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#LOGLINE EXAMPLES FOR DOCUMENTARY HOW TO#
Give it all you got!!įor more tips on Developing your Documentary Ideas, check out our Documentary How To video tutorial, which goes over the legal and creative steps to developing your ideas to the fullest in order to get funding underway. Don’t blow it with sloppy or vague writing. This is your chance to get someone excited about your project. Make sure it makes sense and flows well, and piques their interest. Spell check! Have someone else who is a good writer (it doesn’t have to be a filmmaker) read your treatment before you send it out to anyone. Production Schedule and Timeline, if relevant Format and other production information: What format will you shoot on? Film, video? Are there any interesting aspects about the location, timeframe, etc? Style – How will this film look? What’s your style? Be specific, use descriptive adjectives and references. Story Structure – a brief mention of how your story will play out structurally, and include any interesting or unique elements of storytelling that you plan to implement. Main Characters – Who are the main characters and why are they interesting? What do they go through and how do they transform? What do we learn from them? “Twenty male inmates in a Kentucky prison rehearse and perform Shakespeare’s The Tempest over the course of one year.” The Log Line is a one line description of the action in your film, i.e: Usually the Log Line is contained therein. Top Documentary Logline Examples Earthlings The Salt of the Earth Senna David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet O.J.: Made in America Stop Making Sense. Synopsis – a short (1 paragraph) description of the broad themes of your project, and its place and time, as well as a short description of what happens in the film. Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games.
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Your treatment should contain the following elements: Here’s an example of a 1-paragraph long synopsis THE HUNGER GAMES. A logline is a brief (1-2 sentences) summary of a film that states the central. Writing a treatment can also really help you sharpen your own ideas and concept of your film. While there are endless formulas for making a successful documentary. It’s essentially a marketing tool that is helpful in fundraising, distribution, and many other steps of the filmmaking process. You want to hook your reader and get them interested in your project so that they want to know more and so that they become a supporter of the project. The writing should be well-organized, grammatically correct and exciting and tantalizing to read. ( Finding Nemo) The longer you wait, the harder it gets. ( Alien) There are 3.7 trillion fish in the ocean. Enter Now Final Deadline in 26 days Examples of Taglines In space, no one can hear you scream. (Sometimes a treatment can go up to 4 pages, and then would include a longer narrative story summary, and more character information). Think of a tagline as a slogan for the film. They are usually 1-2 pages and contain only the essential information about your project. They are a succinct and descriptive way to get across the elements of your film to others. Treatments are an invaluable tool at any step of the way in the filmmaking process. A performative style might sell well but it can also compromise the integrity of the subject.DOCUMENTARY TIP #7: Writing a Strong Treatment When you set out to make a documentary, you will need to consider what style is best for you. Is it a subjective piece sharing the filmmaker’s opinion, or can the audience decide for themselves? Is there be a ‘voice of god’ narration, or is the presenter part of the action. Next time you watch a documentary, consider what mode it fits under. In short, all documentaries will fit under one or a mix of these modes. Catfish (2010) Ariel Schulman & Henry Joost.
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This is a performative documentary because Spurlock himself is the main focus, and he is personally involved in the action.
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One example of this is Super Size Me (2004), where Morgan Spurlock eats nothing but McDonald’s fast food for 30 days straight. In this mode of documentary filmmaking, they show a larger than life experience of a world, culture or event. These films tend to be more subjective and opinionated. Often the subject is personal to the presenter, and they are involved in the story.
#LOGLINE EXAMPLES FOR DOCUMENTARY MOVIE#
The filmmaker makes the whole movie an entertaining performance.
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Performative films are more stylised and focus on a big theme.
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