tv documentary essay

Best Documentary Essay Examples & Topics

Watching documentaries is a great way to learn new things. These are films that shape and interpret facts for education and entertainment of their viewers. It has several social functions, which are to record, preserve, and reveal, and persuade. This form of motion films also aims to entertain and educate.

If you are struggling to write a good documentary essay, our experts have combined some helpful tips for you here. So, no need to worry.

First and foremost, you should find a topic . Focus on something you are genuinely passionate about. Think about the cause that matters to you: maybe it’s climate change, slavery, environmental cause, ocean pollution, or perhaps it’s something else. It is essential to find something that speaks to you. This way, you won’t struggle with composing your paper.

You can also find a list of essay topics for your documentary research below, checking our samples. Yet, to pick the right idea, we first need to understand what film types are available.

There are several genres of documentaries:

• Expository documentaries. Such films present objective information with a ubiquitous presence. The filmmaker usually does not appear on the screen.
• Poetic documentaries . They rely heavily on images and music rather than narration. That is to say, there is little verbal communication with the audience.
• Essayistic documentaries. These movies feature an essay-like narration. The filmmaker relies both on speech and on the images to make their point.
• Observational documentaries. They try to demonstrate an objective record of some activity. It almost does not have music and narration and tries to present the event as-it-is.
• Participatory documentaries. The films are the complete opposite of observational ones. The filmmaker is an active participant in the movie. They appear on the screen and communicate the subject.
• Performance documentaries. These movies feature a dramatic performance. It can be a concert, a play, or another performance event recorded in the form of a documentary.
• Interview films. These are the records of a conversation between two or more people. It relies on communication on-screen to deliver the message rather than on images and music.
• Dramatization. This type recreates an event using actors to bring the viewer to the event. Some argue that it is not a form of documentary.
• Mixed documentaries. The films use different modes and techniques. It can combine poetic, expository, interview modes at the same time.
• Animation films. Such movies are standard, too, and their most distinctive feature is the use of animation to present the material.

As for your documentary essay assignment, you can be asked to work with any documentary. Let’s figure out what tasks you will need to fulfill beforehand.

Documentary Review vs. Analysis

Not everyone understands the difference between a movie review and a movie analysis when watching movies and writing essays about the material. Sometimes these two terms are used interchangeably. Nevertheless, when it comes to grading and evaluating the paper, this difference is essential.

• A film review essay is a “consumer-oriented” judgment that aims to recommend (or not) a movie. One can find documentary review essay examples in the newspapers, websites, or online databases.
• An analysis of the film usually offers an interpretation and an evaluation of the movie. Some film theory is generally used as a framework to analyze and interpret the feature.

You can center your documentary essay assignment around not only a specific film but an entire genre of documentaries. You might be asked to write about a specific topic or an aspect of one movie in depth. Let’s try to see how it works!

How to Write a Documentary Essay

When you are asked to write an essay about a documentary, there are expectations. You will need to analyze specific elements in one film or a few.

No matter what your assignment is, we are here to help you nail it! Here is a short guide on how to write a documentary essay:

• Watch the documentary (and take notes) . We highly recommended watching the film several times before you start writing anything. Throughout this process, you should take notes to recall essential elements later on. Schematically express your ideas and arguments.
• Choose your perspective. You need to understand the approach you will be using. However, your position should be supported by the examples and ideas from the film. Search for what others think and say on a similar issue and compare it to your thoughts.
• Pick what to discuss. After that, you need to start collecting the examples and ideas from the movie that support your viewpoint. All these elements should eventually connect to the main focus of your paper. You can try to do some additional research but do not forget to return to the movie continually.
• Outline your essay. The outline will help you stay within the word limit. This way, you’ll structure your thoughts and ideas on the paper before you start your essay. Plus, you will remain close to the intended format while writing.
• Write it! Start with a brief introduction about the documentary and your thesis statement at the end of it. Then, evaluate the film, developing your arguments logically. In your conclusion, restate your position on the matter and list the critical points discussed.

Thank you for reading this article till the very end! We hope you found it helpful. Share this page with those who need our help. For your inspiration, you can check the list of documentary essay examples below.

🏆 Top 10 Documentary Essay Topics

• The roles of documentaries in culture
• The history of documentary film
• Documentary and propaganda
• Documentaries with and without words: compare and contrast
• Narration styles in modern documentaries
• Pseudo-documentary as a genre
• The role of documentary films in education
• Ethnographic film and its role in social science
• Documentary in the era of social-media platforms
• The ethics of documentary film

390 Documentary Essay Examples

The corporation documentary essay: reflection paper on the 2003 movie, “the corporation” a film by mark achbar, jennifer abbott and joel bakan, smartest guys in the room.

• Words: 1969

Themes in Ava DuVernay’s “13th”

• Words: 1181

“Sicko” a Documentary by Michael Moore

“factory city: eupa”: how the documentary can be helpful, “battle of the brains: the case for multiple intelligences” by bbcw, the film “salud” and the cuban healthcare system, the century of the self: video summary, “the american factory”: plot and issues portrayed.

• Words: 1069

The Documentary “Age 7 in America” by Phil Joanou

The documentary “inequality for all”, the 2008 banking crisis in the documentary “inside job”.

• Words: 1412

Reflection Paper: “Blood Diamonds-The True Story” by Schmuddelginger

The documentary “supplements and safety”, “commanding heights: the battle of world economy” documentary.

• Words: 1842

“Forks Over Knives” Documentary and Its Influence

The documentary “the american nurse” by carolyn jones, “examined life”, cornel west – summary and analysis, 21st century hackers – documentary review, themes in “i am” documentary by tom shadyac, “capitalism: a love story” by michael moore.

• Words: 1723

Newsom’s The Mask You Live In Documentary Review

The film baraka and its spiritual reflections, “the 11th hour” environmental documentary, a girl in the river (2015): facilitating change in the community.

• Words: 1204

“The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron” Film

“the game changers” documentary by james cameron.

• Words: 1669

HBO Documentary Risky Drinking

“the 13th” documentary directed by ava duvernay, the documentary “the human element” by james balog.

• Words: 1740

McDonald’s Ethics in Super-Size Me Documentary

“supreme revenge: battle for the court”: documentary analysis.

• Words: 1378

“Born into Brothels” Documentary Analysis

“super size me” documentary by morgan spurlock.

• Words: 1059

Documentary Films Concept and Definition

• Words: 1356

Film Review “See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary”

Hot coffee documentary, the documentary “taboo: blood bonds”, waiting for superman, the documentary “anthropocene: the human epoch”.

• Words: 1503

The Documentary “Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story”

The movie life and debt.

• Words: 1359

The Documentary “Triumph of the Nerds”

The documentary “last train home”.

• Words: 1385

Sicko: U.S. Health Care System Issues

“jim crow of the north”: how housing segregation affects people, justice in errol morris’s the thin blue line film.

• Words: 2805

Documentaries as a Education Tool

Planet earth in the documentary “pole to pole”.

• Words: 1127

The “They Call Us Monsters” Film Analysis

• Words: 1116

The Documentary “Waiting Room”

The great hack documentary by amer & noujaim.

• Words: 1192

Documentary Review “Killer Landslides”

“ishi: the last yahi” by theodora kroeber, “baraka” by ron fricke, “mount everest: into the death zone” documentary, “babel” and “super size me”: documentaries analysis.

• Words: 2286

Documentary: “The Journey of Man, a Genetic Odyssey”

“daughter from danang” a film by gail dolgin, commanding heights – episode iii – documentary, the corporation, what the bleep do we know (2004).

• Words: 3663

The Documentary “Documenting Hate: Charlottesville”

Elizabeth leiter’s the abortion divide review.

• Words: 1023

Suicide: “The Bridge” Documentary by E. Steele

Enron in “the smartest guys in the room” film, social issues in “born into brothels” film, the documentary ‘the inventor’ by alex gibney, the brazilian documentary “favela rising”, the documentary “the invisible war”.

