What makes a documentary worth watching? Is it the story, the access, the characters, the cinematography - or something harder to define? For Manuela Maiguashca, Documentary Certificate tutor at London Film Academy, there isn't one formula. Documentary can take many forms, and its power lies in how filmmakers choose to represent the people, places and ideas at its centre.
That approach sits at the heart of LFA's Documentary Filmmaking Certificate - an intensive six-week course designed to take students through the full documentary filmmaking process, or as Manuela calls it 'the film food chain'.
From developing an initial idea through to production, post-production and pitching. More than just making a documentary The course isn't designed to teach students one fixed way of making documentaries. Instead, it encourages them to think independently about what documentary can be - and what it can mean within their own practice.
From the outset, students are encouraged to bring their own interests, experiences and questions into the room. Manuela describes the approach as giving students independence from the beginning, rather than presenting them with a single definition of what documentary filmmaking should be.
That means the course can look very different depending on the student. Previous students have included journalists, activists, artists and people from completely different professional backgrounds. Some arrive with filmmaking experience; others have never picked up a camera. What connects them is an interest in documentary and a desire to explore how it could become part of their work.
Learning by doing Documentary filmmaking is impossible to fully understand from a classroom alone. At LFA, students get hands-on experience with the realities of making a documentary: working with equipment, collaborating with a crew, approaching contributors, pitching to a panel of documentary industry professionals and dealing with the unexpected challenges that inevitably arise during production.
For Manuela, this practical experience is what helps students break through some of the mental barriers that can come with making their first film. Also, crucially, students aren't expected to become experts in everything.
The course helps you students understand enough of the filmmaking process to assess what they can do themselves, where they need support and who they might want to collaborate with. That collaborative approach can continue beyond the course, too.
Finding your voice and your confidence The Documentary Filmmaking Certificate is also about building confidence. Not the confidence that comes from having awards on a shelf or years of industry experience, but the confidence that comes from recognising what you already bring to the table.
Manuela believes every student arrives with knowledge and experience that can contribute to a documentary, even if they've never operated a camera.
The course gives students the opportunity to identify their strengths, develop the skills they need and work with others to fill in the gaps. Six weeks to start making documentaries the Documentary Filmmaking Certificate at LFA is designed for people who want to move from thinking about making documentaries to making them.
Over six intensive weeks, students develop practical filmmaking skills, explore documentary research and ethics, work collaboratively, create their own documentary project and learn how to pitch their ideas. The course is deliberately open to different levels of experience. Whether you're completely new to filmmaking, already working in journalism or production, or looking for a new way to develop your existing practice, the starting point is the same: what do you want to explore, and why?
Documentary Filmmaking Certificate at a glance:
- Course length: 6 weeks / 30 consecutive weekdays
- Days: Monday–Friday Hours: 10:00–17:00, plus additional hours including evenings and weekends
- Class size: Maximum 8 students
- Fees: £3,350
- Location: London Film Academy, 52a Walham Grove, London SW6
- Experience: No previous filmmaking experience required If you've got a documentary idea that you’ve been wanting to make, this could be the time to start turning it into a film.
Find out more about LFA's Documentary Filmmaking Certificate and take the first step towards making your documentary.