Ideas for short documentary films?

Question

I need to do a short documentary film(independent), and the maxiam time has to be 15mins... so i need ideas that will be easy to do but good. I already did one about bipolar and about how important school is. I want a great topic that reaches out to mostly teens, something others can learn from. But i'm having a hard time on coming up with a topic! so can you please help me with some GREAT TOPICS? thanks. but if you dont have any ideas for a documentary film, a narrative ideas would be great to(but it has to be great, short and something like a life lesson) THANK YOU

Answer 1

For teens, image is always a contraversial subject. Find someone that can do something amazing, like play a concerto, or sculpt a beautiful animal, or sing like a bird, or something you think is great, and then give them an image that completely doesn't fit that great gift, at all. Have that person in several situations where they are socially criticized. Show that you should never ever judge a book by it's cover by filming them doing their thing-- after they are put down or hurt, or judged by a group. Perhaps this odd looking person could even save someone's life, maybe even some one who judged him or her harshly (maybe even a whole bus load of kids!). I think there are so many possibilities on this topic; don't you?
Good luck, and I hope I got your imagination going.

Answer 2

I think a great idea for a documentary would be about the damages of cigarettes. One show could be of cadaviers of healthy non smoking bodies and then a shot of a body of a smoker's body. How the lungs look after years of smoking. Maybe have a cornor explain things during an autopsy. Kinda CSI-ish and may disgust teens into quiting or not ever starting smoking. I worked in a donor service and always the smokers were always smelly-er and just had a larger eww factor than doing a non smoker and made the job a little harder. After doing that the thought of smoking ever was out of the question.

Answer 3

How about a documentary about “Barn Cats” – I’m not a cat lover by any stretch of the word but… We’ve moved to the country in the last few years and found our brand new barn taken over by stray cats. I’ve noticed that they’ve built their own “pride” as if they were in the wilds of Africa. You could call it “When Good Cat’s Go Wild” or something like that.

Answer 4

How about doing one on teen pregnancy and the tough decisions these girls have to make? I know it's kinda corny but think about it: it could be controversial and if you are already in HS or College you could get statistics from the school of the rate of drop-outs due to pregnancy and you could easily interview people on campus for their opinions. An alternative would be to do one on Gay Rights especially with this Right to Marriage issue going around. I have an idea for a short mocumentary about a a guy who killed his girlfriend then put her remains in the food that various local agencies handed out to the poor. True story but I don't think it's what you are looking for.
Good luck with your production. Let me know how it turns out from one filmmaker to another.
Best wishes,
MMK

Answer 5

Since teens have trouble with these issues talk about their weight, drinking, or taking drugs.

They look at what all these celebrity's are doing and they want to do the same you can also talk about role models.

I hope I helped you get in the right direction.

Answer 6

I would do something about HPV and cervical cancer. This is something that is just now starting to be publicized and young girls really need to be aware of these issues.

Answer 7

a short documentary about the futility of existence.

Answer 8

try something on the pressers to rebel a gainst everyone

Answer 9

WHEN I FIND BIN LADEN
http://phigmentphilms.com/WIFBLsite/index.html

Answer 10

you should do one about the "fence" that is being guilt to keep out illegal migrants.