Conceiving and Planning a Social Documentary Film June 16, 2011

Instructor: Mira Niagolova, Documentary Filmmaker, Mira Productions

Social documentary films give insight and build awareness of issues of local and global concern through engaging and compelling narratives. With the advent of digital filmmaking, the Internet, and social media the potential to make films that can work toward community engagement and social change has become vastly accessible. Through examples of best practices of social documentary filmmaking the participants will be able to determine the most effective ways to tell a story with a significant social impact.

Intended for students, community members, staff members of non-profit cultural, community and social-service agencies, as well as professional researchers interested in learning more about the nature of social documentary film and the process of creating documentary production.

This two-day class will introduce attendees to the unique nature of social documentary films, and guide them through the fundamental questions in creating a documentary, and basic techniques/guidelines of scriptwriting, producing and distribution/community outreach. Attendees will view selective excerpts from documentaries relating to various social, political, cultural, and historical issues and themes. Each clip will be viewed, discussed and analyzed. The class will end with a pitching session where each participant will have 15 minutes to present his/her project to the class and receive a feedback.

Official Website: http://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/education/cultural-sustainability/workshops.php