Documentary: How To Have A Good Idea

Documentary: Idea Generating

There are key rules and advice to remember when planning a documentary.

When comming up with ideas you should use your curiosity, follow up on things that facinate you. A good starting point is to begin with a question e.g. whatever happened to?...

Alternitively if there is an aniversary of a majour person or eventnt approaching, you could look at that.

It is important to look at the sources you have available. Look in to areas you have speialist knowledge in and have contacts/connections with. 

Look at a range of media e.g. papers, radio, newsletters etc.

Get behind big headlines, get the scoop on fresh relevant interviews. 

Look at the basic requirements for a documentary, and expand/brainstorm around them. 

Possibly start with nothing but an interseting location and build up from there. Look at the regular events and characters that happen there. 

Go digital and use the tools you have available to you to research specific areas in as much detail as possible. e.g. see whats trending on Twitter, or use Google's advanced search. 

Don't try to force an idea, let it come naturally to you while dooing something you like. 

You need to ask a big question/questions that follows the rule of three, What am i watching, why should I watch it, what can I take from it. 

Key Elements Of A Story

• A strong central character/characters.

• Universal/Relatable themes.                             (every great story has to effect our heart, mind or wallet)

• A strong narrative and structure.                        (needs a beggining, middle and end, with some kind of decission or conflict or twist in some from).

• Reppetition                                               (show your audience the message, tell them and tell them     again). 

• Finally the best stories are told with real people, compelling stories, and beautiful cinimatography.