More praise for documentary storytelling

Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com More Praise for Documentary Storytelling “Bernard demonstrates to documentarians how story can be more effectively incorporated into every level of nonfiction filmmaking from conception to development and pre-production, in the field and in the editing room Her discussions incorporate many examples from contemporary documentaries to illustrate a variety of salient points.” —Documentary (International Documentary Association) “Sheila Curran Bernard’s Documentary Storytelling is an essential, pragmatic, common-sense approach to making nonfiction films for the student and/or first-time filmmaker, based on the author’s deep awareness of documentary film history and theory, and her intimate knowledge of how today’s most important documentarians formulate their works.” —Gerald Peary, film critic, The Boston Phoenix “Invaluable for documentary filmmakers as well as anyone who uses information and evidence to portray real events But the value of this book goes beyond its service to storytellers; the consumers of documentary films and all journalism can benefit by more fully understanding the narrative structures that we all use to construct order and meaning in the world.” —Pennee Bender, Media Director, Center for Media and Learning, City University of New York, The Graduate Center “While documentaries are nonfiction, they are certainly not objective, and even the smallest choices in writing, filming, interviewing, narrating, or scoring can drastically alter the perspective of the film, and in turn, the audience Bernard is keenly aware of the power of persuasive images, and her insistence on complexity and integrity is a consistent theme throughout the book.” —Alyssa Worsham, The Independent “If you fancy yourself as a documentary film-maker, or simply want to improve your understanding of observational storytelling, buy this book, read it, and apply the ideas contained within.” —Quentin Budworth, Focus Magazine “Documentary Storytelling That’s what this book is about It’s about the story, how to convey that story eloquently, effectively, and ethically This book is absolutely brilliant packed full of interviews with award-winning documentary filmmakers offering up information, advice, and wisdom you’ll find interesting and useful.” —Krista Galyen, AAUG Reviews www.Ebook777.com Praise for Archival Storytelling (with Kenn Rabin) “I am often asked how to work with archival materials Now I have an easy answer: Get a copy of Archival Storytelling and read it Everything’s there— how to use archival materials, acquire them, and most of all, how to think about them Archival Storytelling is indispensable.” —David Grubin, Filmmaker, LBJ, FDR, Napoleon, and The Jewish Americans “This is it, the book that will save you thousands of dollars and untold hours of frustration It will be the single best purchase your production company will make Archival Storytelling clearly explains the entire process of researching, acquiring and licensing archival footage and music Included are time-tested tips and techniques for efficiently managing the work flow and negotiating rights.” —Ann Petrone, Archival Supervisor, The Fog of War “One of the best—and most needed—texts I have seen in a while The challenge is to keep what is a fairly technical aspect of filmmaking interesting without compromising the quality and depth of information The authors have done an exceptional job in this regard by the careful interweaving of interviews with researchers, filmmakers and legal experts through the factual material There is the strong sense of being in the presence of experienced filmmakers and researchers who accept that while there are standard practices, archival use and intellectual property laws, etc are contingent fields in which each case must be assessed and dealt with on its merits.” —Bruce Sheridan, Chair, Film & Video Department, Columbia College “I’ve been making historical documentaries for many years, yet I learned new things from this book This is the definitive guide for archival research for documentary filmmakers An invaluable resource.” —Mark Jonathan Harris, Distinguished Professor, School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California, and writer/director, The Long Way Home and Into the Arms of Strangers Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Documentary Storytelling Third Edition www.Ebook777.com Documentary Storytelling Creative Nonfiction on Screen Third Edition Sheila Curran Bernard AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK # 2011 Sheila Curran Bernard Published by Elsevier Inc All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein) Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bernard, Sheila Curran Documentary storytelling : creative nonfiction on screen / Sheila Curran Bernard – 3rd ed p cm Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-0-240-81241-0 (pbk : alk paper) Documentary films–Production and direction Documentary films–Authorship I Title PN1995.9.D6B394 2010 070.10 8–dc22 2010017155 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-0-240-81241-0 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.elsevierdirect.com 11 12 13 Printed in the United States of America www.Ebook777.com In memory of Henry Hampton Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Preface to the Third Edition The phrase documentary storytelling has become commonplace since this book was first published in 2003; it describes the powerful merging of visual and literary narrative devices to enable media makers to reach and engage audiences with nonfiction content But the need for “storytelling” is also sometimes used to justify nonfiction work that is overly sentimental or sensational, poorly researched, and poorly crafted That’s not what this book is about, and it’s not what the filmmakers featured in these pages Instead, it’s about an organic and often time-consuming process in which a filmmaker approaches a subject, finds (as opposed to imposes) a story within that subject, and then uses a wealth of narrative devices—structure, character, questions, point of view, tone, stakes, and more—to tell that story truthfully and artfully, so as to attract and actively engage an audience In this way, the documentary filmmaker joins the ranks of other master storytellers, whether