I was recently invited to talk to a local writers group, Real Writers, to talk about the basics of scripting a documentary. It was a fun discussion, and I thought I'd share the summary with you here.
STEP ONE: THE IDEA
Start with a compelling concept or story you want to tell. You will be spending a great deal of time with this subject, so be sure it's something you are passionate about.
STEP TWO: RESEARCH
Gather information, conduct interviews, and collect data to support your idea. If you are producing the documentary, you'll need to pull this together before you approach potential funders, and it will be essential in helping you find a framework for your story.
STEP THREE: OUTLINE OR TREATMENT
Create a detailed outline or treatment to describe the story structure and content. This is as important for you as it is for anyone who may be working with you on your project and will help you maintain focus as you go forward.
STEP FOUR: STYLE
Decide on the style for your documentary. This could be presenter or narrator-led (like a David Attenborough documentary), observational (also called cinema verite or fly-on-the-wall), or interview-driven, to name just a few approaches. My projects are typically interview-driven.
STEP FIVE: STRUCTURE
Organize your information into a three act structure - Setup, Development, and Resolution. (More information about three act structure here.)
STEP SIX: SELECT SOUNDBITES
Review transcripts from recorded interviews, along with footage logs. Select relevant and compelling quotes and soundbites for your story.
STEP SEVEN: IDENTIFY VISUALS
Match appropriate visuals (photos, video, documents) with the recorded audio.
There you have it. A quick overview of the basic steps for scripting a documentary.
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