As an artist and a muse, there are very few things as inspiring and exhilarating as having an incredible idea for a documentary. Seeing your ideas come to life and knowing that your viewers will hold the same wonderment as you had when you crafted it is an experience that is unique and magical in itself. However, before you start drafting an outline or making phone calls to industry experts, it’s essential to take measures to help ensure that your documentary is a resounding success. If you’re looking to produce a documentary, here are four key tips that can help make sure that you create an intelligent, thoughtful video production.
Do Your Research
Before you start the interviews or even start composing the first draft of a script, you’ll want to conduct thorough research on the subject meticulously. With so many eyes potentially viewing your documentary, you want to be absolutely confident that there are no glaring factual issues or inconsistencies. By being fastidious, you can avoid embarrassing discrepancies or errors later on.
Outline the Plot
When it comes to telling a story or bringing a vision to life, it’s essential to have a fairly concrete plan. While there is certainly a bit of wiggle room during production, especially if there’s a creative element to your documentary, you still want to make sure you adhere to a semblance of a plot or storyline. This can help prevent unnecessary revisions and cuts when it comes time to edit.
Round-Up Your Gear
Once you have completed your research and written your storyboard, your next step is to gather up your crew and collect your gear. While you may decide to use your equipment, or even hire your crew, we strongly encourage you to make sure that you have a dependable and reputable crew to film your documentary. The award-winning team here at CinemaViva has the necessary skill and expertise to help make your project visually stunning and cohesive.
Edit Carefully
One of the more nerve-wracking parts of a documentary project is choosing what stays and what gets cut out. If you’re too conservative with your edits, you may wind up with a bloated and excessively lengthy documentary film. Conversely, if you edit out too much, you may find yourself with gaping holes in the plot or not enough material to captivate your viewers. It’s a delicate balance, and one you should approach cautiously.
Whether you’re a veteran documentary writer, or this is your first feature-length project, we here at CinemaViva would love to be part of it. To learn more about our services, or to reach out to us to get started on your next project, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!