The process of creating a documentary film begins by identifying a powerful idea that resonates with the filmmaker. This unique idea is recognized by its ability to provoke an emotional response and a significant impact on the author. The film emerges from a variety of sources: a person, an event, a finding or a reflection. The motivation for transforming this idea into a film can be personal, creative or political, prompting the filmmaker to share his or her unique vision of the world with potential viewers. In this chapter, directors such as Nicolas Philibert and María Elorza discuss how documentary films begin with a powerful idea that resonates emotionally with the filmmaker. They explore the various sources from which ideas emerge, whether a person, an event, a discovery, or a reflection, and the personal, creative, or political motivations that drive filmmakers to transform these ideas into films and share their unique vision with audiences.

Every documentary film is an investigation, a journey in which we explore an unknown place, geographical and/or human, in which we have to immerse ourselves to find the best way to tell that story. At this point, the filmmaker opens up to the real world to get closer to the people he will work with in his film, in whom he will recognize the characters of the story. At the same time, he begins an exhaustive study of the subject to be developed and the search for aesthetic references in order to find a unique and coherent look.

In this chapter, mentor Mikael Opstrup, filmmaker Lynne Sachs, and others explore the early stages of documentary creation. They discuss recognizing characters and spaces that will drive a film, the role of research in shaping both content and aesthetic choices, and how a filmmaker’s point of view develops and evolves throughout the process.

The encounter with the point of view is a fundamental step in the construction of a documentary film. Undoubtedly, it starts from a political being in the world that will serve as a compass or guide to make the decisions that will define the creative process of the film. From here on, we can define a concrete methodology and a device that will undoubtedly help to develop the expressive, narrative, visual and sound resources. In this chapters, filmmakers including Aïcha Boro, Tana Gilbert, and Emilio Fonseca discuss how their ideological stance and identity shape their point of view and influence what they film. They explore their methodology, whether consistent across projects or unique to each film, and share examples of the narrative and expressive devices that frame their work.

The last stage of this itinerary may involve the development of a preliminary script that allows the filmmaker to face the shooting and editing of his work. In it, the structure of the film is specified, the characters are edited, identifying their relevant characteristics, and the expressive resources to be used are worked on. The writing at this point is always done taking into account the ethical issues implicit in the film, which will condition the choice of stylistic and formal keys. In this chapter, directors such as Andrés Duque and Lea Glob discuss how they approach writing and structuring their documentary films. They explore planning narrative structures, working with characters, and making decisions about what to include or leave out. The conversation touches on ethical considerations in filmmaking, including the relationship between filmmaker, characters, and audience.