Producing Your First Documentary: Pre-Production Checklist

Have you ever thought of becoming a documentary filmmaker? Gone are the days when you had to get into the industry and go up the career ladder to become a director. Filming gear has become more accessible than ever and the advent of using social media channels to promote your work was previously unheard of. More and more independent documentarists conquer YouTube and Vimeo, win film festivals and international awards, and inspire us with amazing human stories told through audio-visual narratives. 

Does that sound tempting enough to give documentaries a try? Great! However, you probably realize that great work requires a great deal of effort. It all starts with thorough pre-production. Here’s our checklist to nail that part of your filmmaking journey. 

Start With an Idea

Is there a specific issue you want to address? Is there a story that needs to be told? Is there a person who deserves to be known? Think of what you want to say, and why the world would need to listen. Always try to measure your topic on a bigger scale. If it’s a portrait piece you’re making, does it reflect the generation of the person, or the community your character comes from? If it’s a certain case or historical event, does it signify a social problem or even a global trend? What message would you want to put into your narrative? Your answers may change during the production process, yet you need to have some ideas figured out from the very beginning. 

Find Your Main Characters

If your documentary is already inspired by a particular person, consider the problem solved. If not, do your research. Whatever your story is (even if you’re filming animals or ocean wildlife!), it would always work best when told by a character who is somehow involved. Even social and environmental issues can appear more touching and easier to understand when expressed through the eyes of someone experiencing them.

Look For More Faces

Once you’ve found your main hero, it’s time to consider who else you might need. When there’s a conflict, you’d want to hear both sides and ideally a few independent opinions from experts. Sometimes you might even need to involve serious authorities including government representatives, huge businesses, and even international organizations. Sometimes you might not be able to film them, but you can always send an official request and quote a reply if you get it. 

Define Your Locations

Decide on your primary filming locations and see if you need to travel to others. Sometimes you might find that the right expert lives only a few blocks away. At other times, you might need to travel to another country to get a hold of the right people. Do your research and try to facilitate your logistics as much as possible.

Draft a Plan

By this time you can start composing your narrative. Imagine which scenes you would need to include, which interviews you will feature, where you’d start, and how your story will evolve. Decide if you’ll use your own voice-over or let your characters speak all the way. Write down some questions for your interviewees and consider taking pictures of them if needed for illustration purposes.

Calculate Your Budget

Now that you know where you’re going and what you’re doing, it’s time to estimate whether you can afford it, and if there are any changes you have to make accordingly. Logistics, gear rental, media rights, possibly financial reward for your characters – there’s actually a lot to consider even for the most budget amateur production. Check out this article on documentary budgeting here.

Do Your Arrangements

Have you got consent from your characters? Are they old enough to make this decision on their own, or do you need to get in touch with their parents? Do you need special permission to film in your location, or even apply for a media accreditation? Also, don’t forget to make sure you have a valid visa for your travels if you need it. If you’re utilizing any archive materials, clear the rights – you might have to pay for them, or make references later. All personal photographs and videos you’ve retrieved also require owners’ permission for usage. 

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Organize Logistics

Even if you’re planning to film somewhere close, you need to figure out how to get there most efficiently with your filming gear. If you’re filming outside your city or country, arrange your transportation and accommodation well in advance. 

Gather the Gear

Decide which equipment you’re going to use, and where you’re going to get it from. The bare minimum will most likely consist of a camera, microphone, and a tripod or a steadicam. Assess the potential light conditions in your location and contemplate taking extra light sources. Be realistic: if you’re working in a team, you can carry a whole studio set around, but if you’re alone – you only have two hands and one back. Search around for the best rental deals. Make sure they allow you to carry the gear abroad if you need to do so. 

Assess the Risks

Risk Assessment is a vital stage for any major project. Before starting out, sit down and draw a table. Write down all potential risks and solutions for these situations: breaking or losing parts of the gear, interfering with the police, reluctant behavior of the characters to be interviewed, personal safety threats, and so on. For exotic locations, you might also need to get vaccinated prior to your trip. 

Go!

Once you’ve gone through all those stages, it’s time to set out on your filming journey. In our next articles we’ll go through more tips for the actual documentary production, so stay tuned!