they work in fiction or nonfiction The astonishing work of directors like Alex Gibney, Ari Folman, James Marsh, Deborah Scranton, and many others continues to set a high bar for those seeking to work in nonfiction media Documentary Storytelling, in this and previous editions, puts the tools used by these filmmakers into the hands of anyone seeking to tell nonfiction stories, whether for broadcast or theatrical release or use in educational and community settings With this new edition, I hope to challenge the use of the term “documentary” to describe any and all forms of nonfiction audiovisual programming For an analogy, consider the nonfiction section of a bookstore or library There are books with advice on cooking and gardening and pet care; graphic novels and how-to manuals and celebrity tell-alls; histories that are scrupulously researched and histories that appeal primarily through images and sentiment; rigorous science alongside pseudoscience Go a step farther, and include in this list the glossy brochure that advertises your dentist’s practice, the report published by a particular charity to attract supporters, or the incendiary flier put out on behalf of a controversial cause We would never lump all of this nonfiction material—as different as it is in quality, purpose, audience, format, and form—together as one thing (docubooks, perhaps) Instead, we’ve learned, as readers, to recognize these differences Similarly, we need to learn, as viewers, xiii www.Ebook777.com to better recognize the range of media presented as nonfiction And so for this edition, I’ve chosen a subtitle that sets documentary films alongside a particular form of nonfiction prose, “creative nonfiction.” The intent is to start with the best in documentary and explore it as the model for any kind of production, even those that more accurately would be billed as the audiovisual equivalent of tabloid, magazine, or vanity pieces, and perhaps advocacy, public relations, and even advertising This new edition has been restructured and contains more than 20 percent new material, including an examination of new films, new conversations with award-winning filmmakers (Brett Culp, Alex Gibney, Susan Kim, James Marsh, and Deborah Scranton), and a closer look at the use of story as a tool for analysis (not prescription) at every step of production, from research through editing Unfortunately, this meant that some material from the previous edition had to be dropped, including the interview with archivist, filmmaker, and writer Kenn Rabin, with whom I worked in 2007 and 2008 to jointly author Archival Storytelling: A Filmmakers Guide to Finding, Using, and Licensing Third-Party Visuals and Music (Focal Press, 2008) With only a few exceptions, works discussed in this edition are easily bought or rented through major vendors Some films that are aired on television series, such as BBC’s Storyville and PBS’s Frontline and American Experience, may also be available for online viewing xiv Preface to the Third Edition Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Acknowledgments My thanks to Focal Press for shepherding not only three editions of this book into print but also overseeing its publication in Portuguese (2008) and Chinese (2010) Elinor Actipis, Michele Cronin, Dawnmarie Simpson, Laura Aberle, and their colleagues are the kind of publishing team any author would want My thanks also to Cathy Gleason and Deborah Schneider for their ongoing counsel; to proposal reviewers for this edition; and to transcribers Amanda Burr and (especially) Johanna Kovitz for amazingly fast and accurate turnaround Thank you to friends and colleagues at Princeton University, the University at Albany, and Goddard College, and to a community of nonfiction filmmakers worldwide for work that challenges, inspires, and informs I owe a special thanks to the many filmmakers interviewed for this and previous editions; a list can be found in Part IV For everything else, as always, I thank my parents, David and Kathleen Bernard; my friends and family; and, of course, Joel and Lucky Sheila Curran Bernard September 2010 xv www.Ebook777.com About the Author Sheila Curran Bernard is an Emmy and Peabody Award–winning media maker and consultant whose credits include projects for primetime national broadcast, theatrical release, and community and classroom use She has taught at Princeton University, Westbrook College, and the University at Albany (SUNY), and lectured on documentary storytelling at the Niemann Conference on Narrative Journalism, Christopher Newport University, the Pennsylvania College of Technology, and elsewhere With Kenn Rabin, Bernard is also the author of Archival Storytelling: A Filmmaker’s Guide to Finding, Using, and Licensing Third-Party Visuals and Music (Focal Press, 2008) Please visit the book’s website, www.documentarystorytelling.com xvii Films Many documentaries, including not only recent releases but also classics from previous decades, are now available through online vendors such as Amazon, Netflix, Intelliflix, and such, and/or through the channels on which they aired (such as PBS or National Geographic) Some of this work is also legitimately made available for free viewing online, either through commercial sites such as Hulu.com or through public broadcasting venues, such as the BBC or PBS Please not use or condone the use of pirate sites Through the web, readers may be able to find information about specific films, including official press kits, teachers’ guides, and outreach plans This is especially true for theatrically released documentaries Otherwise, be careful of web-based information about films and filmmakers IMDB, for example, is a user-generated site, and as such the information it contains may not be accurate, complete, or up to date Wikipedia, for the same reasons, is not a reliable source Transcripts and other useful materials are available online for many documentaries that have been shown on U.S public television, including American Experience (a historical series, www.pbs.org/wgbh/ amex/), Nova (science, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/), and Frontline (current affairs, www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/) These can be very useful as a reference while watching and analyzing story and structure Alexander Hamilton: Produced and directed by Muffie Meyer; co-produced and written by