Hi All, This is my first post! I have to admit I know very little about creative writing but I am realising more and more how important it is to Filmmaking. I am making a documentary and would love some input from experienced writers to help me decide what order to let the scenes play out. I have already shot all the footage and I am currently editing it. I will outline the story and events below. I guess what i am looking for is some suggestions as to how to arrange the scenes to make for an interesting documentary without trying to unnecessarily dramatise the whole thing. The film is being made about someone who I know personally who passed away at a young age (Mike), The idea of the film was that it would be made in his memory for these reasons: 1. For his 2 young children to know what their dad was like... Therefore the Film must portray the character in way that if you didn't know him... you feel like you know him by the end. 2. For his family and friends to capture their memories whilst they are still fresh in their mind... 3. To express the life lessons each family learnt from the main character (mike). Through a series of interviews these are the stages we have in the film. Birth - young boy - described by mum and dad what was he like as a brother (as a young boy) - described by 2 sisters teenage years - described by mum, dad & sisters dad talks about how he taught mike to defend himself against bullies and we here of an example we hear how he didn't take his dad too seriously and knew how to get his own way mike's mum takes us through a photo album mike made as a kid, it has pictures with funny captions he wrote "what was different about your relationship with mike to his other sisters?" - both sisters describe we hear how mike visited one of his sisters who had moved abroad for 6 months what was mike's best qualities? - described by mum, dad , sisters Mike meets his girlfriend - described by his girlfriend and sisters mike finds out girlfirend is pregnant baby is born everyone describes how mike was as a dad mike finds out girlfriend is pregnant again we hear how mike loved cars and motorbikes - described by everyone Mike buys a new motor bike everyone gives their version of the night of the fatal motor bike accident what did mike teach you about life? - asked to everyone we hear about his 2nd daughters birth Other scenes: these 2 scenes are the hear and now (current day) Mike's 21st birthday BBQ - the family hold a BBQ in his memory and we talk to other friends and family about their memories of mike. Dad makes a toast to mike and everyone lefts off a balloon for mike Mike's 21st birthday visiting grave - the family visit the grave of mike and let off lanterns with personal messages. Ok.. as it stands now the story is in chronological order and i have still yet to decide where to put the 2 current day scenes.. e.g. weave them into the story to playout for the duration or let them play out at the end or somewhere in the middle. I have had thoughts of starting the film where he meets his girlfriend they have a baby, then the accident then we rewind to hear about him from birth. My reasoning would be that it's not so interesting to hear about someone from birth before you feel like you know that character. If we get to know him first then you are actually interested in the character. I would really love some suggestions (from experienced writers) as to where to start my story, and where to place the accident and how to use the current day events.... THANKS!!!
