In this post we are going to talk about how to find the perfect story for your documentary.
Although at the beginning it seems impossible to choose the right topic, with these 5 steps it will be easier to get ready for the actual filming process.
Curiosity, Interest, Passion.
There are no greater possibilities of when you are actually given the opportunity of choosing the topic of your documentary! Although the choices are endless, focus on something that you are really passionate about and love. Write down a list of the different topics or issues that interest you and start thinking actively about them. Remember that once the production process starts, you are going to spend days, weeks, even months working on this project. There will be an excessive amount of research you will need to do before starting to film, and you will spend even more time with your interviewees. If the topic you decided to work on does not interest you, not only you will get easily bored by it, but you will also not be able to produce a good piece of work. Therefore, choose something you really care about; you will not be given this opportunity many times and you should be able to exploit it as much as possible.
Creative Angles
Just like your camera frame, the story of your documentary is all about choosing the best angle.
Once you have defined the topic of your film, start thinking creatively about the way in which you want to portray it. In order to do so, watch documentaries that have been previously made about your chosen topic, and think about a different angle from which it would be interesting to look at that specific issue.
In one of my documentary projects, for example, because I was looking at the topic of polyamory, I watched many documentaries about polygamy or polyamory. Having watched them, I realised that most of them were reductively focused on either mormons or on portraying oversexualised visuals of threesomes. Because of that, I understood that what was really missing for a documentary on polyamory, was a much more simplistic (and human), conversation with a polyamorous person, who, talked about the ordinariness of his everyday life, looked at social constructions of love and advocated for his community’s necessity to come out.
Sometimes, less is more, and you would be surprised of the results you can have of looking at things from different perspectives.
Do your research
Having chosen your topic and your selected angle, the next step you will need is to find the specific sources that will be part of your documentary. In order to do so, you need to be proactive and have eyes and ears everywhere.
Remember to keep informed and follow the news on local media. Another way in which you can look for stories is to look up social media, where you might find interesting leads. Thanks to the advantages of the web, through websites of government pages, online forums of meet up groups and so on, you might be able to discover interesting stories and people. Another interesting way in which you could find the perfect source, is by looking at the past. Thus, explore different archives in order to find undiscovered stories that might lead you to the perfect interviewee.
And last but not least, there is one more important secret to find the perfect interviewee: grab your coat, leave your office and go outside to meet real people. It sounds scary, I know, but once you give it a go, you will be surprised about how many ideas and sources of inspiration come by just walking down the street.
Legal Stalking
Once you have identified the individuals, associations or groups that you would like to include in your documentary, the next necessary step you will need to take is getting access!
Living in a modern social media dominated world, it should not be very difficult to find a way to contact your selected interviewee. However, many times you will find that this is easier said than done.
As for your interviewees you’re the last person they need to reply to during their everyday routine, if you are hoping to rely on emails, unfortunately, you will not get very far.
Therefore, put your gear on and dive into the wonders of legal stalking.
After you have sent your email, there are 3 more steps you can take in order to find your interviewee:
The first one, is calling them on their phone numbers.
The second one, is contacting them through social media.
And the third one, if possible, is to go directly to their offices/headquarters, and ask them politely if you could talk to them for a couple of minutes.
Although this process might be very stressful, remember to stay kind and polite whenever you are able to communicate with your participant. After all, patience is the virtue of the strong.
Prepare for the match
Once you’ve put al of the puzzle pieces together, it is time to get on with your filming. You have chosen your topic and its angle, you have done your research and you have gained access. So what’s next?
As you get ready to start filming, remember to prepare for the interviews you are going to conduct. Get to know your participants and make sure you get ready for the next important step: The Interview.Â
Make sure to click on the right arrow below to look at my explanation on how to conduct a good journalistic interview!
Lucrezia Vittori 