Wytse Vellinga’s “Report on Skûtsje Being Rebuilt” is an informative and delightful 2-minute documentary. The subject is the Leenstra Family’s effort to win a prestigious sailing contest. But for those who aspire to make their own memorable movies, there’s a bonus. Dutch filmmaker Vellinga’s video illustrates a variety of valuable—and doable—techniques.

First, look for a bird’s-eye view that captures the location while adding visual variety. Making the small effort of climbing a ladder or finding an elevated position can result in a memorable shot.

Second, instead of having the narrator tell the whole story, create a virtual dialogue in which a comment made by the narrator is elaborated by an on-screen character as seen in the following dialogue:

 Narrator: “Last year, the Leenstra family competed with a different Skutsje, but that one was too slow.”

 Rein Wiebe Leenstra (the skipper): “With this ship we can win the races. It’s a bold experiment, but I believe it to be true.”

Third—and perhaps most exciting—include a ticking clock. The opening line of narration in Vellinga’s documentary tells us that the boat-rebuilding crew have “just one week to get the ship ready.” As Hollywood has long known, including a deadline adds tension that holds the audience.  While the time factor is sometimes hidden, you’ll be able to discover it in many events that you plan to document.

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The  production’s technical specs:

• Camera: iPhone 6+
• Camera app: the FiLMiC Pro
• Microphone: RØDE Smartlav+
• Stabilization:  Velbon tripod

 

Wytse Vellinga is available as a Mobile Storytelling trainer. To find out more about his work, you can follow him @WytseVellinga. For more about the art and technology of mobile journalism, visit mobile-storytelling.com