Hello, everyone!
With the release of our documentary GROWING Tradition on Prime Video, we wanted to share an inside look at the process that went into making it.
Crafting a documentary is a complex, multi-step process, but we’ve tried to break it down into a simplified, chronological overview to give you a better understanding of what went into the making of GROWING Tradition.
Here’s a peek behind the scenes at how GROWING Tradition came to life.
Filming: A Year of Capturing Stories
Our team spent a full year filming GROWING Tradition. We started principle photography in February 2022 and wrapped up in January 2023. We did have a brief pickup interview session in the spring of 2023 with Michelle Conklin, the executive director of the Tucson Botanical Gardens, but the bulk of the filming was completed over that 12-month period.
We filmed 62 separate times, capturing everything from in-depth interviews to candid conversations. These shoots were mostly centered around the 47 core talking segments that formed the heart of the documentary. While many of these were traditional interviews, we also filmed walking-and-talking segments, car interviews, and live, person-on-the-street scenes of subjects in-and-around the gardens.
Organizing and Transcribing: Turning Conversations into Script
After filming, came the transcription and logging phase. We spent many hours transcribing and organizing all of our footage into coherent segments. Out of the 47 interview segments, 31 were transcribed and organized into detailed transcripts. These 31 transcripts morphed into 142 pages of single-spaced dialogue, which became the backbone of the documentary’s script.
The transcription process was time-consuming, taking a little over a month in total. Though we worked on transcribing interviews throughout production, the bulk of the transcription happened at the start of 2023 after principal photography had wrapped. Around 80% of transcription was completed during February and March of 2023. Once we had our transcripts and footage organized into what we thought was a cohesive story, we moved on to the editing process.
Editing: Shaping the Final Narrative
The total runtime of GROWING Tradition is 56 minutes. We chose this length to fit within the format of a traditional PBS one-hour documentary. The final edit of the film includes 570 scenes, with an average scene length of approximately 5.89 seconds. The longest scene in the film is a 48-second graphic.
Editing was done using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. We created seven motion graphics in After Effects, which accounted for about 3 minutes of the film’s total runtime. The rest of the footage was edited using traditional A-roll and B-roll cutting techniques. We used a 16TB hard drive to store the 4K footage.
Filming Equipment: Capturing the Story
To capture the footage, we used a variety of equipment. Most of the documentary was filmed with the Canon C300 Mark II and the Canon R5. We also incorporated drone footage from two different models: the DJI Mavic 3 and the DJI FPV. In addition, we included some aerial shots of the town from a helicopter.
Editing Time: Crafting the Final Product
In total, our team spent 65 days editing GROWING Tradition, including time spent preparing the film for its premiere at the Roadhouse Cinemas. This period was crucial for polishing the final cut and ensuring the story was told in the most compelling way possible.
Key Takeaways for Aspiring Filmmakers
If you’re looking to create something similar, here are a few key takeaways from our experience:
Your Shotgun Microphone is Your Best Friend: My main take-away from GROWING Tradition, is always have a shotgun mic on your camera. A lot of funny and personal moments are captured outside of your traditional interview, and It is so important to have that microphone recording.
Don’t Forget Motion Graphics: While most of our footage was traditional, motion graphics added a modern touch to the documentary. They’re a great way to highlight key information or add a dynamic layer to your story.
Planning & Organization: The planning and transcription phase was just as critical as the filming itself. Organizing your footage and dialogue early on will save you a lot of time in the editing room.
Diverse Filming Techniques: We found that mixing different types of interviews and footage (such as traditional interviews, walking-and-talking segments, and drone shots) helped add variety and depth to the documentary.
Editing is a Marathon: Editing is where the story truly comes together. It’s a long process, so be patient and take your time. Every frame matters.
We hope this gives you a better understanding of the work that went into creating GROWING Tradition. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re thrilled to finally share it with the world.
Click here to watch the film on Prime Video!