Creative Resources for Documentary Creators
You have a great story, but presenting it well is the next step. Get into the nuances of creative direction, including writing, visual aesthetics, ethics and sound that will bring your ideas to life.
Aesthetics
- A Step-By-Step Guide to Shooting Documentary Interviews Read More
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 6 Essential Tips for Using 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)
- 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
