Guidelines for Crafting a Documentary Screenplay for Scribes Starting Out
Documentary Filmmaking Demystified
Arency in unscripted storytelling? Documentaries might be the perfect fit for you since they showcase the raw and genuine side of reality, exposing viewers to extraordinary topics and perspectives that were once inaccessible.
What Exactly is a Documentary?
The term 'documentary' often evolves to adapt to the film and television world. Essentially, documentaries document true events, showcasing stories from a unique and intriguing angle. Filmmakers create these pieces, often inspired by an intriguing topic or a burning question about society that isn't yet fully explored by the media.
These captivating films rely on combinations of images, photographs, voiceovers, and interviews that highlight real people, events, and experiences. Documentaries can range from 30 minutes to 2 hours, airing on TV or in theaters. With the rise of the internet and streaming services, documentaries come in various lengths and formats, allowing you to find them on countless platforms.
Popular Documentaries
Recent successful documentaries include Harry & Meghan (Garbus, 2022), Tiger King (Goode, 2020), Louis Theroux (Various, 1998-Present), and They Shall Not Grow Old (Jackson, 2018). Each of these projects spotlights the truth and experiences of particular people or groups.
Additionally, documentaries can explore broader global issues that impact humanity and nature. For instance, films such as Oceans (Perrin, 2010), March of the Penguins (Jacquet, 2005), and The Blue Planet (Fothergill, 2001) highlight the environmental consequences of modern life on the natural world.
Ready to create your own thought-provoking documentary? Let's dive into the top ten tips for writing a documentary script:
Pre-Production
1. Discover Your Story
Your story should be something you are passionate about because, without genuine interest, neither you nor your audience will be engaged. Research the audience you'll be targeting and consider how your documentary will affect them specifically.
2. Know Facts from Fiction
Remember that documentaries are rooted in reality and not fiction. Make sure the subject you explore is grounded in fact, and your message is coherent and believable.
3. Investigate Thoroughly
Before diving into your chosen subject, you should do extensive research to ensure you aren't misinforming your audience. Consult experts in the field and use progressive, reliable sources to help build a foundation for your documentary.
4. Prepare a Proposal
Creating a solid proposal is essential, as it helps organize your ideas, outlines the expected approach, and provides a budget plan. Approach the style, tone, and intended audience in this proposal to help you visualize your documentary when it's time to create the blueprint.
5. Establish a Blueprint
A blueprint simply outlines what you'll cover in your documentary. It should be divided into three acts to help tell a compelling story from an engaging beginning through a thought-provoking ending.
Production
6. Be Flexible
Unlike fictional films, documentaries must adapt to the real world since they cannot be controlled or scripted. However, you can control how the story unfolds for your audience.
7. Transcribe Footage
If you utilize interviews or improvised voiceovers in your documentary, make sure you transcribe these recordings so you can keep track of the information and organize your script.
8. Be Ruthless
Don't shy away from cutting footage that doesn't align with your intended message. Maintaining viewer engagement is crucial, even if it's the most stunning footage ever captured.
9. Attend to the Details
Rewrites are just as essential for documentaries as they are for traditional scripts, but please keep budget constraints in mind if you're employing narrators or voiceover artists.
10. Double-Check the Facts
Though you've done research, it's always important to double-check the information you present, ensuring it's accurate, credible, and authentic.
With those tips in mind, get out there and create a documentary that inspires, enlightens, or challenges viewers. Good luck, documentary makers!
Author
- Natasha Stares is a captivating UK-based freelance screenwriter and script editor, with a love for dystopian sci-fi. In 2022 she placed in the Screenwriters' Network Short Film Screenplay Competition and the Golden Short Film Festivals. When she's not at her desk, you can find her at the theater or, perhaps surprisingly, strolling around the English countryside, even during inclement weather.
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Screenwriting has the potential to embark on a diverse range of topics, including documentaries, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, books, and entertainment.
A documentary screenwriter, inspired by Natasha Stares's approach, may decide to create a thought-provoking documentary about the intersection of documentaries and the fashion-and-beauty industry, delving into the untold stories of the people behind the scenes, or exploring the influence of fashion-and-beauty trends on society, thus contributing to the growing body of entertaining and informative documentaries.
