Documentaries are fascinating and capture the brilliance of humanity when executed thoroughly.
Every director and producer has his or her own routine of writing a documentary script, which can be
very liberating to those who are starting out. Depending on the subject of the documentary, the
schedule can be incredibly pressing, which means that having a system in place prior to embarking
on a new documentary project can be quite rewarding. And don’t forget to check out NYFA’s
documentary filmmaking programs to find the best hands-on, intensive program for you.
Here are 7 steps on how to write a documentary script:
1. Finding the Story You’re Meant to Tell
Why documentary? What are you hoping to convey? Why are you the perfect person to tell this
story? These are all questions you answer in a pitch in order to be green lit by producers and
executive producers. Answering them first for yourself can lead you to a story you feel passionate
about and are thus able to see through the long process of documentary filmmaking. Once
answered, you begin the arduous task of looking deeper into material that will lead you to the story
and ultimately, the script.
2. Research, Research, Research
Research is the most important phase of Pre-production and is the foundation of your script. Often,
when we begin looking at a topic, others have come before us. This means that we need to dig
deeper into the subject in order to not only inform but also surprise the audience. This surprise is key
to creating an interesting story. If you’re looking for experts, one of the ways to find them is to search
for books on the topic and then approach the authors. They may simply become “advisors” – people
who can provide key background information and fact-checkers. They may also turn into
interviewees, on-camera experts who elevate the believability factor. Whichever role they assume,
their input is important to create the skeletal form that you then flesh out with “story” as you develop
your outline.
3. Blueprint Your Documentary
This is the time to organize and plan how the story will be transmitted to your audience. This can be
in the form of an outline most commonly expressed in a set of “sequences”. These are detailed
scenes to show how the film may play out. When you have this sequence outline clear in your head,
shooting the frame is much easier because you already know what you want. This sequence outline
follows the natural narrative spine of storytelling which is broken into acts which culminate in the
overall message that you are trying to convey. There may be some tweaking along the way, but the
sequence outline is there as a guide.
4. Writing the Script
The first column is optional and is used by some filmmakers as a guide to the arc of the narrative.
Video and Audio columns are the standard and they are formatted so that the visuals line up with the
audio (interview, narration, music, etc.) that plays over them.
Documentaries are fascinating and capture the brilliance of humanity when executed thoroughly.
Every director and producer has his or her own routine of writing a documentary script, which can be
very liberating to those who are starting out. Depending on the subject of the documentary, the
schedule can be incredibly pressing, which means that having a system in place prior to embarking
on a new documentary project can be quite rewarding. And don’t forget to check out NYFA’s
documentary filmmaking programs to find the best hands-on, intensive program for you.
Here are 7 steps on how to write a documentary script:
1. Finding the Story You’re Meant to Tell
Why documentary? What are you hoping to convey? Why are you the perfect person to tell this
story? These are all questions you answer in a pitch in order to be green lit by producers and
executive producers. Answering them first for yourself can lead you to a story you feel passionate
about and are thus able to see through the long process of documentary filmmaking. Once
answered, you begin the arduous task of looking deeper into material that will lead you to the story
and ultimately, the script.
2. Research, Research, Research
Research is the most important phase of Pre-production and is the foundation of your script. Often,
when we begin looking at a topic, others have come before us. This means that we need to dig
deeper into the subject in order to not only inform but also surprise the audience. This surprise is key
to creating an interesting story. If you’re looking for experts, one of the ways to find them is to search
for books on the topic and then approach the authors. They may simply become “advisors” – people
who can provide key background information and fact-checkers. They may also turn into
interviewees, on-camera experts who elevate the believability factor. Whichever role they assume,
their input is important to create the skeletal form that you then flesh out with “story” as you develop
your outline.
3. Blueprint Your Documentary
This is the time to organize and plan how the story will be transmitted to your audience. This can be
in the form of an outline most commonly expressed in a set of “sequences”. These are detailed
scenes to show how the film may play out. When you have this sequence outline clear in your head,
shooting the frame is much easier because you already know what you want. This sequence outline
follows the natural narrative spine of storytelling which is broken into acts which culminate in the
overall message that you are trying to convey. There may be some tweaking along the way, but the
sequence outline is there as a guide.
4. Writing the Script
The first column is optional and is used by some filmmakers as a guide to the arc of the narrative.
Video and Audio columns are the standard and they are formatted so that the visuals line up with the
audio (interview, narration, music, etc.) that plays over them.
Documentaries are fascinating and capture the brilliance of humanity when executed thoroughly.
Every director and producer has his or her own routine of writing a documentary script, which can be
very liberating to those who are starting out. Depending on the subject of the documentary, the
schedule can be incredibly pressing, which means that having a system in place prior to embarking
on a new documentary project can be quite rewarding. And don’t forget to check out NYFA’s
documentary filmmaking programs to find the best hands-on, intensive program for you.
Here are 7 steps on how to write a documentary script:
1. Finding the Story You’re Meant to Tell
Why documentary? What are you hoping to convey? Why are you the perfect person to tell this
story? These are all questions you answer in a pitch in order to be green lit by producers and
executive producers. Answering them first for yourself can lead you to a story you feel passionate
about and are thus able to see through the long process of documentary filmmaking. Once
answered, you begin the arduous task of looking deeper into material that will lead you to the story
and ultimately, the script.
2. Research, Research, Research
Research is the most important phase of Pre-production and is the foundation of your script. Often,
when we begin looking at a topic, others have come before us. This means that we need to dig
deeper into the subject in order to not only inform but also surprise the audience. This surprise is key
to creating an interesting story. If you’re looking for experts, one of the ways to find them is to search
for books on the topic and then approach the authors. They may simply become “advisors” – people
who can provide key background information and fact-checkers. They may also turn into
interviewees, on-camera experts who elevate the believability factor. Whichever role they assume,
their input is important to create the skeletal form that you then flesh out with “story” as you develop
your outline.
3. Blueprint Your Documentary
This is the time to organize and plan how the story will be transmitted to your audience. This can be
in the form of an outline most commonly expressed in a set of “sequences”. These are detailed
scenes to show how the film may play out. When you have this sequence outline clear in your head,
shooting the frame is much easier because you already know what you want. This sequence outline
follows the natural narrative spine of storytelling which is broken into acts which culminate in the
overall message that you are trying to convey. There may be some tweaking along the way, but the
sequence outline is there as a guide.
4. Writing the Script
The first column is optional and is used by some filmmakers as a guide to the arc of the narrative.
Video and Audio columns are the standard and they are formatted so that the visuals line up with the
audio (interview, narration, music, etc.) that plays over them.