Task 3
Researching My
Documentary Idea
Objectives
Identify what specifically we
need to research in
preparation for producing our
documentary idea
Identify the best research
methods to gather the
information we need
Consider the purpose, validity
and relevance of our research
First Task:
Create a new
PowerPoint/Canva
Presentation
Title it Documentary Research
Portfolio
This is where you will collate
all your research findings &
annotations
Defining our audience
1. Create a quick survey titled
"Documentary Audience Research"
Firstly, we need
2. At the top of your Google Form insert
to investigate
the overview of your idea
who our idea is
going to be 3. Include the following questions in your
appealing to... survey as a minimum (add more if you
wish!)
What is your gender?
What is your age?
On a scale of 1-5 how much do you know about {insert
topic of your documentary here}
Is this a topic/story that would interest you?
Where you do typically watch documentaries?
In your opinion, what makes a powerful documentary?
Researching our contributors
What key information do we need to find out about our
contributors?
1 Basic details
Name/ Role/Position in society / Age /
Contact details
2
Relevance
A summary of how they are relevant to the
documentary and what they can add to the
narrative
3
Availability
4
When and where they are available for
Experience
Have they been interviewed before? If they
recording
haven't how can we prepare them for the
recording and interview process?
5 Facts/Background information
- What are their views about the topic?
- What personal experiences have they had in relation to the topic?
- What are their future plans in relation to the topic?
Collate all of this
information into a
contributor profile pack
Researching our topic Sources:
Websites
Videos: News c
lips,
documentaries
Newspapers
What key facts and information do we need to
research to inform the content of our
documentary & to help us structure relevant
interview questions?
RELATED ARTICLES/NEWS STORIES
STATISTICS RELATED TO OUR TOPIC
QUOTES FROM EXPERTS OR RESEARCH
Researching kit availability
Email the media technicians to
check the availability of the kit
you want to book in line with
your filming dates:
mark.dimmock@gloscol.ac.uk
taiya.price-greaves@gloscol.ac.uk
Complete digital
booking form & email
to technicians &
Sophie
Researching location availability & suitability
1. Make a list of the locations you'll need
access to for filming purposes
2. If applicable contact the location owner
to find out availability & permissions
3. Complete the following checklist to
assess the suitability of the location
Is there natural light available?
Is there the option to block out natural light?
Is there background noise at certain times in that area?
Is there a suitable backdrop for filming?
Is there mains electricity points?
Can you practice social distancing in the area?
Researching the market
1. Find a documentary or recorded
interview that is based around the same
or similar topic:
What visual content do you see throughout?
Look at the
What is the 3 act structure?
views/likes/
audience
comments Who are the contributors?
Is there a voice over / narration?
What is the tone? informal/formal?
Overall, how successful is the documentary?
Collate these notes &
information into your
research portfolio
