Posing A Documentary’s Central Question

In character-driven documentary’s, the inciting incident gives rise to the protagonist’s quest-alternately called the “hero’s journey” or “object of desire”-as well as formulating the film’s central question.  Will Romeo and Juliet stay together?  Will the sheriff kill the shark (Jaws)?  Will the Jordan family save their farm? (Troublesome Creek).  The central question is always some variation of the question, “Will the protagonist reach his goal?”  After a long period of struggle in Act Two, this central question is finally answered for better or worse in Act Three, at or just following the film’s climax.

Like narrative films, documentaries are at their best when the protagonist’s object of desire and the movie’s central question are concrete and specific.  In Troublesome Creek, the family’s larger desire was to survive financially, but their concrete goal was to pay off their back loan and get off the Troubled Accounts list. In The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), the protagonist wants equality for gay people, but his quest is drawn into dramatic focus by his bid to get elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.  In Spellbound (2002), the central question that causes the viewer to hold his breath every time a child spells out a word is very specific:  which child will win the national spelling bee contest?

For more strategies about how to shape your protagonist’s quest, check out my 6-part e-course, “Editing the Character-Driven Documentary.” 

Go to https://newdocediting.com/land/editingdocumentaryecourse/.