Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
Part 1 ■ DEVELOPING YOUR DOCUMENTARY
CHAPTER 1: FINDING AND DEVELOPING IDEAS
■ What is a Documentary?
■ Where Do Documentary Ideas Come From?
■ Your Artistic Identity
■ Research
■ The Importance of a Hypothesis
■ “Casting” Your Documentary
Active vs Passive Characters
Juggling Multiple Characters
■ The Value of the Documenting Process
■ Feasibility
■ The Specific and the Universal
CHAPTER 2: DOCUMENTARY STYLES
■ A Brief and Selective History of the Documentary
Impressionistic Filmmaking
Dziga Vertov and Reflexivity
The British Film Movement and the Expository Film
TV Documentary as a Subgenre of the Expository Style
Observational Filmmaking
From the Observational to a Reemergence of the Reflexive
Reenactment in Documentary
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 3: STRUCTURING THE DOCUMENTARY
■ Basic Approaches to Documentary Storytelling
Drama: Goals, Conflict, and Stakes
Dramatic Structure
Opening
Introducing the Conflict
Rising Action
Climax
Results and Ending
Imposing a Structure on Real Life?
Rhetorical Structure
Mixed Approaches
■ Alternative Structures
■ The Short Documentary
Issue-Based Films
Profile of a Person
Portrait of a Place
Single Event Story
Process Film
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 4: THE DOCUMENTARY PROPOSAL
■ Proposal Elements
Introduction or Synopsis
Background
Rationale
Project Description
Main Characters
Events You Will Film
Structure and Style
Themes
Treatment
Distribution Plan
Target Audiences
Film Festivals
Television
Theatrical
Educational Institutions
The Internet
Community-Based Screenings
Community Partners
Goals
Personnel
Budget
Funding Sources
Foundations
Government Funding
State Arts Councils and Humanities Councils
National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Cable TV
Crowd-Sourced Fundraising
Fiscal Sponsorship
Project Timeline and Status
■ Trailers and Sample Reels
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 5: DOCUMENTARY ETHICS AND LEGAL ISSUES
■ Responsibility to your Subjects: Subject Relations and Release Forms
Who Gets to Represent Whom?
The Impact of Money
Handling Delicate Situations
■ Responsibility to Your Audience: Objectivity and Fairness
■ Responsibility to Other Creators: Intellectual Property Rights
Fair Use
■ Conclusion
Part 2 ■ PRODUCTION
CHAPTER 6: PLANNING THE SHOOT
■ Crew Size
■ Crew Responsibilities
■ Locations
Permits and Location Agreements
Location Aesthetics and Meaning
■ Equipment
Lighting Considerations
Sound Recording Preparation
■ Insurance
■ Crew and Communication
The Call Sheet
■ Scheduling
■ Budgeting
The Budget Topsheet
The Detail Budget
Budgeting for a Low-Budget Documentary
Cost Reports: Knowing Where You Are
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 7: ORGANIZING CINEMATIC TIME AND SPACE
■ The Visual Language of Documentary
■ Shots, Sequences, and Scenes
■ The Frame and Composition
Dimensions of the Frame
Shot Composition and the Graphic Qualities of the Frame
Closed and Open Frames
Deep Frames and Flat Frames
Receding Planes, Overlapping Objects, and Diminishing Perspective
Horizontal and Diagonal Lines
Deep and Shallow Focus
Shadows
Balanced and Unbalanced Frames
Rule of Thirds, Looking Room, and Lead Room
Shot Size
Shot Size and Character Identification
Camera Angles
High and Low Angles
Front to Back Angles
The Horizon Line
■ Camera Moves
Pivot Moves
Zooming In and Out
Dynamic Moves
The Moving Frame and Perspective
Motivation and the Moving Camera
Adjusting Your Shot
■ Shooting with Editing in Mind
■ Collecting Visual Evidence
■ Covering Observational Scenes
Filming Group Interactions
Walking and Talking, Showing and Telling
Entering and Exiting the Frame
The Long Take
■ Stylized Expressive Sequences
■ Infographics and Animation
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 8: THE DIGITAL VIDEO SYSTEM
■ Film: A Mechanical and Chemical Medium
■ Video: An Electronic Medium
Analog vs Digital Video
The Video Image Today
Recording Formats
Media Formats
Display Formats
Audio/Video Codecs
Broadcast Standards
Resolution
Aspect Ratio
Scanning Type
Interlaced Scanning
Progressive Scanning
Frame Rate
■ Time Code
■ Types of Digital Video Cameras
Hybrid Large Sensor Cameras
Mirrorless Shutter Cameras
Minicams
The Ultra High End: 4K and More
The Basic Video Camcorder: Exterior
The Body
Viewfinders and LCD Viewscreens
The Lens
Servo Zoom Control
Media Bay
DC Power
Camera Function Menus and Switches
Audio and Video Connectors, Inputs and Outputs
External Microphone Inputs
Other Connectors
The Basic Video Camcorder: Interior
The Image Sensor
Three-Chip vs One-Chip Cameras
White Balance
Gain
Shutter Speed
ND Filters
The Analog-to-Digital Converter
The Digital Signal Processor
Signal Compression and Codecs
Color Encoding and Subsampling
■ Data Rate
■ Monitoring and Display
■ Broadcast Standards Worldwide
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 9: THE LENS
■ The Optics of the Lens
■ Focus
Adjusting Focus during a Take
Selective Focus
■ Focal Length
Focal Length and Sensor Size: Crop Factor
Prime and Zoom Lenses
Focal Length and Lens Perspective
■ Aperture
Lens Speed
■ Depth of Field
Other Factors Impacting Depth of Field
The 1/3–2/3 Rule
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 10: CAMERA SUPPORT
■ The Handheld Camera
■ Shoulder Mounts
■ The Tripod
Tripod Head
Pan and Tilt Locks
Pan and Tilt Dampers
Pan Handle
Camera Mounting Plate
Head Mount
■ The Monopod
■ The Dolly
Sliders
■ Jib Arms and Crane Shots
■ Stabilizing Arm Systems
■ Drones
■ Underwater Photography
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 11: BASIC LIGHTING FOR DOCUMENTARY
■ Why Light?
