Documentary Projects

In the Documentary category, students may create documentaries using:

• slides
• film
• videos
• computers

Regardless of the medium chosen, students must operate all equipment -- both while producing their entry and at each level of competition.

During the competitions, students run the equipment to display their project to a live audience that includes judges. The documentary must stand on its own; students may not narrate or add comments while the documentary is playing.

Time Limit

The documentary must last no longer than ten minutes. In addition, students will have five minutes at each end of the presentation to set up and take down their entry. Students are typically interviewed by the judges after the presentation, as they take down their entry.

Process Paper

Students are required to prepare a process paper in the Documentary category.

Equipment

At the state competition, the following equipment will be provided: VHS player, DVD player, and connections to project images from a PC. Students must provide the computer (if necessary to run the documentary); if the computer is a Mac, also provide a Mac adaptor to plug into the projection equipment. If a student creates a DVD, be sure to save it in a format so that it will run from a standard DVD player.

Check with your Regional Coordinator to verify the equipment that will be available for regional competitions.

All the Details

Read the student contest book carefully and follow its guidelines. Also see Creating Documentaries on the National History Day Web site for more information on documentary projects.