My First Documentary

S

stumpy

My First Big Project (planning)

I have always loved watching videos of people doing odd challenges. AKA not sleeping for 10 days, or being homeless for a week. ive also always loved the stories behind the people of shows like "the buried life" or "no reservations". So i thought... Hell, lets do one myself. :)
I am an avid freerunner, so i decided id try to travel the country (usa) and hit up large FR and parkour spots and interact with not only the FRers themselves, but everyone me and my 2-3 freinds meet along the way.

i have a few issues i need to figure out first however.
1. how should we move across the country. i could do everything from buy a big van, or hoof it. hitchhike and or walk the entire way.
2. i have very little buget so i was thinkin i could actually incorperate that into the idea. aka work odd jobs for all our cash ect.

ok i have more questions but my class is over so i gotta finish later. any answers to my q's would be awesome, plus i am brand new to doc making, so any general advice is welcome too.
i have two sony handycams, but i am not sure the models, ill post em later. thx guys :)

EDIT: Just so everyone knows, this is not going to be my first project ever. I am going to do A LOT of practicing first. I am just starting the planning stage on this one now :)
 
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NickClapper said:
Yer I agree with Cracker and Murdock.

Start off by doing, maybe five minutes on you and free running. Then post it up here, we can all take a look, give advice, criticise spelling, tell you what works and what doesn't...

Then if it's good and you get a taste for that sort of work you can incorporate that into a longer production. The first five minutes of your road trip documentary would be explaining your life back home anyway, so that's a good way of learning productively....

:D
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Will do :) or at least something along the same lines. Don't worry guys, I plan on practicing first. This is going to be my first big project. It's not going to happen for close to a year or so at least :)

the only other question i can thing of is, should I find a cameraman (or men) to do most of the filming or should me and my companions just switch the camera, or cameras between us? This is a question I have been thinking of for all of my docs, not just this big one.
 
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I think you should aim to have one cameraman and one sound man (or woman, for both those equal opportunity jobs).

Probably best not to switch the camera around too much, as audiences prefer to have continuity with a presenter in documentaries- mainly because they're only occasionally on screen and therefore have less visual familiarity- so you should decide if that's what you want to be.
 
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stumpy said:
Will do :) or at least something along the same lines. Don't worry guys, I plan on practicing first. This is going to be my first big project. It's not going to happen for close to a year or so at least :)

the only other question i can thing of is, should I find a cameraman (or men) to do most of the filming or should me and my companions just switch the camera, or cameras between us? This is a question I have been thinking of for all of my docs, not just this big one.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, there should be one person, who knows that camera like the back of their hand, is well-versed with the basics of photography, and who really enjoys camera work. Let one person be the expert, and that will free up everyone else to be on-screen personalities, or whatever.
 
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Let me answer you r question with another question. Can you afford to pay camera operators

even minimun wage, much less industry standards?? plus food, lodging, etc. No you and your

buddies can do the filming.

Start practicing amigo.:)

I agree with Clapper and Cracker as well that its probably a good idea to have one "expert"
 
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Murdock said:
Let me answer you r question with another question. Can you afford to pay camera operators

even minimun wage, much less industry standards?? plus food, lodging, etc. No you and your

buddies can do the filming.

Start practicing amigo.:)

I agree with Clapper and Cracker as well that its probably a good idea to have one "expert"
Click to expand...

cool cool, I will definitely consider this. (and all the other posts too)

uuuggghhh! I just found out my camera does not accept external audio. guess if I really am serious about this Ill be buying a new camera soon.
 
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