Lighting as Respect
■ Elements of Exposure
Monitoring Exposure
■ The Fundamental Sources of Light
■ Three Essential Properties of Light
Intensity
Quality
Color Temperature
■ Controlling Light
■ Basic Lighting Equipment, Filters, and Gels
Lighting Units
Open-Faced Lights
Fresnels
Soft Lights
Fluorescent Lights
LED Lights
HMI Lights
Reflectors
Camera Filters and Lighting Gels
Altering Light with Filters
Neutral Density Filters
Diffusion Filters
Polarizing Filters
Graduated Filters
Altering Light with Gels
Color Conversion Gels
Color Conversion Gels and Mixed-Lighting Situations
Neutral Density Gels
Diffusion Media
Basic Grip Gear
Stands
Gear for Light Control
Clamps
Miscellaneous Grip Gear
The Ditty Bag
CHAPTER 12: LIGHTING AND EXPOSURE—BEYOND THE BASICS
■ Lighting Interviews
Three-Point Lighting
Key Light
Fill Light
Backlight
■ Lighting Styles
Lighting Ratios
■ Exposure Control and Metering Light
Manual Exposure Control
The Incident Light Meter
The Gray Scale
■ Lighting Observational Scenes
■ Set Lights, Specials, and Practicals
■ Stylized Lighting
■ Exterior Lighting
Location Scouting and Time of Day
Check the Weather
Subject and Camera Positions
Sun plus Bounced Light
Shade plus Bounced Light
Dusk-for-Night
Shooting at Night
Camera-Mounted Lighting
■ Exposure: Beyond the Basics
Contrast Range
Dynamic Range
Shooting with Dynamic Range in Mind
Characteristic Curves and Gamma
Black Stretch, Knee, and Log Gamma
Color Settings
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 13: SOUND BASICS AND EQUIPMENT
■ The Importance of Sound
■ Sound Recording Today
■ Understanding Sound
Frequency (Pitch)
Amplitude (Loudness)
Inverse Square Lawv
Quality (Timbre)
Velocity
■ Production Sound
Sync Sound
Wild Sound
Room Acoustics
■ Digital Sound Recording
The Basic Signal Path
Balanced vs Unbalanced Audio Signals
Digital Audio Quality: Sampling Rates and Bit Depth
■ Production Sound Tools
Sound Recording on Video Camcorders
The Digital Sound Recorder
Microphone Inputs
Level Controls and Meters
Playback, Controls, and Outputs
Digital Recording Media
Flash Memory Recorders
Hard Drive Recorders
Portable Field Mixers
Microphones
Dynamic, Condenser, and Electret Condenser
Microphone Frequency Response
Microphone Directionality
Omnidirectional
Cardioid
Hypercardioid and Shotguns
Microphone Usage Types
Handheld
Shotgun
Lavalier
Wireless Microphones
Pressure Zone Microphones (PZMs)
Onboard Microphones
Microphone Support
The Importance of Headphones!
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 14: LOCATION SOUND TECHNIQUES
■ The Sound Recordist’s Job
■ Sound and the Documentary Crew
■ Before the Shoot: Prepping and Scouting
■ On Location: The Shoot
Evaluate the Location
Devising a Sound Recording Strategy
Setting Up Your Equipment
Setting Levels
Setting Levels on a Peak Meter
Setting Levels on a VU Meter
Setting Tone
■ Recording Your Audio
Riding the Gain during Recording
Limiters, Microphone Attenuation, and Frequency Filters
Headphone Monitoring
Microphone Technique
Booming: Clean Sound, Consistency, and Being On-Axis
Boom Technique
Recording Room Tone
Wind Noise
Doing a Sound Report
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 15: INTERVIEWING AND WORKING WITH SUBJECTS
■ Building and Maintaining Relationships
■ On-Camera Interactions with Subjects
Interviewing
Preparing for the Interview
Interview Location
Setting up the Interview: Visual Considerations
Eyeline and Subject Placement
Framing Considerations
Conducting the Interview
Directing Participants in Cinéma Vérité Scenes
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 16: PRODUCTION PROCEDURES, ETIQUETTE, AND SAFETY
■ On the Documentary Set
■ Set Etiquette: Human and Material Resources
Respect and Protect the Location
Respect Your Equipment
Food and Breaks
■ Production Safety and Security
Prepare for Safety
Production Insurance
Employment Rules and Workman’s Compensation
International Travel
Common Sense
Rest and Health
Weather
Risky Locations
Water
Air
Security
Electricity and Safety
How Much Electricity?
