Learn Documentary

First learn how to shoot a documentary. Before you start to shoot, you have to learn how to shoot documentary style. Watch this video that explains how to film good cutaways for your b-footage. IndyMogul discuss how to shoot a documentary in the last half of his video starting at 3:18. Make sure to take notes in your CA Book about these important terms he talks about and apply them when you shoot:

Danny

Shooting Steady

    • When shooting the interview the camera should be still. Try to set it up on a tripod, a desk or pile of books, or hold it really really still while supporting your arms and elbows so that you don't shake. If you are not using a tripod, film with your arms and hands close to your body and stabilize your arms against your chest and elbows on something like your lap or desk if you can. A little camera shake can sometimes ruin a shot.
    • How to shoot a tracking shot and dolly shot manually while being still

Ryan

Interview Environment

    • Backgrounds with blurred out movement (low number aperture on camera lens) behind the subject or depth of field can be more effective than merely a wall
    • Make sure to focus on the subject manually or automatic by moving the camera or pressing on the focus point on a phone.
    • Best types of backgrounds and colors

Daniel

Lighting

    • Lighting is everything in the interview. It is best filmed during the day either outside or inside but near a window with natural sunlight. If you cannot and have to risk shooting at night then make sure you use plenty of lamps and position the subject and lights appropriately from what you learned about photography and shooting subjects.
    • MOOD

Jin

Audio

    • Always take a practice video shot and play it back while listening to the audio to make sure that it is clear and loud enough and that the video quality is set high enough while making sure you have enough space to record.
    • Make sure there are not any noises going on in the background of the interview. It helps if you have a phone and set it down on the table or close by so that it is near the person but out of view of the camera and use it to record a backup of the audio. You may find this to be more clear compared to your video you are shooting and you can just sync the audio later in iMovie.

Jamie

Subject Composition

    • Use rule of thirds (outward eye on point) with
    • -look room
    • -head room for medium shots but not needed in closeup interview shots
    • -Where the subject should look exactly, best place (look off camera)
    • -vary angles
    • Do not record the interview shots anything larger than a medium shot (unless you have a mic). Stick with medium and closeup shots while making sure the camera is close enough to the subject to clearly hear their voice.
    • It really helps to have an extra camera that you can set up so you can record two different angles of the interview at the same time and then you can cut and choose between the angles when you edit. If you do not have a second camera you should change your angles of the camera 2-3 times but no more. Make sure you test your video quality HD.

Do not do:

How to Interview

You will not be including any of your voice or questions in the interview so it is important that what they are saying will flow well. For example, if you ask them a specific question like "Who inspired you growing up?" Don't have them just answer the question "My father" because he never gave up his passion" because then the audience will not know the context of this statement. They need to say "My father inspired me when I was young never to give up on my passions" or "I was inspired to never give up on my passions by my father when I was young." Do not let them just answer questions, you need to dig deeper and get them to formulate the story. For example your next question would be, "Why did your father inspire your...what did he do?"

Cutaways

    • B-Roll/cutaways - your secondary shots (include a variety: long, medium, closeup)

watch video on cutaways and take notes and apply

watch video on the difference between cut-in and cutaway shots

use Nat (natural) Sound Breaks effectively