Creative Resources for Documentary Creators

Aesthetics

• A Step-By-Step Guide to Shooting Documentary Interviews Read More

• Watch IDA "Interview Shooting & Lighting Master Class with Adam Irving"

• 5 Tips for Rethinking the Documentary Interview Read More

• 5 Things to Consider When Adding Audio Description and Captioning to Your Documentary Film Read More

• Watch IDA seminar where "Cinematographers Share Their Secrets"

• Documentary's column, Shooting Scenarios, takes a single scene and breaks it down cinematographically, looking at the shooting logistics, creative challenges, and camera gear deployed.

• Watch Kirsten Johnson's Master Class where she shares insights on capturing once in a lifetime moments

• Watch IDA's "Docs Get Graphic Master Class with Neil Berkeley"

• Watch IDA seminar on "Using Graphics to Tell Your Story"

• Watch IDA seminar "Yes, But Is It Art?" on how to mobilize aesthetic choices to affect change around social and political issues

• How Doc-makers Heighten Perception and Solve Problems Through Animation Read More

• The Aesthetic Dos and Don'ts of Audio Documentary Read More

• The Single Shot Cinema of Leonard Retel Helmrich Read More

• Cinematographers Focus on Telling the Story Read More

Music

• Watch IDA seminar on "Creating Sound and Music for Docs" Part 2 focusing on Scoring Your Film - Licensing and Composing

• The Important Role of the Music Supervisor Read More

• Why You May Need a Music Supervisor to Keep Your Film's Soundtrack on Track Read More

• Tips for Working with a Composer Read More

• The How-to Guide on Production Music Libraries Read More

Archival Storytelling

• Archival Research 101: Looking for the Perfect Image Read More

• Watch IDA seminar on "Using Archival Footage to Tell Your Story"

• 6 Essential Tips for Using Archival Footage Read More

• How to Find-and License-Archival Footage Read More

• Finding Footage in a Foreign Land Read More

• Finding Footage at the National Archives Read More

• Select list of US Archives Read More

• The Rising Cost of Putting History on Screen Read More

• Archive Verite: Editing as an Art Form Read More

• The Rescue and Recovery Mission of Film Preservation Read More

• How Makers of Profile Documentaries Shape Their Subject from Archival Footage Read More

• Experimental Filmmakers Widen the Parameters of the Archive Read More

• How to Discover Rights-Free Materials For Your Film: Two Examples Read More

Writing

• Analyzing a Documentary's Strengths and Weaknesses Read More 

• Defining the Role of the Writer in Nonfiction Read More

Ethics

• Center for Media & Social Impact report "Honest Truths: Documentary Filmmakers on Ethical Challenges in Their Work" Read More

• What to Do About Documentary Distortion? Toward a Code of Ethics Read More

• Five Doc-Makers on (Avoiding) Extractive Filmmaking Read More

• Ethics in Environmental and Wildlife Filmmaking Read More

• Who Is Telling Whose Story, To Whom, and Why? Read More

Extended Reality (XR)

• Watch IDA's "Extended Reality (XR) Master Class"

• Augmented Reality's Documentary Potential Read More

• Report from Getting Real's VR Summit Read More

• VR Becoming an Actual Reality for Documentarians Read More