MAKING MICRO DOCS: the reelate webisodes

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Prepared for: Web Readers

Prepared by: Andrew Rudd, Producer

August, 2010

Proposal number: Reelate 1 B

REELATE Communication Arts Malone University 2600 Cleveland Avenuej Canton OH 44709 330.471.8523 reelate@gmail.com reelate.org

Executive Summary

ObjectiveTo secure a small team of filmmakers to create four webisodes during the summer of 2010. These webisodes will

educate new filmmakers about documentary filmmaking. These webisodes, part of a series called “MAKING MICRO

DOCS: Building Community With Little Films That Tell Big Stories.” Reelate helps local filmmakers create stories about

local Stark County people to screen on the web for Stark County audiences. The MAKIING MICRO DOCS project

contributes directly to these goals by offering concrete, specific training to new filmmakers.

GoalsThe goals of this project are to:

1. educate new filmmakers in the arts and skills required to create documentary films,

2. complete the initial three webisodes of this series,

3. work collaboratively with a small group of filmmakers,

4. establish the format and style of the webisodes,

5. develop an effective workflow for producing these webisodes, &

6. post the initial three webisodes of the series to the web.

The PlanEach webisode will instruct about a different part of the micro-doc creative process. This summer’s webisodes will start

with the most critical steps; future webisodes will be produced using a prioritzed list of helpful resources and useful

information. The webisodes will include interviews with documentary filmmakers and each webisode will be four minutes

long.

MAKING MICRO DOCS: the reelate webisodes project proposal! 1

The Plan

To initiate the MAKING MICRO DOCS: Building Community With Little Films That Tell Big Stories project, we will

produce four webisodes. The four webisodes include the following titles / topic areas:

Community Building: How can Micro-Documentaries Build Community?

Research: What Should I Know Before I Start Shooting?

Interviewing: How Do I Prepare-for and Shoot Interviews With My Subjects?

Shaping the Story: How Do I Choose the Most Important Footage to Tell the Story?

Each webisode will include pre-scripted ideas, already developed through extensive research conducted by Dustin

Jenkins and Andrew Rudd, funded through a grant from Malone University. Each webisode will also integrate interviews

by documentary filmmakers. These documentary filmmakers will range from well-established filmmakers to some of the

first time filmmakers that have participated in the initial REELATE training cycle.

The Format

Each webisode will include an introductory sequence, an on-location host (at various iconic locations in Stark County,

Ohio (home to the REELATE project), an initial list of framing questions, snippets of interviews with experienced

documentarians, animated sequences, three specific helpful hints or procedures, suggestions of and a quick final review.

Familiar theme music, titles, common structure, animated sequences and the host will provide continuity for the branding

of the webisodes.

The webisodes will be posted on youtube and vimeo, but also be embedded on the REELATE.ORG website.

Webisodes will be available for download as podcasts.

The Team

Andrew Rudd, co-founder of REELATE received a grant to develop web-based training materials during the summer of

2010. He is producing the webisode series and also serving as a primary researcher. Andrew will direct some of the

webisodes.

Dusty Jenkins, a senior Communication Arts major at Malone University, was hired as a student research assistant for the

summer, 2010 grant. Dusty has served as a primary researcher for this series and is currently writing the scripts for the

four initial episodes. Dusty will direct some of the webisodes and edit all four of these initial webisodes.

MAKING MICRO DOCS: the reelate webisodes project proposal! 2

Your Role

Since this project will be an ongoing one, we’re looking for all kinds of help. We’ve locked down many of the key roles

for our first few webisodes, but we’ll be looking for supportive artists, technicians, researchers and volunteers for many of

the future webisodes. If you’re interested in any of the following roles, contact us at reelate@gmail.com.

Directors

Cinematographers

Animators

Composers

Researchers

Writers

Producers

If you know of others who might be interested in these opportunities, please direct them to this link, and let them know

about REELATE.

MAKING MICRO DOCS: the reelate webisodes project proposal! 3