Learning Documentary Video: 1 Planning and Pre-production

Course details

Watch the making of a documentary, from concept to creation. In this first course of a three-course series, instructor Ashley Kennedy introduces her documentary idea, and explains how to develop an idea into a proper story structure containing substance and style. Ashley then goes into the processes of researching, pre-production planning, and forming a crew. She covers how to take the information you've gathered and use it to get your materials and resources ready for production. Then you'll be ready to proceed to the second course where she takes you along as she actually directs the documentary.

Learning objectives
Developing a documentary idea
Pitching an idea
Writing a documentary proposal
Planning and executing the research
Conducting research and pre-interviews
Developing pre-production materials
Gathering non-production assets

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - Exercise files

1. Beginning with an Idea

03 - The birth of an idea
04 - The idea for Project RELO
05 - Developing your idea into a framework
06 - Developing your documentary pitch
07 - Delivering the pitch
08 - Writing a documentary proposal

2. Pre-Production - Getting Your Documentary Organized and Grounded

09 - Planning and executing the research
10 - Thinking about assets
11 - Coming up with an interview plan
12 - Conducting pre-interviews
13 - Developing pre-production materials
14 - Gathering non-production assets
15 - Planning production assets
16 - Planning the Project RELO shoot

Conclusion

17 - Next steps
18 - The finished documentary, Veteran's Work - The Project RELO Story

Learning Documentary Video: 1 Planning and Pre-production

Authors

Ashley Kennedy