• Words: 1654

The “After the Mayflower: We Shall Remain” Documentary

Reflection on “documenting hate: charlottesville”, “the supreme court: home to america’s highest court” documentary, arguments of “the corporation” documentary, ”the mystery of memory” documentary by gray & schwarz.

• Words: 1123

The “Meet the Patels” Documentary by Patel & Patel

Documentary “the medicated child” by marcela gaviria, the “central park five” documentary, sustainability. an inconvenient truth documentary, documentaries “rise of the new marketing” and “art & copy”, “street fight” a film by cory booker, “freedom riders”: a documentary revealing personal stories that reflect individual ideology, finding dawn (2006): violence against indigenous women.

• Words: 1072

Gillo Pontecorvo’s “Battle of Algiers”, Frantz Fanon’s “Concerning Violence” and Hannah Arendt’s “Reflection on Violence”

• Words: 1673

The Speaking in Tongues Documentary Overview

• Words: 1396

“A Beautiful Mind” Directed by Ron Howard

• Words: 1682

“Deadly Avalanches: Snow Wars in Canada”: Documentary Analysis

Documentary film definition, “inside job” documentary by charles ferguson, “a day without a mexican” mockumentary by s. arau, documentary review: “inside job”, the movie “color of fear”, scene analysis from “finding dawn” by christine welsh.

• Words: 1120

Inside North Korea: Michael Wood’s Documentary

• Words: 1235

The Summary of Harvest of Empire

“bus 174” children: oppressed, neglected, and stigmatised.

• Words: 1564

Terms and Conditions May Apply Documentary

Episode five of “the full swing” documentary.

• Words: 1104

Response to “The Last Colony” Documentary

The age of aids and rise of the killer virus documentaries, the japanese-american internment in world war ii documentary, the documentary “people like us”: reflection, fossil fuel era:”before the flood,” “the story of stuff,” and “rude awakening”, mexican experience in “9500 liberty” documentary, the “slavery by another name” documentary, the “9500 liberty street” documentary from sociological perspective, the “kids behind bars” documentary review, putin: craving for power documentary analysis, a plastic tide: a documentary analysis, the “age of the consequences” documentary, “the social dilemma” documentary by orlowski, “broken on all side”, directed by matthew pillischer, role of stereotypes from “ethnic notions” in the popular culture, day of the dead by community education television review, gender identity: the “tough guise 2” documentary, stories from the stone age: a documentary, flash point history documentary about the black death.

• Words: 1097

The Talking Black in America Documentary

The documentary “cowspiracy” by kip andersen and keegan kuhn.

10 Tips for Writing a Documentary Script (Complete Beginners)

Documentary films can require a unique approach, different from that of the traditional fictional script for your conventional feature film or TV show. With documentaries on almost every platform and channel, they are an increasingly compelling insight into topics and places we wouldn’t have had access to a few years ago.

What is a Documentary?

The term ‘documentary’ has evolved within the film and television world over the years. Broadly, such a screenwork ‘documents’ reality. It is a work of non-fiction. Usually, they will focus on a specific topic from an alternative angle or perspective, which the filmmaker is often eager to tell.

This is because it is either a topic remarkably close to their heart or one they feel is not being fully explored in the media. Documentary makers use a combination of film, photographs, voiceover, and interviews, all involving real people and events, to convey a message, point of view or experience to their audiences.

Most documentaries range from thirty to one hundred and twenty minutes and can be shown in movie theatres or television. With the continued development of the internet and streaming sites, documentaries can be found in all lengths and formats.

Documentary Examples

The most famous documentaries in recent years include Harry & Meghan (Garbus, 2022), Tiger King (Goode, 2020), Louis Theroux (Various, 1998-Present) and They Shall Not Grow Old (Jackson, 2018). All of these encompass the truth and experiences of specific people or groups.

Alternatively, documentaries can also focus on broader global issues affecting humanity and nature. For example, films such as Oceans (Perrin, 2010), March of the Penguins (Jacquet, 2005) and The Blue Planet (Fothergill, 2001) all highlight the environmental impact of modern life on the natural world.

Keen to try your hand at writing a documentary script and highlighting a topic close to your heart? Let us dive into our top ten tips for writing a documentary script.

We have divided our tips into ‘before’ and ‘after’ shooting. Documentary scripts are different from traditional film and television scripts that are purely fictional.

Before Shooting

1. find your story.

Like any creative project, the subject of your documentary must be something you are passionate about; there is no use in researching and discussing something you are not interested in. If you are not interested, then neither will your audience.

Audiences should be at the forefront of your mind throughout the planning process. Is there a specific group of people you are making this documentary for? How will this documentary impact them specifically?

Do not finalize your documentary topic until you have asked these crucial questions.

Are you stuck on finding a killer idea for your documentary? Click here for 9 Creative Ideas to Start Your Next Script !

Are you a beginner in the world of documentary writing and looking for a reliable tool to help you bring your vision to life? Look no further than Celtx! Celtx is a powerful and user-friendly software that can assist you in crafting a professional-quality documentary script.

2. Know Facts from Fiction

Before you start planning the structure of your documentary, the first thing to be understood is that documentary films are securely founded in fact and not fiction. As Das outlines, documentaries tell stories of “real events, real issues, real conflict, real people and real emotions.” The raw reality is the aim of the game.

Ensure that the topic you are exploring in your documentary is firmly secured in reality; the message you are conveying is easy to follow and understand; and of course it needs to be credible.

3. Research Your Subject

Therefore, you must conduct thorough and accurate research into your chosen subject to ensure you are not misleading your audience. You will need to delve deeper than you may first think, as it is likely your topic has been researched before in one form or another. Consult experts in the field, and use reliable and proven sources.

For example, we encourage you to approach credible authors and scholars to discuss their findings and your own. They may be able to provide a different angle or suggest something you had not considered before. Similarly, if a previous documentary exists that you wish to consult, by all means, approach the filmmaker. They could also give advice on the documentary-making process too! Bonus!

All input from your research and any experts you subsequently approach will help you develop a ‘blueprint’ for your documentary.

4. Prepare a Proposal

Proposals are a common form of fundraising for the making of the documentary. However, when you’re first starting out, they can be a great way of organizing and linking together your ideas.

Documentary proposals often include information on your intended audience, your planned storytelling approach, and a budget plan. Considering your style and tone is excellent to plan too; will it be a fast-paced documentary jumping between sequences, or will it be slower moving with longer shots?

If you are not too sure about the style of your documentary just yet, watch some existing ones. Seek inspiration from those in a similar topic vein to your own. Consider whether you want to emanate something similar or turn things on their head. Whatever you decide, make sure you can explain it in detail within your proposal.

Filmmaking in all its forms is a business, so it is advisable to have finances in mind. First, consider the overall picture of costs, for example, equipment hire, crew hire, number of shoot days etc.

When writing a proposal, even if for your eyes only at this stage, you must be as thorough as possible in envisioning your documentary. If you do eventually send your proposal out to prospective directors and producers, they will want to know every detail. Therefore, it pays to get ahead of the game!

5. Create a Blueprint

It is a widely debated issue in the screenwriting industry as to whether a screenplay is a mere blueprint of the movie to be layered upon or as Aaltonen explains, is seen “more holistically, as dramaturgical thinking runs through the entire filmmaking process” in modern times.

However, when it comes to the documentary script, especially when you are outlining a hand before you begin shooting, it is a mere blueprint of what you are about to film. Therefore, think of it as a ‘shooting’ script.

So why is it just a blueprint at this point? Unlike their fictional film counterpart, documentaries need to be flexible as they do not have the same stringent guidelines. This is because they are shot in the real world, which can never be scripted or controlled. Overall, this is what makes documentary-making exciting as well as challenging.

What you can control is how the story of your documentary will play out to your audience. Usually, you can present this as a set of detailed scenes or sequences suggesting how the film will be presented. Such an outline will be broken into the traditional three-act structure.

Why? Well, you are still trying to tell a story, and the three-act formula is a proven way of doing this, whether fictional or non-fictional. Of course, as with any screenplay, you will need to make changes, but these sequences will act as your guiding light throughout the process.

