Make better documentary films & photos - My approach & advice
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
- Find out more about Storyblocks here: storyblocks.com/kylemcdougall
In this video I'm doing a breakdown of my approach to creating character-driven documentary films, talking about how to find subjects and how to discover a message or theme.
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It feels wrong that I haven't paid for this. Thank you, Kyle.
Appreciate you watching, Jay!
sorry to be so offtopic but does anyone know a method to get back into an instagram account??
I somehow lost the account password. I love any tricks you can give me
Brilliant video, Kyle! 👏
The RUclips Filmmaking space needs more storytelling and fewer gear reviews.
I appreciate that! Thank you. 🙏
This is some genuine content from a genuine guy, not a single dislike and 527 likes already
🙏
Really Helpful for my upcoming Project
Exactly, the thing I was looking for.❤
I used You Will Survive Doomsday as a reference in an academic essay at University, such a great example of documentary film-making. Something that people don't seem to talk a lot about is how you get specific moments with these people, whether you ask them to do something or if you just shoot them doing what they do, and how to alleviate anxiety/tension. Obviously a certain amount of it can often involve asking them to walk/do something a couple times to get a few angles, and its tough to figure out how to go about that in the best way possible. It would be really interesting to hear you talk about how you work with people in future.
Thanks, Alister! As for working with people, it's a delicate balance. There are certainly times where you need to ask them to do specific things, but for the most part, I try to be a 'fly on the wall' as much as possible. I've found that when you ask someone to do a specific thing for the camera, they start to think about how they're doing it, and they can become rigid and unnatural. It's also important to spend time with people so they become comfortable with you. Don't start filming right away. Spend a day, or even half a day with them.
@@KyleMcDougall That's really interesting. Thanks for the comprehensive reply!
Hi Kyle, I'm new to your channel and new to making films. Just wanted to let you know that after two years of creating this, there are still people out there feeling so grateful that they found this video.
Thanks for this comment! Glad you found it helpful.
Great video, Kyle, and quite universal as you mentioned. I’m looking for ways to mature my photography, and this is really helpful in understanding my own purpose in my projects and in introducing story to a body of work, including images I may already have taken. Really looking forward to the next chapter.
This kind of content is so helpful. Thanks very much, dude!
Glad you dig it!
Fantastic video and greatly inspiring, Kyle!
I appreciate that. Thank you.
9:47 i love this shot. its so simple but well thought out.
So glad to see you start weaving your film-making work into the channel. Huge fan of your style and what you do, can't wait to see more. Cheers, Tim.
Thanks, Tim! Definitely plan on talking more about it in the future.
thank you
Absolutely love your videos. ❤️
Cheers!
So much value here mate 👌🏾 looking forward to the next one. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this approach to looking deeper within the characters driving your documentaries, Kyle. Rather than all the normal superficial questions leading to them just rehashing the same-old-same-old responses of their stories, you are instead being led by them through spending some genuinely interested time with them and seeing where that leads you. I really love the organic and authentic approach to this. No prior outcomes manipulated into being, or sensationalist fodder being the driving force. Thank you so much for the wonderful example of the genuine side of documentary creation, Kyle.
Thank you, Alex. Really appreciate that. And yeah, that's what it's all about. Telling someone's authentic story and sharing a meaningful message with the audience!
Excellent, thank you.
I am glad that you are planning on doing more videos on documentary films and photographs. This was really helpful.
Glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
This is such great advice and guidance that really gets to the heart of why your documentaries were so engaging and interesting to watch. Really appreciate you sharing this for free for everyone to learn from
This is a master class in journalism. Amazing, dude!
oh damn, i was hoping you'd make something documenting this!
Thanks Kyle! There is so much good information and good thoughts on how to make these stories work.
Thanks, Joe. Glad you dig it.
This video is a dream come true. Thank you soooo much for making it! ❤❤
Cheers, Pierre. Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a masteclass of storytelling! Also your voice is so soothing haha! :)
😅 Glad you enjoyed!
Incredible.
Great video Kyle, very inspiring!
Cheers, Edmund!
Kyle I am so pleased I found your channel today - utterly inspired.
Thanks, Tom!
Your grading is fire!
Cheers, Jacob!
@11:00 Thank you for talking through your initial process. Its nice to hear this. Sometimes I struggle with "how to start".
I've really been enjoying your videos from film to story telling. please keep creating and sharing. very helpful.
Thank you!
This was great! More filmmaking stuff please 👏
Cheers!
Great video! We've all got stories to tell. Focusing on the "why" is a very important step to making a good documentary.
Thanks!
This is the heartfelt documentary stories. Thank you Kyle. You make great story, tips and explanation that inspire me and a lots of people. Wanna see full video version of those stories. Wish you success in your documentary.
