MasterClass – Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

Since its 2017 debut, Ken Burnss The Vietnam War has enthralled over 39 million viewers by painting an intimate and revealing portrait of history. Learn how Ken captivates audiences with his ability to distill vast research and complex truths into compelling narratives. From first treatment to final edit, Ken teaches his documentary filmmaking techniques that wake the dead to bring their stories to life.

Lesson Plan

01. Introduction
02. What It Takes
03. Choosing Your Story
04. Finding Your Story Within The Subject
05. Telling A True Story
06. Treatments, Pitching, and Funding
07. Structuring a Documentary Narrative
08. Sourcing Archival Materials
09. Shaping Nonfiction Characters
10. Case Study: The Vietnam War Episode Boards
11. Writing a Script
12. Visual Storytelling: Cinematic Techniques
13. Visual Storytelling: Unforgivable Blackness Case Study
14. Selecting Interview Subjects
15. Conducting an Interview
16. Case Study: Navigating a Challenging Interview
17. Nonfiction Cinematography
18. The Power of Music
19. Editing: Process
20. Editing: Principles
21. Editing Case Study: The Vietnam War Introduction
22. Recording and Using Voice Over
23. Sound Design
24. The Artists Responsibility
25. Sharing Your Film
26. Jump The Chasm