man I asked the exact same question, but for some reason,either someone deleted it off the board,or it didnt get up there...who knows maybe I imagined it,Well anyways Im sorry I couldnt answer,but I will wait with you, for a response

" see things through my eyes "

I suspect documentary films are out of the realm of expertise for a lot of the filmmakers on this board. Without a qualified answer folks chose not to answer.

I had always thought you shot interviews and then wrote the narration linking it all when you knew what you had.

RJSchwarz

i suppose that makes more sense, and it would be easier to string it all together in the end. i ask because although i make comedy films i have a profound interest in history, so i may go into historical documentaries.
hopefully!

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But a film? Well, thats worth a thousand pictures."

-(Own3d Studios)-

www.own3dstudios.com

This is only my opinion but I think scripting a documentary before you shoot is an absolute necessity.

If you don't have a script then you're making it up as you go along which means that you're under pressure to pull it together in the edit. This could mean that you'll have to have some extra shooting days which will cost more money and it could end up with you never finishing your film.

From your research before the shoot, you should know what the story is and have a loose idea about the structure even if you don't know exactly how it is going to end. You should also have an idea about what each interviewee is going to say.

In terms of format, on the left hand side of the page you write what you think might be the visuals, on the right side of the page you write your dummy voice-over or your anticipated sync bites of what your interviewees might say.

Then you write the script by filling in the blanks on both sides of the page.

By writing the script, at least you have an idea of what you might need to shoot in terms of visuals but also, it'll also help you decide what questions to ask for the interviews. It'll also help you see what the weaknesses are in terms of the structure and it'll give you confidence that you know what you're doing when you go out and shoot.

But hey, maybe your style is shooting-from-the-hip and using the energy and spontaneity of a story developing as you go along.

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