Production techniques specific to non-fiction storytelling, including interviewing, verité shooting, and narrative structure.
About this course
Documentary Filmmaking moves beyond the scripted short. You will learn the production techniques specific to non-fiction storytelling, including interviewing, verité shooting, and narrative structure. Working in small crews, you will develop a story idea, secure access to your subjects, and shoot footage that captures real life in motion.
The course places equal weight on the ethics of representation and the craft of editing. You will learn how to shape raw, unscripted material into a coherent film that respects your subjects while keeping the audience engaged. The final project is a short documentary edit that you will present to the class and receive peer feedback on.
Who takes this course
This course is a required component for students in the Video & Broadcast Production program.
Credits: 3 · Hours: 45
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
- Plan and conduct interviews that elicit compelling, on-camera narratives.
- Apply verité shooting techniques to capture authentic, unscripted moments.
- Structure a documentary narrative that balances factual reporting with engaging storytelling.
- Edit raw footage into a coherent, emotionally resonant short documentary film.
Evaluation
| Component | Weight (%) |
| Interview planning and execution | 20 |
| Verité shooting log | 20 |
| Documentary edit (5-7 minutes) | 50 |
| Peer review and reflection | 10 |