Documentary - A Personal View

SECOND TAKE – AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKERS TALK by Burton & Caputo, Allen & Unwin 1999

What I love about documentary is that it conveys the textures of everyday life like no other form can. It captures spontaneity and immediacy. It involves a process of discovery with often very unexpected twists and turns. There is never the opportunity to do a second take. I find this thrilling on the one hand, but exhausting on the other.

Unlike scripted drama, you can't plan a documentary. The best ones unfold of their own accord. It’s in watching the unexpected coalesce or unravel which is the thrilling part of the process. From my experience it all depends on good planning, some intuition and a bit of luck.