Directing the Documentary
Key Guides
Burlington; Oxford: Routledge, 7th ed. (2020), xxxix, 554 pp.
Contains illustrations, index, glossary
Series: Focal Press Book
Other editions: 4th ed. 2004
Signature commbox: 50-Production-E 2020
"Directing the Documentary is the definitive book on the documentary form, that will allow you to master the craft of documentary filmmaking. Focusing on the hands-on work needed to make your concept a reality, it covers the documentary filmmaking process from top to bottom, providing in-depth lessons on every aspect of preproduction, production, and postproduction. The book includes dozens of projects, practical exercises, and thought-provoking questions, and offers best practices for researching and honing your documentary idea, developing a crew, guiding your team, and much more. This fully revised and updated 7th edition also includes brand new content on the rise of the documentary series, the impact of video on-demand and content aggregators, updated information on prosumer and professional video (including 4K+), coverage of new audio & lighting solutions and trends in post-production, coverage of the immersive documentary, and provides practical sets of solutions for low, medium, and high budget documentary film productions throughout. The companion website has also been fully updated to a variety of new projects and forms. By combining expert advice on the storytelling process, the technical aspects of filmmaking and commentary on the philosophical underpinnings of the art, this book provides the practical and holistic understanding you need to become a highly regarded, original, and ethical contributor to the genre." (Publisher description)
BOOK I: GETTING STARTED
PART 1: YOU AND YOUR IDEAS, 3
You and Film Authorship -- The Nature of Documentary
PART 2: DOCUMENTARIES AND FILM LANGUAGE, 29
How the Documentary Developed -- Constructing Reality -- Story Elements and Film Grammar
PART 3: PREPRODUCTION, 93
Developing Story Ideas -- Hypothesis, Research and Plan -- Developing Ideas for a Short Documentary
PART 4: PRODUCTION, 143
Capturing Sound – Lighting – Camera -- Directing and Interviewing
PART 5: POSTPRODUCTION, 213
Creating the First Assembly -- Developing the Edit -- Fine Cut, Music, Audio and Color Correction
BOOK II: ADVANCED CONCEPTS
PART 6: DOCUMENTARY AESTHETICS, 263
Point of View and Storytelling -- Dramatic Development, Time and Story Structure -- Using Form and Style -- Reconstruction, Reenactment and Docudrama -- Values and Ethics
PART 7 ADVANCED PRODUCTION ISSUES, 343
PART 7A ADVANCED PREPRODUCTION, 345
Handling Larger Projects -- Relations with Participants, Story Development and Funding Proposals -- Advanced Technology, Budgeting, Scheduling -- Preparations before Directing
PART 7B: ADVANCED PRODUCTION, 395
Optics and Perception -- Advanced Cameras and Support Equipment -- Advanced Location Sound -- Advanced Directing: Participants -- Advanced Directing: Camera -- Advanced Interviewing
PART 7C ADVANCED POSTPRODUCTION, 477
From Transcript to Assembly -- Creating Narration -- Original Music -- Editing Refinements and Structural Solutions -- The Final Sound Mix
PART 8: WORK, 515
Developing a Career -- Starting up on Your Own
PART 1: YOU AND YOUR IDEAS, 3
You and Film Authorship -- The Nature of Documentary
PART 2: DOCUMENTARIES AND FILM LANGUAGE, 29
How the Documentary Developed -- Constructing Reality -- Story Elements and Film Grammar
PART 3: PREPRODUCTION, 93
Developing Story Ideas -- Hypothesis, Research and Plan -- Developing Ideas for a Short Documentary
PART 4: PRODUCTION, 143
Capturing Sound – Lighting – Camera -- Directing and Interviewing
PART 5: POSTPRODUCTION, 213
Creating the First Assembly -- Developing the Edit -- Fine Cut, Music, Audio and Color Correction
BOOK II: ADVANCED CONCEPTS
PART 6: DOCUMENTARY AESTHETICS, 263
Point of View and Storytelling -- Dramatic Development, Time and Story Structure -- Using Form and Style -- Reconstruction, Reenactment and Docudrama -- Values and Ethics
PART 7 ADVANCED PRODUCTION ISSUES, 343
PART 7A ADVANCED PREPRODUCTION, 345
Handling Larger Projects -- Relations with Participants, Story Development and Funding Proposals -- Advanced Technology, Budgeting, Scheduling -- Preparations before Directing
PART 7B: ADVANCED PRODUCTION, 395
Optics and Perception -- Advanced Cameras and Support Equipment -- Advanced Location Sound -- Advanced Directing: Participants -- Advanced Directing: Camera -- Advanced Interviewing
PART 7C ADVANCED POSTPRODUCTION, 477
From Transcript to Assembly -- Creating Narration -- Original Music -- Editing Refinements and Structural Solutions -- The Final Sound Mix
PART 8: WORK, 515
Developing a Career -- Starting up on Your Own
