Desktop Documentaries

By following the recommended 12-week schedule, you can take your family story from idea to a completed 5 to 10 minute documentary. If your film needs more time, you’ll still finish with real progress, a clear plan to complete it and the confidence to continue developing personal documentary projects.

You can move through the course at your own pace. But if you want to keep up with the 12-week schedule, plan on a few hours each week, or a dedicated weekend day for filming and editing as needed.

You can still join. Many students arrive with a general sense of “there’s something here” but no clear story yet. Early in the course, you can generate and test a few possible directions, so you can choose a story that’s realistically filmable and meaningful.

And if you truly don’t have a specific family story you want to use right now, the skills you’ll learn still apply directly to any short documentary: interviewing, working with archive, shooting B-roll, and building a first edit. You can use the course to develop your filmmaking craft while you discover the right subject.

That can still work, and you’re not alone. Many powerful documentaries are built primarily from archive, photographs, letters, objects, locations, and research, with little or no on-camera interviews.

In the course, you’ll learn how to shape a story when your “main characters” are in the past: how to build scenes from archival material, how to use narration or text sparingly and effectively, and how to film present-day visuals (places, objects, details) that bring the past to life.

If interviews aren’t possible, the course will help you choose an approach that still creates momentum and emotional connection.

These days you don’t need expensive professional gear to capture strong documentary footage. If you don’t already own a dedicated camera, a modern smartphone is more than capable of producing high-quality video, especially with decent lighting and a simple setup.

The one place we do recommend investing a little is audio. A small external microphone for interviews can make a huge difference, and there are solid options available for under $30. We’ll share specific recommendations at the start of the course.

Dandan will demonstrate editing using Adobe Premiere Pro, including a beginner-friendly introduction to the interface and core editing basics. That said, you’re welcome to use whatever editing software you’re most comfortable with, since the storytelling and editing principles we cover apply across platforms.

Yes. You should always get clear, informed permission from anyone you plan to film or record, and have that conversation before you ever hit “record.” If you plan to share the film publicly, it’s best practice to get permission in writing (especially for interviews).

If you’re filming minors, you’ll need consent from a parent or guardian. And if you’re using family photos, letters, or other archival material, you’ll also want to be mindful of who owns it and who is comfortable with it being included. We’ll cover the practical basics in the course and share simple guidance to help you handle this respectfully.

We do. The core experience is the self-paced material with recorded tutorials. For anyone who wants extra, tailored support (for example, a focused story consult or a cut review), 1:1 consulting is available as a separate purchase.

When you enrol in this course on its own, your access has no fixed expiry, so you can return to the lessons and resources as you work through your film. If you receive the course through a bundle, the access period shown for that bundle applies.