To support you with your changes, we recommend dividing your script into two columns: video and audio, so you can clearly keep track of both as you work.

6. Tell a Story

Despite the non-fiction nature of a documentary, you still need to tell a good, compelling story .

As we have discussed, the three-act structure is an excellent guide to planning your documentary: a robust and gripping beginning, informative middle, and thought-provoking ending.

The Beginning

The opening minutes of your documentary should include an audiovisual hook demanding the audience’s Attention. Then, much like an academic essay, the beginning should outline the message of your documentary and what you are looking for the audience to take away from it.

The inciting incident is a crucial element, which rocks the boat and makes your audience sit up and listen.

Prepare for the most challenging section of your documentary: the middle. The key to nailing the mid-section is the intention, bolstering the tone and subject of the documentary overall.

Each sequence you include in the mid-section must have slightly different messaging, which again feeds into the idea you presented to the audience at the beginning. You should gradually release information, ultimately persuading the viewer.

Das discusses the options of using an open and closed ending to a documentary. For example, if you choose to tie up all loose ends within your documentary and answer all the questions raised, you will have a closed ending.

If, however, you wish to leave your audience with unanswered questions, this would be an open ending. Das warns that this style of end “relies heavily on audience imagination to fill in the gaps,” and you must give them the resources to do that within the body of your documentary.

Whichever you decide, ensure you give the audience an ending they will remember and feel satisfied with.

Once you have your completed blueprint, it is time to start shooting!

After Shooting

Once you have completed your shoot, it is time to piece your footage together and thus move on to a final script.

7. Transcribe Footage

If you include interviews or improvised voiceovers in your documentary, make sure you transcribe it into a log. Yes, this task will take some time, but it will be fulfilling. In addition, it will allow you to organize and categorize sections of your script.

Include any speech in the audio column of your shooting script, editing your blueprint as you go.

8. Be Ruthless

The spontaneity of documentary making when out filming means that it can be amazingly easy to end up with a lot of footage that does not match up to your intended message. Now is the time to cut it!

Remember, keeping your audience engaged and on board with your documentary’s intention is critical.

It may be the most beautiful footage in the history of documentaries but save it for the deleted scenes or your social media pages.

9. Pay Attention to the Details

A similarity that documentaries share with traditional film and television scripts is rewriting. However, when it comes to voiceovers and narration within your film, these do not always support your visual footage in the best way. Or perhaps you misinterpreted a piece of your research, resulting in the wrong facts being included.

The beauty of rewrites is that you can make them post-shoot. But, of course, be mindful of the budget available if you are employing narrators or voiceover artists, as you may have to pay them to re-record.

10. Fact Check as You Go

You may have conducted the most credible research imaginable, but there is always the possibility that a fact may become irrelevant or be proven false.

Throughout your creative process, review the information you are including. Is it accurate? Is it credible? Does it originate from an authentic and reliable source? Time well spent to ensure no one is going to catch you out!

Once you have your completed documentary script, it is time to consider your facts, video, audio, and rewrites. Now edit your footage and voiceover to piece together your final cut.

Remember, there is no absolute formula to documentary filmmaking. Keep in mind the story and message you are conveying and the credibility of the sources from which you are drawing. Finally, choose a topic you are genuinely passionate about, and run with it!

Good luck out there, documentary makers!

Natasha is a UK-based freelance screenwriter and script editor with a love for sci-fi. In 2022 she recently placed in the Screenwriters' Network Short Film Screenplay Competition and the Golden Short Film Festivals. When not at her desk, you'll find her at the theater, or walking around the English countryside (even in the notorious British weather)

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What is a Video Essay? The Art of the Video Analysis Essay

I n the era of the internet and Youtube, the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of expressing ideas and concepts. However, there is a bit of an enigma behind the construction of the video essay largely due to the vagueness of the term.

What defines a video analysis essay? What is a video essay supposed to be about? In this article, we’ll take a look at the foundation of these videos and the various ways writers and editors use them creatively. Let’s dive in.

Watch: Our Best Film Video Essays of the Year

Subscribe for more filmmaking videos like this.

What is a video essay?

First, let’s define video essay.

There is narrative film, documentary film, short films, and then there is the video essay. What is its role within the realm of visual media? Let’s begin with the video essay definition. 

VIDEO ESSAY DEFINITION

A video essay is a video that analyzes a specific topic, theme, person or thesis. Because video essays are a rather new form, they can be difficult to define, but recognizable nonetheless. To put it simply, they are essays in video form that aim to persuade, educate, or critique. 

These essays have become increasingly popular within the era of Youtube and with many creatives writing video essays on topics such as politics, music, film, and pop culture. 

What is a video essay used for?

• To persuade an audience of a thesis
• To educate on a specific subject
• To analyze and/or critique 

What is a video essay based on?

Establish a thesis.

Video analysis essays lack distinguished boundaries since there are countless topics a video essayist can tackle. Most essays, however, begin with a thesis. 

How Christopher Nolan Elevates the Movie Montage  •  Video Analysis Essays

Good essays often have a point to make. This point, or thesis, should be at the heart of every video analysis essay and is what binds the video together. 

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interviews in video essay

Utilize interviews.

A key determinant for the structure of an essay is the source of the ideas. A common source for this are interviews from experts in the field. These interviews can be cut and rearranged to support a thesis. 

Roger Deakins on "Learning to Light"  •  Video Analysis Essays

Utilizing first hand interviews is a great way to utilize ethos into the rhetoric of a video. However, it can be limiting since you are given a limited amount to work with. Voice over scripts, however, can give you the room to say anything. 

How to create the best video essays on Youtube

Write voice over scripts.

Voice over (VO) scripts allow video essayists to write out exactly what they want to say. This is one of the most common ways to structure a video analysis essay since it gives more freedom to the writer. It is also a great technique to use when taking on large topics.

In this video, it would have been difficult to explain every type of camera lens by cutting sound bites from interviews of filmmakers. A voice over script, on the other hand, allowed us to communicate information directly when and where we wanted to.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses  •  Video essay examples

Some of the most famous video essayists like Every Frame a Painting and Nerdwriter1 utilize voice over to capitalize on their strength in writing video analysis essays. However, if you’re more of an editor than a writer, the next type of essay will be more up your alley. 

Video analysis essay without a script

Edit a supercut.

Rather than leaning on interview sound bites or voice over, the supercut video depends more on editing. You might be thinking “What is a video essay without writing?” The beauty of the video essay is that the writing can be done throughout the editing. Supercuts create arguments or themes visually through specific sequences. 

Another one of the great video essay channels, Screen Junkies, put together a supercut of the last decade in cinema. The video could be called a portrait of the last decade in cinema.

2010 - 2019: A Decade In Film  •  Best videos on Youtube

This video is rather general as it visually establishes the theme of art during a general time period. Other essays can be much more specific. 

Critical essays

Video essays are a uniquely effective means of creating an argument. This is especially true in critical essays. This type of video critiques the facets of a specific topic. 

In this video, by one of the best video essay channels, Every Frame a Painting, the topic of the film score is analyzed and critiqued — specifically temp film score.

Every Frame a Painting Marvel Symphonic Universe  •  Essay examples

Of course, not all essays critique the work of artists. Persuasion of an opinion is only one way to use the video form. Another popular use is to educate. 

• The Different Types of Camera Lenses →
• Write and Create Professionally Formatted Screenplays →
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Video analysis essay

Visual analysis.

One of the biggest advantages that video analysis essays have over traditional, written essays is the use of visuals. The use of visuals has allowed video essayists to display the subject or work that they are analyzing. It has also allowed them to be more specific with what they are analyzing. Writing video essays entails structuring both words and visuals. 

Take this video on There Will Be Blood for example. In a traditional, written essay, the writer would have had to first explain what occurs in the film then make their analysis and repeat.

This can be extremely inefficient and redundant. By analyzing the scene through a video, the points and lessons are much more clear and efficient. 

There Will Be Blood  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Through these video analysis essays, the scene of a film becomes support for a claim rather than the topic of the essay. 

