Documentary Project Research and Planning

     Once we had established the idea, which was to focus on the prescreen process, the planning came naturally.

    We started by using a Google document to outline the type of story we wanted to tell and to make decisions about the number of subjects to include and the specific aspects of a theater kid's life we wanted to focus on. We asked ourselves questions such as: Do we want to create a hopeful narrative? Should we concentrate on the audition process? How deeply should we delve into the story? These discussions ultimately shaped the creation of our mini-documentary.

    We had some difficulty deciding how many subjects to focus on, but we ultimately chose to concentrate on one. This approach allowed us to create a more personal narrative and explore the narrative in greater depth. We also faced challenges in determining the storyline—whether to depict regular auditions or the first round of college auditions, known as prescreens.

    Initially, we intended to focus on prescreen auditions. However, for convenience, we decided it might be easier to conduct regular auditions since they were already scheduled for the weekend of filming. We thought this approach would allow us to capture more B-roll footage. Ultimately, we realized that the original story we wanted to tell was the best direction to pursue.

Martina in her prescreens 

Isabel Rodarte’s prescreen introduction 

    Since Martina and I both have extensive knowledge about the subject of prescreens, we recognized both the limitations and possibilities of this story. Ultimately, we wanted to share the experiences of various individuals during their prescreen and college processes. However, due to time constraints, it made more sense to focus solely on Martina’s journey. This approach felt like the most logical choice.

    We continued to outline our objectives, B-roll concepts, and interview shot types. Much of what was included in the documentary was conceived in the moment, based on what worked well with lighting, flattering angles, and inspiration from the story we aimed to tell.