Ronald Blumer; co-produced and edited by Sharon Sachs and Eric Seuel Davies Bad Voodoo’s War: Produced, directed, and written by Deborah Scranton Co-produced by P.H O’Brien and Seth Bomse; edited by Seth Bomse Balseros: Produced by Loris Omedes; directed by Josep Ma Dome´nech and Carles Bosch; scripts by David Trueba and Carles Bosch; edited by Ernest Blasi Betty Tells Her Story: Produced, directed, and edited by Liane Brandon This film is distributed by New Day Films, www.newday.com/films/ Betty_Tells_Her_Story.html Blue Vinyl: Produced by Daniel B Gold, Judith Helfand, and Julia D Parker; directed by Judith Helfand and Daniel B Gold; edited by Sari Gilman Born into Brothels: Produced and directed by Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski; edited by Nancy Baker and Ross Kauffman # 2011 Sheila Curran Bernard Published by Elsevier, Inc All rights reserved DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-240-81241-0.00033-2 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Bowling for Columbine: Produced, directed, and written by Michael Moore; additional producers, Kathleen Glynn, Jim Czarnecki, Charles Bishop, and Michael Donovan; edited by Kurt Engfehr The Boys of Baraka: Produced and directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady; edited by Enat Sidi A Brief History of Time: Produced by David Hickman, Gordon Freedman, and Kory Johnston; directed by Errol Morris; edited by Brad Fuller Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin: Produced and directed by Bennett Singer and Nancy Kates; edited by Veronica Selver and Rhonda Collins Building the Alaska Highway Produced and directed by Tracy Heather Strain; co-produced, written, and edited by Randall MacLowry Cadillac Desert: Hours 1–3 produced, directed, and written by Jon Else; based on Marc Reisner’s book, Cadillac Desert; Hour produced and directed by Linda Harrar; based on Sandra Postel’s book, Last Oasis Capturing the Friedmans Produced by Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling; directed by Andrew Jarecki; edited by Richard Hankin Casino Jack and the United States of Money: Produced by Alex Gibney, Alison Ellwood, and Zena Barakat; directed and written by Alex Gibney; edited by Alison Ellwood City of Cranes: Produced by Samantha Zarzosa; directed by Eva Weber; edited by Emiliano Battista and Ariadna Fatjo´-Vilas The Civil War: Produced by Ken Burns and Ric Burns; directed by Ken Burns; written by Geoffrey C Ward and Ric Burns, with Ken Burns; edited by Paul Barnes, Bruce Shaw, and Tricia Reidy Control Room: Produced by Hani Salama and Rosadel Varela; directed by Jehane Nounaim; edited by Julia Bacha, Lilah Bankier, and Charles Marquardt The Cove: Produced by Fisher Stevens and Paula DuPre´ Pesmen; directed by Louie Psihoyos; written by Mark Monroe; edited by Geoffrey Richman Culloden: Produced, written, and directed by Peter Watkins; edited by Michael Bradsell Darwin’s Nightmare: Produced by Edouard Maruiat, Antonin Svoboda, Martin Gschlacht, Barbara Albert, Hubert Toint, and Hubert Sauper; directed and written by Hubert Sauper; edited by Denise Vindevogel Daughter from Danang: Produced by Gail Dolgin; directed by Gail Dolgin and Vicente Franco; edited by Kim Roberts 354 Documentary Storytelling www.Ebook777.com The Day After Trinity: J Robert Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb: Produced and directed by Jon Else; written by David Peoples, Janet Peoples, and Jon Else; edited by David Peoples and Ralph Wikk A Decent Factory: Produced by Thomas Balme`s and Kaarle Aho Directed and written by Thomas Balme`s Deliver Us from Evil: Produced by Amy Berg, Hermas Lassalle, and Frank Donner; directed and written by Amy Berg; edited by Matthew Cooke The Donner Party: Produced by Lisa Ades and Ric Burns; directed and written by Ric Burns; edited by Bruce Shaw Earth Made of Glass: Produced and written by Reid Carolin and Deborah Scranton; directed by Deborah Scranton; edited by Seth Bomse Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room: Produced by Alex Gibney, Jason Kliot, and Susan Motamed; directed and written by Alex Gibney; edited and co-produced by Alison Ellwood Eugene O’Neill: Produced by Marilyn Ness and Steve Rivo, with Robin Espinola and Mary Recine; directed by Ric Burns; written by Arthur Gelb, Barbara Gelb, and Ric Burns; edited by Li-Shin Yu The Execution of Wanda Jean: Produced by Liz Garbus and Rory Kennedy; directed by Liz Garbus Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years (hours 1–6): Produced by Orlando Bagwell, Callie Crossley, James A DeVinney, and Judith Vecchione; edited by Daniel Eisenberg, Jeanne Jordan, and Charles Scott; series writer, Steve Fayer; executive producer, Henry Hampton Eyes on the Prize: America at the Racial Crossroads (hours 7–14): Produced by Sheila Bernard, Carroll Blue, James A DeVinney, Madison Davis Lacy, Jr., Louis J Massiah, Thomas Ott, Samuel Pollard, Terry Kay Rockefeller, Jacqueline Shearer, and Paul Stekler; edited by Lillian Benson, Betty Ciccarelli, Thomas Ott, and Charles Scott; series writer, Steve Fayer; executive producer, Henry Hampton Fahrenheit 911: Produced by Jim Czarnecki, Kathleen Glynn, and Michael Moore; directed and written by Michael Moore; edited by Kurt Engfehr, Christopher Seward, and T Woody Richman The Fog of War: Produced by Errol Morris, Michael Williams, and Julie Ahlberg; directed by Errol Morris; edited by Karen Schmeer, Doug Abel, and Chyld King Little Girls: Produced by Spike Lee and Sam Pollard; directed by Spike Lee; edited by Sam Pollard Films 355 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Gimme Shelter: Directed by Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin; edited by Ellen Giffard, Robert Farren, Joanne Burke, and Kent McKinney Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S Thompson: Produced by Alex Gibney and Graydon Carter, with Jason Kliot, Joana Vicente, Alison Ellwood, and Eva Orner; directed by Alex Gibney; screenplay by Alex Gibney, from the words of Hunter S Thompson; edited by Alison Ellwood Grey Gardens: Produced by Albert Maysles and David Maysles; directed by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, and Muffie Meyer; edited by Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer, and Susan Froemke Grizzly Man: Produced by Erik Nelson; directed and narrated by Werner Herzog; edited by Joe Bini Guerilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst: Produced and directed by Robert Stone; edited by Don Kleszy Harlan County, U.S.A.: Produced and directed by Barbara Kopple; edited by Nancy Baker, Mirra Bank, Lora Hays, and Mary Lampson Hoop Dreams: Produced by Frederick Marx, Steve James, and Peter Gilbert; directed by Steve James; edited by Frederick Marx, Steve James, and Bill Haugse Human Remains: Produced, directed, written, and edited by Jay Rosenblatt I’ll Make Me a World (series): Produced by Betty Ciccarelli, Denise Greene, Sam Pollard, and Tracy Heather Strain; edited by Betty Ciccarelli, David Carnochan, and Eric Handley; series writer, Sheila Curran Bernard; series producer, Terry Kay Rockefeller; co-executive producer Sam Pollard; executive producer, Henry Hampton Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust Produced by Daniel Anker and Ellin Baumel; co-produced by Susan Kim; directed by Daniel Anker; edited by Bruce Shaw An Inconvenient Truth: Produced by Lawrence Bender, Scott A Burns, and Laurie David; directed by Davis Guggenheim; edited by Jay Lash Cassidy and Dan Swietlik Iraq for Sale: Produced by Sarah Feeley, Jim Gilliam, Robert Greenwald, and Devin Smith; directed by Robert Greenwald; edited by Carla Gutierrez and Sally Rubin Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple: Produced and directed by Stanley Nelson; co-produced by Noland Walker; teleplay by Marcia Smith and Noland Walker; story by Marcia Smith; edited by Lewis Erskine 356 Documentary Storytelling www.Ebook777.com The Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt: Produced and directed by Victoria Bruce and Karin Hayes; edited by Geof Bartz, Karin Hayes, and Victoria Bruce Kurt & Courtney: Produced by Nick Broomfield, Michele d’Acosta, and Tine van den Brande; directed by Nick Broomfield; edited by Mark Atkins Lalee’s Kin: The Legacy of Cotton: Produced by Susan Froemke; directed by Susan Froemke and Deborah Dickson, with Albert Maysles; edited by Deborah Dickson The Liberace of Baghdad: Produced and directed by Sean McAllister; edited by Ollie Huddleston Man on Wire: Produced by Simon Chinn; directed by James Marsh; based on the book To Reach the Clouds by Philippe Petit; edited by Jinx Godfrey March of the Penguins: Produced by Yves Darondeau, Christophe Lioud, and Emmanuel Priou; directed by Luc Jacquet; narration written by Jordan Roberts; based upon the story by Luc Jacquet; based upon the screenplay by Luq Jacquet and Michel Fessler; edited by Sabine Emiliani A Midwife’s Tale: Produced and written by Laurie Kahn-Leavitt; based on a book by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich; directed by Richard P Rogers; edited by William A Anderson and Susan Korda Miss America: Produced by Lisa Ades and Lesli Klainberg; directed by Lisa Ades; written by Michelle Ferrari; edited by Toby Shimin The Multiple Personality Puzzle: Produced by Holly Barden Stadtler and Eleanor Grant; directed by Holly Barden Stadtler; written by Eleanor Grant; edited by Barr Weissman The Murder of Emmett Till: Produced and directed by Stanley Nelson; written by Marcia A Smith; edited by Lewis Erskine Murderball: Produced by Jeffrey Mandel and Dana Adam Shapiro; directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro; edited by Geoffrey Richman My Architect: Produced by Susan Rose Behr and Nathaniel Kahn; directed, written, and narrated by Nathaniel Kahn; edited by Sabine Krayenbuăhl New York: A Documentary Film: Produced by Lisa Ades and Ric Burns; directed by Ric Burns; co-directed by Lisa Ades; written by Ric Burns and James Sanders; edited by Li-Shin Yu, Edward Barteski, David Hanswer, and Nina Schulman Nobody’s Business: Produced, directed, and edited by Alan Berliner Recording The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks: Produced by Susan Froemke and Peter Gelb; directed by Susan Froemke; co-directed and edited by Kathy Dougherty Films 357 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Roger & Me: Produced, directed, and written by Michael Moore; edited by Wendy Stanzler and Jennifer Beman Shelter Dogs: Produced by Heidi Reinberg and Cynthia Wade; directed by Cynthia Wade; edited by Geof Bartz Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle: Produced, directed, and written by Jon Else; edited by Deborah Hoffman and Jay Boekelheide So Much So Fast: Produced, written, and directed by Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan; edited by Jeanne Jordan Sound and Fury: Produced by Roger Weisberg; directed by Josh Aronson; edited by Ann Collins Southern Comfort: Produced, directed, written, and edited by Kate Davis Spellbound: Produced by Sean Welch and Jeffrey Blitz; directed by Jeffrey Blitz; edited by Yana Gorskaya Srebrenica: A Cry from the Grave: Produced, directed, and written by Leslie Woodhead; edited by Ian Meller Standard Operating Procedure: Produced by Errol Morris and Julie Bilson Ahlberg; directed by Errol Morris; edited by Andy Grieve, Steven Hathaway, and Dan Mooney Super Size Me: Produced by Morgan Spurlock and The Con; directed and written by Morgan Spurlock; edited by Stela Georgieva and Julie “Bob” Lombardi The Sweetest Sound: Produced, directed, and edited by Alan Berliner Taxi to the Dark Side: Produced by Alex Gibney, Eva Orner, and Susannah Shipman; directed and written by Alex Gibney; edited by Sloane Klevin The Thin Blue Line: Produced by Mark Lipson; directed and written by Errol Morris; edited by Paul Barnes Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern: Produced, written, and directed by Jeanne Jordan and Steven Ascher; edited by Jeanne Jordan Waltz with Bashir: Produced by Ari Folman, Serge Lalou, Yael Nahlieli, Gerhard Geixner, and Roman Paul; directed and written by Ari Folman; edited by Nili Feller The War Tapes: Produced by Robert May and Steve James; directed by Deborah Scranton; edited by Steve James and Leslie Simmer The Way We Get By: Produced by Gita Pullapilly; directed, written, and edited by Aron Gaudet 358 Documentary Storytelling www.Ebook777.com When the Levees Broke: Produced by Spike Lee and Sam Pollard; directed by Spike Lee; supervising editor, Sam Pollard; edited by Sam Pollard, Geeta Gandbhir, and Nancy Novack Why We Fight: Produced by Eugene Jarecki and Susannah Shipman; directed and written by Eugene Jarecki; edited by Nancy Kennedy Winged Migration: Produced by Christophe Barratier and Jacques