Finding A Subject For Your Documentary

So you've signed up or are thinking about signing up for our program but you're like, what should I make a documentary about? 🤔 Choosing a topic can feel overwhelming, but you can relax, it's less about finding the "perfect" subject and more about finding one that sparks your interest and allows your unique voice to shine through.

Here are a few ways to go about narrowing down your choices:

1. Make It Personal

This is often the most powerful starting point. What are you genuinely passionate about? What experiences have shaped your life?

• Your Hobbies & Interests: Are you obsessed with a specific music genre like metalcore or UK garage? Do you spend your days analyzing meaning in comic books? Maybe you love to walk through the local nature, discovering local wildlife. Your personal world is full of stories waiting to be told.

• Family & Community: What traditions are part of your family/culture? Is there someone in your community that had a big impact on you or a historical event in your town that's been ignored? Authenticity often comes from what's close to home.

• Personal Growth: Have you overcome a challenge? Learned a new skill? Documenting your own journey or the journey of someone you know intimately can be incredibly relatable and inspiring.

Why it works: When you're personally invested, your passion will shine through your work and you'll bring a level of depth and understanding that's hard to fake.

2. Step Into Someone Else's Shoes

Sometimes the most compelling stories aren't your own, but those you can help bring to light. Telling someone else's story is a great way to see from different perspectives and develop empathy and connection for others.

• Untold Stories: Is there a marginalized community whose struggles or triumphs aren't widely known? An individual with an extraordinary life story that no one has heard yet?

• A Day in the Life Of...: How about an interesting profession, a unique lifestyle, or someone with an unusual hobby. Spend time with them, observe, and capture their world. Think about people whose lives are completely different from your own—a street artist, a zookeeper or an urban gardener, for example.

• Bridging Divides: Find people from different backgrounds or with opposing viewpoints on a subject. Can you create a narrative that helps viewers understand both sides, fostering dialogue rather than division?

Why it works: These kinds of stories broaden horizons, challenge stereotypes, and build bridges to understanding. You not only learn more about the world around you, you become a vehicle for voices that might otherwise go unheard.

3. Make a Difference for Society

Want your film to spark change? Documentaries are powerful tools for advocacy and raising awareness about important issues.

• Social Justice: Are you passionate about mental health awareness, environmental conservation, equal rights, or education reform? Find a specific aspect of a larger issue and focus on bringing it to light.

• Local Problems, Global Solutions: Look for issues in your local community that reflect broader global challenges. For example, a local recycling initiative could be a microcosm for global climate action.

• Behind the Headlines: Take a current event or news story that everyone is talking about and dig deeper. Who are the people affected? What are the underlying causes? What's not being reported?
  

Why it works: An impact-driven documentary can educate, inspire action, and even influence policy. It's about using your lens to contribute to a better world.

4. Go Niche

Some of the best stories are found in the most unexpected places. This is for the curious, the explorers, the ones who love to nerd out on subjects.

• Subcultures & Fandoms: Explore the world of a niche hobby, a unique sports community, or a dedicated fandom. What brings these people together? What are their rituals and beliefs?

• The "How It's Made": Pick something you use every day or find fascinating, and explore the process behind its creation. From artisanal bread making to complex sound design in film, there's always a process to uncover.
  

Why it works: These films cater to niche interests and can unearth fascinating details that most people never consider, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.

Ultimately, the best documentary topic for you is one that you're genuinely excited to spend a lot of time with. It should be something that makes you want to research, explore, and talk to people. Your journey as a videographer is just beginning, and this is your chance to tell a story only you can tell!

And if you're still stuck, check out this post with a list of possible topics you can draw inspiration from (or just go with!).