Behind the Scenes: The Labor Intensive Process of Documentaries

The creation of a documentary is a complex and time-consuming endeavor, often requiring an immense amount of effort and dedication from the filmmakers. From initial preparation to final edits, every step of the process plays a crucial role in producing a compelling and informative film. This article delves into the arduous journey of documentary filmmaking, highlighting the significant time investment required for both filming and editing.

Understanding the Time Investment in Documentaries

A common rule of thumb in the documentary industry is that for every minute of finished documentary footage, filmmakers spend between 10 to 100 hours in filming and editing. This can be exemplified by a 30-minute documentary. Here’s how the process typically breaks down:

30 Minutes of Documentary

Filming Time: Depending on the subject matter's complexity, it can take anywhere from 300 to 3000 hours or more to generate those 30 minutes of footage. Editing Time: The editing process is equally, if not more, extensive. It often takes 2 to 10 times the duration of the documentary. Therefore, editing 30 minutes could require an additional 60 to 300 hours.

In total, the time invested in filming and editing for a 30-minute documentary can span from several hundred to several thousand hours.

Phases of Documentary Filmmaking

The process of making a documentary film is divided into several interdependent phases:

Preparation: This includes research and planning. Filmmakers need to understand the subject matter thoroughly, gather necessary information, and develop a clear narrative. Research: Extensive research is essential to understand the subject and context. This may involve studying existing literature, consulting experts, and gathering data. Finding Archive Footage: Utilizing historical footage can provide valuable context and add depth to the documentary. Doing Interviews: Conducting in-depth interviews with subjects is a crucial step in gathering personal stories and perspectives. Watching Interviews: Reviewing and analyzing the footage from interviews to select the most relevant and impactful segments. Edit Interviews: Editing the interview footage to strengthen the narrative and ensure clarity. Selecting Archive Footage: Carefully choosing the most pertinent and evocative footage to complement the interviews and provide broader context.

Each phase is vital and collectively contributes to the final product. Counting all phases, the time to create one minute of film typically exceeds one hour.

Personal Experiences and Challenges

My personal experience in directing a 26-minute documentary underscores the complexity and dedication required. The project involved extensive filming in Mexico and Brazil, taking about 6 months. Editing was a non-stop process for 8 months, and we had to filter through seven times the material that ultimately made it into the film. From library research to understanding the subject matter, the entire process took two years. This exhaustive effort culminated in third-place wins at the IDFA festival in Amsterdam and other festivals. This journey was the best thing I have ever done, but it couldn’t be rushed.

When using expensive real film, we sometimes wasted an entire roll in an interview without any interest. This highlights the art and luck of successfully capturing meaningful moments in front of the camera and the subsequent editing process to make those moments meaningful to the audience.

In contrast, fiction filmmaking follows a very different process, focusing on narrative and character development rather than capturing real-life occurrences.

Documentary filmmaking is both a labor of love and a rigorous process, requiring immense dedication and perseverance. Each minute of the final product stands as a testament to the thousands of hours invested in its creation.