Perrin; directed by Jacques Perrin; Written by Ste´phane Durand and Jacques Perrin; edited by Marie-Jose`phe Yoyotte Wisconsin Death Trip: Produced by Maureen A Ryan and James Marsh; directed and written by James Marsh; edited by Jinx Godfrey; adapted from the book Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy Workingman’s Death: Produced by Erich Lackner, Mirjam Quinte, and Pepe Danquart; directed and written by Michael Glawogger; edited by Monica Willi and Ilse Buchelt Vietnam: A Television History: Produced by Judith Vecchione, Elizabeth Deane, Andrew Pearson, Austin Hoyt, Martin Smith, and Bruce Palling; edited by Eric W Handley, Carol Hayward, Ruth Schell, Eric Neudel, Glen Cardno, Paul Cleary, Mavis Lyons Smull, and Daniel Eisenberg; chief correspondent, Stanley Karnow; executive producer, Richard Ellison Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven: Produced and directed by Jon Else; written by Michael Chandler and Jon Else; edited by Michael Chandler; executive produced and narrated by Robert Redford Films 359 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Index Note: Page numbers followed by f indicate figures and t indicate tables A Access and story ideas, 36–37 Act structure analyzing documentaries using, 63–64 anticipating, 61 applying to film, 61–63 basics, 54–55 Daughter from Danang case study, 95–100 driving, 58 filmmakers on, 255–256, 302–303, 329–330, 340–341 finding, in edit room, 61–63 Murderball case study, 100–107 Super Size Me case study, 107–115 three-act dramatic, 58–61 Active goals, 24 Active story, 41–43 Active voice, 220 Advisors meeting with, 122–123 role of, 121–123 Affordability and story ideas, 37 Alexander Hamilton, 49 Ambrosino, Michael, 83 American Experience series, 93, 155–156, 251 American Masters, 44 Analyzing films, 93–95 See also case studies Ancillary projects (proposal), 159–160 Anker, Daniel, 21, 297 Antagonist, 25 Appeal of story idea, 40, 283 Approach archival, 87–90 balanced, 85, 257, 314–315, 325 deception, 86–87 development of, 80–83 differences in, and creativity, 79–80 docudramas, 90–91 fairness, 85–86, 294–295 historical films, 81, 87–90 open-minded, 84–87 recreations, 90–91 Apted, Michael, 73–74 Arc, story, 18–19, 324, 340 Archival filmmaking, 87–90 Archival Storytelling (Bernard and Rabin), 131–132 Aristotle, 15 Aronson, Josh, 35–36 Ascher, Steven, 3, 24, 53, 72, 173–174, 176, 178, 277–278 interview on filmmaking, 227–238 Assembly script, 191 Attack, point of, 55–56 Audience editing from viewpoint of, 193–194, 203 filmmakers on, 257–258 intended, and story ideas, 38 proposal description of, 160 young vs adult, 303 Audience participation, 27–30, 258 Australian Broadcasting Corporation, B Backstory, 57, 179 Bad Voodoo’s War, 331–344 Balance, casting for, 144–145 Balanced approach, 85, 257, 314–315, 325 Balme`s, Thomas, 281–282 Balseros, 36 Barnouw, Erik, 1–2, 5–6 Baumel, Ellin, 297 BBC, Beats, 52–53 Beginnings opening sequence, 198–200 point of attack, 55–56 problems with, 201–202 Berg, Amy, Berliner, Alan, 33, 83–84, 87–88, 119, 132 Betty Tells Her Story, 65–66, 119 Bias, 41 Biographies, “scrapbook” approach, 83 Blue Vinyl, 24, 82, 183 Blumer, Ronald, 47 Book interpretations, 289–290, 307–308, 309–310 Born into Brothels, 1–2, 25, 27, 105 approach, 85 narration, 82, 205 scene/beats, 52–53 sequences, 54 Bowling for Columbine, 82 Boys of Baraka, The, 25, 27, 85 Balseros, 73 Brandon, Liane, 65–66, 119 Brief History of Time, A, 83–84 Briski, Zana, 27, 82, 85, 205 Broadcast prospects, 160 Broomfield, Nick, 37, 82 Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin, 326–327 Bruce, Victoria, 56, 176 interview on filmmaking, 239–250 Budget, 44 affordability, 37 proposal for, 161 work backwards, 44 Building the Alaska Highway, 142–143 Burger and the King, The, 307, 309–310, 317 Burns, Ken, 42, 87, 89, 289–290 Burns, Ric, 4, 17, 23, 42, 56 interview on filmmaking, 251–260 361 www.Ebook777.com C Cadillac Desert, 3, 33, 151 Capturing the Friedmans, 35–36 Case studies analyzing films, 93–95 Daughter from Danang, 95–100 Murderball, 100–107 Super Size Me, 107–115 Casino Jack and the United States of Money, 285 Casting for balance, 144–145 basics, 141–143 expanding perspective via, 146 experts, 142, 299–300 hosts, 146–147 insufficient, 202 narrators, 146–147 nonexperts, 142–143, 299–300 opposing voices, 144 planning, 141 research, 142 Characters, 19–20 filmmakers on, 309 problems with, 201 story basics, 23 Chronological stories, 68–72 Chronologies for research basics, 125–129 details in, 129 fictional example, 127–129 format, 125–126, 126t reasons for creating, 127 City and the World, The, 56 City of Cranes, 65 Civil War, The, 42, 218, 251 archival filmmaking, 87–90 CNN Presents, 239 Collapsing time, 72–73 for interviews, 74–77 Commercial breaks, 60–61 Confessions of a Dutiful Daughter, 33 Context for narration, 218–219 Contradiction, 85–86, 208–209, 217 Contrasting narratives, 334, 335 Contrived story, 304 Control Room, 29, 45, 79, 281 Copyright, 34 Corporate projects, 269–271 development/changes, 34–35 Cost cutting, 182–183 Cove, The, Craft, attention to, 4, Creative approach, 79–80 See also approach Creative editing techniques, 203 Creative nonfiction, characteristics of, 3–5 Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life (Gerard), 3–5 Crew size, 173–174 Cry from the Grave, A, 280–281 Culloden, 80 Culp, Brett, interview on filmmaking, 261–274 Curiosity and story ideas, 37–38 Cutaways, 176–178 Cuts See also editing fine cut, 187, 194–198 problems with, 202 362 Index rough cut, 188–197 to speech, 75–76 D Darwin’s Nightmare, 279–280 Data and statistics, 124–125 Daughter from Danang, 16–17, 20–21, 25–26, 28, 30–31, 34–35, 59–60 act one/title sequence, 96–98 act three, 99–100 act two, 98–99 case study, 95–100 resolution, 100 time treatment, 67–68, 127 train (narrative spine) for, 48 Davis, Kate, 27 Day After Trinity: J Robert Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb, 17, 19 Decent Factory, A, 281 Deception, 86–87 Deliver Us from Evil, Demonstrations, 139–140, 180 Depp, Johnny, 293 Detail, story, 22 Dickson, Deborah, 61–62 Difficulty and goals story basics, 25–27 tangible goals, 27 worthy opponents, 26–27 Discovery Channel, 38, 181, 215 Distorting time, 68 Docudramas, 90–91 Documentaries analyzing act structure, 63–64 analyzing films, 93–95 See also case studies changes to, 283–284 compared to New Journalism, 276–277 