London Pub Culture | Documentary Idea

by Nandini
(London)

I am a student from India currently living in London and I wanted to make a documentary about the London pub culture. The only problem is that I don't have a specific angle yet and the subject is so vast and mostly vague. I'm also new to London so I dont know the history as well as most people here. Could you maybe nudge me in the right direction?

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Nov 01, 2011
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Go for it
by: Desktop Documentaries

You're welcome. Check back in with us here at Desktop Documentaries and let us know how it goes!

By the way, here's a page that may be helpful to you as you move forward:

How To Make a Documentary

Nov 01, 2011
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More thanks!
by: Anonymous

fantastic. you're a god send!

Nov 01, 2011
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Follow Your Curiosity
by: Desktop Documentaries

There's your angle! Follow your curiosity and create a documentary YOU would want to see. I think people of London and westerners in general would be fascinated to know that their "normal" behavior seems totally odd to someone else.

You may need to go even a bit deeper with the story.. perhaps comparing the value system in your country to those in Europe or western nations (including such topics as alcohol, sex, drugs, etc). You could interview and profile people like yourself who have lived in both places and get their perspective. You could interview cultural experts. You could even tell the story from your own perspective, or at least weave your own story in and out of the bigger story.

Here's how you could start your film..

Show a pub scene, people drinking out on the streets and then we hear your voice.. "This scene may look normal to anyone from the western world, but to me I found it to be very strange... In my country...."

Another idea is to interview a westerner who has traveled to India to learn what they think is "strange" about your country.

Your first goal should be to create a short 3-7 minute trailer to "test" your idea and see if it works as a documentary. Once you do that, you will see better the potential of your film.

Good luck!
Faith

Nov 01, 2011
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thanks!
by: Nandini

Well the sheer existence of it fascinates me because im from india, bombay and even though we have drinking scenes there, its comparatively hush hush. so for me to see people drinking on the streets outside the pubs too is just bizarre. unfortunately im the only one who thinks this in london obviously, so i thought id try to look for a more relatable angle.

Nov 01, 2011
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What intrigues you?
by: Desktop Documentaries

Thanks for your documentary idea about London Pub Culture. The first step in finding your angle is to ask yourself what exactly intrigues you about the story. Is it the history? The people who visit the pubs? The neighborhoods?

What exactly is it that you are curious to know?

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