7: The Production Pipeline
- Page ID
- 364153
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)While filming your documentary and conducting interviews happen in real time, the preproduction process moves at a much slower pace. Your film festival feature may only be 12 minutes long, and to the audience, it might seem as if the events took place in just half an hour. The key to a smooth and efficient shoot mainly depends on how well your pre-production is researched and organized. Make sure you coordinate with interviewees, equipment, locations, releases, and even food before starting filming. Being well-prepared helps ensure the production runs smoothly and efficiently.
This issue is more obvious in documentary films. While fictional projects can reshoot scenes to get everything just right, documentary creators may have only one chance to capture real footage, like marching protesters or political speeches. Filmmakers need to have resources ready to record the action as it happens. To prepare for real-time events, production crews need a detailed plan to ensure equipment, crew, permits, and other filmmaking resources are properly arranged during filming.
- 7.1: What's the Idea?
- The preproduction phase ensures the documentary is ready to shoot, both logistically and legally. Describe your film idea in one sentence, often called a logline. Then, develop a more detailed description that includes who you will interview and the locations you'll need. Consider your target audience—will it be for film festivals, a class project, or social media?
- 7.2: Research and Story Development
- Your initial concept research identifies key themes and the subject's social context, thereby validating the idea. You should select engaging spokespeople and well-chosen locations that connect with viewers. framing your interviews around a compelling story, with each interview supporting an overall theme.
- 7.3: Deductive vs Inductive Filmmaking
- When planning your documentary, you may decide to use a hybrid approach and adapt the setup to get the best results for each specific scene. There are two broad approaches to tackling a scene, inductively or deductively. Sometimes you go in with a definite plan, and sometimes you pivot from one plan to another. Pay attention to where your production is taking you; it can lead to compelling results.
- 7.4: Which Approach Should You Use?
- Deciding on an inductive, intuitive or hybrid approach may not be obvious at first. Understand the skill set for each approach, and ready to pivot if neccessary.
- 7.5: Exercises
- This page explores deductive and inductive reasoning in documentary filmmaking, highlighting exercises that involve identifying syllogisms and creating pitches. It emphasizes the impact of a filmmaker's intent on storytelling and audience perception. Activities include developing a deductive documentary pitch and an inductive story hunt, fostering reflection on the ethical relationship between filmmakers and subjects.