Electrical Loads and Time
Splitting the Load
Lighting Safety Tips
Part 3 ■ POSTPRODUCTION
CHAPTER 17: POSTPRODUCTION WORKFLOW AND THE PROCESS OF DIGITAL EDITING
■ Postproduction Overview
Postproduction Workflow
■ The Process of Digital Editing
The Basic NLE System
The Hardware Setup
Setting Up Your NLE Project
Ingesting Your Video
Working Natively vs Transcoding
Frame Rate Considerations
Working with Proxies (“Off-Line” and “Online” Editing)
Ingesting Audio
Syncing Picture and Sound
The NLE Software Interface
The Project Window (Avid) or Project Panel (Premiere Pro)
The Preview Monitor (Avid) or Source Panel (Premiere Pro)
The Timeline Window
The Sequence Monitor (Avid) or Program Panel (Premiere Pro)
Menu, Icon, or Keyboard: Take Your Pick
■ Making Simple Edits
Split Edits
■ Editing Stages
Reviewing Raw Footage
Paper Edit
Rough Cuts
Rough Cut Screenings
Building Your Soundtracks
The Fine Cut and Picture Lock
Finishing
■ High-End Finishing Workflows
Mastering
■ Overview of Editing Stages
CHAPTER 18: WRITING AND STRUCTURING THE DOCUMENTARY
■ Where to Begin?
■ Story Elements: Character, Exposition, and Plot
■ Structural Elements: Observational Scenes, Interviews, and Visual Evidence
Observational Scenes
Interviews
Visual Evidence
■ Chronology: How to Handle Time
■ Writing Narration
Third-Person Narration
First-Person Narration
Writing Narration
Styles of Narration
Writing the Essay Film
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 19: THE ART OF DOCUMENTARY EDITING
■ Editing Expository Films
■ Editing Impressionistic Films
Associative Editing
■ Observational Documentaries and the Continuity System
Continuity of Mise-en-Scène (Shared Shot Content)
Continuity of Performance, Actions, and Placement
Continuity of Spatial Orientation
Avoiding “Too Similar” Shots
Cutaways
■ Timing, Rhythm, and Pacing
Timing
Rhythm
Pacing
■ Editing Patterns
■ Image Transitions
The Cut
The Dissolve
The Fade
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 20: ARCHIVAL STORYTELLING
■ Archival Research
Talk to Somebody!
■ Ways of Using Archival Material
Metaphorical Imagery
■ Organizing Your Material
Using Metadata
■ Who Owns an Image? Copyright and Fair Use
Public Domain Materials
Clearing Rights
■ The Ethics of Using Archival Material
■ Technical Issues
■ Documents
■ Conclusion
CHAPTER 21: SOUND DESIGN AND FINISHING
■ Types of Sounds: Speech, Sound Effects, and Music
Speech
Sound Effects
Ambient Sounds
Music: Source and Score
Common Music Pitfalls
■ Sound Perspective
■ Sound Design Strategies
■ Sound Editing
Building Your Audio Tracks
Refining Your Sound Design
Splitting Tracks and Checkerboarding Your Audio
Finessing Your Audio
■ The Sound Mix
Step 1: Audio Sweetening
Audio Filters
Filters for Frequency Equalization and Noise Reduction
Filters for Reverb and Echo
Filters for Amplitude Compression or Expansion
Filters for Sibilance Suppression or “P” Popping
Step 2: Creating Audio Transitions
Step 3: Audio Level Balancing
The Reference Track and Establishing Average Level Range
Adjusting the Other Tracks
NLE Systems and Audio Levels
Step 4: The Mix Down
■ Sound Mixing Tips
The Mix Environment
Audio Monitor Reference
■ Advanced Sound Editing and Mixing Programs
Why Go Pro?
CHAPTER 22: FINISHING PICTURE AND MASTERING
■ Color Correction vs Color Grading
■ Color Correction in Your NLE System
Adjusting Brightness and Contrast
Adjusting Hue and Saturation
■ Titles and Credits
Lower Thirds
■ Mastering Your Project
Output Formats
Digital Cinema Package (DCP)
Exhibiting on Disc
Pressed or Burned?
CHAPTER 23: DISTRIBUTING YOUR DOCUMENTARY
■ Film Festivals
■ Theatrical
■ Semi-Theatrical
■ Broadcast and Cable
■ Educational
■ Home Video (DVD)
■ Streaming/Video on Demand
■ Impact: Engagement Campaigns
■ Conclusion
NOTES
GLOSSARY
FILMOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPH AND ILLUSTRATION CREDITS
INDEX
Color plates can be found between p. 226 and p. 227