Dissect an artist

Essays that focus on analysis do not always focus on a work of art. Oftentimes, they focus on the artist themself. In this type of essay, a thesis is typically made about an artist’s style or approach. The work of that artist is then used to support this thesis.

Nerdwriter1, one of the best video essays on Youtube, creates this type to analyze filmmakers, actors, photographers or in this case, iconic painters. 

Caravaggio: Master Of Light  •  Best video essays on YouTube

In the world of film, the artist video analysis essay tends to cover auteur filmmakers. Auteur filmmakers tend to have distinct styles and repetitive techniques that many filmmakers learn from and use in their own work. 

Stanley Kubrick is perhaps the most notable example. In this video, we analyze Kubrick’s best films and the techniques he uses that make so many of us drawn to his films. 

Why We're Obsessed with Stanley Kubrick Movies  •  Video essay examples

Critical essays and analytical essays choose to focus on a piece of work or an artist. Essays that aim to educate, however, draw on various sources to teach technique and the purpose behind those techniques. 

What is a video essay written about?

Historical analysis.

Another popular type of essay is historical analysis. Video analysis essays are a great medium to analyze the history of a specific topic. They are an opportunity for essayists to share their research as well as their opinion on history. 

Our video on aspect ratio , for example, analyzes how aspect ratios began in cinema and how they continue to evolve. We also make and support the claim that the 2:1 aspect ratio is becoming increasingly popular among filmmakers. 

Why More Directors are Switching to 18:9  •  Video analysis essay

Analyzing the work of great artists inherently yields a lesson to be learned. Some essays teach more directly.

• Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained →
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Writing video essays about technique

Teach technique.

Educational essays designed to teach are typically more direct. They tend to be more valuable for those looking to create art rather than solely analyze it.

In this video, we explain every type of camera movement and the storytelling value of each. Educational essays must be based on research, evidence, and facts rather than opinion.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement  •  Best video essays on YouTube

As you can see, there are many reasons why the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of communicating information. Its ability to use both sound and picture makes it efficient and effective. It also draws on the language of filmmaking to express ideas through editing. But it also gives writers the creative freedom they love. 

Writing video essays is a new art form that many channels have set high standards for. What is a video essay supposed to be about? That’s up to you. 

Organize Post Production Workflow

The quality of an essay largely depends on the quality of the edit. If editing is not your strong suit, check out our next article. We dive into tips and techniques that will help you organize your Post-Production workflow to edit like a pro. 

Up Next: Post Production →

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How To Write A Documentary Script

From eye-opening films like Blackfish (2013) to emotional narratives told in movies like Bowling for Columbine (2002), documentaries have the power to captivate and showcase the brilliance of humanity when crafted with care. Every director and producer has their own unique approach to creating a documentary script and finding your voice as a filmmaker can be an exciting and liberating experience for those new to the field.

However, depending on the subject matter, it can be challenging to get started on a script. That’s why having a well-established system can help get you to the finish line.

How to Write a Documentary Script

While there’s no set formula for writing a documentary script , there are best practices that can make the process as seamless as possible. Here are some of our favorite tips for writing a compelling documentary script.

1. Find a Story You’re Passionate About

Why a documentary? What are you hoping to convey? Why are you the perfect person to tell this story? These are all questions you answer in a pitch in order to be green-lit by producers and executive producers. However, it’s important to first answer them for yourself. The answers can help you find a story that you’re truly passionate about, which will be worth the long process of making a documentary. Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start the difficult task of researching your material, finding the story, and creating a script.

Recently, for instance, NYFA welcomed Ukrainian documentary filmmakers who discussed filming in the conflict back home in their country. The filmmakers discussed why they were suited to tell their own story, how it benefits the audience, and the crystal clear message they hope to share with international viewers.

2. Research, Research, Research

During the pre-production phase of making a documentary, research is crucial, as it serves as the foundation for your script. It’s common for others to have already explored the topic you’re working on, so it’s important to dive deeper and get a new angle. If you’re looking for experts on the topic, one way to find them is to search for books and then contact the authors. They can provide important background information and fact-checking or even become on-camera interviewees who enhance the credibility of your film. Their input is crucial in creating the structure of your documentary, which you can fill in with story details as you develop your outline.

3. Blueprint Your Documentary

This is the time to organize and plan how the story will be transmitted to your audience. This can be an outline most commonly expressed in a set of “sequences.” These are detailed scenes to show how the film may play out. When you have this sequence outline clear, shooting the frame is much easier because you already know what you want. This sequence outline follows the natural narrative spine of storytelling , which is broken into acts that culminate in the overall message that you are trying to convey. There may be some tweaking, but the sequence outline is a guide.

4. Write the Script

The first column is optional and is used by some filmmakers as a guide to the arc of the narrative. Video and Audio columns are standard, and they are formatted so that the visuals line up with the audio (interview, narration, music, etc.) that plays over them.

Once you have collected your research, data, and interviews, only then can you write the script. Without research, it would be impossible to conceive what an interviewee is going to say and how that ties into your message. Once you have all of the facts and materials, then you can sit down and write the script and voice-overs. As a tip: work backward. It is one of the best ways how to write a documentary script.

5. Engage Your Viewer

To truly captivate your audience, it’s important to establish a connection between them and your documentary. One effective way to achieve this is by focusing on protagonists with captivating personal stories that can truly engage your audience. By tapping into the emotions of your viewers, you can encourage them to open up and better understand the complexity of the issue at hand.

Ultimately, your goal should be to transport your viewers to another world, to provide them with fresh perspectives and new knowledge, and to inspire and move them through the power of your storytelling.

6. Commit to Your Message

It’s crucial to consider the message that you want your documentary to convey. When your theme is clearly defined, the process of putting the entire script and production together becomes much smoother. This clarity of message can help your audience connect with your documentary, regardless of whether or not they agree with your point of view. At the very least, your film will leave them with something to think about and consider moving forward.

As a director, writer, or producer, it’s important to remain flexible and open to the story unfolding in ways you may not have originally anticipated.

7. Finesse Your Project

It’s important to be thorough and take the time to craft a script that truly reflects the message you want to convey and the story you want to tell. Rewriting is often necessary as you continue to refine your message and ensure accuracy in your facts. If you’re using a narrator, for example, you may need to adjust the script to fit their style.

Remember, documentaries aren’t just about observing humanity – they’re an invitation to explore our deepest nature, what drives us, what brings us joy, and what makes us feel sorrow. They showcase real people dealing with real, powerful issues that strike at the very core of our being. As a documentary filmmaker, you must reflect those deep, moving messages in your writing and capture your audience’s emotions. By doing so, you can create a truly impactful and unforgettable documentary.  

Bring Your Documentary to Life at NYFA

Want to learn more about creating an excellent documentary? Request information today about NYFA’s upcoming documentary filmmaking programs.

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Essay Film by Yelizaveta Moss LAST REVIEWED: 12 April 2023 LAST MODIFIED: 24 March 2021 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199791286-0216

The term “essay film” has become increasingly used in film criticism to describe a self-reflective and self-referential documentary cinema that blurs the lines between fiction and nonfiction. Scholars unanimously agree that the first published use of the term was by Richter in 1940. Also uncontested is that Andre Bazin, in 1958, was the first to analyze a film, which was Marker’s Letter from Siberia (1958), according to the essay form. The French New Wave created a popularization of short essay films, and German New Cinema saw a resurgence in essay films due to a broad interest in examining German history. But beyond these origins of the term, scholars deviate on what exactly constitutes an essay film and how to categorize essay films. Generally, scholars fall into two camps: those who find a literary genealogy to the essay film and those who find a documentary genealogy to the essay film. The most commonly cited essay filmmakers are French and German: Marker, Resnais, Godard, and Farocki. These filmmakers are singled out for their breadth of essay film projects, as opposed to filmmakers who have made an essay film but who specialize in other genres. Though essay films have been and are being produced outside of the West, scholarship specifically addressing essay films focuses largely on France and Germany, although Solanas and Getino’s theory of “Third Cinema” and approval of certain French essay films has produced some essay film scholarship on Latin America. But the gap in scholarship on global essay film remains, with hope of being bridged by some forthcoming work. Since the term “essay film” is used so sparingly for specific films and filmmakers, the scholarship on essay film tends to take the form of single articles or chapters in either film theory or documentary anthologies and journals. Some recent scholarship has pointed out the evolutionary quality of essay films, emphasizing their ability to change form and style as a response to conventional filmmaking practices. The most recent scholarship and conference papers on essay film have shifted from an emphasis on literary essay to an emphasis on technology, arguing that essay film has the potential in the 21st century to present technology as self-conscious and self-reflexive of its role in art.

