Story Consulting During Production

We’re editing a documentary that until a few days ago lacked a third act. I was getting a little nervous. But the director, who is also an experienced, get-it-done-kinda producer, tracked down the film’s apparent antagonist, who had been reluctant to appear on camera.

With a little coaching on how to keep the scene from becoming an insensitive ambush, he came back with a compelling apex for his film. Not every director can get down to business on the turn of a dime!

My point?

Save your editorial team anxiety and get the third act in the can. A story consultant can help you decide before post-production what scenes you need to film to chronicle and cap your protagonist’s quest.

Moreover, if character transformation is a potentiality (yes, that’s a word), what behaviors do you need to film to show your protagonist changing over time? (For a great example of character transformation, watch Undefeated, even if you’re not a football fan.)

A story consultant can also help you design interview questions that provide succinct soundbites needed during the edit.

Examples include a Protagonist’s Statement of Desire, such as “I needed/wanted ________ (“to know what happened to my sister”).  

Or, capture a Protagonist’s Statement of Transformation, such as, “I used to be ______ (“so cautious”), but now I realize ___________ (“I gotta take risks to make headway”).

Or, “I used to think X, now I realize Y.”

Or, “Last year I wasn’t able to ______ (stand up to my father), but now I’ve been able to ______ (let him see my anger).

To get full-bodied responses, interview questions can be converted to requests, such as “Explain to me…”, “Tell me about…”, and “Describe for me…”.

Until recently, many independent filmmaker didn’t think to budget for a story consultant. Or, if they did, it’s only after they had a rough cut.

But having someone advise you on what situations you can set up should be your most important line-item in pre-production when you’re developing a concept (read more here).

And it should be your second most important ledger expense in production, after a DP.

Learn more here about how a story consultant can help you during the production phase.