Mini Document
An interview-based documentary assignment where I had to research a topic, create question lists, conduct an interview, shoot an interview, shoot a b-roll, and edit a mini-documentary 2 minutes long.
This mini-document that you see here was a project I did in the first semester at SAIT. It was the second assignment in Rich Media Communications I, where we created a 2-minute mini-documentary. This project requires us to utilize video footage and editing software to produce and interview people (individuals, friends, family members, etc.). The document required us to answer at least ten questions we created based on our chosen topic. We would then have to interview a few people, with their permission, then film multiple shots as the assignment required various images. We would then take into Premiere Pro and edit together, including music, title and credits, and good lighting usage.
This mini-document that you see here was a project I did in the first semester at SAIT. It was the second assignment in Rich Media Communications I, where we created a 2-minute mini-documentary. This project requires us to utilize video footage and editing software to produce and interview people (individuals, friends, family members, etc.). The document required us to answer at least ten questions we created based on our chosen topic. We would then have to interview a few people, with their permission, then film multiple shots as the assignment required various images. We would then take into Premiere Pro and edit together, including music, title and credits, and good lighting usage.
The interviews I did were with my mom and a friend of my father, both of whom have a garden. Of course, I needed permission to interview them, so our teacher gave us a consent release form that gave the people we were interviewing authorization to do it. The questions they answered were their personal views, why they would recommend it, and what people could learn from it. I answered the rest. My mother was a bit tricky, as she wasn’t the best at speaking English, so I had her voice over her original interview as that was the only way she could talk clearly and fastly.
Each question I typed in Microsoft Word was related to the overall question of why gardening was essential and how exactly people could benefit. I created a script as a narration that gave an overview of gardening and its benefits. The interviews that answered my question would be intersected with the narration to give it a sort of interview feel you would see in an actual document.
I took many video shots around my house. Specifically, my mother’s garden at both low, wide, high, and moving images. I did the same for my dad’s friend’s garden. I also took shots of Canadian Tire and Walmart, namely their garden sections, as I included in my document where you can start your garden. Editing was simple as I pieced together the footage and audio I took, placing the interviews where appropriate. For the lighting, I mainly chose a darker hue to give a cinematic look to it combined with the type of music I chose, a calm and peaceful style. I just used the standard ones you’d see in premiere pro for the title and credits.