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how to write a script for a documentary. Documentaries are one of the most popular generous of filmmaking. NPR went so far as to call this the golden age of documentary. With the increase of streaming networks and new content. We have seen an uptake in the creation and consumption of this form of filmmaking. An art form that used to be considered stuffy and boring has swept mostly educational content for pure trauma. Some documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi managed to teach the audience about the culture, customs and food of japan and entertain at the same time. But what goes into making the documentary and how do you plan out a story that is alive on page? As documentaries become more of the norm in our viewing rotation, filmmakers and students are asked a question, How do I create a script for a documentary? There are two equally valid schools of thought when it comes to writing a script for a documentary. Some documentaries will make us say that you can't write a script before you shoot and some say, you absolutely must laid all out in a linear format. For those who lay out their documentary scripts before they shoot, it resembles a film treatment rather than a traditional film script. It still has a three act structure but leaves room for an evolving ending, whichever school of thought you belong to below other components of scripting a documentary that will help assist filmmakers in creating clear intention. What type of documentary scripts are there? There are many types of documentary filmmaking and when creating your documentary, you are both the director and the author. Sometimes you end up as the subject, no matter what kind of documentary story you are telling? It is up to the creator or the creative team to make the story come to life. Whether on a page or simply on the screen. The types of documentary are directly related to the amount of scripting needed documentaries that are based solely on research, such as history documentaries can be heavily scripted because they are rotated in facts that already exist and will not change observational documentaries rely on the interviews and research and cannot be planned ahead. Like a film heavily scripting your document, observational documentary can check hold the work and documentaries must have time to live and breathe biotic documentaries focused on visual style and have no narrative structure? They rely heavily on the images and the director of photography serves as a guide for the documentary, reflexive documentaries highlight the experience of making the documentary and the relationship between the audience and the documentary, ken Burns, the King of historical documentary with 30 years of creating award winning dogs outlines every type of documentary in this guide on master class types of documentaries. A guide. What story do you want to tell When your scripting your documentary, you must define the story you want to tell and why you are the person to tell it. What feelings are trying to stay in your audience, Fear or danger. Are you attempting to expose the truth? Is there a moral lesson? Why are you the person who should be telling this story? What topics interest you? Why do you think an audience would be interested in learning about or meeting the subject of your work? When you can answer these questions, you have a solid foundation for your work? These are the questions you may be asked when you're trying to find blockers and pitch your project to a studio, because there is no specific format in developing your documentary and no traditional film script for producers to radio must be heavily armed with the reasons that you can tell the story in a unique, engaging way.