Thou Shalt Respect Thy Subject

Every documentary runs on one thing you can't hire or rent: someone's trust. They let you into their home, their worst days, their family. That's the second commandment, and it sits right behind knowing your story: respect thy subject.

Put the camera down

On Our Borough for BBC Three, we were working with young people who had been let down by adults before. Many of them dealt with real social anxiety. Pointing a lens at them on day one would have ended it before it started.

So a lot of the time, the camera went down and we just talked. It shows someone you're interested in them, not only in the shot. It's also the best research you'll ever do. Without that bond, they would never have taken us to the places they did, or trusted us to tell their story and do it justice.

Not everything you film belongs in the film

On Compton Magic, we were following Koa Peat, who has since been drafted into the NBA by the Phoenix Suns. One day we filmed a private family moment that was hard to watch. It was real, and it was powerful. It also wasn't the story we were telling, and putting it on screen would have cost that family their dignity.

We cut it. Respect sometimes means the best scene you shot never airs. If you know your story, you know which moments serve it and which ones only expose someone.

Be mindful of their time

If I had to give a young filmmaker one habit, it's this: respect their time. It's a privilege that anyone lets us into their life. Don't push when they're not available, and don't pressure them into something they didn't sign up for.

It's your job as the director to make sure they feel comfortable and actually enjoy the process. You want contributors who are glad to see you turn up, not ones who sigh when the crew arrives. Remember that this is their life, and you're only following it for a while.

The one-line test

Before you press record, ask yourself: would I be comfortable if this were my family on screen? If the answer is no, put the camera down and have the conversation first.

Next in the series: Commandment 3.