I appreciate that, Maxim. Cheers!
Absolutely gobsmacked that you are as giving as you are. You sir are a gentleman, and I'm forever wanting to see more of this part of your passion and process. This was mesmerizing, and filled with visual imagery that many can hope to strive towards. Loved it. Cheers.
I really appreciate that! Thank you. Definitely plan to talk some more about this in the future.
i dropped a like before the video even started as these are always so good
To echo the other comments - this is so fantastic. Making something along these lines is on my list of 2021 goals and this is extremely helpful. I look forward to the next one!
Glad you enjoyed this one, Tim!
This was so rads, would love to see more videos about your documentary work and process:)
Cheers, Caleb. Currently working on part two of this.
This is extremely valuable and inspiring for us new to documentary work finding our feet. Thank you for creating this.
Glad you found it helpful, Arnis!
Fabulous Kyle. Genuine and engaging as ever. I had no idea you pursued video docs - and now I see why your photography YT videos look and feel so well crafted.
Really appreciate that, Pete. Thank you!
I just discovered your channel here, beautiful work and insights. Very pleasing to listen to and helpful through and through. Thank you!
Amazing video Kyle. Great ideas
Appreciate it!
Thanks for sharing. It was so inspirational!
Glad you enjoyed it!
i've watched a number of videos of yours over the years and i've never seen you shooting people. As someone who mostly photographs people and is most interested in that type of work, i still have always gravitated towards the work of yours that is more landscape etc.., but seeing this made me even more of a fan. thank u
Thanks a lot for sharing your ideas. I‘m actually in the process of planning my first documentary and your approach is very inspirational! Just also subscribed to your channel 😉 best wishes from Switzerland
Cheers. Glad you enjoyed this one!
Kyle, this is such an honest way of telling a story and also keeping your style intact. Looking deeper and thinking about the reasons why a person does certain things or developed certain characteristics. This truly resonates with me.
Really happy to hear that, Rebecca. Thanks for watching!
Wow youre amazing Bro, we need more of this
Great stuff, Kyle. I’m very much enjoying your videos 👍🏻
This has been absolutely your best video yet
I appreciate that, Mike. Thank you!
Probably your best video yet imo.
Always great contents.
Thank you!
Kyle, I really enjoyed this, thank you. I’m always interested to hear about the thought processes and motivations of documentarians. What yo said about getting beyond the superficial is so important, it’s far to easy to settle for the obvious. I’d certainly appreciate further films in this vein. Thanks again.
Thank you, Nigel. Glad you enjoyed this one!
What a great way to revive the footage that you had to pause, I hope this helped you keep motivation to finish it. Thank you for these tips too, the sound design to this video is also top notch!
Thank you! And yes, definitely plan on finishing that one at some point in the future.
Gotta admit, I've already seen the second film, well over a year ago. I stumbled across your filmmaking brand and ended up watching every single video on your site, I was completely blown away. Glad to see that you're beginning to shed more light on this amazing work.
I appreciate that Ben!
Great video! I am so grateful you shared your experience and work, that’s really the kind of content we need on you tube about photography. Question: how do you find your subjects?
Thank you. A lot of it is just brainstorming and research. Also from people I know. Wish I had an easy answer for that. The best advice I could give is just always stay curious and attentive.
Super interesting video Kyle. Looking forward to the follow up!
Cheers, Shaun!
Thank god this channel exist. Merci pour ton travail Kyle!
Cheers, Vincent!
Thank you Kyle! The film I have been waiting for! 🧡 And no one better to talk about this than you! A whole series going deep on the art of filmmaking Kyle?
Thanks, Sarah! Glad you enjoyed this. And yes, more to come!
@@KyleMcDougall yay!!! I can't wait. What a treasure this is!
Really great stuff thank you! Any suggestions on how to pitch and ask to document a subject?
Thanks Kyle! This Video is so inspiring! I wonder if you use the Blackmagic 4K for your documentary work? Can I ask which lense you normaly use? Also your colorgrading is so good! Thanks again!
Thank you! Yes, I’ve used the Pocket 4K for some of my work. All of the Elvis footage was shot with it. One of my favourite cameras. As for lenses, I don’t have one specific fav, but I do love the Contax Zeiss lenses. Specifically the 35-70.
Nice work and now down to earth workflow.
Many thanks!
Kyle just found your channel at the recommendation of another RUclips creator. This video is bery helpful. I've never done a documentary on anyone before. I'm going to be doing a doc about my son and his and his passion for cinematography. I'll be sharing the video with the local chamber of a nearby town. We are from Ontario as well.
Cheers! Glad you found this helpful! Thanks for watching. :)
such a great video !
Thanks!
