7 Tips for Producing a Family History Documentary

The Writing Podcast

English - December 08, 2023 22:01 - 46 minutes - 63.7 MB
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Previous Episode: Author and Book Coach Stacy Ennis on Systems for Book Writing and Landing a TED Talk

Next Episode: Jordan Rosenfeld on Storytelling Techniques to Use in Nonfiction Writing

There’s a story behind every successful family business and enterprise. Some families will write a book. But some families might find a documentary is the best way to capture the family story. In this episode, Dave and Melissa will help you explore why a documentary might be a better vehicle than a book. They also offer 7 tips on how to create a compelling documentary that best tells your family’s story.

Great Moments in the Episode

5:15 – 8:35 The limits of a book for capturing your family history.

9:05 – 11:45 Tip 1: Start with preliminary comprehensive research.

11:44 – 13:55 What a “through line” is in a documentary.

17:00 – 18:25 Tip 2: Start with a script.

18:30 – 20:02 The script as a plan for shoot day.

20:05 – 23:36 Tips for writing a script, including scenes where something is at stake.

23:37 – 24:00 Danger or relying on post-production editing without a script.

24:20 – 27:30 Tip 3: Building trust with your interviewees.

27:46 – 30:14 Tip 4: The first take is often the best.

30:15 – 31:10 The problem with teleprompters.

31:15 – 34:02 Tip 5: You can never have enough b-roll.