creative nonfiction, characteristics of, 3–5 defining, 1–2 ethical guidelines, 258 ethics, filmmakers on, 258–259, 271, 272, 293–294, 339 filmmaker’s approach to, as movies, reasons for creating, 84–87 subjectivity of, 5–6 as subset of nonfiction film and video, Documentary (Barnouw), 1–2 Documentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use, 90 Documentary filmmaking archival, 87–90 international, 278–280, 318–320 limitations, 43–44 misconception about spontaneity of, 34–35 schedule and budget, 44 serendipity, 35–36 Documentary storytelling checklist, 223–224 description of, 7–8 organic editorial approach, 10 tools of, 10, 48–49 Dolgin, Gail, 34–35, 95–100 Donner Party, The, 4, 17, 260 sample script, 163 Dramatizations, 90–91, 292–293, 312–314 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com E Earth Made of Glass, 331, 342f Editing act structure, 61–63 to anticipate audience confusion, 193–194 assembly script, 191 from audience’s viewpoint, 203 basics, 187–188 collapsing interviews, 74–77 considering, while shooting, 176–178 creative techniques, 203 entering/exiting scenes, 192–193 fact checking, 197–198 film length, 44, 198 film structure, 61–63 filmmakers on, 245, 246, 255, 260, 268, 317–318, 321–322, 323–324, 328, 335–336, 337 fine cut to picture lock, 197–198 interviews, 191–194 juxtaposition, 192 narration script, 200 opening sequence, 198–200 paper edit, 189, 191 problem solving, 200–202 rough cut, getting to, 188–194 rough cut script, 191 rough cut to fine cut, 194–197 screening tips, 195–197 sequences, 193 speech, 75–76 transcripts, 190–191 Elkind, Peter, 82 Else, Jon, 3, 21, 33, 141 on advisors, 122 on budgets, 44, 45 on crew size, 174 on fallback plans, 36 on narration, 205 on shooting, 177–178 on themes, 18 on time treatment, 67 on two unfolding stories, 43 Emotional storytelling basics, 27–30 raising stakes, 29–30 Endings, 30–31, 201–202 Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, 1–2, 8, 28, 34, 83–84, 209f archival filmmaking, 87–88 narration, 205, 207–208 omniscient narration, 82 Entering/exiting scenes, 192–193 Estus, Boyd on interviewing, 184–185 on shooting, 175–176 Ethics filmmakers on, 258–259, 271, 272, 293–294, 339 guidelines, Evaluating films, 93–95 Evergreen film, 39 Ewing, Heidi, 25 Execution of Wanda Jean, The, 23 Expanding/collapsing time, 72–73 Experiencing film, 97 Experts, casting, 142 Exposition, 15–20 Eyes on the Prize series, 17, 26, 34, 73, 122–123, 227, 323, 324 approach, 84–85 archival filmmaking, 88–89 sequences, 140 telling details, 218 F Fact checking, 123–124, 197–198 Fahrenheit 9/11, 21 Fair approach, 85–86, 294–295 Fair use issues, 90 Falsifying time, 68 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 290, 293 Feasibility and story ideas, 36–37 Feedback on screenings, 195–196 Film format, 241 Film length, 44, 198, 329–330 Film structure applying story structure, 61–63 finding, in edit room, 61–63 revising, in edit room, 63 Filming over time, 73–74 Filmmakers See also interviews with filmmakers approach to documentary, observations/tips, 10–11 Filmmaker’s Handbook, The (Ascher and Pincus), 176, 227 “Finding” story during production, 34–35 Fine cut, 187, 194–198 First-person narration, 206 Fog of War, The, 83–84, 85, 336 Folman, Ari, 8, 20, 303 Footage See shooting Foreshadowing, 216 Little Girls, 40, 321–330 Frame, narrative, 49 Franco, Vicente, 34–35, 95–96 Fraser, Nick, interview on filmmaking, 275–284 Froemke, Susan, 53, 61–63, 119, 174, 178–179 Frontline, 93, 227, 275, 293–294, 331, 337, 338 Fundraising, scripts for, 155 Fundraising proposals basics, 158–163 elements of, 158–160, 161 planning and writing, 157–158 tips for writing, 161–163 G Garbus, Liz, 23 Gaudet, Aron, 21, 79 Gender-neutral wording, 214–215 Gerard, Philip, 3–4 Getting Over, sample treatment, 163 Gibney, Alex, 3, 4, 8, 49, 79, 91, 136–137 interview on filmmaking, 285–296 Gimme Shelter, Glawogger, Michael, 64–65, 67 Goals active vs passive, 24 difficulties/obstacles, 25–27 proposal description of, 159 story basics, 24 tangible, 27 worthy opponents, 26–27 Index www.Ebook777.com 363 Goin’ Back to T-Town, 321, 324 Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S Thompson, 278f, 285–296, 314 Gore, Al, 213–214 Grady, Rachel, 25 Grammar, rules of, 214 Graphic novels, 297, 303 Green, Denise, 23 Greengrass, Paul, 319–320 Greenwald, Robert, 79–80, 277–278 casting approach, 145–146 Grey Gardens, 63, 282–283 Grizzly Man, 57, 82, 87–88, 205, 208 Guerilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst, 277 Guggenheim, Davis, 48 H Hampton, Henry, 88, 330 Hands on a Hard Body, 304 Harlan County, U.S.A., 3, 25 Hawking, Stephen, 34 Hayes, Karin, 56, 176 interview on filmmaking, 239–250 HBO, 56, 61–62, 81, 239 Held Hostage, 239, 249 Helfand, Judith, 24, 82, 183 Herzog, Werner, 82, 205, 208 Historical documentaries approach to, 81, 87–90 interview with Ric Burns, 251–260 story outline, 139–140 telling active story, 41–43 treatments for, 151 treatments for (classroom exercise), 155–157 Hoffman, Deborah, 33 Holocaust (miniseries), 298–299 Hook, story idea, 39–40, 160, 324–325 Hoop Dreams, 36, 277 Hostage Nation, 239 Hosts, casting, 146–147 Howard, David, 22–31 Human Remains, 87–88, 119 Humor, 11 Hurwitz, Tom, 174 Hype, avoiding, 217, 221 I If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise, 321 I’ll Make Me a World, 23, 125, 134–135, 321 Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust, 21 interview with filmmaker, 297–306 In the Streets, 56 Inciting incident, 55, 58 Inconvenient Truth, An, 29, 48, 213–214 Independent Television Service (ITVS), Inquiry, letter of, 163 Insufficient casting, 202 Intermissions, 60–61 Internet communications, 333, 334 Internet research, 129–131, 155–156 Interviews, documentary casting See casting collapsing time, 74–77 conducting, 183–184 editing, 191–194 filmmakers on, 244, 322, 323 “man on the street”, 144 setup for, 184–185 364 Index shooting, 183–186 style of, 186 Interviews with filmmakers Ascher and Jordan on Troublesome Creek, So Much So Fast, 227–238 Bruce and Hayes on Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt, 239–250 Burns on New York, 251–260 Culp on event and corporate filmmaking, 261–274 Fraser on Storyville, 275–284 Gibney on Gonzo, Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron, 285–296 Kim on Imaginary Witness, 297–306 Marsh on Man on Wire, 307–320 Pollard on Little Girls, When