Five Tips for Documentary Script Writers According to Lucy and Desi Writer Mark Monroe
25/10/2022
When Mark Monroe first got into documentary filmmaking, he didn't know there was a role for writers. Now, after working as the writer behind Emmy winner Lucy and Desi, he's sharing a few tips for documentary screenwriters during Sundance Collab's virtual Master Class: Writing Your Documentary Script.
At the beginning of the immersive online class, Monroe told viewers that he was going to examine and share his own process when it comes to writing a documentary script. It was a free-flowing discussion with Q&As in between. But first, he thanked the Sundance Institute for paving the way to what is now a successful filmmaking career.
In many ways, I owe a lot of my career to Sundance Institute. I was fortunate to have a film [screen] at the Festival initially, but it has also been the bar, the gold standard that you try to reach every year. It [the Institute] has been a part of my process and my thinking all along the way. So I can't thank the folks at Sundance enough for the Festival, the labs, Collab, and all that they do in the realm of documentary film.
A journalism graduate and TV newswriter, he quickly learned that the best documentaries thrive when they have a solid script and a writer who can work well with both the director and the editor.
I came to Los Angeles after my news career and I was working on biographical documentaries as a freelancer, recalls Monroe. We had to be the producer, director, editor, and writer - all of those things in one. I had a skill set where I could write on paper and work through the format that each show had. I could work out the beginning, middle, and end.
This multi-stage format is something Monroe strongly encourages for writers of documentary scripts. I would suggest, Let's go interview these ten people.' I would do the interviews, then I would take it all back and work with an AP and an assistant editor to gather the archival footage, says Monroe. I was not a very good editor, but I could edit, and that's a good skill set for doc writers.
Having worked on other award-winners like The Dissident, The Cove, and Icarus, Monroe has learned to work with directors, editors, and producers to craft a compelling story and shape characters that will captivate audiences. I think the biggest job of writing for a documentary is trying to continually have an intention behind where the film is headed in terms of the process of making the doc. And that means a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Here are five tips documentary screenwriters and aspiring writers should consider as they gear up for their next project:
1. Be in sync with the director and editor
Collaborating with both the director and the editor of the project is an important role of a documentary writer.
The writer is a key confidant to both the director and the editor. You're kind of piecing the two together, making sure that at all times you're driving towards something. I think a lot of times, especially with young filmmakers, the writer helps keep everyone going in the right direction. That's why it's so important to understand the director and the editor and get a clear idea of where they want a particular story to go.
2. Be prepared to rewrite
Monroe's writing process has always been to write as much as he possibly can about the film in great detail. The more he can put on the page, the better: And then I'm constantly rewriting that. As the situation on the ground continues to change, as the story continues to evolve, you're continually trying to account for that in your process and writers need to be prepared for that.
3. Start interviewing early
One big lesson Monroe learned early on was how one conversation can really impact a writer's understanding of a story. It was important for him to interview the director and everyone involved as early as possible - and as often as possible.
If you have new filmmakers or people who are living the story as it's going, interview them. Interview them a lot. That's what I did with Louie Psihoyos (director of The Cove) before we ever did an interview on camera. Then I began pulling soundbites. I just pulled lines from his telling of the story in a very conversational way for me to use in the edit. We can replace the lines later, but this was a foundational way of me understanding exactly what his thinking was every step along the way. It allowed me to see his entire experience from his point of view.
LINK: | https://www.sundance.org/blogs/five-tips-for-documentary-script-writer... |
See more stories from sundance |
More from Sundance Institute
27/03/2024
Inside the Archives: It's Lights, Curtains, Action When Sundance Films Become Stage Productions
By Jen Scott It's time to unwrap those noisy candies and put your phone on ...
26/03/2024
CHOOSE CHICAGO, CITY OF CHICAGO ANNOUNCE SUNDANCE INSTITUTE X CHICAGO 2024 COMING THIS SUMMER
New event championing creative independence will feature three days of screening...
