There are many things that, combined, make a documentary good. Unfortunately, many filmmakers make the mistake of not doing these “things” which leaves the viewer drooling or falling asleep. One major mistake I can point out is the abundance of information they cram into the film. You can’t just name off a bunch of facts or statistics and expect your audience to stay interested; People will lose interest quickly! I’ve seen many documentaries, some highly entertaining, some not so much, but after watching so many I’ve noticed specific things that always draw me into a documentary film. Off the top of my head, some of the things that draw me into a doc film are: The visual quality, the soundtrack, Facts/evidence, the main people in the film (their presentation) and most importantly a thought provoking ending. I feel like the thought provoking ending is the icing on the cake. Documentary films that leave the viewer thinking or questioning certain matters are my favorite. There are other things that make a documentary good of course, but I feel that those are the most important.
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You bring in some good points, I especially liked to see your recognition that there is such a thing as too much information. However, the post is a bit on the short side (under 200 words) and I'll be looking for more substance as the project ramps up.
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