As a college student beginning the early stages of my thesis film(a political based documentary involving the upcoming 2020 Presidential election), what would be some of the crucial first steps to take care of before embarking on this?
Filmmaking / Directing : First Step in Documentary Filmmaking by Jacob Taylor
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For me, I would say that the most important thing is to ask yourself is why am I making this and what do I want to say? It will help keep you focused on the task ahead.
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Location permission for interiors. Go through budget of cost of crew. Check DOP and rest of key crew are familiar with documentary style because it is not a pre planned shoot most times or written in stone script. (You can plan it as MUCH as you want but if you are dealing with the public, especially if core standards are being challenged, it could get heated.) You maybe filming people where you get a reaction nobody expects. If it is political you should try to obtain interviews before hand that are all under wraps and controlled. Personally I would contrast the smoother running chats with wild card asking folks on the street their views. I've not made a documentary myself although helped out generally but not directing because a documentary takes you where "IT" wants to go. The people I helped on the day who made the documentary had public insurance. Always bring in personality. Audience remember characters and rarely remember their political views.
Study project management
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I agree with Solange. Figure out what you want your piece to say and it will help guide your edits. Also interview people with a wide range of perspectives. It will make your film interesting to watch. And while interviewing people, try not to react to what they say bc sometimes it breaks the raw emotion that they are about to give. So like if they start to cry, don’t lean in to give them a tissue. Just let them cry and give it a few moments before saying cut.
Thank you guys for all your comments, sorry for the very slack delay on my part. My premise is this; I've lived in Georgia my whole life, which has traditionally been a Red State, but the recent changes in the last few years in our government and various minorities who have established a life in Georgia have begun to turn it into a "purple state." I would like to interview members of my hometown community(and possibly other nearby towns) and find out what matters to them, why they think(or don't think) Georgia is experiencing a demographic shift, and how the last four years under President Trump has treated them while also examining the future election and their thoughts on it.