Both anthologies dedicated entirely to essay film have been published in order to fill gaps in essay film scholarship. Biemann 2003 brings the discussion of essay film into the digital age by explicitly resisting traditional German and French film and literary theory. Papazian and Eades 2016 also resists European theory by explicitly showcasing work on postcolonial and transnational essay film.

Biemann, Ursula, ed. Stuff It: The Video Essay in the Digital Age . New York: Springer, 2003.

This anthology positions Marker’s Sans Soleil (1983) as the originator of the post-structuralist essay film. In opposition to German and French film and literary theory, Biemann discusses video essays with respect to non-linear and non-logical movement of thought and a range of new media in Internet, digital imaging, and art installation. In its resistance to the French/German theory influence on essay film, this anthology makes a concerted effort to include other theoretical influences, such as transnationalism, postcolonialism, and globalization.

Papazian, Elizabeth, and Caroline Eades, eds. The Essay Film: Dialogue, Politics, Utopia . London: Wallflower, 2016.

This forthcoming anthology bridges several gaps in 21st-century essay film scholarship: non-Western cinemas, popular cinema, and digital media.

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Essays on the essay film.

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Creatively and capaciously, this rich volume gets at the essay film not only by including key critics and practitioners of the form but, importantly, by going beyond the genre itself to broader contributions to essay theorization from philosophy and belles lettres. An exciting, inventive volume with great delights at every turn. Dana Polan, New York University

Alter and Corrigan's masterful new volume on the essay film is rigorous, comprehensive, and refreshingly surprising. Their invaluable collection probes theoretical reflections on the essay as a mode of expression and a way of thinking in light of the creative and political investments of filmmakers around the globe; it also chronicles the essay film's changing countenances, from its prehistory and early signs of life to novel permutations in the present. Featuring a very distinguished cast of players, this collection is a production of the highest order. Eric Rentschler, Harvard University

Nora Alter and Tim Corrigan bring their seasoned literary experience to herd but never tame the unruly essay film. Its prestige soaring, this mode is tethered to a long history of experimental writing that will keep it from disappearing into the bog of blogs and YouTube mashups whose best examples it is already inspiring. The proof is in the Table of Contents: a brilliant litany of sensitive, reliable writers, who dare to take on the most daring forms of image-thought the cinema has produced. Dudley Andrew, Yale University

Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in interest in the history, concept and diverse manifestations of the essay film. In this essential collection, Nora Alter and Timothy Corrigan have brought together a superb selection of foundational texts with a range of key recent writings by leading scholars and essay filmmakers. The result is an enormously rich resource for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of this most vital of audiovisual forms. Michael Witt, University of Roehampton

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The Fact/Fiction Divide: Drama-Documentary and Documentary Drama

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Television schedules reflect the increasing prominence of productions which meld the conventions of drama and documentary. Historical dramas, ‘biopics’ (filmed accounts of the lives of famous and infamous people), dramas constructed around incidents from news headlines, dramatic plays which replicate the visual styles of documentary and journalistic inquiries which include dramatic re-enactments, are all a part of this popular global televisual practice. The film industry also continues to produce work in this field, most notably filmed biographies and historical dramas including JFK (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Braveheart (1995), Michael Collins (1996), Hurricane (1999), Pearl Harbor (2000), Iris (2001), Ali (2001) and Pollock (2002). Works of this type raise a number of questions regarding the documentary form, and the legitimacy of its relationship to dramatic treatment of historical events. Depending on which interpreters are read, the meeting of fact and fiction results in either the subversion of documentary claims to authenticity and veracity, or, innovative and productive approaches to documentary representation.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a Documentary in APA, MLA, or Chicago

How to Cite a Documentary in APA, MLA, or Chicago

While you might think of books and journal articles as the go-to sources when writing essays, documentaries can also be a great source of information—and they can also serve as a form of entertainment. Citing a documentary might seem more complicated than citing a textbook, but we’ve put together this handy guide on how to cite a documentary to make the process a bit easier for you.

Quickly cite a documentary by using our citation generator form for a film .

As an example, we’ve cited “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”—a great Netflix documentary by David Gelb about a legendary Tokyo sushi chef—in three different styles: MLA 9, APA, and Chicago.

To cite a documentary properly, you must take the following pieces of information into consideration:

• Documentary title
• Name of the documentary director
• Any performers in the documentary
• Documentary producers
• Title of the site, database, or streaming service that the documentary was found on (if applicable)
• Name of the production company
• Publication date
• City where the production company is based
• URL for the documentary (if applicable)

Depending on the medium used to access the documentary, you may need to do additional research to find all of the information listed below.

Use the following structure to cite a documentary in MLA 9:

Documentary title. Directed by First name Last name, performance by First name Last name, Production Company, Year published. Title of Site, Database, or Service where movie was streamed from (if applicable), URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA format :

Jiro Dreams of Sushi . Directed by David Gelb, performance by Jiro Ono and Yoshikazu Ono. Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2011. Netflix , www.netflix.com/search?q=jiro&jbv=70181716&jbp=0&jbr=0.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in an in-text citation:

(Shortened Documentary Title)

( Jiro Dreams )

Use the following structure to cite a documentary in APA:

Last name of Documentary Producer(s), F.M. (Producer[s]), & Last name of Documentary Director(s), F.M. (Director[s]). (Year). Documentary title [ Medium (DVD, Video file]. Retrieved from URL

Here’s how the above example would be cited in APA format :

Iwashina, K., & Yamamoto, M.(Producers), & Gelb, D. (Director). (2011). Jiro dreams of sushi [Video file].  Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/search?q=jiro&jbv=70181716&jbp=0&jbr=0

Use the following structure to cite a documentary  in Chicago:

Documentary Title. Directed by Director’s Name. City of Publication: Studio, Year.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in Chicago:

Jiro Dreams of Sushi .  Directed by David Gelb. New York: Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2011.

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To cite a documentary from a media streaming website, include the following details: the producer’s name and/or director’s name and their title (e.g., Producer, Director, etc.), year released, title of the documentary, description of the source in square brackets if needed, website name, and URL.

Note that in APA, it is not necessary to include the name of the streaming website/app in the citation.

To cite a documentary in MLA or APA style, it is important to have basic information including the name of the director, name of the artists and/or producers, production company, publication date, and URL. Templates and examples for how to create in-text citations for documentaries in APA and MLA format are included below.  

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(Dhanalakshmi, 2004)

MLA in-text citations

( Shortened Title of the Documentary )

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Film or Video

Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Streaming video from a subscription media website (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, etc.), streaming video from a library database, television series episode.

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Who to Credit - Film or Video

The director should be credited as the author of a film. If the director is unknown, someone in a similar role, such as a producer and/or writer, can be credited. To clarify what role the person has in the production, their job title such as Director is put after their name in round brackets if the job title is known.

Who to Credit - Streaming Video from a Website

For videos from websites such as YouTube or Vimeo, credit the person who posted the content. If a real name is provided, use that followed by the person's user name in square brackets. If the real name of the person who posted the content is not known, just use their user name without brackets.

Note : It is not necessary to specify how you watched a film or video (e.g. motion picture, DVD, streaming online). 

In the Body of a Paper

Books, Journals, Reports, Webpages, etc.: When you refer to titles of a “stand-alone work,” as the APA calls them on their APA Style website, such as books, journals, reports, and webpages, you should italicize them. Capitalize words as you would for an article title in a reference, e.g., In the book Crying in H Mart: A memoir , author Michelle Zauner (2021) describes her biracial origin and its impact on her identity.

