If your marketing team is feeling a little stale, and you need innovative ways to get your business noticed, consider attending a documentary film production workshop. These documentary film production workshops are offered in most urban areas sometimes in conjunction with local colleges and universities or documentary production schools. A documentary video has many uses in marketing including trade shows, websites, commercials and community events and could boost your company's exposure.

You may feel that a documentary is out of reach for your budget or that documentary workshop courses aren't necessary for a successful marketing video. However, drops in video equipment prices has made a once expensive marketing tool accessible to many businesses. As with any other type of expertise, training is essential for a polished product, and documentary production training is money well spent for key personnel. To determine whether a commercial documentary production workshop and making a marketing video is right for your business, ask yourself these questions:

1. Where can I find documentary workshops that meets my needs?

2. Is my budget sufficient for the documentary production course and video?

3. Do I want long or short workshop programs?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for the best documentary film workshop

After you determine your needs and goals, look for local documentary film production workshops but be open to travel too. It's more important to have an experience you can make work for you than attending a local documentary video production workshop if it doesn't meet your needs.

I recommend: Look for high quality regional documentary production training workshops at Scribe Video Center in Pennsylvania. Or consider the New York Film Academy in New York. Filmmaking.net has a comprehensive listing of US film schools to help you find the best workshop for your company's needs. Duke University conducts annual workshops in North Carolina.

Find short-term documentary production training

If you're short on time and money, consider one and two-day documentary film production workshops.

I recommend: Videomaker offers two day workshops at a reasonable price. Entrepreneurs' Retreat Network has a three-day all-in-one documentary workshop that may take the strain off of your budget. Documentary Educational Resources has one and two day workshops.

Choose a long-term documentary film workshop

Depending on your budget and time allowances, you will need to compare long and short term workshops.

I recommend: Digital Video Workshops offers a six-day documentary film workshop. Maine Media Workshops offer many week-long workshops. If you're looking for a longer term option, try NW Documentary's 10-week programs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  While some documentary production workshops travel nationally, others are local. Check with your local college film school to see if they have recommendations.
• •  Research the reputation of the documentary production course and see what similar industries recommend.