Killing it as always. Your videos are always rich with knowledge and don't preach opinions as fact. A breath of fresh air in the intense space that is RUclips! Thanks for being so generous with your information and time.
Thanks, Alex. Really appreciate that!
@@KyleMcDougall appreciate your work! Been follwing along for a while now. Keep killing it!
Love the content, brother! Inspiring as I'm making a solo-documentary myself
Wow.Amazing content.
This is great content as always Kyle. Love your style. Where can I watch an entire documentary of yours ?
Thank you! 'You Will Survive Doomsday' is on this channel. Just check out a few videos back. Cheers.
Amazing video that touched on a lot of interesting topics in doc. Not many people discuss their process! thank you for sharing this!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Would love to see a colorgrading video & maybe how you film handheld!
I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Amazing channel. You have somewhere infos how to improve my Handheld Shooting? I love how you do it!
This work reminds me a lot a Philip Bloom's work on Vimeo. Nicely done Kyle!
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this Kyle! It is very inspiring. So you record the main audio narration of the project during this first interview or is it recorded at a later stage?
Thanks George. I usually do the first interview, and then one or two more later on, depending on what I feel like I need. The first interview really helps form a base and direction, and then I go from there. In the end, I use pieces from each interview to construct the story.
Do you prepare your subjects ahead of time on the questions you are going to ask?
Thanks Kyle this is brill and valuable stuff to think over. Skipping to superficial stuff for a second. Can I ask, where do you go for your vintage celluloid film titles? I’ve been looking everywhere and can’t find some that look pleasing
Thank you! I've gotten them from a few places. One set was from a fella named 'Daniel Peters'. If you google his name you should find them. They other frames and elements were from Storyblocks. Cheers!
Great video! you should do a basic shot list video tutorial for interviews! interesting camera angles, close ups, mid shot, long shot,etc
I'll keep that in mind for a future vid.
Love it Kyle! This has inspired me for an upcoming project. Also keep forgetting you're based on the Eastside of Canada. CA represent!!
Cheers, Cody. Glad you found it helpful!
Kyle this is an amazing video.
Please where can I watch more of your documentaries?
This is amazing. Where can I watch more of your films?
Great video as always! Couple of questions...
Lets say I have a project with a certain topic (like collecting old cameras or ton of legos, or whatever)
1, How do you find the person for that topic?
2, Do you approach a certain individual or do you post a question (like "Is there anyone willing to participate in this project?) to some forum for example?
3, Is there usually payment involved in these projects?
Thanks!
I'm a bit too reserved and introvert to do something like this, but I love short films and photos like these, so would love to try it someday :)
Wow, what a great video! Your approach and style to documentaries resonates with me so much. I want to do similar movies as a hobby. Am I right assuming that it’s nearly impossible to make money on documents?
And I didn’t even realize you make movies 😃
Cheers, Michal. As for making money with documentaries... yes, totally doable. But it really depends on which approach you take. There's a lot of different ways, and not all involve earning income. For example, self funded passion projects, documentaries for companies / commercial clients, or finding funding for a project.
@@KyleMcDougall Thanks for sharing those ideas. A great topic for a future episode ;)
OMG this is fantastic, in form and content. Where can we see those documentaries?
Really love your approach to documentaries. I ran across this video and you mention there is another one to watch, yet I cannot locate it on your channel?
Am I missing the playlist for these documents videos? I don't even see the link to the documentaries themselves?
Let us know where we can find this series of videos (both the approach/behind the camera along with the final documentary).
Thanks for sharing : )
Nice grade and look. Feel like film :D
How did you get these colors?
Great storytelling, video work and editing, Kyle! You should focus more on video :-)
Thank you!
What camera and audio do u use for documentry?
Zoom H4N with a Sennheiser MKE 600
Is the Elvis impersonator documentary public yet? Loving the look of the studio shots
Not finished yet, unfortunately.
The footage, look and style of all these projects is so beautiful it makes me angry..lol. Just kidding...thanks for sharing your ideas & process. Great work.
Alec Soth vibes
What beautiful shots, and I really like this type of storytelling. Beautiful that with this sort of work you really learn what the peoples reasoning was, rather than judging indeed. Giving the audience a chance to open up for person.
Bless you, Kyle!
Cheers, Tobias. I appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed this.
I want to watch... YOU WILL SURVIVE DOOMSDAY
On the channel if you're interested.
@@KyleMcDougall I found it..... I enjoyed your work!
GREAT KNOWLEDGE, BUT WHAT IF THAT YOU DONT HAVE A GIFTED TALENT FROM GOD.
Learned about your work from Art of Documentary (@markbone). Killer stuff! I can't wait to watch your part 2! Thank you for the inspiration!
Oh, cool. Didn't realise it was shared there. Glad you enjoyed this!