Directing documentaries is very different from directing fiction in that although documentaries can be scripted, as Rabiger (2015:440) states, 'Making documentaries is astonishingly serendipitous; so often
you must alter plans to accommodate the unforeseen.' Therefore the director must quickly adjust and know what they want the film to portray to the audience before filming begins, even if not much else can be planned (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:172).
This somewhat changed how I planned to shoot our documentary as well as chose to direct the contributors and crew, as well as myself, during production. For this project another member of our group also acted as the editor, meaning I directed the edit rather than edited the film as I have done on previous projects so I had to do some research to learn how to do this.
Pre-Production:
It has been said that the job of the documentary director from the very beginning of the production process is 'to create or find the pieces that will come together in the editing to make a complete film’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:169). Therefore, because of the nature of documentaries being that anything can happen, especially since ours was going to be shot in an observational style, I made several plans for each location on how to film sequences. To do this I first had to research into roller derby and skateboarding so that I knew roughly what could happen and could also understand some of the terms used to describe these sports.As stated by Rabiger (2015:445), 'When filming a scene, you should have clear ideas about what you want it to establish or contribute to your intended film. List your goals so you overlook nothing in the heat of battle.' This led to me making what Rabiger calls 'crib notes', lists on index cards of what I wanted to definitely try and capture during filming.
These lists were based on what I had already written in the script and therefore the information we had gathered during research. Since documentary interviews should be anecdotal so that the audience can learn more about the contributor and even relate to them (Rabiger, 2015:459), I spent a lot of time thinking about how to film the sequences since they show what the interviewee states.
However, since it wasn't guaranteed that these things would definitely happen and I didn't know exactly where they would happen if they did I had to make several plans for each location in order to maintain a constant screen direction and ensure I didn't cross the line.
With continuity, ‘The main problems here are maintaining correct screen
direction between shots and proper continuity between sequences …What is vital is
to understand how screen direction changes once you cross the main axis of
filming’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:170). Following this advice I revised the 180 degree rule and made overhead diagrams where I plotted the different lines of action which would be possible in each location. Pictures and compass points taken from the location recce of the skatepark I didn't go to, and pictures I had taken from my own recce of the sports centre where the roller derby team practise helped when drawing the overhead diagrams.
Even though it is important to know how to direct the crew and the contributors during a shoot it is also essential to be able to direct yourself as the director and, 'prepare
yourself to remain calm even if things don't go according to plan. For a
director, flexibility and a clear head is key' (Desktop Documentaries, 2018). Therefore, although I made these plans I prepared myself to change them along the lines of Rosenthal and Eckhardt's (2016:172) advice that, ‘I very much believe in taking risks and being willing to
jump outside of the boundaries I’ve earlier fixed in my head.'
Even though I was aware plans could change, I still made a production book as I had during my last shoot, which kept all of the paperwork we needed during production together and organised so it could be accessed quickly if needed.
Even though I was aware plans could change, I still made a production book as I had during my last shoot, which kept all of the paperwork we needed during production together and organised so it could be accessed quickly if needed.
This included the shot list I made based on the script and crib notes I already had, as well as references to shot ideas from other documentaries. I decided to include these because they mainly dealt with coverage, which I knew I would need to get for both interviews and sequences even though with sequences some things may only happen once. To also help with coverage I included notes on the 180 rule and 30 degree rule so that I wouldn't forget about them during production.
So that I didn't forget the question areas we wanted to cover with each contributor I also made lists of these on index cards to go with the crib notes I had also made on index cards, keeping these all together by putting them in a small folder of their own. The idea to write the question areas on index cards also came from Rabiger (2015:452) who states, 'avoid burying your face in notes during the interview. Better is to
maintain eye contact and give facial (not verbal) reactions to keep your side
of the conversation silently alive. To free yourself for this, list your
questions on an index card and keep it on your knee for security.'
This helped me to prepare for production by keeping all of the plans close and together, but also made me aware that we might have to change them entirely at any time.
Production:
When directing a documentary one of the most important things is the director's relationship to the contributors, since 'How you engage with people onscreen is only an extension of how you have engaged with them from the very beginning. Work on becoming a better interviewer is therefore work on becoming a better director' (Rabiger, 2015:449). This relationship often depends on building trust, so it is important as the director to make sure each contributor is comfortable and therefore knows what is going on and what they need to do in front of the camera before it starts rolling (Desktop Documentaries, 2018). A director can ensure this by ‘Besides breaking the ice, you should also use the warm-up time to let the interviewees know how the session will be conducted and review the main topics and that if they make a mistake, you have plenty of film and can shoot the question again’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:185).
In regards to the questions, it is better to start with straightforward questions and then progress to more personal and emotional questions later (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:191), since contributors will gradually get more comfortable in front of the camera as the interview goes on.
Also when conducting interviews, Rabiger (2015:202) states, 'It is good manners and good policy to ask at the end, “Did we cover everything you wanted to say?” This signifies openness and an attitude of shared control. It also leaves on record that you gave the interviewee full opportunity to supplement or modify all that went before.' I found that this was useful when interviewing our contributors because some of them added extra information we hadn't previously known, which was useful to use for the narrative we wanted to construct. I found that this was also the same when talking to the contributors between takes off camera, because for example, one of the skateboarders we featured started talking about her answer to the question on falling which we had just recorded, and began talking about not giving up skateboarding even when injured. This was helpful because our theme is obsession and this explicitly showed her dedication to skateboarding, even though I hadn't planned to ask her about injuries beforehand.
