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Structuring a documentary
A feature documentary is usually shaped in the edit, from many times more footage than will be used. Editors often look for a structure early — chronological, by character, by theme — and build sections that each have a clear center, with transitions that carry the viewer from one to the next. The opening matters greatly: many documentaries begin with a person rather than an explanation, so that viewers care before they understand. Information can come later, in a short title card or a line of narration. Cutting is painful. Teams often keep a longer version, extra scenes or an online archive for material that does not fit, and they test each scene against a single question about what the film is for.