How to Bring Richness to Stories: On Film & Behind the Scenes

Films are opportunities to capture history in the making.

As documentary filmmakers (and self-proclaimed history nerds), each project is an opportunity to add a piece of history to our collective memory of the people, organizations, and movements who have changed our world.

We not only aim to capture untold stories, but to inspire others to keep telling the stories that deserve to be told beyond the barbershop or grocery store.?

As a Black-owned film company, we have mastered the art of telling stories with an authenticity and richness that starts with our insight as a diverse team behind the camera. In an industry where there are not enough Black decisionmakers behind the camera, we have seen our community stories told without the nuance or perspective they deserve.?

When we founded Digifé, we wanted to rewrite the way documentaries told diverse stories and help create the blueprint for documentaries to tell more stories that reflect the richness of who we are as Black people. While we pride ourselves on our authenticity, we don’t believe we are unique. We believe every team of creatives can tell more honest, culturally nuanced stories. In fact, it is our responsibility to capture more complete historical narratives.?

Here’s our guide to bring more richness to your storytelling:?

Build The Vision

Every project starts with a vision. At the earliest stages of planning, start to identify the kinds of cultural experiences and insight that will give more truth to your story. Are you featuring a distinct neighborhood? Or political organization? Or religion? Think about who would have insider information and create space to be flexible in your plan.?

One of the biggest mistakes we see storytellers make is being too rigid in their vision before bringing in key subjects, team members, or community partners. We have been in the middle of film projects and discovered unsung heroes who ended up being the leaders of revolutionary moments. So create a plan, but don’t get stuck in it.

Identify The Audience

Reflect on who you want to speak to in your story. Who do you want to feel seen and heard? Who do you want to celebrate? What intention do you have for telling this story in the first place? Once you identify the audience, explore the culture more deeply to understand what elements are important to highlight. Spend time watching stories told about the community you are featuring, especially stories told by people who are native to the area. By immersing your team in the culture during the research process, you can start to identify key players and partnerships to pursue for the production process.

Assess Your Team

Take an honest look at your team. Ask about each member’s experience with the culture and community you will be featuring in your project. This isn’t as simple as looking at one’s skin color or gender, it’s about diving deep into their hometown, childhood, beliefs, and personality traits. Through these conversations, you can determine where your story needs more support from local partners or diverse creatives.

Give A Voice

It’s one thing to have a diverse team, but it’s another thing to have a diverse team with representation at the decision-making level. The latter is our standard practice. Because when the crew behind the camera can relate to the cultural experience of the story in front of the camera, stories can feel more authentic and truthful. We have interviewed Black people who have openly said, “now I wouldn’t say this if white people were in the room” because there is power in holding a space for connection and honesty. With diverse creative teams, we can approach stories with a more nuanced understanding and listen for gaps in the narrative to ensure we are telling both sides.?

Start Interviews Early

We recommend connecting with your subjects well before you start planning for your story. Take them to lunch, tour the community through their eyes, and set the groundwork for the project. The best information and insight comes from the people we feature in our films, but we have to create a relaxed environment to allow those moments to come through.

But most importantly, share your goals for the project and your career. When community members have a better understanding of why you’re interested in them, it leads to a stronger connection that will show on camera.

Embrace the Culture & Community

As we build more diverse teams and tell more honest stories, we must remember that no one community or culture is a monolith. We have to be real about whether or not we are the right ones to tell the story and know when to pass the microphone to someone else. We have to be willing to ask questions and approach new environments with a rookie mindset. We have to integrate the wisdom and guidance of local partners who can help elevate the story with insider information.

Too often, we have forgotten unsung heroes because of incomplete storytelling. But when we can bring richness to stories, we can weave a more complete and honest narrative of the past. We can preserve the truth of our community histories. We can inspire the next generation of heroes.