25/03/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Mel Eslyn, the Filmmaker Behind Penelope
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. ...
21/03/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Brett Story, the Co-Director of Union
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. Whi...
19/03/2024
2025 Sundance Film Festival Taking Place January 23-February 2
PARK CITY, UTAH, March 19, 2024 - Save the date to be the first to see next year's independent films and projects that entertain, spark cultural conversatio...
11/03/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know India Donaldson, the Filmmaker Behind Good One
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
08/03/2024
Back to the '80s: Women Documentary Filmmakers Remember the Festival's First Decade
Paula de Koenigsberg and Lucy Winer in front of a porn shop while filming Rate I...
07/03/2024
Film Festival Watch: 23 Sundance-Supported Films to See at SXSW
[Pictured: Doppelg ngers ] By Stephanie Ornelas The sun is shining, the brisket is smoking, and cinephiles are making their way to Austin, Texas, for the 202...
05/03/2024
Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sin Nombre Among Films With March Anniversaries
dgar Flores stars in Cary Joji Fukunaga's feature debut, Sin nombre, which won two awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival....
04/03/2024
Sundance Film Festival Asia returns to Taiwan in 2024
Submissions Now Open for the 2024 Short Film Competition supporting local artists...
01/03/2024
Inside the Archives: One Degree of Sundance Institute at the 2024 Oscars
Director Mira Nair and cinematographer Edward Lachman on the set of Mississippi Masala. Photo by Mitch Epstein...
01/03/2024
Release Rundown: What to Watch This March, From Love Lies Bleeding to Shayda
(L-R) Katy O'Brian and Kristen Stewart star in Rose Glass' thriller Love Lies Bleeding, which premiered in the Midnight section at the 2024 Sundance F...
29/02/2024
Cinpolis and Sundance Institute partner to launch the first edition of the Sundance Film Festival CDMX
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 will take place from April 25th to 28th in Cin ...
29/02/2024
Film Festival Watch: Catch These 10 Sundance-Supported Docs at True/False Film Fest
By Stephanie Ornelas One of the rewards of being part of a filmmaker's jou...
29/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, the Co-Directors of Daughters
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
28/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know 6 Black Filmmakers With Shorts at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
A still from Tajana Tokyo's Salone Love, which screened as part of Short F...
27/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know J.M. Harper, the Director of As We Speak
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. ...
26/02/2024
Past Lives Wins Big as Sundance Institute Projects Are Honored at the 2024 Spirit Awards
The vibe inside the big white tent of the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards wa...
26/02/2024
More Life: An Appreciation of Steve Buscemi in Parting Glances
Parting Glances. 1986. USA. Written and Directed by Bill Sherwood. Courtesy First Run Features...
23/02/2024
5 Takeaways From a Sundance Collab Conversation With Alexander Payne, Director of The Holdovers
By Stephanie Ornelas Alexander Payne has deep roots with Sundance Institute, h...
22/02/2024
Sundance Institute Announces 2024 Momentum Fellows
PARK CITY, UTAH, February 22, 2024 - Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced eight storytellers selected for the 2024 Momentum Fellowship. Now in its s...
16/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Nzingha Stewart and Keyonna Taylor, the Director and Co-Writer of Me/We
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
15/02/2024
Film Festival Watch: 12 Sundance-Supported Films Screening at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival
By Stephanie Ornelas If your film is ready for Sundance, that means you'r...
14/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Titus Kaphar, the Filmmaker Behind Exhibiting Forgiveness
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
13/02/2024
Hard Eight, Velvet Buzzsaw, and More Celebrate Anniversaries in February
Rene Russo and Jake Gyllenhaal star in Dan Gilroy's darkly comic Velvet Buzzsaw....
12/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Dawn Porter, the Filmmaker Behind Luther: Never Too Much
By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
09/02/2024
Release Rundown: What to Watch in February, From Drift to God Save Texas
Cynthia Erivo is mesmerizing as Jacqueline, the lead character in Anthony Chen's film Drift....
