Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films [Paperback]

Sheila Curran Bernard (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240808754 | ISBN-13: 978-0240808758 | Publication Date: February 8, 2007 | Edition: 2

Documentary Storytelling offers a unique in-depth look at story and structure as applied not to Hollywood fiction, but to films and videos based on factual material and the drama of real life. With the growing popularity of documentaries in today's global media marketplace, demand for powerful and memorable storytelling has never been greater. This practical guide offers advice for every stage of production, from research and proposal writing to shooting and editing, and applies it to diverse subjects and film styles, from vérité and personal narrative to archival histories and more.

Filled with real-world examples drawn from the author's career and the experiences of some of today's top documentarians, Documentary Storytelling includes special interview chapters with Ric Burns, Jon Else, Nick Fraser, Susan Froemke, Sam Pollard, Onyekachi Wambu and other film professionals. This second edition has been brought up to date with a more international focus, a look at lower-budget independent filmmaking, and consideration of newer films including Super Size Me, Murderball, So Much So Fast, and When the Levees Broke.

* Storytelling techniques are one of the most powerful tools in the documentary filmmaker's arsenal--learn how to harness them with this book
* Top documentary filmmakers provide their storytelling strategies
* Covers a wide range of documentary styles

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brilliant and effective...Documentary Storytelling guides readers through nearly every phase of creating a documentary: structuring, working up a proposal, and, of course, shooting and editing" - Backstage

"Sheila Curran Bernard's ability to dissect a wide range of narrative apporaches and explore the elements that make dramatic stories so compelling make this guide invaluable for documentary filmmakers as well as anyone who uses information and evidence to portray real events." -Dr. Pennee Bender, Media Director, Center for Media and Learning, City University of New York, The Graduate Center.

"With all the buzz over blockbuster docs, Focal Press serves up a perfectly timed winner in a much-neglected area. True to the nature of the beast, the book is more about filmmaking as a whole, and how and where storytelling weaves into the overall process".-Bruce Mckenna, Canadian Screenwriter (Writers Guild of Canada)

"Bernard is keenly aware of the power of persuasive images, and her insistence on complexity and integrity is a consistant theme throughout the book."- Alyssa Worsham, The Independent (Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers)

"With the availability of high-quality affordable cameras and editing equipment, documentary filmmakers today enjoy a freedom in shaping their films that their counterparts a decade ago could't have imaged. As the new aesthetic is shaped, Sheila Curran Bernard's brilliant and effective Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction films aims to guide the Erroll Morrises of tomorrow with great advice and practical knowledge that every documentatian would benefit from."-Backstage March 22, 2007

About the Author

Sheila Curran Bernard is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and the author of Documentary Storytelling, a best selling guide to story and structure in nonfiction filmmaking, and , a guide to using archival footage and material in films. Her archival film credits include the series Eyes on the Prize, I'll Make Me a World, This Far By Faith, America's War on Poverty, and School, for which she also co-wrote the companion book. She has taught at Princeton University and Westbrook College and recently joined the faculty of the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 2 edition (February 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240808754
• ISBN-13: 978-0240808758
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, writer, and consultant, with expertise in high-quality, nonfiction media storytelling, including (but not limited to) the ethical use of dramatic structure to enhance the rigor and appeal documentary work. Credits on projects for national broadcast, theatrical release, and museum and classroom use. For more information see wwww.documentarystorytelling.com and www.archivalstorytelling.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Resource, March 12, 2007

By 

Thomas Speicher "Viking One" (Williamsport, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films (Paperback)

Whether a practitioner of the craft or someone who enjoys viewing non-fiction films, Documentary Storytelling is an invaluable resource. Sheila Curran Bernard's award-winning experience in the genre shines in this extremely practical book. From casting to treatments to editing, Bernard covers all the basics in great detail. But what distinguishes this book is her dedication to storytelling, a concept often lost with the technical wizardry available at our fingertips. Bernard's breakdown of the three-act structure and comparison of the narrative spine to a train offer wonderful lessons for novices and reminders for experienced filmmakers. Her analysis of existing documentaries illuminates the three-act structure. Bernard's main points are reinforced at the end of the book, thanks to a series of interviews she conducted with experienced documentarians. The reader is left with a practical how-to guide to make documentaries, as well as the critical skills to analyze non-fiction films.

In short, Documentary Storytelling is a must for students and anyone who wishes to engage in documentaries!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading For Any Level, January 20, 2008

By 

Sprague T. (Newport, RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films (Paperback)

While there are many good books on the subject of producing documentaries, Sheila Curran Bernard's "Documentary Storytelling" has done what I feel no other has managed to do; she discusses the principles, practical aspects and basic story telling structure of writing and producing documentaries in great depth, yet as though she were talking to a good friend. No lectures, no "the world according to me" (although well she could, as her track record is beyond impressive), just straight talk about the craft of producing documentaries and what we all should continue to seek out and ask ourselves as we continue to chip away at the art form. She rounds out the book with several informative interviews with recognized film makers and here too; no preaching, simply shared experiences and insights. As I said, there are many good books on the subject, all of which I refer to from time to time, but "Documentary Storytelling" is the one I keep beside my bed and in my kit. From the casual viewer to the well seasoned producer, camera person or editor, all would be well served to buy and read this wonderful book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a "must read" book!, December 6, 2008

By 

Hank Castello "Hank Castello" (Tulsa, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films (Paperback)

I can't imagine a better book for the beginning documentarian. The author grasps and teaches that video is only a medium and quality depends on the content which must tell a story. So many people seem to think they just need to point their camera, watch exposure and white balance, etc. and they can edit out a good documentary, forgetting that it all hinges on having a good story and telling it well.