Storyboards Are a Waste of Precious Documentary Prep Time

Let's be clear: for documentary filmmaking, storyboards are an inefficient and often counterproductive use of pre-production resources. Our medium thrives on capturing reality as it unfolds, on adapting to the unforeseen twists and turns of real life. Spending hours meticulously drawing out shot-by-shot sequences for a narrative that hasn't fully revealed itself is akin to paving a road before you know its destination.

The real pre-production effort in documentary should be focused on deep research, cultivating trust with subjects, and developing a flexible shooting strategy that anticipates various outcomes. A detailed shot list, yes, that's practical, it ensures coverage and reminds you of essential interview angles. But the rigid, sequential nature of storyboards often creates an expectation of control that simply doesn't exist in the documentary world. It can even blind filmmakers to spontaneous, powerful moments that deviate from their pre-ordained vision. While fiction films benefit from this planning, we, as documentarians, must remain agile. Are we so afraid of improvisation that we cling to a tool designed for a different craft?