Article or Chapter: When you refer to the title of a part of a work, such as an article or a chapter, put quotation marks around the title and capitalize it as you would for a journal title in a reference, e.g., In the chapter “Where’s the Wine,” Zauner (2021) describes how she decided to become a musician.

The APA Sample Paper below has more information about formatting your paper.

• APA 7th ed. Sample Paper

Film or Video

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is known:

Director/Producer/Writer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title). (Year film was produced).  Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. Production Company.

Note: For other countries, list the city name and the country.

Hallam, J. (Producer, Writer), & Lam, K. (Producer, Director). (2010).  Staff relations in healthcare: Working as a team  [Film]. Insight Media.

• When you have more than one producer, writer and/or writer to credit, separate the names with a comma and put an ampersand (&) before the last person's last name.
• Serling, R. (Executive Producer). (1959–1964). The twilight zone [TV series]. Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010)

Note: This example has two people to credit, so both last names are given)

In-Text Quote:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010, 2:30)

Note: Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is not known:  Start the citation with the film title.

Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. (Year film was produced). Production Company if Known.

Era of viruses  [Film]. (2006). Films for the Humanities and Sciences.

( Title of Film , Year)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006)

Note: Italicize the title of the film and capitalize the words for the in-text citation.

( Title of Film , Year, Timestamp)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006, 40:00)

When the Poster's Name is known: 

Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. of person who posted the video if known. [User name that posted the video]. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note: According to APA, for citing purposes the person who posted the video is credited as the author.

Nye, B. [TheRealBillNye]. (2009, April 8).  Bill Nye the science guy on energy  [Video]. YouTube. http://youtu.be/0ASLLiuejAo

(Creator's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Nye, 2009)

(Creator's Last Name, Year, timestamp)

Example: (Nye, 2009, 0:55)

When the Poster's Name is not known: 

User name that posted the video. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

All Aces Media. (2012, January 19).  Often awesome the series  [Video]. Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/35311255

(User name, Year)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012, timestamp)

Producer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Producer). (Year of Publication).  Title of Video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note:  When you have one producer (Producer) is used after the producer's name. If you have more than one producer use (Producers) instead.

Allen, T., et. al. (Producers). (2017). The story of Diana  [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

(Producer Last name, Year)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017)

(Producer Last name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017, 6:45)

Name of Company/Organization that Provided Content or Creator's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. if known. (Year video was created, Month Day if known).  Title of video  [Video]. Database Name.

National Film Board of Canada. (2014).  Making movie history: The women  [Video]. NFB Campus. 

(Name of Company/Organization, Year)

Example: (National Film Board of Canada, 2014)

(Name of Company/Organization, Year, Timestamp)

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Production Company.

Young, R. (Writer, Producer, Director). (2010). Flying cheap (Season 2010, Episode 2) [TV series episode]. In  Frontline . American University School of Communication's Investigative Reporting Workshop.

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Young, 2010)

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Young, 2010, 15:38)

Television Series Episode Viewed on a Subscription Media Website 

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Streaming Video Site. URL

Attenborough, D. (Writer). (2001). Ocean world (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Fothergill (Executive producer),  Blue planet: A natural history of the oceans . Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

Example: (Attenborough, 2001)

 (Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Attenborough, 2001, 10:12)

• << Previous: Secondary Sources
• Next: How to Cite: Other >>
• Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 3:40 PM
• URL: https://libguides.up.edu/apa

Documentary Ideas: How to Get and Develop Them

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: December 6, 2021  - Last updated: June 23, 2023

Categories Creativity , Documentary , Filmmaking , Inspiration , Storytelling

When it comes to documentary ideas, there are seemingly endless possibilities. Whether you want to explore a certain topic in-depth or tell the story of someone or something special, documentaries can be both informative and engaging. Coming up with good ideas is at the heart of documentary production. Here are just a few ideas to get started on your own documentary journey.

The Difference Between Documentary Ideas and Fictional Ideas

The first thing as an aspiring filmmaker is to be clear about what a documentary idea is.

We need to differentiate between documentary ideas and fictional ideas, because documentaries are about the real world, about things that really happened or have happened.

A documentary film is a great way of helping people understand because, somehow, when one is able to see the people involved, it lends a certain immediacy and understanding that is hard to get on the page. Lawrence Wright

Fictional narratives, on the other hand, put you in a fantasy world and sometimes in a fantasy time frame. Tolkien talked about how he imagined The Lord of the Rings in a time period that wasn’t in the real world. It’s completely outside of our sense of time. That’s the nature of time in fiction, but in documentaries, time is a real thing

Things happen not only in terms of a process or a story but also in terms of the duration and a time frame that’s in the real world.

Characters and Ideas for Documentaries

Another difference between documentary film and fictional film ideas is that characters in documentaries are real people.

In contrast, characters in fiction can be constructed completely free from the imagination.

They don’t have to relate to real people at all. Sometimes characters and stories in fiction actually come from real people and real situations, from real things you’ve read in a newspaper or magazine, but they can also be completely made up.

Documentary Ideas Are Based on Facts

One of the differences between a documentary idea and a fictional idea is that a documentary idea can be tested and investigated.

The events that are portrayed in connection with the idea can be verified. This isn’t the case with fiction, at least not necessarily.

You could use a fictional novel or piece of writing. For example, as an allegory. In other words, you want to convey a certain message or feeling through fictional writing or filmmaking.

A documentary film isn’t about allegory, it’s about depicting real events. That’s the essence of the documentary form.

Doing a documentary is about discovering, being open, learning, and following curiosity. Spike Jonze

That representation can be very creative, and probably should be, but it’s about the world of the real. To that end, it’s important to know that the documentary film community, as well as the documentary photography community, has fluctuated over the years between a more didactic and a more instrumental approach to documentary filmmaking and a more theoretical and artistic one.

The British documentary filmmaker John Grierson, for example, had a very precise idea of what a documentary should be, which was very closely linked to education, educational messages, and almost a kind of industrial filmmaking.

The founding father of documentary filmmaking, Flaherty with his Nanook of the North , on the other hand, had a more artistic idea of what a documentary should be.

It’s interesting to note that the first documentary film, which some consider being the origin of the documentary, was a very short film from 1894 called The Sneeze.

It’s literally a few seconds of someone sneezing. The scene was probably reconstructed. Probably the sneeze was played into the camera just for a certain effect, but the concept of the film is based on reality.

Types of Documentary Ideas

Before we get into how to come up with ideas for documentaries, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the different types of documentaries – because they can greatly affect your idea and how you execute it.

Some important types are:

• Portrait documentaries : about a specific person or group of people as the documentary subject.
• Advocacy : a type of campaign film that promotes a specific cause. They’re often shot in essay format. Food, Inc. is a good example.
• Docufiction : where fictional elements and scenes are incorporated into the documentary to strengthen it as a film.
• Docudrama : Here, dramatized reenactments are used to bring a factual account to life.
• Essayistic documentary : Here a particular argument or thesis is the most important factor in the film.
• Historical documentary : In historical documentaries, archival footage is often used to examine a specific event or time period.
• Investigative documentaries : Sometimes investigative documentaries are similar to advocacy films, looking for the truth behind something that the powerful are trying to hide.
• Observational documentaries : This type of documentary relies on a close relationship with the subject of the film to film in an intimate and revealing way. Gray Gardens , War Photographer and Knuckle , for example, are the most famous films of this type.
• Short documentary : typically 5-15 minute films, that have quite a narrow scope in terms of location, time period, or character.
• Feature documentary : usually a 70-minute or more film, with the ambition and feeling of a movie.
• Mockumentaries : this type of films tries to deliberately subvert a certain theme. For example, Spinal Tap , Borat or Best in Show .

How to Discover Ideas for Documentaries

It’s very important to capture ideas along the way.

This means that as a documentary filmmaker or documentary photographer, you should always carry a small notebook with you. Film director Sam Peckinpah would spot any crew member, high or low, on set without a notebook and pen.

