The Perfect Blend: The Balance Between Filming and Production in Professional Documentary Filmmaking
You wouldn’t be wrong to think filmmaking is mostly about holding a camera and filming something. That an obvious visual because after all that’s what you see in the field. When I tell some organizations that post-production work is usually two to three times the hours of filming work, I can sometimes receive a perplexed look. That’s fair though because in this world of smartphones, editing a video can seem like it’s 10 minutes of work.
Professional filmmaking is whole different walk in the woods. Firstly, this isn’t your usual low resolution smartphone video. Professional filmmaking and production is about high quality and cinematic quality production work. We’re not usually talking months of post-production work for a Hollywood movie. But we are talking usually four to six weeks of work for your 5 to 10 minute signature video.
Like filmmakers of any kind, I try to educate organizations about why professional filmmaking costs what it does.
Documentary filmmaking is an art form that combines storytelling, visual creativity, and technical skills to create thought-provoking
and impactful films. While most viewers primarily focus on the final product, what they often fail to realize is that the process of making a professional documentary involves a delicate balance between filming work and production work. In this blog post, we explore why the best professional documentary filmmaking requires an equal distribution of effort between these two key components.
Capturing the Essence
Without a doubt, the filming work is at the core of documentary filmmaking, as it involves capturing real-life events, interviews, and moments of authenticity. The in-depth research, meticulous planning, and skillful execution during the shoot are what encapsulate the essence of the subject matter and bring the story to life. Skilled cinematography, effective framing, and proper lighting techniques are just a few of the elements that contribute to visually engaging footage.
Powerful Storytelling
While filming work lays the groundwork, it is through the production work that documentary filmmakers truly craft their narratives. This includes the selection, organization, and treatment of the footage to create a coherent and impactful story. Production work involves tasks such as transcribing, logging, scriptwriting, and editing. These stages allow filmmakers to shape the raw material into a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences. There’s lots of watching and rewatching of clips at this stage to find the perfect blend of clips that, when put together together on the video editing timeline, the most memorable story flows from the beginning, middle and to the end.
Seamless Synchronization
Exceptional documentary filmmaking lies in achieving a balanced blend of filming work and production work. The two components are interdependent, with each stage informing and influencing the other. A well-executed film relies on the seamless synchronization of these aspects. Filming lays the foundation for a solid story, while production work refines and enhances the footage to maximize its impact. Neglecting either aspect can result in a disjointed and less powerful final product.
Fostering Creativity and Efficiency
The equal distribution of effort between filming work and production work benefits both the creative process and workflow efficiency. Allocating adequate time for planning, shooting, and capturing compelling footage allows for greater creative exploration. On the other hand, investing time in post-production helps fine-tune the narrative, optimize the pacing, and polish the visual and auditory elements of the film. This comprehensive approach enhances the overall quality and appeal of the documentary.
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