How to Film a Documentary Part II: Production

In the previous blog, How to Film a Documentary Part I: Pre-Production, we discussed essential pre-production steps such as concept development and scripting or storyboarding. By this point you should know the purpose of your video, the story or message you would like to convey, and who your target audience will be. Pre-production is a visionary and contemplative phase that is associated more with planning and preparation. Production is an action-oriented phase that moves from the drawing board to boots on the ground, and is also known as Filming.

Production – Lights, Camera, Action!

Production, or filming, is the actual shooting phase, where all the scenes are filmed according to the script. It can take anywhere from a few hours to several days or longer, depending on the complexity or duration of the documentary. To put this in context, working solo I spend a total of approximately 40 hours filming for a 15 to 20 minute documentary.

To scale that down to a realistic and achievable workload that fits within the frame of an already busy schedule, you might account for something more like 10 hours of filming for a 5 minute documentary. This will account for travel time to and from film locations, conducting interview(s), camera set-up and take-down and/or transferring files, and contingency.

Equipment: Using the most accessible, affordable and user-friendly piece of film equipment would be ideal, so we’ll talk about the one that you most likely have sitting right in your pocket: Your smart phone. Hold it sideways and steady at eye level, hit record and you’re on your way to capturing your first scene. But to get the documentary film look that you’re going for, there’s slightly more to it than that.

If you’re doing this on your own, it may be worth it to invest in an economic and simple tripod that’s compatible with your cell phone. This will give you a stable platform for capturing a more professional looking picture of any scene. It will give you a still image that you can adjust according to how you would like to appear within the frame if you yourself will be in the scene.

Filming: Hold your phone camera sideways to get the proper 16:9 ratio, or what is also known as the widescreen. If another person will be holding the camera for you, make sure they’re keeping the picture still and not shaking or moving the camera this way and that. If capturing action scenes of a moving subject and some movement of the camera is required, such as panning around, the movements should be buttery smooth and slow as possible so as not to be a distraction from the picture.

Capture scenes of what is going on in the surrounding areas, such as the traffic outside of the office or heavy equipment that is being unloaded at the jobsite. Capture unscripted shots of personalities when they’re most in character, laughing or joking or simply very focused on their work. This full range of filming will not only create a rich and colorful story, but will also convey a good quality and professional level of story-telling that will engage your viewers.

Cinematography: This is the aspect of work that pertains to the visual look of the film, including lighting, camera work, framing, and shot composition. We’ll cover a few of the basics that can give you enough working knowledge to produce a good quality video.

• Lighting:

  • If you’re filming outdoors, the best time of day to do this in any event will be near sunrise or sunset. This natural lighting, at just about any angle, will automatically give your picture a professional touch.

  • If you’re filming indoors, it will be worth the time to use some kind of artificial light that can be moved around in order to achieve the best effect. This doesn’t have to be some extravagant stage lighting system.

  • Cut off the overhead lights and try the effect of a table lamp to one side for a dramatic effect. You can use something as simple as a flashlight or a floodlight overhead and at an angle for what is known as a paramount light.

  • Place ambient lights in the background or open and close shutters in order to achieve the look you’re going for. A proper backlight can give the subject an angelic glow.

• Camera work:

  • Frame rate is a feature of professional level video, DSLR or mirrorless cameras that determines how many still frames are captured per second.

    • Most classical documentaries and big-screen Hollywood productions are filmed at 24 frames per second.

    • Most sit-coms or TV shows are filmed at 30 frames per second.

    • Most slow motion is filmed at 60 or 120 frames per second, then played back at 24 or 30 frames per second.

    • Smart phones are typically not equipped with a changing frame rate feature and generally film at 30 frames per second.

  • Exposure settings are an extensive field of study that, although adding an undeniable element of art and beauty to the picture, can take years to perfect. So unless you’re already familiar with this aspect of film or photography, it may be best to put your camera on automatic exposure for the time being. The advancement of video technology in this area is, after all, beyond capable.

  • Use in-camera effects if your phone or camera has the capability. For example, a filter may be applied for a more cinematic effect. Some camera phones may even include a slow motion feature.

• Framing:

  • A wide-angle is also known as an “establishing” shot that allows your viewer to see the entire scene from a distance, including the background and surroundings. If this is of an outdoor jobsite, it might include the mountains or the entire neighborhood in the backdrop. If it’s within an office building, it may be filmed from outside of the building showing the building itself and possibly include surrounding buildings or cityscape within the “establishing” picture.

  • Include wide angle, mid-range and close-up shots of your subject. A mid-range or “mid-shot” captures the subject from approximately the waist to the top of their head. A “close-up” homes in on intricate detail such as the head and shoulders only or, if of an object such as a power tool, closes in and clearly displays features such as buttons, knobs, blemishes, etc.

  • Clear away clutter or miscellaneous obstacles from anywhere in the scene that may be distracting from the subject. Place things as neatly and intentionally as possible for the greatest effect. Notice that in the movies there are no random coffee cups, notebooks or pens setting around in random places unless it is to an intentional effect. Pay attention to every detail within your fame.

  • Make sure your subject is either centered within the frame, or within the law of thirds.

• Sound Recording:

  • Dialogue and ambient sounds are recorded during filming, though additional sounds might be recorded later (in post-production). There are many types of recording systems that can be used, but in my experience this is done most economic and effectively with a wireless livelier mic set.

• Clip the receiver to your smart phone and the transmitter to your subject. If there are two subjects, such as in an interview or conversation, then you will need a dual transmitter mic set. Run a few test shots to make sure you’re getting a good, clear, crisp recording.

• Background noises such as birds chirping, traffic in the distance, children playing or lawns being mowed can all add to the ambience of a picture, as long as they are not overpowering or distracting from your subject.

• Just as with the picture, close the recording in on anything you want to bring special attention to such as footsteps down a hallway, a door creaking open, an office printer printing off copies, a power tool drilling a hole, a hammer driving a nail, etc.

See our most recent documentary here.