{"id":62042,"date":"2015-09-01T10:39:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-01T15:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=62042"},"modified":"2015-09-01T10:53:06","modified_gmt":"2015-09-01T15:53:06","slug":"11-tips-making-mockumentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/11-tips-making-mockumentary\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Tips for Making a Mockumentary"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 id=\"a-mockumentary-a-combination-of-mock-and-documentary-tells-comedic-storylines-in-a-straightforward-manner-here-are-11-tips-to-help-you-make-a-mockumentary\">A mockumentary, a combination of <em>mock<\/em> and <em>documentary, <\/em>tells\u00a0comedic storylines in a straightforward manner.\u00a0Here are 11\u00a0tips to help you make a mockumentary.<\/h2>\n<p><em>Image: This is Spinal Tap via\u00a0MGM<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Many filmmakers begin their careers making some sort of documentary film. Documentaries are a great way to learn storytelling and the basics of video production. A documentary film is also created with a very limited staff, many times just one person shooting and editing.<\/p>\n<p>A great way to transition from unscripted material to a scripted feature is making a mockumentary. A <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> will give directors a chance to direct talent, while trying to maintain a written story. The same techniques are used in &#8220;<strong>found footage<\/strong>&#8221; horror films. In this post, we will be focusing on the <em>mock<\/em>\u00a0by looking at comedies only.\u00a0<em>Let&#8217;s turn\u00a0it\u00a0up to 11 and get rockin&#8217;.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"1-find-an-odd-subject\">1.\u00a0Find an\u00a0Odd\u00a0Subject<\/h3>\n<p>This part should be the most fun, yet most difficult. If you think a topic is too over the top, odds are that it isn&#8217;t. <strong>Mockumentary<\/strong> films have spawned from April Fool&#8217;s Day pranks. So don&#8217;t be afraid to do something absurd.<\/p>\n<p>April 1st, 1957 &#8211; The BBC current affairs\u00a0program <a title=\"Panorama\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0199257\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>Panorama<\/em><\/a> aired a three-minute hoax entitled <em>Spaghetti Tree<\/em>. At the time, spaghetti was not a commonly known food in the UK. The piece showed a family in Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the spaghetti tree. The piece resulted in viewers calling the BBC for directions to grow their own spaghetti trees.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tVo_wkxH9dU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"2-try-to-use-only-one-camera\">2. Try to Use Only One Camera<\/h3>\n<p>This isn&#8217;t a major feature with tons of angles. Treat this like any tight-budgeted documentary. If you can pull of a <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> with only one camera, that&#8217;s the best option. Using two cameras is ok, as it allows editors to cut when there is a lull in the story. Also, if an improv scene drags on, the editor can cut to a reaction shot or another angle to remove the unnecessary dialogue. <strong>Don&#8217;t use more than two cameras, as that will ruin the feel of the film.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"3-handheld-or-shaky-footage-is-ok-if-not-the-standard\">3. Handheld or Shaky Footage Is OK, If Not the Standard<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> keeps the feel of a standard\u00a0documentary, in which the camera operator is typically using an <strong>over-the-shoulder camera<\/strong>. Thus, it&#8217;s totally normal to see some <strong>shake and zoom<\/strong> in footage. Feel free to leave the tripod in the car.<\/p>\n<p>This shot from <a title=\"Br\u00fcno imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0889583\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>Br\u00fcno<\/em><\/a>\u00a0follows the main character from the barracks to outside. The camera runs alongside him the entire time.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kq6E2hQ20wc?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"4-use-natural-or-minimal-lighting\">4.\u00a0Use Natural or Minimal Lighting<\/h3>\n<p>Don&#8217;t spend too much time perfectly lighting a set, you want the feel of a traditional news interview. Since <strong>over-the-shoulder cameras<\/strong> are most often used in <strong>mockumentaries<\/strong>, it&#8217;s very common to just use an <strong>on-camera light<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>What better way to avoid light than by telling the story of vampires living together. In <a title=\"What We Do In the Shadows\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt3416742\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>What We Do In the Shadows<\/em><\/a>, the sets are very dimly lit. An on-camera light will be put on a character&#8217;s face, and then accented with some back lighting.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W2w3H_oLSIU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"5-if-following-a-band-have-great-music\">5.\u00a0If Following a Band, Have Great Music<\/h3>\n<p>If you are planning to make a musical mockumentary, know that the standards are very high. Some of the best mockumentary films follow bands. They can follow real bands, like the Beatle&#8217;s in <em><a title=\"A Hard Day&#039;s Night\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0058182\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">A Hard Day&#8217;s Night<\/a>. <\/em>That film influenced the knock off bands The\u00a0Rutles in <em><a title=\"All You Need is Cash\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0077147\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">All You Need is Cash<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>as well as <a title=\"The Monkees\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0060010\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>The Monkees<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the greatest known <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> follows the titular band in <a title=\"This is Spinal Tap\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0088258\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>This is Spinal Tap<\/em><\/a>. In fact, the British metal band was so great, the actors would later reprise their roles to go on tour. The film really revolutionized the\u00a0<strong>mockumentary.\u00a0<\/strong>It also launched the career of <a title=\"Christopher Guest IMDb\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0001302\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Christopher Guest<\/a>. Guest had written the film, and would soon begin directing his own pictures.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qAXzzHM8zLw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"6-dont-be-afraid-to-improvise\">6.\u00a0Don&#8217;t Be Afraid to Improvise<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps the most famous <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> filmmaker is <a title=\"Christopher Guest imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0001302\/?ref_=tt_ov_wr\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Christopher Guest<\/a>. (<em>He actually hates the term mockumentary.