While you don’t have to go quite that far, that’s a story to keep in mind to remind yourself to carry a notebook or another way to quickly record your ideas. Of course, that could be a smartphone.

Connect With Your Passions

Three ideas that are closely connected to your passions and curiosities tend to work much better because you’re likely to be more engaged with them than usual. So take some time to think about what really interests you and why.

Sometimes inspiration for documentaries comes from personal life experiences.

Very often they’re related to your own inner beliefs. You feel a passion for a certain way of life or the truth about something important and decide to make a film or photo documentary about that subject. Then you set out to find a story to bring it to life.

Accidental Ideas

Sometimes you discover a great idea for a documentary by accident. That’s how I discovered the story of how the American CIA and their Russian counterparts the GRU collaborated on climate change for several years in the 1990s.

I was in Russia working on another story when someone alerted me to this amazing collaboration. I had to wait 20 years before I could tell the story because a lot of it and a lot of the people were kept secret.

But finally, I was able to make my film The Warning and tell a story that’s very close to my heart.

Ask Good Questions

Some great questions to ask, as part of your documentary idea discovery process are:

• What idea keeps coming back to me?
• What excites me? Why?
• Which cause have I joined or donated to?
• Which image has caused me to pause, and keeps coming back to my mind?
• Who is my hero?
• What makes me upset or angry? Why?
• What fascinates me, and puts me on a journey of learning?

All of these questions, and more, can spark chains of thinking that lead to great documentary ideas. They can also feed into an interview you might do on camera.

Watch Other Documentaries

A good way to come up with ideas for documentaries is to browse short films on the Internet. The best place to discover artistically interesting films is Vimeo. But you can also search YouTube for short documentaries. Or even stock footage, including in free online libraries like archive.org .

Of course, you don’t have to watch through all the films you see, but if you take a quick look at a few, an interesting idea might come to mind.

Make sure to watch documentary series on Netflix and so forth. Stay up to date with what is going on, and being commissioned.

Pay special attention whenever you stumble across a compelling story, and ask yourself what the story idea was.

Related: Best Place to Watch Documentaries

Reading is a very important way to discover ideas. Whether it’s in books, magazine articles, or maybe the daily news. The most important thing is to immediately record an idea that comes to you in your notebook or digital notebook.

Also, try to briefly review the idea and take a moment to figure out and record what you find interesting about it and what’s worth thinking about and developing further.

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Accumulate Good Sources

The Golden Rule is ‘Rubbish in, rubbish out – quality in, quality out’ – in other words, make sure that the sources of your information and inspirations are good ones.

Try to avoid a lot of the crap that you will see published on social media, YouTube, etc and hone in on the people who manifestly know what they are talking about. Look for experience, wit, and wisdom as essential signs that you are in good company.

As you read, watch, and listen – make sure to document your thoughts and reactions. Whether in a simple notebook or in some kind of digital system – including so-called ‘second brain’ systems.

The Value of Outliers in Documentary Ideas

Often the most interesting documentary topics are the outliers. That’s extreme examples of a particular phenomenon or trend.

These outliers work well for documentaries because they make the general point you’re trying to make clearer. You’re not saying that the outlier is typical of the trend, you’re using the outlier to illustrate the trend.

Observe Things Very Closely

Take time to observe and understand a particular society or perhaps a particular human activity. Sometimes this can be very intense and take weeks or months.

In the very first documentary film ever made, Nanook of the North, director Robert Flaherty spent 16 months observing how the Inuit live.

My very first major film, Soldat , was shot over the course of a year.

Also, seek out discussion and debate. Go to lectures, watch documentaries, read. It’s amazing what’ll grab your attention.

Sometimes something happens to you, one of your own experiences, that gives you an idea. I always find that when I’m traveling, on vacation, or in everyday life, I often encounter something that piques my interest or grabs my attention that I can use as the basis for a documentary.

Sometimes good ideas for documentaries come after I’ve been dreaming or thinking about something for years.

Sometimes it just takes time for the ideas and thoughts to solidify in your mind enough to find a form that’s suitable for a documentary film or documentary photo essay.

The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones. John Maynard Keynes

Allow the Ideas to Bounce Off Each Other

Allow ideas and concepts to bounce off each other in your mind and in your mind mapping. The bouncing of different ideas leads to creativity and the development of a new theme or concept that can drive a new documentary project.

The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. Linus Pauling

Ideas Are Fluid

One of the most important things you need to know about documentary ideas is that they’re fluid. They aren’t fixed. Unlike a script for a novel or a play, which is fixed the moment you write it down.

Since there’s no script in documentary filmmaking, but the film is created during the shooting and editing, the ideas are much more flexible.

Think of it this way. You have a rough idea of what the film is about, but the theme can be developed and refined, and the structure can change. This can lead to a much stronger story. So don’t be afraid to leave your ideas open and flowing, and to keep changing them.

Related: How to Write a Documentary Script

Conversion of a Documentary Idea Into a Working Hypothesis and Controlling Idea

When you start thinking about an idea, you reshape it into a guiding idea or working hypothesis. The working hypothesis usually comes before the main idea. Very often, the hypothesis is phrased as a “what if” question.

This is because you need to do further research, thinking, and development to turn it into a statement that drives the film and that we can call the main idea.

Brainstorming is a very important part of idea generation and development for documentarians. I’d strongly advise you to try mind mapping in some form as part of your overall process.

This can be done with pen and paper or digitally.

These days I use either iThoughts – for a very quick mind map where a quick visual is important – or TheBrain, which allows you to develop deep ideas and thoughts, as my mind mapping apps.

Ways to Test if Your Documentary Idea Is Strong

Things that make a documentary idea strong include:

• The underlying cause is something you care about and believe deserves to be brought to the attention of others.
• The idea is original.
• The idea is visual.
• The idea is dramatic in nature.
• The idea is inherently moving.
• The idea is inherently educational.
• The idea is inherently surprising.
• The idea is inherently enlightening.

With any story, including documentaries, it’s very important that you figure out where the tension and conflict are. Without tension and conflict, one of the most important conditions for a story to work isn’t present. This is also true for a documentary film or even an essay on documentary photography.

Also, pay attention to where you’ve dramatic and narrative arcs in your work. It doesn’t matter if it’s a short film or a feature-length documentary. The reason for this is that change and transformation are very important mechanisms for keeping viewers engaged with your work. If there’s no change in your film, there’s a good chance that the viewer’s attention won’t be maintained.

The value of pitching cannot be overstated in determining whether or not you have a good idea for a documentary. Even if it’s to develop your documentary idea to the point where you’re ready to make a film about it.

For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate. Margaret Heffernan

You don’t always have to pitch your ideas at a film festival, or to a producer; sometimes friends and family can be very helpful in giving you feedback. Remember that the first time someone has a story is the most interesting; that’s when the mind is first open and fresh to the idea, so make sure you make the most of that opportunity.

A Powerful Argument

Having a powerful argument for your documentary idea is one of the most important things. Good documentary ideas are more than just a view or opinion. They’re based on strong, convincing, and valid arguments.

For a strong argument, the audience doesn’t have to agree with you, but you must at least have a point of view that makes them think.

A persuasive argument should be easy to formulate in one or two sentences.

A persuasive argument should have three main elements.

• A factual, empirical, testable or provable element.
• A second, contrasting, contradictory, oppositional, or counterpoint argument or view.
• A third, solution-based or answer-based or response-based third element.

Be Bold With Your Ideas

Making a documentary film or a documentary photo essay is a very exciting step. But it’s also a very difficult step.

One of the most important things you need to know about documentary filmmaking is that it requires you to constantly face uncertainty. You never know where your next idea or story will come from. The story might come from the most unlikely places. You might’ve to go to the far corner of the world for the story. You may have to spend months or years developing it, researching it, thinking about it. And you never know how it’ll turn out.

The rules of feature film and television production don’t apply to documentaries.

If you want to make a feature film, there’s a well-defined process by which you can make the film. With documentaries, the process isn’t so clearly defined. One of the reasons why the genre is so woefully underfunded in public television.

