There are several things that one needs to have in mind when planning to create documentaries. The most important of them is that they must have an idea of what they want to do and this must also be accepted by their targeted audience. Many times, there is a need to conduct research before the creation of the work just to have an idea on what would interest this audience.
The creator needs to develop an interesting story based on the preconceived idea. This is what is popularly referred to as the story arc. It seeks to describe the process that the characters undergo as they achieve their objectives. In other words, the story must have three parts that are also characteristic of narrative films namely the beginning, the middle and the end.
One must have access to the materials required for the production. This may mean travelling to a different geographical location or getting authorisation to access some classified information. For instance, if one is creating a documentary on an army operation, they will need to be allowed to access areas that are not normally accessible to civilians. Interviews are an integral part of a documentary. They serve to add credibility to the work created. Therefore securing appointments well in advance is advised.
Passion is central to the success of any kind of documentary. Due to the many challenges that are encountered, only a deep desire to complete the task will ensure that indeed it is successfully completed. Most times, there is an underestimation of the required resources and this may lead to difficulties in raising the finances or getting the time to finish the documentary.
After the ideas have been put together and the resources obtained, one needs to create a script that will be used. Consultation with persons that have done similar projects in the past really helps at this stage. The first copy is usually a provisional one and is used to identify possible mistakes and to correct them.
A good documentary is one that has an emotional centre. In other words, it allows the audience to feel what the characters are feeling. If the characters are sad, for example, the same must be conveyed to the viewers. Conversely, if the characters are happy, the same emotion should be felt amongst the audience. This is the best way of ensuring that you have communicated your message.
There are several mistakes that one needs to avoid. One of them is failure to select an appropriate theme on which to communicate. The absence of a proper theme means that your audience will not relate well to the documentary. The other mistake is improper recreation of events that have taken place in the past. The third area requiring caution is the choice of music.
Advertisement of the completed piece of work is definitely very important. Traditionally advertisement of documentaries has been done through print and electronic media. This has changed and the trend now is to use the internet. Social media, in particular has allowed the sharing of new materials with other persons at a very low cost. It also provides an avenue for members of the audiences to air their views regarding the documentary.
The creator needs to develop an interesting story based on the preconceived idea. This is what is popularly referred to as the story arc. It seeks to describe the process that the characters undergo as they achieve their objectives. In other words, the story must have three parts that are also characteristic of narrative films namely the beginning, the middle and the end.
One must have access to the materials required for the production. This may mean travelling to a different geographical location or getting authorisation to access some classified information. For instance, if one is creating a documentary on an army operation, they will need to be allowed to access areas that are not normally accessible to civilians. Interviews are an integral part of a documentary. They serve to add credibility to the work created. Therefore securing appointments well in advance is advised.
Passion is central to the success of any kind of documentary. Due to the many challenges that are encountered, only a deep desire to complete the task will ensure that indeed it is successfully completed. Most times, there is an underestimation of the required resources and this may lead to difficulties in raising the finances or getting the time to finish the documentary.
After the ideas have been put together and the resources obtained, one needs to create a script that will be used. Consultation with persons that have done similar projects in the past really helps at this stage. The first copy is usually a provisional one and is used to identify possible mistakes and to correct them.
A good documentary is one that has an emotional centre. In other words, it allows the audience to feel what the characters are feeling. If the characters are sad, for example, the same must be conveyed to the viewers. Conversely, if the characters are happy, the same emotion should be felt amongst the audience. This is the best way of ensuring that you have communicated your message.
There are several mistakes that one needs to avoid. One of them is failure to select an appropriate theme on which to communicate. The absence of a proper theme means that your audience will not relate well to the documentary. The other mistake is improper recreation of events that have taken place in the past. The third area requiring caution is the choice of music.
Advertisement of the completed piece of work is definitely very important. Traditionally advertisement of documentaries has been done through print and electronic media. This has changed and the trend now is to use the internet. Social media, in particular has allowed the sharing of new materials with other persons at a very low cost. It also provides an avenue for members of the audiences to air their views regarding the documentary.
About the Author:
You can visit the website www.undergrounddocumentaries.com for more helpful information about How To Create Interesting Documentaries
No comments:
Post a Comment