Documentary Critical Reflection

    In my documentary, Mic Check, I strived to highlight the work of people who work backstage in a theatrical production, who are also known as, “Techies.” “Techies” run the sound, lights, costumes, makeup, set, props, curtains, and many other aspects that a live show can’t function without. I wanted to show what they really do, highlight how important their role is in a production, what their work means to them, and the actors who work with them.

    Before starting this project, I knew very little about creating a documentary so, I had to conduct research. I watched various documentaries such as American Promise, Abstract: The Art of Design, and Saturday Night, all of which played a big role in how I utilized different techniques in my documentary. American Promise showed me how I wanted to convey my interviews. Although a lot of this piece is shown through footage of what is going on in the lives of the subjects, they also heavily rely on interviews to get perspective on their situations which was a technique I was inspired by and utilized in my documentary. Abstract: The Art of Design showed me how to use archival footage to tell a story. In this piece, footage and designs of the artist's past work highlight what they’ve done and how their work differs from one another, all coming together to create great designs. This is what I aimed to convey in my documentary. Archival footage was used in my documentary to show a before and after of what a performance looked like with and without technical elements. This was done to highlight the significance of theatrical technical work and how it enhances a performance. I think it served its purpose well. Saturday Night showed me how I wanted to utilize b-roll in my documentary. Throughout that piece, the actors and writers are always shown working and what it takes to do their jobs. That’s what I wanted to convey in my documentary. There are several shots of “Techies” working like, Sam and his soundboard or Isabel at her light board. I think this was well conveyed in my project and highlighted its purpose significantly. My documentary followed basic documentary conventions and techniques, like the ones mentioned previously as well as, non-diegetic sounds with music and voiceovers, and a narrative structure. Research was vital in creating this documentary. Without it, my documentary wouldn’t have been as structured or complete.

    While I was creating this project I also had to keep in mind who it was being created for, my target audience. The target audience for this documentary is teens and young adults who are either active in the musical theater community or have an interest in it. Keeping this audience in mind, I had to think of ways to distribute it and get audiences to engage with it. It is first posted on this blog, where people can watch and comment on it and truly see the process that went into creating it. Although it is not currently published anywhere else, I have future plans to submit it for scholarships and festivals. This will allow more people to see it, which will share the work of “Techies” with more people and educate them about a new topic, especially those outside of the target audience.  I also plan to use it as an advertisement for a private theatre company whose members are featured in the documentary. This would show the documentary to the target audience and not only encourage more people to watch it but also encourage others to do something they love. By distributing my documentary to more places and getting more audience engagement, it spreads the message and purpose of the documentary to more people.

    As mentioned previously, this documentary represents “Techies,” the people who work backstage in a theatrical production. It shows the hard work they do, in both high school and private theater companies. “Techies” are represented through the work they do and the experiences they share. Throughout my documentary, the subjects constantly share what they do, their experiences, and what their job means to them. One of the most impactful moments in the documentary is Andrea talking about the kids she works with and how theater is one of, if not, their only safe space which really exposes the impact and importance it has on people’s lives. The documentary also gives an actor’s perspective of a “Techie’s” work, highlighting their importance, and how heavily they affect the show and its outcome. Overall, the production was successful in representing its subjects and highlighting a topic that is unknown to most people, because of all the techniques I used and the way I conveyed its message through those techniques.

    Not everything can go perfectly, however, and looking back there are some changes I would make to the documentary as a whole. One of the first things that can be improved is the beginning. It started too abruptly with a pan across the auditorium and an immediate voiceover. Starting with a fade in would’ve eased the audience into the story and created a smoother beginning. Voiceovers should have also been used periodically throughout the documentary, especially in the conclusion. Also, some of our b-roll placement is illogical. By fixing both of these aspects I can create a more cohesive piece. Another actor should’ve also been added to show more perspective and insight into the job and how it affects others. All of these issues can be resolved easily with some quick filming and editing. They would enhance the piece, making it better than it already is. 

    I am extremely proud of this project and what I created. Despite the small issues, the final result was something amazing. This project taught me a lot about the production process that comes with making a documentary, but more than that, I was able to evolve as a filmmaker. I have learned so many lessons about myself and the filmmaking process that will stick with me throughout future projects.