How to Film a Documentary

Shooting a documentary can be fun and exciting but it is also very challenging. Choosing a topic, securing the trust of those you interview, releases, money and all the other myriad of things that go into shooting a documentary can seem like a difficult task that will never get done. If you're serious and passionate about documentaries follow these steps to get started.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Decide on a topic. Since documentaries require you to gain the trust of those you have to interview, try choosing a topic that is close to you and you are very passionate about.

2. Research the topic that your documentary is going to cover. By the time you're through researching, you should be an expert on the topic.

3. Raise money to cover production costs. Documentaries can be very expensive to produce. You're going to need money to pull it off so you need to decide whether you're going to apply for grants, seek investors or use your personal savings or other funds to get the documentary made.

4. Set up the interviews you're going to need for your documentary. You're going to have to get people to sign releases, so for every first choice you have for an interviewee have another two in mind.

5. Shoot b-roll for your documentary. B-roll is everything that is not your interviews, the video that you will use when you're editing the project together.

6. Edit your project. Editing is a long process if you have a deadline to meet. Depending on the length of your documentary, give yourself at least two weeks to focus on nothing but editing.

7. Enter your documentary in as many film festivals as possible. If there is any chance your documentary will make it to the big screen you will need as much exposure as possible and film festivals are a great way to get it.