I’ve been catching up on the popular documentaries of the last 10 years or so, whilst observing the various filming, editing, storytelling, and overall production techniques.
A great book I just finished, How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck, has been a good movie-watching guide, and real eye-opener to the aspects of filmmaking that capture an audience’s attention. After all, the point of Eat Right is not just to show people how important the Blood Type Diet is, but to induce that itch to need to tell their friends and family about it.
Most of my favorite documentaries seem to have a central story that keeps the audience wanting to know more, which is what I’m hoping to capture. But some of them are interesting simply due to the facts, whether they tell a compelling story or not. If I can capture both of these elements and get my foot into the right doors, I don’t doubt that this could be the next big thing. Or maybe that’s just my Type O optimism 
What do you think? What are some of your favorite documentaries, and why? Is there anything you’ve wanted to see addressed in other films that they just keep leaving out?