DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION 101 WORKSHOP
23rd & 24th March 2019
Please head to our gallery for more photos of this workshop.
We had such a wonderful weekend with this bunch at the Documentary Production 101 workshop! A huge thank you to all the participants for making this event a success and of course to our expert trainers for sharing their knowledge.
The workshop was lead by local industry experts with years of experience in field. The participants spent the weekend learning about the various aspects of what it takes to run a documentary production.
1) PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT with Lara Ariffin
Building a solid foundation and being disciplined in production management is vital in all forms of filmmaking. In this session we will look at how to best manage your production from beginning to end. What happens during the pre-production stage and how to effectively lay the groundwork of your project. Lara will cover topics including how to find great ideas, research, story-telling, how to do a line item budget, cost reporting, scheduling, releases and how to fulfil milestones.
2) INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES with Ahmad Yazid
One of the most important elements in documentary-making is the interview session. This is when you get first hand the story or information from characters that are featured in the film. However, interview sessions are often perceived as mundane and many filmmakers are not well prepared for the sessions. Not to mention that often times documentary interviews are treated like press conferences and the feedback from interviewees could be insufficient for the story.
This sharing session is not a lecture or a teaching class but more of the filmmaker’s intention to share his wealth of experience in interviewing subjects ranging from Mat Rempits to the highest echelons in our society.
3) STORYTELLING & DIRECTING with Justin Ong
It all starts with a good story. From there filmmakers figure out what’s the best way to tell the story. In this session, we explore how to develop your story from paper to the screen. We discuss how to divide your story into a beginning, middle and end while exploring various styles of storytelling. What is the role of a director? How do you direct scenes for a documentary?
ARCHIVES & USER GENERATED CONTENT.
Almost everyone has a mobile phone capable of filming videos, which creates a unique opportunity for everyone to be their own storytellers. But there’s also an opportunity for filmmakers to use these user-generated videos to give a unique perspective on events. We will discuss the various ways of utilizing archives and user generated content into documentaries.
4) CAMERA with Wong Chin Hor
In this session, an experienced documentary cinematographer will share his knowledge and expertise on what goes into the craft of filming for documentaries. Chin Hor will talk about how to be more than just a camera operator, and the importance of having a deep understanding of the story in order to be able to work independently in situations where you are separated from the director. He will also share about the working relationship with the sound recordist in the field.
5) SOUND LOCATION with Fauzan Aziman
The secret to good looking footage is the sound. This session will introduce you to recording techniques and the do's and don'ts. Fauzan will demonstrate how to approach different wardrobe to be miked up, how to sync 2 cameras or more, proper audio levels and good practices for interviews.
6) NEW TOOLS IN PRODUCTION with Harun Rahman
The technology surrounding filmmaking is constantly changing and we are flooded with new tools that provide us with unique forms of storytelling. In this hands on session, Harun shares his experience with 360 cameras, drones, gimbals and other latest technologies and trends in production. He will talk about the workflow of filming and editing when using these gears, and also how to archive these footage.
7) POST-PRODUCTION with Harun Rahman
For documentary filmmakers, post-production is arguably the most crucial, and creative stage of the filmmaking process. But it can also creep up to be the most stressful and harrowing. For indies, often the first rough cut can start to reflect something quite different to their original intention, and a free fall creative journey into unchartered territory can quickly unfold.
Decisions you make at the start of your production will surely affect when you need to send your edited master piece for color grading or audio post. Harun will reveal some of the tips and tricks he has garnered over 20 years of editing docs. From archiving to consolidating your project.