The Documentary Outreach Production Schedule
What To Expect Each Week Of The Trip
Documentary filmmaking doesn’t happen in a classroom—it happens in the field, in real time, with real people.
The Documentary Outreach follows a four-week production schedule that mirrors professional documentary workflows. Each phase builds on the last, from story discovery to structured planning, immersive documentation, and post-production.
Here’s what you’ll actually be doing each week:
WEEK 1 / FINDING THE STORY
Your first job is to observe, ask questions, and determine what story is worth telling. You’ll spend time with your changemaker collaborator, learning about their work and identifying the key elements that will shape your film. This week is about discovery, not documentation—your focus is on deep observation, listening, and understanding.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Attending daily educational briefings introducing key concepts, strategies, and ethical frameworks for documentary production.
- Spending time in the field, observing how the changemaker operates and the challenges they navigate.
- Identifying the core dramatic elements of your story: the central character, conflict, stakes, arc, and resolution.
- Working on micro-documentary projects to build your visual storytelling skills.
- Engaging in feedback sessions with mentors and peers, refining your understanding of the story you want to tell.
What You Should Expect:
- You won’t immediately start documenting your main film. The first week is dedicated to deep observation and research—taking notes, discussing findings, and making informed creative decisions.
- Your perspective on the story may change throughout the week, and that’s okay. Being flexible and open to discovery is key.
- The best documentaries come from immersing yourself in the real world, not forcing a pre-planned narrative onto it.
By the end of the week, your crew will have identified the story you want to tell and determined its key dramatic elements—the WHAT of the story, including the central character, conflict, stakes, arc, and resolution.
WEEK 2 / STRUCTURING THE STORY
Now that you know what story you’re telling, it’s time to determine how to tell it. This week is about planning and preparation—designing an intentional approach that allows you to document real-life moments that illustrate the heart of your story.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Attending daily educational briefings that introduce production strategies, ethical storytelling practices, and scene design.
- Creating a detailed production outline, mapping out the recurring activities, interactions, and environments that will visually communicate your story.
- Developing a scene list, identifying where and when key moments naturally occur.
- Determining an interview strategy—if interviews are included, they should add depth rather than explain what visuals can show.
- Collaborating with storyholders—your crew will present your plan for feedback and refine it based on their input.
- Practicing storytelling techniques through additional micro-documentary exercises and photo essays.
What You Should Expect:
- Pre-production is not about waiting for things to happen—it’s about structuring how you will document a story that has already happened.
- Your production plan is detailed but flexible—it will evolve based on feedback and real-life circumstances.
- The more intentional your planning, the more efficient and effective your production phase will be.
- Your storyholder is a collaborator, not just a subject—your film should reflect their perspective.
By the end of the week, your crew will have a structured production plan, ensuring that when filming begins, you’re prepared to document the right moments with clarity and purpose.
WEEK 3: DOCUMENTING THE STORY
This is when your film takes shape. Your goal is to document the real-life moments that visually express your story’s themes. This requires being in the right place at the right time, staying adaptable, and making real-time decisions about what’s most important to document.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Spending full days in the field, working closely with your storyholder to document meaningful interactions and events.
- Focusing on visual storytelling—using movement, setting, and real-life action to communicate the story.
- Adjusting your approach daily, based on what’s unfolding and what’s still needed.
- Conducting interviews where necessary, ensuring they complement, rather than replace, visual elements.
- Reviewing and refining your work each evening, identifying gaps and planning adjustments for the next day.
What You Should Expect:
- The story does not simply unfold—you construct it from the real-life moments you document.
- Some things won’t go as planned—adaptability and problem-solving are key.
- The days will be long and require a high level of focus, teamwork, and initiative.
- Your changemaker collaborator’s input remains important—you will check in with them throughout the process.
By the end of the week, your crew will have documented all the key moments and supporting material needed for your film.
WEEK 4 / SHAPING + SHARING THE STORY
With production complete, it’s time to shape the footage into a compelling and cohesive documentary. Editing is where you refine the emotional arc, structure, and pacing of the film, ensuring that every element serves the story’s impact.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Reviewing your footage and structuring the film, selecting the strongest scenes to shape the narrative.
- Editing and refining, working through multiple revisions and receiving feedback from mentors and your storyholder.
- Ensuring ethical representation, making sure the final piece accurately reflects the perspectives of those involved.
- Finalizing technical aspects, including sound, subtitles, and color correction.
- Presenting your film at a community screening, where those who contributed to the story will be the first to see it.
What You Should Expect:
- Editing is an iterative process—you’ll go through multiple versions before finding the best approach.
- Your initial vision may evolve as you see how different pieces fit together.
- Feedback is an essential part of the process—mentors and storyholders will provide insight that shapes the final film.
- The community screening is not just a premiere—it’s a chance to witness how your work resonates with the people who made it possible.
By the end of the program, you will have a polished, thoughtfully edited documentary that reflects your collaboration with your storyholder. Beyond creating a film, you will have gained real-world storytelling experience, an understanding of ethical documentary practices, and the ability to construct stories that matter.
This isn’t just about making a film—it’s about learning to tell stories with care, intention, and impact.
Ready to take the next step?