contact first? It's all part of the same process so the exact order doesn't matter. I wouldn't necessarily hire an editor straight away, just arrange a time to discuss your project and see if you have a meeting of minds and make sure you are comfortable with an editor's track record before committing. Pitching docos these days is such a marathon - just start when you're ready. The key is to find who is buying or broadcasting the sort of doco you want to make and you'll probably have to network like hell. Check into some film festivals or markets and meet people and ask questions. Depending on where you are geographically there may be grants you can apply for or co-production treaties. Show your tenacity - people like commitment.
                "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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