Documentary Style Reference
I want to show you 2 documentary trailers that have a very high standard...but that I would like our Favor documentary to strive for, at least on some levels. The style of the documentary "She Walks a Line" does not have the pacing, I would hope to achieve, though the drone shots they filmed themselves really did lift their documentary higher...which ours would really benefit from as well.
There were some interesting takeaways from the cameraman/director/editor of 'She Walks a Line' — namely that in his 1 hour and 18 minute documentary he had to cut one of the 4 stories he wanted to tell, as he only had time for 3. (Stories take time to tell properly.)
Three Pitches
These are 3 approaches for our documentary I'm considering. Each one takes a western audience into consideration with the goal of calling people to action and partnership.
Individual African Story Focus
This version focuses on 3 or 4 individual African people and their personal story of transformation... with Favor as the background and Carole either completely out of the picture, or featured in a small way either throughout, or at the end.
- 3–4 personal transformation stories
- Child soldier survivor testimonial
- African landscape and cinematography
- Favor as the background force
One continent.
A thousand miracles."
One Woman's Mission
This version focuses on Carole's story mainly, with Favor as the backdrop.
- Carole Ward as central subject
- Multiple life-threatening incidents (2003–present)
- Origin story: Oklahoma to Uganda
- Growth: 1 house → 14 nations
- Archival footage & present-day interviews
To give
everything."
Favor International
This version would be a hybrid of the first 2 plus the addition of the US staff and international involvement of the ministry as a whole.
- Individual stories of transformation
- Carole Ward's founding journey
- US staff — the behind-the-scenes ministry
- Donor stewardship perspective
- Multi-continent scope
- Believer & non-believer appeal
The faces.
The force behind it all."
Some Considerations
- You may have noticed that both the documentary trailers I listed above have narrators — someone to help tell the story and keep engagement.
- I have always preferred having a host or narrator for Favor videos, even with a longform documentary. It does several needed things, it bridges gaps between audiences that don't relate and it help with context to save time "explaining what this all means"! Favor is so big with many ministries in different places, having someone lead the narrative I think would be an important part to telling the story in a way that can be more relatable and understood.
- Both Jared and Ethan will be in Africa this summer. Both of them are potential candidates in my mind. Ethan is very good on video — his mom showed me some of them.
- David Morton is another face that I feel would be good and authoritative as a missionary himself and a conviction — he's good looking and has a good presence on camera.
- In the event we go with the option of not having a host (but only a narrator's voice...an western voice...to tie things together), I would then want to use at least one of these African Favor members who stood out to me the most when we visited, as additional "voices" to explain Favor's ministries:
Be Part of the Transformation
Whether you're young or old, a donor, a prayer partner, or simply someone who believes the world can change — Favor International has a place for you!