<\/em>) Guest is a tremendous improviser, having tested his skills on <em>The National Lampoon Radio Hour<\/em> and <a title=\"Saturday Night Live imdb\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0072562\/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_62\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>Saturday Night Live<\/em><\/a>. He and <a title=\"Eugene Levy imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0506405\/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Eugene Levy<\/a> would build the framework for a story, and then <strong>let the cast of improvers run away with the idea<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/L8EWMN3eEA0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"7-put-on-a-show\">7. Put on a Show<\/h3>\n<p>Most often, Christopher Guest&#8217;s films revolve around the idea of putting on a show. That idea spawned several great <strong>mockumentary<\/strong> films. It introduced the <a title=\"This is Spinal Tap Rock n Roll Creation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Vbi5Zegp55o\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">stage antics<\/a> in\u00a0<em>This is Spinal Tap.<\/em>\u00a0<a title=\"Waiting for Guffman imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0118111\/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_6\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>Waiting for Guffman<\/em><\/a> tells the story of putting on a musical.\u00a0<em><a title=\"Best in Show imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0218839\/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_4\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Best in Show<\/a><\/em> follows a national dog competition.\u00a0<em><a title=\"A Mighty Wind imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0310281\/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_3\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">A Mighty Wind<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>focuses on a folk band performing a reunion show.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kXvfBvua7GY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent&#038;listType=playlist&#038;list=PLZbXA4lyCtqq5pNK_NN70BUFK6AtUQgeR\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"8-exaggerate-relatable-cliches\">8.\u00a0Exaggerate Relatable Cliches<\/h3>\n<p>A great way to help the audience connect with your film is to put in characters they can relate to. The success of <a title=\"The Office imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0386676\/?ref_=nv_sr_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>The Office<\/em><\/a> (including the UK, US, and other versions) can be tied to the fact that the audience could relate to working in an office place. They were familiar with the idea of an annoying manager or lazy coworker. What <em>The Office<\/em> did was push the envelope of those character.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Vmb1tqYqyII?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"9-interview-actual-people-instead-of-actors\">9. Interview Actual People Instead of Actors<\/h3>\n<p>Want to add some great candid interviews? Don&#8217;t even use actors. <a title=\"Sacha Baron Cohen\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0056187\/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Sacha Baron Cohen<\/a>\u00a0notoriously used this technique in\u00a0<em><a title=\"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0443453\/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_29\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan<\/a>,\u00a0<a title=\"Br\u00fcno\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0889583\/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_15\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Br\u00fcno<\/a>,<\/em> and<em>\u00a0<a title=\"The Dictator\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1645170\/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_7\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">The Dictator<\/a>. <\/em>Cohen would go out of the way to fake production documents to gain access to events or land interviews on local news stations.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KlXd9cooOhE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"10-dont-overuse-talking-head-interviews\">10. Don&#8217;t Overuse Talking Head Interviews<\/h3>\n<p>Overusing interviews can make the story drag.\u00a0Try to only use the interviews to put an emphasis on a situation. See how this <em><a title=\"Parks and Recreation\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt1266020\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Parks and Recreation<\/a><\/em>\u00a0interview just pushes the prior setup forward, rather than setting up another concept.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s52p61DfiKQ?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>If the story just isn&#8217;t moving along, you can also try using\u00a0voice-over narration. <a title=\"Wood Allen imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0000095\/?ref_=tt_ov_dr\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Woody Allen<\/a> hired legendary narrator <a title=\"Jackson Beck\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0065159\/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Jackson Beck<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0provide the voice-over in\u00a0<em><a title=\"Take the Money and Run\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0065063\/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Take the Money and Run<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3 id=\"11-have-simple-sets\">11. Have Simple Sets<\/h3>\n<p>You want to keep the look of a traditional documentary. Incorporate actual places, like you would in an normal interview. This clip from\u00a0<a title=\"Best in Show imdb page\" href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0218839\/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1\" target=\"_blank\" data-wpel-link=\"external\"><em>Best in Show<\/em><\/a>\u00a0all takes place in a house. The interview itself is conducted on a bench in front of a window.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xVWpHTafYuA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Did we leave off any important tips? What&#8217;s your favorite mockumentary?<\/strong> Let us know in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A mockumentary, a combination of mock and documentary, tells comedic storylines in a straightforward manner. Here are 11 tips to help you make a mockumentary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":62367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3843,79,583],"tags":[4480,2818,754,4479,4484,4481,4483],"class_list":["post-class-post-62042","post-class-post","post-class-type-post","post-class-status-publish","post-class-format-standard","post-class-has-post-thumbnail","post-class-hentry","post-class-category-filmmaking-2","post-class-category-inspiration","post-class-category-video-production-2","post-class-tag-christopher-guest","post-class-tag-comedy","post-class-tag-documentary","post-class-tag-mockumentary","post-class-tag-none-more-black","post-class-tag-spinal-tap","post-class-tag-the-office"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.5 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>11 Tips for Making a Mockumentary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A mockumentary, a combo of mock and documentary, tells comedic storylines in a straightforward manner. 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