Content Tabs
In this accessible and intensive two-day short course, you will learn about the role of the director in documentary through a combination of theory and practical exercises. This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in directing for documentary, and those who want to develop their abilities to be able to direct documentaries and factual programmes.
This is a hands-on course working with smart phones and camera equipment that combines discussion and theory with a series of practical real-world exercises. The idea is to ensure you can enter the edit with high quality rushes that the editor can work with and you can build your narrative. The course is aimed at making you more skilled, more confident and more employable.
The course will be led by experienced documentary director Ashok Prasad - who's been twice shortlisted for an RTS Best Documentary award and won an International Emmy for his work. He is a former Head of the Directing Documentary MA at the NFTS.
The course will combine discussions and demonstrations with practical exercises which will then be reviewed together in class. The tutor will share tips gathered from first-hand experience and show clips to demonstrate different approaches.
You will have the opportunity for one-to-one feedback with the tutor
Among the areas covered will be:
- Using image for narrative, conveying emotion, giving a point of view.
- Directing actuality – controlled processes and uncontrollable action
- Getting contributors into and out of scenes & locations
- Ensuring sufficient coverage for the edit
- Putting contributors at ease & building trust
- Directing conversations in documentary
- Different forms, approaches and styles of interview
- Active listening and asking difficult questions.
- Expectations and boundaries. Duty of care.
The course is aimed at producers at all levels including Development Producers, Edit Producers, Series Producers, Producer Directors, Assistant Producers and anyone who wants to know more about how stories work in documentaries.
Please fill in the application form.
