Developing Story Ideas

Reading – Directing the Documentary by Michael Rabiger

Potential ideas are all around, you never have to wait for inspiration

HOW TO COLLECT IDEAS

• Journals – note down anything that strikes you, will be able to identify patterns and themes, preoccupations, through this
• Newspapers and Magazines – Keep clippings or transcribe anything that catches your attention and interest, by categorising them aswell it highlights fascinations. Also, local newspapers are super helpful! With each source, new characters, stories, plots and situations arise
• Internet – various websites, such as craigslist as provided example, branch ways to stories and people of interest
• History – WHY someone has wrote that historical overview or that point of view, look at local history or people recreating local history
• Myths and Legends – every culture or community, even families, have a sense of myth and legend or stories to tell, show what humans find fascinatingly insolvable
• Family Stories – stories told throughout generations hold not only personal meaning, but can also provide such rich tales, they can be dark, heroic, but as oral history they are always vivid (or they dont survive)
• Childhood Stories – people remember childhood stories for as long as they live, they have rich theamtic possibilities
• Social Science and Social History – depending on what interests the individual, its easy to find bibliograhies based on personal/general experiences in certain situations, up to observation and interpretation, draw on proffessional work to explore original feelings and instincts
• Fiction – novels and short stories offer inspiring guidance and knowledge, superbly observed forms of work

TESTING A SUBJECT

1. Do research and self questioning, ask – In what area am I most knowledgable and opinionated? Is there an aspect I could cover well? Strong emotional connection to subject? Justice to the subject? Drive to learn more about this subject? Look for interest, energy and excitement, as well as a strong desire to learn more
2. Narrowing the subject matter (consider ecomomic factors, inaccesiblity, capabilities) and intensify the idea by questioning: The subjects underlying significance? What would you like to discover? Unusual or interesting about it? What can I show? Think small, local, and short!
3. What is trying to be accomplished? How can the stakes be raised to show a more compelling story?

USING THE MEDIUM TO STIR FEELINGS

• The shock of recognition and emotions
• Primary evidence should be feelings and doing, not just telling
• Lecturing lacks impact, visuals and imagery are emotionally stimulating – create cinematic qualities within the work
• Create a strong mood!
• Make it thematically large – find localised material and find the universal truths within

SUBJECTS TO AVOID

• Worlds you haven’t experienced or cannot closely observe
• Any ongoing issues in your personal life
• Nothing ‘typical’
• Preaching of any kind
• Problems you already have an answer for

I found this reading really interesting and it has helped me begin to consider how I can develop any initial ideas I have. I definitely think this is a list I will return to throughout the project, or even further films I make in the future. It makes some really thought provoking points which allow your ideas to creatively and wholly develop into something worthy.