Panel
Planning and Developing a Documentary from Concept to Shooting Script
with Dr. Sam Smiley, Artistic Director of the White Sands International Film Festival
Dr. Sam Smiley, noted screenwriting authority, offers an interactive workshop for documentary filmmakers of all levels. The session’s essentials include explanations, demonstrations, and exercises useful to anyone who plans to shoot a non-fiction film. Documentaries offer enormous creative freedom and equally significant problems of arousing, extending, and fulfilling viewer expectations. Specifically, Dr. Smiley plans to explore interactively the following:
Devising a Concept—An Idea and Its Visual Potential
Exploring Materials—Locations, People, Background
Developing a Plot and Story—Approach, Structure, Through-line
Composing a Treatment—Purpose, Style, Flexibility
Writing the First Draft—Visualizing Setting, Behavior, and Sound
Analysis and Responses—Criteria and Authorities
Testing on Site—Critical Explorations
Drafting Revisions—Practice and Purposes for Revising
On-site Flexing—Capturing Unpredictable Miracles
Final Draft—Function of the Script in Editing
This interactive two-hour workshop is limited to twelve participants and an unlimited number of observers. For active participation, please submit a brief summary of your background and filmmaking goals plus a list of four or five documentary film ideas. The latter are to be used during the workshop. Please bring your own writing materials to the workshop. The active participants also receive an interactive workbook. Some film clips may be used throughout the workshop.
2009 Program
