Movie-people, listen up!

I got an assignment for school again. The basic idea is to make a documentary of about 25 to 30 minutes. I'm working with a girl, my classmate Michelle. She's into working with cameras and doing research so that's a perfect match with what I like to do. I will be writing/directing/editing the complete project (as well as doing a possible voice-over or presenting when it's needed). I'm wondering if you have some tips and maybe some ideas, as this is a very large project for me. I'm thinking of something that involves an individual's experience in a common topic, but I'm not sure. Suggestions are welcome.

If it's ok I'll use this thread as a logbook and a place of reference, that would be great as some of you have really great cinematic knowledge and probably have some good advice.

By the way, there's no budget, but there's 5 months of time. Just don't expect a Sicko, Bowling for Columbine-like movie. I just want to get my message across.

Basic info:
- documentary
- 25 to 30 minutes
- No budget
- 2 people involved in producing the project
- Language: Dutch
- possible use of voice-over/presenting
- Deadline: June

Living conditions of folks in your town? You could interview an immigrant (if you know any or you know someone who does?), neat idea could be intercutting his/her views on city with drive by footage of the town??

then again it's been done a million times already.. lol.. .might be a little cliché

recommend viewing this one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235327/

and this one: http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?titl ... =219646953

how about this one for topic??? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wage_slavery

Oh man! Some great advice there! It gives me somewhat more direction of what I want to do.. I'm downloading Dark Days now, and I will tell you soon what I think of it. I will check the other two as well, but will do that in the weekend.

Right now I think I want to use a lot of interpretation for the viewers of my docu..: just so that people can make up their own minds. Michael Moore really tried hard to make people believe in him and what his documentaries stand for... that's not what I want. Eventually, to convince will be like begging for people to believe you.

alrighty then

Have fun

Do it on your teacher, in secret. I dunno. That's all I got.

Totally off-topic but i've always wanted to walk around downtown with a sign that says "Free Hugs" and videotape it but that ugly shmoe for the Dave Mathews Band beat me to it. Grr.

That actually happened to me somewhere around September 2007. I was in a hurry to get the train... then, in front of a staircase there were like 20 Japanese people and some Canadians with signs FREE HUGS I 'lmao'ed and 'rofl'ed, hugged half of the group and then I 'lol'ed some more. ...and forgot about the fucking train.

seen a bunch of people doing free hugs in paris at the eiffel tower, my mate ran away cause the big lanky emo guy was wanting a hug

but mightypoo i think u should do somthing like pub reviews part two outtakes

..or some sort of mocumentary

yo Mighty, hm you see, maybe this will sounds funny or stupid but i hate all those american stupid love stories with beatifull babes and handsome guys, all this movies are full of plastic characters etc,
so i always wants to do a movie about habits and love of a .......homeless people, what kind of love should be between two homeless people?? they have no money, no home, dont smell to good, totally no happiness, maybe you should go this way? love and feelings in people who doesnt have much to give. Something like that.

Thanx Maxreal I think I want use the idea of comparing two of the same things but with different influences, much like the idea you suggested of the homeless people. I have two weeks to get my idea on paper btw...

i would love to help you but kind of want to know where you would like to foucus and what exactly would you like to focus on


I think I want use the idea of comparing two of the same things but with different influences


ew maybe you could do it on living or getting by from 2 different perpectives like a person from a wealthy family and a person from a non wealthy family

or the basic challenges of life from a female then a male

dont know if you could use them just throwing some ideas

wait i didnt listen to what you wanted sorry

i always want to do a movie about music, you know, people who likes the same music or band (like us all here with prodigy for exaple) have the similiar hobbys, habits (most of us here likes the same movies aswell, just look on any thread about favourite movies).
So main idea of this is to compare people with the same taste of music, if you think right you can judge most of people just because of their music taste. Theres a round of connections about music=people behaviour, most of them are psychological case.
So this should be also a movie about stereotypes, hip hop maniac=smoking a weed, techno fans=hard drugs on techno events, metal fans often have some problems with themselves, ( not all of course, so dont be mad):) disagree with all surroundings with people, parents, laws etc.
You can also do a material about infulences by the music, how many of us here had green hairs, piercing, punk hairstyle, or something else which helps us to looks like keith or anyother prodigy member, how many metal fans wears black clothes, big belts and etc, rock fans often have long hairs. I dont know if you get a poin of this idea, i dont want to hurt feelings fans mentioned here, i just writing my point of view,
Music influence is big nowadays, and i'm think our choice of music loving has something to do with our problems, behaviour, childhood maybe, or with something which is deeply covered in our brains, in our mentality.
In polish and with a lots of paper i could do a massive article about that, unfortunetly my small knowledge of english words didnt let me to write my whole idea right so, please dont misundrestood all of this, and think about it,
MIghty you are music fan as much as we all here, so im think you should go with that direction and do a documentary about music, Cheers

Interview people about their feelings and thoughts about public toilets. Like, what is your worst and best poo experience

ow ow ow ow! A documentary about what girls talk about when they go 5 people into the same toilet!! solve the mystery for us!!