1. Understand-Care-Feel-Learn: A method for writing creative non-fiction documentary videos
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2. Understand-Care-Feel-Learn
If you don’t understand, you won’t care.
If you don’t care, you won’t feel emotion.
If you don’t connect through feelings,
You will not learn.
Learning takes place after the topic is understood enough to engage the learner to care about the subject and to have a personal connection through their feelings.
Therefore, understanding is the beginning of the process not the end.

3. Creative Non-Fiction Model
Understand
Care
Feel
Learn
Part 1
Learning takes place after the topic is understood enough to engage the learner to care about the subject and to have a personal connection through their feelings.
Therefore understanding is the beginning of the process not the end.
Part 2
Part 3

4. Problem Care Emotion Feel Learn Understand
“The problem is___________________________”
End part 1 with a statement of the problem or conflict in the story
Care
The PROBLEM is how to tell a story using facts, keeping it short and making it interesting.
This IDEA WEB follows the 3 act structure. It is a brainstorm work sheet. When you fill out the blanks on this form you will have the necessary ingredients for an interesting story.
The story structure is divided into three “parts” instead of “acts”, but the effect is the same as a screenplay. The story beats are in the same order as a Hollywood movie script.
The addition of “Understand Care Feel Learn” is a tool for maintaining the story structure and interest.
Part 2 Explore the details about the problem. Discuss the issues surrounding the conflicts. Arrange ideas from least to most important to the story
Emotion
End part 2 with the strongest statement
Feel
Learn
Convert the ideas from your “brain-storm” from this idea web into a bulleted outline.

5. Understand Part 1
Interesting Lead: Capture attention in the first 15 seconds (The Lead)
Could be in the form of a “Stand-Up” (record on location)
Back Story---Everything that leads up to the situation.
5 Ws and H---I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. Rudyard Kipling, "Just So Stories" (1902)

6. Understand Part 1 Stories are not about the facts
Understand Part 1 Stories are not about the facts... they are about problems.
Identify the Problem, Issue or Situation (The worse the problem is the better)
There must be only ONE problem in the story (one point or thesis)
This is the motivation for your story. Everything else is just (boring) facts
There are always “issues” or “situations” in life.
Identify the Problem, Issue or Situation (The worse the problem is the better) There must be only ONE point(problem) in the storyThis is the motivation for your story. Everything else are just (boring) facts There may be no “problems”, there are always “issues” or “Situations”
Writing a story around a problem or issue makes the job easy. Controversy creates lots of great things to talk about.
The facts are peripheral to the real focus...the problem. You can find the controversy or issue in just about any topic. When you do, you have an angle to talk about. Stories are not about the facts...they are about problems.
Remember to tell your students that they need to have willing people to interview before they have a story. All of the best ideas are useless without people to interview.

7. What type of information would you place in part 1 of our story
What type of information would you place in part 1 of our story? Brainstorm ideas that set up the problem. Help the viewer to understand what they are about to see.
“The problem is___________________________”
End part 1 with a statement of the problem or conflict in the story
Part 2 Explore the details about the problem. Discuss the issues surrounding the conflicts. Arrange ideas from least to most important to the story
End part 2 with the strongest statement

8. Understand End of Part 1
After you have created enough backstory you must deliver the “problem”.
A clear statement of the problem by the narrator or the interviewee should be placed at the end of part 1
You don’t have a strong and interesting story without a problem, situation or issue.
You don’t have a strong and interesting story without a problem, situation or issue.

9. This is where you should write the problem statement on the Idea Web.
“The problem is___________________________”
End part 1 with a statement of the problem or conflict in the story
Part 2 Explore the details about the problem. Discuss the issues surrounding the conflicts. Arrange ideas from least to most important to the story
End part 2 with the strongest statement
Convert the ideas from your “brain-storm” from this idea web into a bulleted outline.

10. Care Part 2
Part 2 follows the path of identifying the issues related to the problem
Talk about the details, obstacles, conflicts
Everything in Part 2 must point to ONE thing identified in Part One (the problem).
The rest of the story follows the path of solving the problem and/or identifying the issues related to the problem
tell us about the details, obstacles, conflicts
Everything in Part 2 must point to ONE thing identified in Part One which is the problem.