Even though it is often said the director should get to know the contributors before filming begins, I had never met Kayleigh before filming. However, I found that this led to unplanned conversation like this, as sometimes, 'When the director interviews, however, the interviewee is addressing a fresh listener, and may be more spontaneous and comprehensive' (Rabiger, 2015:450).
Rabiger's statement about serendipity proved very true when we were out on location, but because I had several plans and knew the locations, especially the sports centre, it was easier to be more flexible. During research I found that, ‘The guiding rule for working on uncontrolled sequences is to assess as fast as you can the essence of the scene, let your cameraperson know that, and make sure you get it. At the same time, keep in mind that you will have to edit the scene, so be certain that you have enough shots to enable you to do so’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:181). In order to do this more effectively, 'Depending what is being shot (dramatization with actors, live event, interview, etc), always ask yourself "how will this fit in with the rest of the footage?"' (Desktop Documentaries, 2018).
Overall, I have found that the job of the documentary director is to 'maintain authority and command, but above all else, he or she must be able to listen: to observe, absorb, and pay attention’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:174).
In regards to the questions, it is better to start with straightforward questions and then progress to more personal and emotional questions later (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:191), since contributors will gradually get more comfortable in front of the camera as the interview goes on.
Also when conducting interviews, Rabiger (2015:202) states, 'It is good manners and good policy to ask at the end, “Did we cover everything you wanted to say?” This signifies openness and an attitude of shared control. It also leaves on record that you gave the interviewee full opportunity to supplement or modify all that went before.' I found that this was useful when interviewing our contributors because some of them added extra information we hadn't previously known, which was useful to use for the narrative we wanted to construct. I found that this was also the same when talking to the contributors between takes off camera, because for example, one of the skateboarders we featured started talking about her answer to the question on falling which we had just recorded, and began talking about not giving up skateboarding even when injured. This was helpful because our theme is obsession and this explicitly showed her dedication to skateboarding, even though I hadn't planned to ask her about injuries beforehand.
Even though it is often said the director should get to know the contributors before filming begins, I had never met Kayleigh before filming. However, I found that this led to unplanned conversation like this, as sometimes, 'When the director interviews, however, the interviewee is addressing a fresh listener, and may be more spontaneous and comprehensive' (Rabiger, 2015:450).
Rabiger's statement about serendipity proved very true when we were out on location, but because I had several plans and knew the locations, especially the sports centre, it was easier to be more flexible. During research I found that, ‘The guiding rule for working on uncontrolled sequences is to assess as fast as you can the essence of the scene, let your cameraperson know that, and make sure you get it. At the same time, keep in mind that you will have to edit the scene, so be certain that you have enough shots to enable you to do so’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:181). In order to do this more effectively, 'Depending what is being shot (dramatization with actors, live event, interview, etc), always ask yourself "how will this fit in with the rest of the footage?"' (Desktop Documentaries, 2018).
Overall, I have found that the job of the documentary director is to 'maintain authority and command, but above all else, he or she must be able to listen: to observe, absorb, and pay attention’ (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:174).
Post-Production:
During post-production, the director of the documentary sits with an editor who cuts together the material. The reason the director does not edit the footage is, 'that editing is best done with a fresh eye. And that’s something an independent editor has and the director lacks' (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:210). Therefore, the main role of the editor in relation to the director in a documentary is 'to advocate better ways of looking at the film and new and different ways of using the material' (Rosenthal and Eckhardt, 2016:210).However, the director and editor should try and view each cut together so they can discuss whether they both agree on the direction the film is going in (Rabiger, 2015:217).
The first thing that is done during the pre-production process is transcribing the interviews, which can then be made into a paper edit. A paper edit is defined as, 'a blueprint from which the editor constructs a first, loose assembly. The flexibility of the paper edit system lets you move slips of paper around like the raw materials for a mosaic' (Rabiger, 2015:473). However, the paper edit should be done in two stages to avoid keeping in too much talking and not enough visuals: '1) choose and assemble the action and behavioral material to establish the temporal spine of your film, and then (2) choose interview “rib” material that will illuminate and expand on the spine where necessary' (Rabiger, 2015:473).
When making cuts and fixing problems, 'only fix the top layer of problems in any one pass. Expect to make repeated passes, each tackling a more subtle level of disorder. Make the crown first, cut and polish the jewels later' (Rabiger, 2015:475). This means each problem gets focused on individually so is not further complicated by other problems which may be present in the edit.
Overall, during pre-production, 'the director changes hats. No longer are you the instigator of the material: instead, you and your editor are surrogates for the audience. Every time you view parts of the film, or the whole in its entirety, you must try to see it as if for the first time' (Rabiger, 2015:218).
References:
Desktop Documentaries. (2018) Directing the Documentary. At: https://www.desktop-documentaries.com/directing-the-documentary.html (Accessed on 7 May 2018)
Rabiger, M. (2015) Directing the Documentary. (6th ed.) Oxon: Focal Press
Rosenthal, A. and Eckhardt, N. (2016) Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Digital Videos. (5th ed.) Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press
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