Documentary Film Projects In Travel Study Programs and Language Classrooms

Yusi Gaoygao@brearley.orgThe Brearley School

When I Was 16

Basic Equipments

Other Good-to-haves

SoundIf you are only filming with your phone you should:

Avoid areas with loud background noise (Outdoor filming)

Keep windows closed and turn off the fan. (Indoor filming)

Use headset to record narrations

Place the camera near the actors/interviewers

Run a sound test to make sure you are catching enough sound

Use a separate phone to record audio if necessary

Camera-work Use a tripod

Learn different types of shots

Ask your students about different filming apps they use

Take lots of B-rolls shots

Backup daily

PlanningFind a topic that is engaging and

enlightening for your students

Narrow the down the topic to one specific question

Planning

Identify the interviewees

Plan interview locations

Planning

Find the “Narrative Arch”

Write a “Treatment”

Pre-production Checklist

Treatment

Shot-list (shot type, length of shot)

Work schedule

Narration

Interview questions

InterviewingStart with ice-breaker question

Ask open-ended questions

Ask follow up questions

Transcribe each interview

Editing and Post-productioniMovie Vs. Adobe Premiere

Limit the time of each shot to 12 seconds

Avoid using class time for editing

Your students probably have better ideas than you do

Use instrumental music as background music

Allow students make different cuts

Don’t forget subtitles and credits

Individual Mini Film Projects Select Topic

Write script using required sentence structures and vocabulary

Script editing

Filming

Record narration

Classroom Projects