Documentary Foundation Diploma

Documentary Foundation Diploma offers a practical experience making a short documentary. The Course includes editing with Final Cut Pro, camera and lighting training and pitching your idea. Industry contacts and experienced documentary makers will guide you all the way to completing your study and assist you with the techniques that are required to successfully make a documentary.

Course outline

Monday

• What are the forms? Observational, Political, Current Affairs, Historical, Authored or Docu Drama. Looking for stories.
• The elements of documentary film-making: Research, Writing Proposals, Pitching, Budgeting, Shooting, Post Production and distribution channels. Know your market: Commissioning and/or Funding.
• Introduction to cameras.

Tuesday

• The paper stage, and research. The Pitch. Evolution of ideas.
• Techniques of storyboarding and story construction. Aspects of Directing. E
• xploring ideas of rhythm, pace, authority. Planning a shoot: Safety and legal issues. More on cameras. Elements of screen craft. Elements of recording sound.

Wednesday

• Preparing the shoot in detail. Permissions. Rights. Location issues. Story styles and crafting an ending.
• More camera: Shutter Speeds, Gain, White Balance. Lens choices etc.
  
• Choosing a visual style. Camera positions and angles.
• Why storyboard a documentary shoot? Why recce? Paperwork: logs and release forms.

Thursday

Finalising projects and shooting plans. Discussion and analysis: story structure and marinating interest. Interview techniques: putting interviewees at ease.

Friday

FILMING DAY, 9.30am - 6pm

many thanks