11. Jot down ideas that point to the problem around the spokes of the web
Jot down ideas that point to the problem around the spokes of the web. When you write your outline, order the information from general to specific and from lowest impact to strongest impact
“The problem is___________________________”
End part 1 with a statement of the problem or conflict in the story
When using the idea web to brainstorm ideas, don’t word craft or write complete sentences.
Jot words and ideas without filtering content.
You will refine your ideas when you convert your ideas into an outline
Part 2 Explore the details about the problem. Discuss the issues surrounding the conflicts. Arrange ideas from least to most important to the story
End part 2 with the strongest statement
Convert the ideas from your “brain-storm” from this idea web into a bulleted outline.

12. Feel End of Part 2
After the viewer understands and cares, this is when you can make them feel.
What is the lowest point of the story? (The emotional low point)
OR---The highest part of the story (The emotional high point)
The highest goal of a storyteller is to elicit a strong emotional response.
If you are able to make the viewer cry, you are GOLDEN.

13. The emotional impact works best in this location in the story
The emotional impact works best in this location in the story. Save the strongest statement about the problem and place it in this part of the Idea Web We want the viewer to feel the strongest emotion here.
“The problem is___________________________”
End part 1 with a statement of the problem or conflict in the story
The emotional impact works best in this location in the story.Save the strongest statement about the problem and place it in this part of the Idea WebWe want the viewer to feel the strongest emotion here.
Part 2 Explore the details about the problem. Discuss the issues surrounding the conflicts. Arrange ideas from least to most important to the story
End part 2 with the strongest statement
Convert the ideas from your “brain-storm” from this idea web into a bulleted outline.

14. Predict what the strongest emotional statement might be.
When brainstorming a story idea, it is necessary to predict what the strongest emotional point might be.
This may change as you develop your story which a good thing because your story will be more accurate and more interesting.
Sometimes the statement used as the problem at the end of part one is really not the lowest part of the story.
If so, may be necessary to move the problem statement to the end of part 2 and then re-think and re-write a new problem to fit the new direction of your story.
Predict what the strongest emotional statement might be.

15. Learn Part 3 What can we learn from the experience of the story?
What is in the future?
What is the pay-off?
These statements create closure
When you discuss future events, a sense of closure is created which is a nice way to end your story.

16. Learn End of Part 3
Bookend the story by repeating or completing the lead statement from part one (Completion of a theme)
Reporter on location with relevant background
Sign off (Reporter tag) “Reporting for C-TV News I’m...”
Other things to consider for part 3.Bookend the story by repeating or completing the lead statement from part one(Completion of a theme stated in part 1)Reporter on location with relevant backgroundSign off (Reporter tag) “Reporting for C-TV News I’m....

17. Identify the types of statements that will help conclude your story.
Sometimes the ending will change after you have developed your story. It is still a good idea to predict the outcome.
Re-writing and revising your script is normal and necessary.
Your story will change and develop after you research and interview.
Identify the types of statements that will help conclude your story.

18. Bulleted Outline Part 1 Back story item Some Ws and H Set-up info
THE PROBLEM IS________________________
Part 2
Details “Three quotes”
Details “Three issues related to problem
THE MOST EMOTIONAL OR STRONGEST STATEMENT
Do not start word crafting at this stage. Get your ideas in the best order and work out the basic story beats. Make sure your story is complete. Now it is time to research and gather information for your first draft. In your first draft, you will write the story in your own words. You will insert place holders for quotes from your interview, or “predict the type of quote that most likely will fit in your script”.
This draft will become your voice-over script.
Part 3
What was learned, or
What is next, in the future etc,
Sign off

19. Other Items
Rule of threes - writing principle that suggests that things that come in threes are funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things.  Examples include theThree Little Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff, and the Three Musketeers. 
There are several creative ways to begin:
Use a sound bite to begin your report.
Start your ENG report with a POV (point of view) shot, such as a guest walking into a ballroom filled with music, dancing, and dining.
Begin the report with a sequence of shots and use the reporter’s lead-in as a VO narration.

20. If you want people to care, they must first understand.
If you want people to feel, they must first care.
If you want people to learn, They first must feel.
Dénouement:
If you want people to care, they must first understand.If you want people to feel, they must first care.If you want people to learn, They first must feel.Vernon Bisho