Our wonderful new slot for documentaries has launched on FourDocs. It's called Microdocs and it's for documentaries of 59 seconds and under. And we want your Microdocs, so get making them.
Yes. Microdocs is the nimble new 59-second documentary strand from FourDocs. It might seem like nothing can happen in 59 seconds, but think of Microdocs like this - if traditional documentary is an essay, and a four-minute FourDoc is a statement, then a Microdoc is an exclamation, like a retort, a headline, or a joke with a punchline.
The obvious advantage of documentary under 59 seconds is that, although we want to see the usual level of good documentary craft you always give us because you're all so talented, you can make Microdocs quickly and cheaply without getting too complicated in the planning and the execution. They're simple to do and that's the joy of them, so get making your Microdocs.
So you need some guidance? Check out the New Microdocs Guide for a 59-second how-to session.
Plus, our advice is that to work well a Microdoc should have the memorable impact of graffiti or a great guitar solo. It should work on its own terms and have its own narrative structure, not just be a cutdown of a longer idea. Microdocs should have instant impact, maybe involving shock, humour, and counter-intuitive story structures. Stills and sharp, punchy music might work well, but this is new ground, so it's your call to shape how the Microdoc will evolve as a format. You're pioneers! This is the new documentary frontier to crack, so go for it.
The techie requirements for Microdocs are pretty much the same as those you see for FourDocs in the Compression Clinic but with the distinct advantage that because your projects will be smaller, you can leave them at very high quality without much compression.
You can shoot your Microdoc on your phone, and we'd love to see phone-shot Microdocs. Just be aware that you'll be shooting in very low resolution and that when your Microdocs are blown up to a bigger size on site, they might look a bit grainy. But that can be something you make a virtue of when shooting, so see it as a positive thing!
At the moment, we can't accept uploads directly from mobile phones. And remember too that phones often shoot video in strange formats like .3gp so make sure that you can get your video into an editing programme and convert it to the right format. You can definitely convert it in Quicktime and Final Cut Pro, but other video programmes may vary. email us at fourdocs@Channel4.com if you need specific advice on how to do this.
Upload your Microdoc by going to My FourDocs
