Get ready to dive into the world of docu-drama filmmaking with Charlotte Regan’s Vimeo staff-picked short film, “The Drug Runner.” In this film, Regan seamlessly blends documentary and narrative styles to tell the real-life story of a youth on a wrong path. But how did she do it? We’ve got the inside scoop.
First things first, finding an interesting subject is key. For Regan, it was personal, but for others, it might take a deeper search. Once you have your subject, it’s time to do preliminary interviews. These early iterations are where your narrative really begins to form.
Regan decided to bring in professional talent for the voiceover rendition of the subject’s interview, as well as an actor for the screen. This was an interesting choice; it was necessary to protect the subject’s identity. It also gave each actor a chance to define a narrative character based on the documentary interview material they received.
Now, this is where “The Drug Runner” really stands out. The team shot on an ARRI Alexa Mini to get some truly outstanding light and color. The cinematography is very strategic and beautiful. It’s much more refined than you’d usually get to see on a run-and-gun doc.
Finally, managing the post-production workflow is always a challenge. However, when combining styles, shooting documentary-esque footage but for a normal narrative storyboarded workflow is a tremendous time-saver. It also opens the door for a tighter edit and more effort for color and effects.
For more information on Regan and “The Drug Runner,” check out the film at the Bold Content Video production website. And for more documentary and narrative filmmaking tips and advice, check out some of these articles.
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