Choose the right subject for your documentary: Chris McDonald

Choosing the right subject is one of the crucial factors that gives documentaries a better mileage, suggests Chris McDonald, President of Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

"You see, there are thousand stories around us. If you want to make a docu-film, ask yourself why would you like to make the film and if it has the potential to touch the heart of a wider audience. The subject also should have relevance... Then put yourself on the audiences' shoes, would you like to watch it? Then go for it!" he told IANS.

After running a documentary theatre and curate Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, McDonald realised how the pulse of the audience is different.

He explained, "In a documentary film festival, people from any parts of the world are open to watch dark, heavier subjects, war, genocide or anything gory. Whereas, in a theatre ... people want to watch colours, music, culture and want to get emotionally attached with a story. That is why it is important to identify the subject based on the group of audience would you like to reach out to?"

McDonald, who was present here in Mumbai on Wednesday at The Filmmakers Bootcamp, as part of Jio MAMI 18th Mumbai Film Festival, appreciated the initiative, and said, "MAMI is a great platform not only for audience who are getting a chance to watch well curated international films and documentaries, the local filmmakers are getting chance to collaborate with international filmmakers."

--IANS

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