the Levees Broke, 321–330 Scranton on War Tapes, Bad Voodoo’s War, 331–344 Introducing people (treatment), 152 Iraq for Sale, 79, 145–146 J Jackson, Peter, 264 Jacobson, Harlan, 69, 70 James, Steve, 336 Jarecki, Andrew, 35–36 Jarecki, Eugene, 49, 79–80, 146 Jersey, Bill, 323 Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, 67–68, 199–200 Jordan, Jeanne, 3, 24, 173–174, 188, 218, 277–278 interview on filmmaking, 227–238 Juxtaposition, 192 K Kahn, Laurie, 34 Kahn, Nathaniel, 17–18, 21, 174 Kauffman, Ross, 205 Kidnapping of Ingrid Betancourt, The, 1–2, 38, 176 backstory, 57 interview with filmmakers, 239–250 point of attack, 56 Kim, Susan, 58 interview on filmmaking, 297–306 King of Kong, The, 319–320 Kirkland, Ken “Spike”, 43f Kopple, Barbara, 25 Kurt & Courtney, 37, 82 L Lack of access, 36 Lalee’s Kin: The Legacy of Cotton, 61–63, 119, 163, 178f, 179 Lee, Spike, 173, 321, 322, 324–325, 327, 328–329, 330 Length of film, 44, 198, 329–330 Lenzer, Don, 174 Leopard Son, The, 181 Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, 335 Letter of inquiry, 163 Liberace of Baghdad, The, 283 Liberty! The American Revolution, 81, 220 Library research, 129–131 Lift Every Voice, sample script page, 163 Limitations, 43–44 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com M Mabley, Edward, 22–31 MacLowry, Randall, 142–143 Made in China, 281 Mamet, David, 47 “Man on the street” interviews, 144 Man on Wire, 49, 198–199, 304, 305 interview with filmmaker, 307–320 Manchevski, Milcho, 341 March of the Penguins, 174, 180 Marker, Chris, 67 Marketplace, 6–7 Marsh, James, interview on filmmaking, 307–320 May, Robert, 336 Maysles, Albert, 179, 280, 282–283 McKee, Robert, 53 McLean, Bethany, 82 Midwife’s Tale, A, 34 Milltail Pack, The, 151, 163 Miss America: A Documentary Film, 127 Missing Peace, 56 Mo’ Better Blues, 321, 330 Monroe, Mark, Moore, Michael, 21, 36, 37, 68–72, 82, 277–278 Morris, Errol, 19–20, 30–31, 34, 72–73, 79, 83–84, 85, 90, 184, 185 Mostoller, Katy, 142–143 Multiple story lines, 59 Murder of Emmett Till, The, 50–51 Murderball, 19, 59–60, 82, 176–177 act one/title sequence, 101–104 act three, 106–107 act two, 104–106 case study, 100–107 epilogue, 107 Music, 327, 339–340 My Architect, 17–18, 21, 29, 174, 283–284 N Narration active voice for, 220 anachronisms, 215 anticipation used in, 214 avoiding stereotypes, 214–215 basics, 205 creative approaches, 81–83 fact checking, 197–198 filmmakers on, 242–243, 246, 305 foreshadowing important information, 216 hype, avoiding, 217, 221 identifying names/unfamiliar words, 219 nonspoken, 207–209 point of view, 206–207 telling detail, 218 time treatment, 70–71 using words sparingly/specifically, 217–218 writing to picture, 210–213 Narration script, 200 Narrative, story as, 15 Narrative frame, 49 Narrative spine See train (narrative spine) Narrators, casting, 146–147 National Geographic Explorer, 181 Nelson, Stanley, 50–51 Nevins, Sheila, 56 New York: A Documentary Film, 23, 56, 251 interview with filmmakers, 251–260 Nicolayssen, Hans Otto, 38 Night and Fog, 67 Nobody’s Business, 33, 87–88 Nolan, Christopher, 67 Nolan, Jonathan, 67 Nonexperts, casting, 142–143 Nonfiction film/video creative, characteristics of, 3–5 documentaries as subset of, Not a Rhyme Time, 215–216 Noujaim, Jehane, 79, 281 Nova series, 83 O Objectives See goals Objectivity, filmmakers on, 245 Obstacles, 25–27 Omniscient narration, 82, 206 O’Neill, Connor, 102–103 On-the-fly casting, 144 Opening sequence, 198–200, 228, 229 Open-minded approach, 84–87 Opponents, 25–27 Opposing voices, casting, 144 Organic editorial approach, 10 Outlines basics, 135–141 historical stories, 139–140 present-day stories, 140–141 purpose of, 136 sample of, 163 sequences in, 136–141 P Paper edit, 189, 191 Passion and story ideas, 37–38 Passive goals, 24 PBS, 83, 93, 125, 155–156, 251 Peary, Gerald, 35 Petit, Philippe collaboration for Man on Wire, 307–320 photograph, 310f Picture lock, 187, 197–198 Pip & Zastrow: An American Friendship, 239 Pitch, defined, 133 Pitching basics, 133–135 effective vs weak, 133–135 out load, 135 Plan of work (proposal), 161 Planning, filmmakers on, 281–282, 291, 324 Plots, 19–20 Point of attack, 55–56 Point of view filmmakers on, 243, 244, 282 narration, 206–207 story, 21–22 Pollard, Sam, 20–21, 57, 77, 173, 188 interview on filmmaking, 321–330 Present-day films chronologies for, 127–129 story outline, 140–141 Print research, 129–131 Privacy of subjects, 242 Production, “finding” story during, 34–35 Project Nim, 310, 311, 315 Index www.Ebook777.com 365 Proposals See fundraising proposals Protagonists, 23, 256 Public Housing, 35 Q Questions, for research, 119–120 Quoting people (treatment), 152–153 R Rabin, Kenn, 88–89, 131–132 Race: The Power of an Illusion, 44 Raising Renee, 227 Rationale (proposal), 159 Really Wild Animals, 303 Recording The Producers, 174 Recreations/reenactments, 90–91, 292–293, 312–314 Red Riding, 307, 318 Reflection, 4, Reinberg, Heidi, 81 Reisner, Marc, 33 Related projects (proposal), 159 Relevance of story, 39 Research advisors, 121–123 basics, 119 casting, 142 chronologies for, 125–129, 59 fact checking, 123–124 filmmakers on, 254, 259, 286–287, 298–299 Internet, 129–131, 155–156 ongoing nature of, 132 organization tips, 130–131 telling detail, 124 visual archives, 131–132 Reversal (shot), 52 Reverse chronological order, 67 Rhythm of story, 260, 315 Richman, Bob, 174 Richman, Geoffrey, 102–103 Riggs, Marlon, 67 Rights fair use issues, 90 story, 34 Ring of Truth, The, 83–84 Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, The, 321, 323, 324, 325 Roberts, Kim, 96 Roger & Me, 16, 36, 68–72 Roots (miniseries), 298–299 Rosenblatt, Jay, 87–88, 119 Rough cut, 188–197 Rough cut script, 191 Rubin, Henry-Alex, 100–101 S Salesman, 45 Sans Soleil, 67 Satisfactory ending, 30–31 Scenes beats, 52–53 entering late/exiting early, 192–193 shooting, 178 story structure, 52–53 Schedule, 44 affordability, 37 work backwards, 44 366 Index Scott, Ridley, 341 Scranton, Deborah, 22, 25, 79 interview on filmmaking, 331–344 Screenings, 195–197, 288, 338 Screenwriter’s Bible, The (Trottier), 341 Script lock, 187 Scripts assembly script, 191 basics, 155 evolution of, filmmakers on, 254–255, 328–329, 332 for fundraising, 155 sample of, 163 “Selling” documentaries, 149 Sequences, 53–54, 135, 136–141 editing, 193 filmmakers on, 240 opening, 198–200, 228, 229 outline example, 137–139 