Writing the Short Documentary Script
Writing the Short
Documentary Script
Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Dylan Pank - I have these recommendations: • nail your narrative down as much as possible
– Don't make the mistake of being clear and linear and boring, or being experimental and pretentious.
– Use your time to explore something in detail; rather than skim over something big of which you'll barely scratch the surface. • Make sure your showing something new or unusual.
– Every year at least one group of students want to make a film about a student who is also a DJ, as if that was something new and revolutionary that had never happened before.
Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Pre-Interview!
– If you're doing interviews, then pre-interview first, make notes and prepare questions.
• Decide whether you want your questions to be heard in the soundtrack or not.
• Write a script, even if you don't know all the subjects answers yet, imagine what they might be, research with pre-interviews would help you here. – The script should contain visual as well as verbal information Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Transcripts and Paper Edits
– once you've done your interviews, do a transcript and then a paper edit.
• Don’t waste your time (let alone your editor’s!) while you wallow in all that footage as you search for a story.
• You can always improve on the paper edit, but it gives you the equivalent of a script to work on when you go into the edit room.
• It seems like a drag (the transcript and paper edit) but it will save you loads of time. You can always improve upon the paper edit, but it gives you a map to work with. Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• And finally, the above is, as the man said "more what you'd call
"guidelines" than actual rules."
• ...Except the bit about paper edits.
• That's a rule.
Old Dominion University Film
Documentary Script
Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Dylan Pank - I have these recommendations: • nail your narrative down as much as possible
– Don't make the mistake of being clear and linear and boring, or being experimental and pretentious.
– Use your time to explore something in detail; rather than skim over something big of which you'll barely scratch the surface. • Make sure your showing something new or unusual.
– Every year at least one group of students want to make a film about a student who is also a DJ, as if that was something new and revolutionary that had never happened before.
Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Pre-Interview!
– If you're doing interviews, then pre-interview first, make notes and prepare questions.
• Decide whether you want your questions to be heard in the soundtrack or not.
• Write a script, even if you don't know all the subjects answers yet, imagine what they might be, research with pre-interviews would help you here. – The script should contain visual as well as verbal information Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• Transcripts and Paper Edits
– once you've done your interviews, do a transcript and then a paper edit.
• Don’t waste your time (let alone your editor’s!) while you wallow in all that footage as you search for a story.
• You can always improve on the paper edit, but it gives you the equivalent of a script to work on when you go into the edit room.
• It seems like a drag (the transcript and paper edit) but it will save you loads of time. You can always improve upon the paper edit, but it gives you a map to work with. Old Dominion University Film
Studies Program
Some Tips from the
Experts
• And finally, the above is, as the man said "more what you'd call
"guidelines" than actual rules."
• ...Except the bit about paper edits.
• That's a rule.
Old Dominion University Film