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Welcome
Tell It Like It Is

Youth Films International

2010 Student Workshops

Teaching The Art of The Ethical Documentary

(C) 2010 Youth Films International
 Workshop #4:
What we’ll cover today

Apple Editor Mike Alfano

- what you will need for
editing

Assignment review

Story questions

Interview crash course

 Last Production Workshop

• Pre-Production: Research,
Calling,Finding story

• Production: Shooting,
Writing

• Next 2 weeks: Post-

production: Editing,
Burning to DVD
 Week Two Review

What do you know about YFI?

Who has role or researcher, writer, camera
operator and editor?
In Six Words: describe your doc
Temperature Check?:

Scale of 1-10?
Three wow factors from research
Did you phone or interview anyone this
week?
What are your challenges?
What is left to do?
Review: Story Structure

Beginning-Middle-End
Tease-Body-Conclusion
The Tease
allows your viewer to focus on what doc is
about
introduces at least one main character
sets tone of your film
sets up a critical location for your story
presents a problem/asks a question
The Body

It is the unfolding your story

Get to know your characters, what they’re
doing, why they’re doing it
It’s the biggest part of your doc -80%
The Conclusion

Wrapping up, giving closure

Might recap points of story (don’t be
repetitive)
Whatever you asked or presented in your
Tease, needs to be delivered
Example:

Tease: Meet Amy, soccer captain, Former city

champs, going through slump, about to compete
against #1 rivals
Body: Get to know team; what are their strengths?
Challenges they face? Coach - good leader?
Teammates,
Climax = match against rivals. who wins?
Conclusion: Reaction of team, How did it change
them? What about Sarah?
The Final Countdown!
Go over your plan with me and mentor
Show outline - if it’s not done, write down
now
Reminder: April 24th and May 1st Editing
@CTV 9 Channel Nine Court, Scarborouh,
M1S 4B5
Must give name at security gate. Meet in
front lobby of CTV main entrance
 What You Need for Edit
• Script: see example
• All footage: Good Footage identified - don’t
mass upload crappy footage!
• Narration written down and recorded
• ALL interview clips written (transcribed)
• B-roll - know where it is going to go!
Rock the Interview

(C) 2010 Youth Films International

 Shhhhh...Interview Secrets

• Docs are typically made up of a combo of

Narration (you) and interviews (characters)
• What is an interview?
• Characters telling their story
• Narration fills in only when absolutely
necessary.
 Step one: Pre Interview
• Phone potential guests:
• Are they a ‘good talker’?
• Get to know them so you are both more
comfortable in person
• Prep them - i.e. if your story is about stuffed
toys, and they tell you they have 200, make
sure they set them up for you.
 Secret to Successful Intv...

• #1 Be Prepared. Questions, Equipment, Location,

Time, etc.
• You are the expert in their eyes - they’ll take your
lead.
• If you’re relaxed, they’re relaxed. If you’re
flustered, they’re flustered. Be ‘real’ and so will
they.
• Never EVER lie or mislead an interviewee. Ever.
 Location Check List:
• Camera and microphone
• Fully charged battery plus spare and power cord.
• Tape plus an extra
• Chair for guest? Quiet location (wind, traffic,crowd)
• Tripod
• Shot List written down - know your must have’s to get
story across.
• Consent forms
 When you are shooting
• Make eye contact: Don’t look into camera
• Slow steady camera moves. Leave 5 seconds at
beginning and end of each shot.
• During interview, note if they say something you
can film later (i.e. they talk about apples, make sure
you shoot apples)
• Shoot “cutaways” - generic visuals of person used
in your edit: i.e. hands, feet, eyes (no mouth!)
 Step Two: In person
• Write down your questions! Rookie mistake
if you ‘wing it’.
• Brief them - tell them what is going to
happen. Do they have qny questions b/f you
start?
• Make them comfortable. It translates on
video.
 Step Three: Shooting
• Two ppl - one on camera, one asking questions
• Frame: Head and shoulders should fill frame - don’t
have stuff in background
• Use a microphone! Very imp. If you absolutely
can’t, be very close (2-3 feet)
• Camera operator - wear headphones to make sure
audio is good
• Stay quiet during their answers
 Shooting Interview....

• LISTEN to their answers. If they say something

interesting, ask them about it. Treat it like
conversation.
• Repeat your question if you don’t like their answer.
• FIRST ON-CAM QUESTION IS ALWAYS:....
• “Name, spelling, title”
Any Questions?
(c) 2010 Youth Films International
All Rights Reserved