Planning The Documentary

Checklist

What do I need to get ?

- Interview(s) - when?, where?

- Cut away footage

- Archive footage/pictures

- Observational footage - situation

What else is linked to this?

- Risk Assessment 

- Consent forms

- Location scouting/rece report and pictures

Kit Requirements 

- Camera

- Tripod

- Microphone 

- ETC

Sequencing

What scenes are you hoping to get? 

- What do you think will be in each scene

- What would be the running order

Consent

- Get consent on camera

- Get people to say their names and give you a contact email so if you need to follow them up later

- Tell them what the film is for and where it might be shown 

- Get them to fill in consent/contact form

Theme

- Underlying subject of a specific story.
- Overarching story
- Underlying themes
- Sequence - like a book chapter - feel somewhat complete by itself but pouch you on to the next sequence - may have focus on certain characters or pointy of view

Interview

- Who I'm going to interview 

- What questions I'm going to ask

- How I'm going to frame it 

- Where I'm going to shoot it

Footage

- What shots I'm going to do 

- How I'm going to frame it
- Do I want archive footage
- Establishing shots