Documentaries 🎬

Documentaries are often the gateway into geek culture. They’re usually made by people who really care about their topic and want to explain it clearly.

How to find a good documentary

You already have your three main research questions. These will be your North Star in your search for great documentaries, but be on the lookout for adjacent topics or themes.

Ask your AI:

• “List great documentaries about [your topic]. Include the year, director, and where I might find them.” If you have access to a specific streaming service e.g. Netflix, Disney, etc., you could ask the AI to find documentaries that are available on these services.

• “Find documentaries about [your topic] suitable for kids or families.”

• “Which documentaries about [your topic] are considered the most accurate?”

Search for trailers:

• Google: trailer for [documentary name] [year]

• If you have access to a streaming service, search for the documentaries there and watch a few trailers.

A word of warning

We have unfortunately found that the AI can hallucinate and suggest documentaries that do not exist. Or, perhaps (if we give it the benefit of the doubt), are not available in your region. So don't get too excited until you've found the documentaries it's listed.

Documentary search tips

• Documentaries don’t have to be new. Sometimes older ones capture fascinating footage or perspectives that modern ones overlook.

• Think back to the pokes in the first few weeks. Was there a world record, a hero, or a pivot point in the timeline of your topic that would make a great documentary? Use those as keywords in your search.

• Look for a documentary series e.g. National Geographic Explorers series — you could uncover multiple great documentaries that way. Or, if you find a director or producer you like, search for more of that person's work.

YouTube Channels 📺

YouTube is probably the greatest emotion-propelled collection of geek knowledge ever amassed. you can find people who’ve dedicated their whole channel to a niche topic. But you’ll need to know how to dig for quality.

Tips for better YouTube searching

• Use specific keywords. Don’t just type “light” — try “fiber optics explained” or “asteroid exploration documentary.”

• Add “explained,” “deep dive,” or “history of” to your search. These phrases usually bring up longer, more thoughtful videos rather than quick click-bait.

• Sort by View Count and by Upload Date. High views = what’s popular; recent uploads = what’s new. Check both.

• Check the creator’s credentials. Read their “About” page or description — are they a scientist, teacher, or just a curious amateur? Both can be valuable, but it helps to know.

• Watch with a critical eye. Ask: “Is this source trustworthy? Are they citing evidence, or just guessing?”

AI Prompts

Here are some ideas for AI prompts to help you find some gems.

Asking the AI to present the information in a table, with a reason why it's chosen particular channels may help to avoid hallucinations.

What are the best five YouTube channels that explain [topic] in depth, with accuracy and enthusiasm? Present these in a list with the columns: Channel Name, YouTube Link, and Why it fits the criteria.

If you've already found some experts in your field, then you could search their names to see if they have a YouTube channel. Alternatively, try a prompt like:

Find YouTube channels run by scientists or experts in [topic].

If you'd like to ensure that the videos you find are age-appropriate, you could use a prompt like this:

List kid-friendly YouTube videos that explain [topic] in a clear, engaging way.

See what that turns up, but beware that you might get a few overly simplified, broad-stroke videos that are frankly patronizing to an expert like you 😉

Check for playlists

If you find a channel you love, check the “Playlists” section. Creators often organize their videos into topic-based series. You could end up getting a mini-course for free on YouTube.

Keep track of your learning

You might just want to recline on your sofa and watch your documentary as a bit of downtime from all your intensive LiD research — that's totally cool. 

But give some thought to how you're going to keep track of all the wonderful things you learn from your video-based sources. You could:

• Grab a notebook and pen (or the notes app on your device) and take some notes as you're watching. If you don't want to do this on your first watch, then you could watch it a second time.

• Take notes as soon as you finish watching.

• Take screenshots of key moments in a YouTube video.

• Keep your research questions top of mind. What new insights from the video have helped you to answer the question? Write those down in your Logbook.