08/02/2024
You Have to Feel Safe to Fail: Quotes From a Conversation With Emerald Fennell, the Writer-Director of Saltburn
By Lucy Spicer From what she jokingly describes as a hostile hotel room in Lo...
07/02/2024
Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Kobi Libii, the Filmmaker Behind The American Society of Magical Negroes
By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
26/01/2024
2024 Sundance Film Festival Announces Award Winners
Grand Jury Prizes Go To In The Summers (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Porcelain War (U.S. Documentary Competition), A New Kind of Wilderness (World Cinema Documen...
24/01/2024
2024 Sundance Film Festival Announces Short Film Award Winners
PARK CITY, UTAH, January 23, 2024 - Tonight at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival the short film jury awards were announced during the Shorts Awards Party presente...
23/01/2024
Past Lives, The Eternal Memory, and 20 Days in Mariupol Are Nominated for Oscars
As we continue to dig into the best of what's next at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, it's always nice to be reminded of our storied past and the incre...
22/01/2024
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sundance Institute Announce Recipients of Science-In-Film Initiative's Feature Film Prize and Three Artist Grants
Juried Feature Film Prize Awarded to Love Me; Directors Sam and Andy Zuchero, Pl...
21/01/2024
Sundance Institute Announces 2024 Merata Mita Fellow and Inaugural Graton Fellow
Libby Hakaraia and Tazbah Rose Chavez to Be Honored at Native Forum Celebration During the 2024 Sundance Film Festival...
16/01/2024
Four Decades of the Sundance Film Festival: Our Global Community's Top 10 Features
A top 10 list is a nearly impossible task to take on by yourself, especially whe...
14/01/2024
How sex, lies and videotape Turns Our Gaze Inward
By Shahnaz Mahmud Thirty-five years ago, Steven Soderbergh debuted his feature film sex, lies and videotape at the Sundance Film Festival, forever changing the...
12/01/2024
Sundance Institute Announces 2024 Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive Fellows
12 Projects to Be Developed at Annual January Screenwriters Lab in Utah...
05/01/2024
2024 Sundance Film Festival Adds The Greatest Night in Pop to the Feature Film Program and Reveals Beyond Film Lineup
Artist Conversations With Steven Soderbergh, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sue Bird, Jesse E...
04/01/2024
Release Rundown: Brief Tender Light and Sometimes I Think About Dying Reach Wider Audiences This January
Daisy Ridley portrays the socially awkward Fran in Rachel Lambert's Sometime...
03/01/2024
2024 Sundance Film Festival Names Jury Members
All 16 Members of Competition Jury are Festival Alumni in Honor of 40th Edition...
02/01/2024
Inside the Archives: Looking Back at the Familiar Faces of the 2024 Festival Through the Years
photo by Sandria Miller...
29/12/2023
Watchlist: Pull Up a Seat at These Sundance Film Dinner Tables this Holiday Season
By Stephanie Ornelas We're in the thick of the holiday season, and you know...
12/12/2023
2024 Sundance Film Festival Announces Short Films Lineup and 40th Edition Programming
53 Shorts and Eight 40th Edition Celebration Screenings...
08/12/2023
Affliction and Frank & Lola Among Films Celebrating December Anniversaries
Michael Shannon and Imogen Poots portray the titular characters in writer-director Matthew Ross' thriller Frank & Lola....
06/12/2023
2024 Sundance Film Festival Announces 91 Projects Selected for the Feature Films, Episodic, and New Frontier Lineup for 40th Edition
All Eyes on Independents...
06/12/2023
This Is Your First Look at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Program
Are you ready for it? Today we're coming at you full blast with the complete lineup of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival program. All eyes will be on independ...
05/12/2023
Passages, Past Lives and Eileen Pave the Way for Sundance-Supported Film Independent Spirit Award Nominees
This morning, Joel Kim Booster and Natalie Morales announced the nominations for...