Chapter 1-4

 

Chapter 1

    Documentaries are narrative and informative forms of storytelling that give the audience valuable information on a subject matter.  Most often these documentaries are long and filled with many facts.  The process of creating a documentary starts with pre-production.  A story begins with an idea then branches to some conflict and conclusion.  The subject draws the audience through factual evidence told through real life interviewees.  There is always a structure in the making of a documentary.  There may be script writing involved depending on the director's needs.  The documentary is highly focused in its subject and includes real life accounts of the parties involved.  Filmmakers often get caught in tools such as shot angles and editing.  The focus should be on the purpose and true story of the film instead of the technology.  

Chapter 2

    Some storytelling terms that are included for documentaries are exposition, theme, arc, plot and character, point of view, and detail.  Exposition involves the who, what, why, where and when of a story.  Audiences need the exposition in order to become immersed with the story and discover ideas brought forth from the director.  At the beginning of the film, there usually is a narrator discussing information along with interviews.  "Good exposition is a way to build suspense and motivate audiences to stay with you" (Bernard 19).  The goal of a documentary should be to captivate and draw the audience through the film's duration.  The theme is the central basis of the film's story.  Themes can determine what is being shot.  An arc relates to events of the story in comparison with main characters.  Films can be driven by the character or the plot.  Plot based films contain secondary characters.  Documentaries normally have an emphasis in both characters and plot.  The point of view describes the characters opinions or perspectives.  This can involve a point in time in which an event takes place.  Films should have an end goal of convincing the audience of a specific viewpoint.  They can leave an emotional impact to the viewer.

Chapter 3

    There are several options to take in consideration with developing a film.  These are access and feasibility, affordability, passion and curiosity, audience, relevance, and timeliness.  Permission must be granted for films to be shot on locations.  Access to personal information such as letters and photographs are keys to an effective documentary.  Filmmakers usually need to develop a relationship or gain trust with the main characters of a documentary.  Certain types of documentaries are costly, as one should weigh the pros and cons of incorporating digital technology.  The use of archival clips can be expensive.  The filmmaker must show commitment to their project by proposing a useful idea to document.  Any funders would like to see the passion from their prospect filmmakers.  In terms of audience, there are several factors to consider such as age and geographic area.  Some documentaries are political and others are educational.  Will the film be made for a major programming company such as PBS? Or is the film targeted for independent art houses?  Sometimes documentaries are screened at festivals and eventually find their audience after completion.  Timeliness relates to a film's relevance.  There are times when film's are released to coincide with a historical event. 

Chapter 4 

    "Structure is the foundation of narrative storytelling; it's what gives it a beginning, middle, and end" (Bernard 53).  The audience would want some motivation to continue watching the film.  Good structure allows a film to progress in telling a specific story.  The beginning of a film should provide an introduction and connect with its foundation.  The middle part may give details and accounts of certain subjects.  

    "Individual shots can convey a great deal of storytelling information: point of view, time of day, mood, emotion, character, rhythm, and theme" (Bernard 58).  The director sets up the shots while the editing is done in post production.  A scene is made up of a series of shots designed to establish a location.  "A sequence is a collection of shots and scenes that together tell a more or less continuous story of an event that's a piece of your bigger story" (Bernard 60).  Sequences are usually different from one another though they tell a story when combined.  

    Films and documentaries follow a three act structure mostly.  The first act is a quarter in length that introduces main characters and conflicts that arise.  The second act is the longest and most critical.  This act needs to build on the story without being too monotonous.  There is much tension during the last act.  A resolution must be planned for the film to be successful.  This in turn will tie back into the previous two acts and engage the audience.  

Works Cited

Bernard, Sheila Curran.  2016.  Documentary Storytelling, Creative Nonfiction on Screen.  Fourth Edition.