top of page

Run n' gun n' script writing

Writer's picture: Dr Sarah IrelandDr Sarah Ireland

Updated: Oct 2, 2024

Gundungurra and Dharug Country, Blue Mountains, New South Wales. 29 September 2024

After three years of filming it is now time to turn Professor Maypilama directions and dreams into a new feature length documentary script! Following in the footsteps of DJÄKAMIRR, our second documentary has continued to use a Yolŋu adapted ‘run and gun’ (AKA ‘run and shoot’) filming approach.


'Run and gun' is sporting term for free-flowing and fast paced play, that has an offensive focus not relying on planned sequences or strategies. In a filming sense, it describes techniques and/or approaches that are similarly agile, focused on the filming and not planning for the shot. It's suited for 'real-world' contexts where the crew are not directing the action but are tasked with observing and documenting it. This makes the 'run n' gun' approach a perfect fit for intercultural collaborative film making, in a low resource setting.


Photo credit: Sarah Ireland. Reviewing footage on Yolŋu Country in North East Arnhem Land with Professor Maypilama, Pat Josse, Guyupul and Dhamdarra.


Using minimalist filming equipment and multi-purposing ourselves as crew, we can be spontaneous, agile and responsive to capturing the unfolding story. Just to be the clear the 'we' is the same as the 'crew', that being Professor Maypilama, Pat Josse and me. The run n' gun approach relies on the technical competence of the camera operator (Pat) but also the intuition of the crew to 'read' sociocultural cues and be ready to shoot. It makes a space where Yolŋu can be empowered and comfortable to tell their stories in their own time and ways. Thankfully it avoids what co-writer and co-director Professor Maypilama describes as excessive ‘Balanda planning’ -where scenes and shots are planned in advance. In contrast, when we work together we don't know something is about to happen until it IS happening!


By the way do you know what is meant by the term Balanda?

By the way do you know what is meant by the term Balanda? It is a word used by Yolŋu to refer to non-Yolŋu / European people. It is thought to have been incorporated into the Yolŋu Matha language many hundreds of years before Australian colonisation by way of trading contact with the Makassan people. It is derivative of the term 'Hollander' referring to the Indonesian Dutch colonisers.


Our trusted cameraman Pat, has over many years of trial and error, refined the best equipment for this agile run n' gun shooting style. When on the road or filming in community we feel confident sticking to his equipment list (as long as we don’t forget to pack the coffee!).

Photo credit: Pat Josse. Filming equipment for run and gun shooting


Pat's Filming Equipment List

CAMERA

SOUND

ASSESSORIES

1       Panasonic GH6 body

1.a Panasonic 12– 60 lens (great for filming everything)

1.b Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens (best for interviews)

2       GoPro with Media Mod audio kit and Max Grip tripod mount

3       DGI Mavic air drone with extra battery

4 iPhone 14 (any good phone will do, as long as you can use it for remote control with the drone and the cameras)

5    Sennheiser EW100 set – wireless lapel and wireless microphone plug. 

6       Sennheiser K6 powering module

7      Sennheiser ME66 Super-cardioid/lobar microphone head with wind shield.

8      Rode Videomic on camera mic

9 Sony headphones MDR7506 Studio Pro

10       Manfrotto tripod

11      Manfrotto 561B video monopod

12       Table tripod Joby 

13       Microphone holder

14       SD cards

15       Batteries and recharge units

We tested the limits of our equipment set-up during 2023 fieldwork, where Professor Maypilama took us on a road trip to document an Ancestral creation pathway. We incorporated the Yolŋu run n' gun filming approach to tropical car camping from the Ute. Often we did not know where we would be staying from one day to the next. We were self-sufficient (with adequate food, water and fuel) and could be responsive to changing plans and forks in the road.

Photo credit: Sarah Ireland. Film equipment for run and gun shooting on the road with Professor Elaine Ḻäwurrpa Maypilama and Pat Josse


Being ready now for writing the script is the culmination of an already long journey. Some of the steps are:


1)      File organisation

With hours of filming spanning many years and in lots of different locations, we have developed a consistent approach to the management of files including organisation of the library footage, file naming and backing-up. We have rough assembly cuts of participant interviews with English subtitles. The library is searchable through tags, subtitles, date, location and filming device.  All interview transcripts have been compiled in one document.  


It's worth noting that subtitling can often be a lengthy and involved process as many interviews are filmed using (sometimes multiple) First Nations language/s and require careful human translation into written English. We are proud and fortunate to collaborate with the talented Rachel Dikul Baker, who works with our team to provide written English translation and subtitles of Yolŋu interviews; and sometimes assists us with analysis/interpretation too.


2)      Data immersion

Borrowing from the rich traditions of qualitative research data analysis, we have spent prolonged time immersed in our project's filming artefacts including footage, transcripts and Director notes made in real time during fieldwork. Immersion includes watching a full assembly cut (>7 hours) of the raw footage while concurrently reviewing a hard copy print out of the interview transcripts and hand written Director notes. We make comments on the hard copies noting memorable on-screen performances, significant character quotes, themes, story threads and possible sequences.

 

3)      Beat board

Building upon insights from the data immersion phase, we made a colourful visual representation of the main 'beats' or steps in plot sequence and story layout. The beat board is crafted paying attention to some of the theory and principles of documentary story telling such as:

  • character reveal and development

  • the three act narrative arc

  • theme identification

  • primary and secondary story plots.

There are intercultural tensions here as Balanda and Yolŋu storytelling styles, techniques and paces are often different.


4)      Script

We are now here, deep in the process of building the beat board into a written script. It's an iterative creative process driven by intuitive experimentation and feeling for story. Our draft script will end up describing all the audio and visual elements. The script will be used for editing the footage into sequences and eventually building the documentary.


So until the script is finished we are still in the documentary's gestation and wait in excited anticipation for its birth. We hope to share more soon!



Learn more with these links:

A favourite Australian text Qualitative Research

Online streaming options for DJÄKAMIRR


Colleagues


Documentary film making



108 views1 comment

Recent Posts

See All

1件のコメント

5つ星のうち0と評価されています。
まだ評価がありません

評価を追加
ゲスト
2024年9月29日
5つ星のうち5と評価されています。

Looking forward to the next doco 😀

いいね!
bottom of page