It’s all about the right shot!

“As documentary filmmakers, we make our own environment. We look around our surroundings and make the most of it,” said Jim Gabbe, documentary filmmaker from Citizenart Education Forum, USA. Gabbe along with his partner and technical director, Jeff Lewis, addressed the students of Bennett University. They spoke about how the style of documentaries are changing and how technology is playing an important role in it.

Rule number 1:

First and the most important rule of documentary filmmaking is to ‘get a shot’. Gabbe believes that getting a shot as quickly as possible is an art and there’s no right or wrong in the documentary. “Getting that perfect shot is not always easy but you always have to try and shoot anything and everything. Don’t let the thought of a perfect shot distract you from capturing what you have. “ He also gave students some tips on how to take shots. He said, “Build an archive of various shots, you never know when a shot can come to your rescue.”

One perfect idea:

An idea can make or break one’s story. The hardest thing for a filmmaker is to come up with a good idea.“Think of an idea that you feel is decent enough and is doable. Try to figure out how to approach it. If you can’t execute your ideas, no matter how brilliant it is, it’s of no use,” said Gabbe.

How technology helps:

Lewis talked about how the virtual world has transformed and how it is now much more beneficial for people like him. “Since the technology is getting better day by day, it has opened vast spectrums for creative people like us. There’s so much more than we can do with our shots and make it interesting for our audiences.”

Always have a backup:

“Having a backup while you’re shooting is very important. Be it your camera or audio, backup options should always be available, “Jim, the technical director said. He also emphasized that scripting can’t be done until one has taken his/ her footage. Music in a documentary is an essential part. It gives an impact to the story.

The beautiful journey:

Being a documentary filmmaker is not an easy job. “People are unpredictable and so are their reactions but that just can’t stop us from doing what we want,” said Gabbe. Connecting with people from different parts of the world, listening to their stories and learning about their cultures, it’s all part of the beautiful journey. Adding to that, he said, “If you love what you’re doing, you wouldn’t mind being an artist, technician or a director to achieve your desired goals. Would you?”