Serendipity, 35–36 Seven Up!, 73–74 Shapiro, Dana Adam, 103–104 Shelter Dogs, 81 Shooting basics, 173 capturing backstory, 179 cost cutting, 182–183 creating visuals, 179–182 crew size, 173–174 with editing in mind, 176–178 filmmakers on, 241 formats, 241, 245 interviews, 183–186 nature/wildlife footage, 180–182 scenes, 178 with story in mind, 174–176 Shooting treatment, 154–155 Shots basics, 52 reversal, 52 sequence of, 53–54 Silverman, Jason, 119 Simmer, Leslie, 336 Sing Faster: Stagehands’ Ring Cycle, 21, 43 Singer, Bennett, 326–327 So Much So Fast, 173–174, 178, 234f, 277–278 interview with filmmakers, 227–238 Sound, 339–340 Sound and Fury, 3, 4, 26, 29, 35–36, 39–40 Sources, research, 130 Southern Comfort, 27 Specific/universal approach, 49–51 Speech, editing, 75–76 Spellbound, 23, 29, 55, 105, 207–209, 304 Spielberg, Steven, 300 Spurlock, Morgan, 8, 85–86, 180, 213–214 See also Super Size Me case study “man on the street” interviews, 144 Srebrenica, 280–281 Stadtler, Holly, on visuals, 180, 181–182 staff (proposal), 160 Standard Operating Procedure, 79 Startup.com, 281 Statistics and data, 124–125 Stieglitz, Alfred, 259–260 Stock footage, 87–90 Stories from Silence: Witness to War, 331 Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Story about, 15 active, 41–43 arc, 18–19, 324, 340 biased presentation of, 41 chronology in, 68–73 development, 34–35, 40–41 elements of “good story well told”, 22–31 exposition, 15–20 identifying/shaping, 4, 5, 253–254 problems with, 200–201 protagonist of, 24 rhythm, 260, 315 satisfactory ending, 30–31 shooting based on, 174–176 structure See structure, story subject See subject, story theme, 17–18, 252 Story ideas access and feasibility, 36–37 affordability, 37 appeal of, 40, 283 filmmakers on, 251–252, 317, 326 hook, 39–40, 324–325 intended audience, 38 relevance, 39 timeliness, 39 visualization, 39, 259–260 Story rights, 34 Storyville (BBC), interview with series editor, 275–284 Strain, Tracy Heather, 44, 142–143 Structure, story acts, 54–55 applying, 61–63 backstory, 57 development/changes, 48–49 elements of, 51 filmmakers on, 267, 317, 320 “finding” story during production, 34–35 importance of, 47 inciting incident, 55 multiple story lines, 59 narrative spine (train), 47–51 point of attack, 55–56 scene, 52–53 sequence, 53–54 shots, 52 three-act dramatic structure, 55, 58–61 unique structures, 64–66 Subject, story apparent/deeper, approach to, 79 central character, 23 choosing, 33 filmmakers on, 287 proposal description of, 158–159 Subjectivity, 5–6 Super Size Me, 8, 16, 21, 85–86 act one/title sequence, 108–110 act three, 114–115 act two, 110–114 case study, 107–115 epilogue, 115 inciting incident, 55 “man on the street” interviews, 144 narration, 205, 213–214 resolution, 115 train (narrative spine) for, 48 visuals, 180 Survivor, M.D., 175 Sweetest Sound, The, 83–84, 87–88, 119, 132 T Taxi to the Dark Side, 3, 8, 49, 79 interview with filmmaker, 285–296 recreations, 91 sequences, 136–137 Tease, 198–199 Telephone research, 123 Telling detail narration, 218 research, 124 Tension, 25–27 Test screenings, 195–197, 288, 338 Theme, 17–18, 252 filmmakers on, 17–18, 252, 265–266, 311–312, 325 Thin Blue Line, The, 16, 19–21, 24, 30–31, 76–77, 185 recreations, 90, 91 time treatment, 72–73 Third-party footage, 87–90 Three-act dramatic structure, 55, 58–61 Time chronologies, 125–129 collapsing/expanding, 72–73 filming over, 73–74 importance of, 67–68 reverse chronological order, 67 telling chronological stories, 68–72 Timeliness, 4, 39 To Reach the Clouds (Petit), 307 Tocqueville, Alexis de, 17 Tone, 182, 311 Tongues Untied, 67 Tools of Screenwriting, The (Howard and Mabley), 22–31 Tovstonogov, Georgi, 47 Train (narrative spine) basics, 47–51 changes to, 48–49 universal/specific approach, 49–51 Transcripts, editing, 190–191 Treatments acknowledging unknown information, 153 anticipating scenes, 152 basics, 149–150 as classroom exercise, 155–157 describing story, 151–152 filmmakers on, 291–292 format of, 149–150 for outside review, 150–154 for proposals, 161 quoting people, 152–153 sample of, 163 shooting, 154–155 tips for writing, 156–157 Trottier, David, 341 Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern, 3, 16, 24, 188f inciting incident, 55 interview with filmmakers, 227–238 shooting, 178 telling details, 218 time treatment, 72 Index www.Ebook777.com 367 U Unchained Memories, 81 Universal/specific approach, 49–51 V Van Lawick, Hugo, 181 Ve´rite´ style, 82, 179, 189, 244 Vietnam: A Television History, archival filmmaking, 88–89 Visual archives, 131–132 Visual storytelling, 175–176, 228 Visualization, of story, 39, 259–260, 295 Visuals creating, 179–182 for demonstrations, 180 filmmakers on, 290–291 nature/wildlife footage, 180–182 writing narration to match, 210–213 Voice over, 205, 293 W Wade, Cynthia, 81 Wallpaper, 179–180 Waltz with Bashir, 8, 20–21, 49, 91, 303, 314–315, 319–320 War Tapes, The, 22, 25, 79, 80f interview with filmmaker, 331–344 Ward, Geoffrey, 42 Watkins, Peter, 80 368 Index Way We Get By, The, 16–17, 21, 59–60, 79 Weber, Eva, 65 wedding movies, 261–262 When Dinosaurs Roamed America, 215 When the Levees Broke, 20–21, 327, 327f backstory, 57 crew size, 173 interview with Sam Pollard, 321–330 Why We Fight, 49, 79, 146 Winged Migration, 174, 180 crew size, 173 Wisconsin Death Trip, 307, 309, 320 Wiseman, Frederick, 21, 317–318 on drama, 35 Without Fear or Shame, 134–135 Woodhead, Leslie, 280–281 Workingman’s Death, 64–65, 64f, 67 Wormser, Richard, 323 Writers Guild of America, Writing narration See narration to picture, 210–213 storytelling vs, 7–8 Y Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven multiple story lines, 59 reversal shot, 52 You Could Grow Aluminum Out There, 151 sample treatment, 163 ... literacy is more important than ever For filmmakers, this book focuses primarily on longer-form work, but the principles of documentary storytelling can and apply in a range of forms and formats... that it’s better and more Documentary Storytelling Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com “real” to shoot a documentary first and find the story later, and two, that the need for “story” permits a... Southern California, and writer/director, The Long Way Home and Into the Arms of Strangers Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Documentary Storytelling Third Edition www.Ebook777.com Documentary Storytelling