Have you ever wanted to make a documentary film, but didn’t know where to start? In this video, find out four simples ways you can improve your documentary films and take your work to the next level.
Ever since I started making films eight years ago, the films I gravitated to the most were documentaries. My favorite thing about watching or making documentaries was that there is a sense of realism and an honest representation of reality. I love being able to walk away from documentaries with a greater understanding of a topic or person that I knew nothing about before I watched it. As my filmmaking career developed and I began wanting to make documentaries, I always thought to myself: what does it take to make a successful documentary?
In this quick and jam-packed informative video from one of the top filmmaking YouTube channels, Indy Mogul, host Griffin Hammond breaks down how you can make a successful short documentary in just four simple steps.
Hammond categorizes his four tips into two main categories: the visual components and the audio components. In the visual category, there is the interview or soundbite and the B-roll. In the audio section, there is the voiceover and the implementation of a natural sound break. In the video, Hammond goes into depth and explains the benefits of using each element to further enhance your story.
Out of the four tips he brings up, there was one thing that really hit home. That is, in order to create a successful film, all of the elements must work in unison to create one cohesive piece. It all has to be balanced. When working on any documentary, it’s so easy to get caught up in the intricate details, but it’s important to remember to step back and look at the project holistically. This way, it is easier to identify the loose ends, which helps give you a clear path to fix them.
If you want to see more in-depth videos on all things fil making, be sure to check out the Indy Mogul YouTube channel for inspiring and informative videos every week.
Are there any other tips you have to making better documentaries? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.