What Makes a Documentary Idea Work

The best ideas for documentaries have multiple levels of engagement and interest. This means that the idea can be understood on many different levels. The film is about something that’s relevant to the target audience but also has other levels of meaning. It’s not a good idea to make a documentary that’s only about giving information to the audience. Informational films are boring and shallow.

The most effective ideas appeal to viewers on at least three levels.

The first level is the emotional level. The story should be able to appeal to the viewer’s emotions. In a sense, the film should make the viewer feel something.

The second level is the intellectual level. The viewer should be able to appeal to their intellect and think about the issues raised in the documentary. They should be able to think about the subject of the documentary, especially after watching it. The more the viewer thinks about what’s happening in the film and outside the film, the more interesting the film becomes to them.

The third level is the social level. The film should inspire the viewer to think about what they can do in their own situation and in their own world after seeing the film. The film should also inspire them to participate in the world in some way, to make a difference, or to try to make a difference.

It’s very important that the viewer leaves the film feeling changed or inspired in some way to want to change something in their own lives and in their own world.

IELTS General Training

A hub for IELTS GT test takers to help them reach their goal.

Cue Card # 151: Describe a TV documentary you watched

Ielts cue card/ candidate task card # 151, describe a tv documentary you watched that was particularly interesting..

You should say:

• what the documentary was about
• why you decided to watch it
• what you learnt from the documentary

and explain why the TV documentary was particularly interesting.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer:

I like to watch different types of documentaries in order to introduce myself to an array of issues that I find both interesting and informative. Today, I would like to talk about one such documentary which I recently watched.

The documentary, I want to talk about here, is called “dirty money”, and it is a Netflix original TV series that very boldly tells the stories of corporate corruption, securities fraud, and creative accounting from all over the world.

Beginning its streaming on Netflix in early 2018, this documentary so far has aired 12 episodes in order to inform the world about the lies and deception of the so-called rich, famous and powerful people. In fact, this documentary very skillfully unearthed the unimaginable scale of corruption and human greed that the world has ever witnessed in its history. Of course, I have watched this sort of programmes and documentaries before but they never went to the length as this documentary to expose the truth.

Anyway, I became particularly interested in this documentary and decided to watch it mainly because it involves some of the biggest names in the world of finance and business. After all, I would have never known about the unholy alliance between a world-famous bank, and the terrorist and murderous drug cartels whose money they (the bank) are happy to launder nor would I have ever learnt about the filthy practices of some of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies’ unfair price hike scheme, had I not watched this great documentary. I decided to watch this documentary also because it is produced by an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker called “Alex Gibney”.

Anyway, I found this documentary interesting primarily because it taught me a lot of new and evil schemes of the corporate world to exploit the poor and helpless in the name of actually helping them! I found this programme to be interesting also because it actually has fully confirmed my distrust and suspicion about the so-called corporate world like no other things.

One Comment to “Cue Card # 151: Describe a TV documentary you watched”

I think they hired some freelance journalists to find this type of story because it is sometimes very dangerous to write this type of article.

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‘Renegade Nell’ Review: When the Highwayman Is a Superwoman

In a new series for Disney+, the creator of “Happy Valley” and “Last Tango in Halifax” imagines a sometimes-superpowered 18th-century justice warrior.

• Share full article

By Mike Hale

The British television writer Sally Wainwright may not be a household name in the United States, but for more than a decade she has been turning out television shows whose variety and consistently high quality few writer-producers can match.

“Scott & Bailey,” which premiered in 2011, was a smart, tart buddy-detective procedural . The blended-families drama “Last Tango in Halifax” (2012) was finely tooled, irresistible hokum , reflecting the lessons Wainwright learned during her tenure on the venerable soap opera “Coronation Street.” She raised her game with “Happy Valley” (2014), a terrific series about the intertwined work and home lives of a doggedly heroic policewoman. And she segued into costume drama with “Gentleman Jack” (2019), a fact-based Victorian saga of lesbian romance and financial maneuvering that was, like the others, well made, well acted and highly engaging.

The shows have a couple of through lines. They all take place in or near Wainwright’s home ground of Yorkshire, in northern England. And they all focus on tough, take-charge women — often women whose commitment to what they know or think is right can make them a little hard to live with.

Wainwright’s latest show, “Renegade Nell,” whose eight episodes premiered Friday on Disney+, takes her down some new paths. The action moves south, toward London (it was filmed in Oxfordshire), and further back in time, to the early 1700s. And in a significant departure, Wainwright dabbles in the supernatural: Her heroine, the commoner Nell Jackson, can summon otherworldly strength and agility to battle the black magic wielded by her higher-born foes.

Nell, played by Louisa Harland of “Derry Girls,” is another Wainwright heroine who must learn how to harness her strength and high spirits, and not do collateral damage to her family and friends. (She gets called “unnatural,” an epithet also applied to the protagonist of “Gentleman Jack” when she acts in ways women are not supposed to.) Nell’s challenge is greater, though, because the strength is so unexpected. Stumbling upon a stagecoach robbery, she is about to be shot when a tiny light appears and gives her ruffian-bashing, bullet-dodging capabilities.

The light turns out to be a winged humanoid named Billy, played by Nick Mohammed of “Ted Lasso,” who returns to bail out Nell whenever she is in danger (though not always as promptly as she would like). And she is in danger a lot: Her new powers, combined with some complicated and tragic circumstances, turn her into a fugitive suspected of multiple murders and eventually put her in the unlikely position of saving the British crown from a Jacobite invasion. (Thematically, it’s helpful for Wainwright that the actual monarch at the time, who faced an actual coup attempt, was a woman, Queen Anne, played in the show with an arch sang-froid by Jodhi May.)

It is worth mentioning here that “Renegade Nell” is a comedy, and that various traditions of British comedy figure heavily in how it looks and feels. It’s like a gender-switched “The Beggar’s Opera” (the most famous play of the show’s time period), with a male highwayman, Devereux (Frank Dillane), as the female lead’s comic foil. It borrows from the picaresque novels of the 18th century, as Nell and a ragtag band that includes her two sisters (Bo Bragason and Florence Keen), a resourceful stablehand (Ényì Okoronkwo) and Devereux bounce around the countryside getting into and out of alarming scrapes.

And hanging in the background is Shakespeare. There are references to “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “King John,” and Billy is an Ariel-like sprite who speculates that his partnership with Nell is meant to restore balance to the world, which would be in the best traditions of Shakespearean comedy.

Billy must speculate because neither he nor Nell has any idea why they have been brought together, and the audience does not know what Billy is or where he comes from.

Perhaps we will get this information if a second season materializes; in the meantime, its lack contributes to a general fuzziness at the show’s center. Wainwright’s skill at moving the characters around and putting pithy dialogue in their mouths makes “Renegade Nell” very enjoyable from moment to moment, and most of the performers — particularly Keen, as the youngest sister, and Dillane — draw you in.

But as the season moves along, and the metaphor of magic as social and political power becomes more obvious — enabling Nell while it corrupts the aristocratic schemers ably played by Adrian Lester and Alice Kremelberg — the show doesn’t solidify its hold on your emotions. And the comedy, while reasonably deft, remains on a low boil.

Like a lot of period pieces these days, the show is amusing, intelligent and very well executed, and it shrewdly exploits its comic and magical elements to get away with audience-friendly anachronisms of language, behavior and casting. The corollary, and perhaps the consequence, is that it feels like an exceedingly clever card trick — well worth the “Ooh,” but unlikely to linger in the mind.

Mike Hale is a television critic for The Times. He also writes about online video, film and media. More about Mike Hale

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Nicholas Galitzine, known for playing princes and their modern equivalents, hopes his steamy new drama, “Mary & George,” will change how Hollywood sees him .

Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth met while filming “Fargo” in 2017. Now married, they have reunited onscreen in “A Gentleman in Moscow.”

A reboot of “Gladiators,” the musclebound 1990s staple, has attracted millions of viewers in Britain. Is appointment television back ?

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

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