Creating a Documentary Film with Colleen Brady
/Today we are continuing our Summer 2020 Workshop Series!
This week, you will learn to create a documentary film with filmmaker Colleen Brady! Throughout this video, Colleen shares how you can structure your documentary film while socially distancing or isolating at home.
For this workshop you will need :
- a device to film with (can be a fancy camera, your phone, etc.(
- a computer to edit on (though there are many apps for you to edit on your phone as well!)
- an idea (the most important part!)
Watch the video here!
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
An award-winning editor, documentary filmmaker, as well as a published photographer with a strong arts and design background from Fairleigh Dickinson University, receiving Bachelor of Arts focused in Film Studies and Post Production. Demonstrated history and extensive skills in film production, writing and interpersonal communications.
Step 1 : The Story
You need an idea! Instead of creating a cast of characters and a script, you can follow the daily lives of the people around you. You can’t always plan what happens during documentary filming. But you will want to structure your story so that you can create an interesting and fun documentary! Remember to remain neutral and unbiased whenever possible.
Step 2 : Cameras
In this section, you will learn how to use the resources at your hand to capture the story! Colleen also discusses light and more!
Step 3 : Filming
Here Colleen shares how the different ways of creating compositions during interviews will effect how the viewer sees the subjects. Be sure to capture meaningful b-roll during your filming! Colleen talks here about how she would film Indiana County for a film documentary and provides examples.
Step 4 : Editing
There are many free software services that you can use to edit, and there are many that you can have that cost money. The most important thing is constructing your story here. Colleen walks you through her editing process, including how she uses b-roll and creates the story around the interview.
Colleen then wraps up her workshop by sharing the documentary, A Day in Quarantine, that she has been working on throughout the workshop. She signs off with some well wishes and final words of advice, but don’t take our word for it! Watch it all the way through to learn how to make your documentary film at home!
