Research your town. This step plays a vital role in producing a useful documentary, as you should avoid simply presenting facts of which most viewers will already be aware. Use the resources at your disposal, such as libraries, government achieves and Internet databases of historical records. You may also find it useful to conduct preliminary interviews at this stage with people who may be able to provide you with ideas for the scope and perspective of the documentary.
Establish an exact perspective for your documentary. Although your documentary will be discussing your town, remain specific and discerning about which element of your town you plan to cover. For instance, you may choose to make a documentary about the businesses within your town, the architecture of the buildings or the stories from individuals who have lived within the town over time.
Secure appropriate equipment for filming and editing your documentary. While no rule exists about the type of equipment required, you'll find it most useful to acquire a camera that can upload digital footage to a computer for editing. Ideally, obtain a camera tripod for stabilizing your footage, along with a high-quality microphone.
Schedule interviews and filming locations. Arrange to interview a range of people with expertise and interest within the documentary's subject area. Also obtain permission for any additional filming on private or commercial locations, which may be otherwise restricted.
Create a production checklist --- a list of all the technical specifications and adjustments you must make before each new filming shoot. Examples include testing microphones, cleaning the camera lens, preparing a list of interview questions and having money for additional materials in case something malfunctions.
Film each interviews in a location relevant to what you are discussing For example, if you're interviewing somebody about the construction of new houses, frame the interview so it overlooks a building site while the interviewee speaks.
Transcribe the interviews. This step will allow you to edit the film more effectively, as you can select the relevant pieces of each interview and create an editing script.
Write the editing script for your documentary. The script should include information about voice-over dialogue, the shots you will use throughout the documentary and the duration and selection of different parts of each interview. Specify any music you intend to include, and check to ensure you can obtain the necessary legal permissions beforehand.
Record any required voice-over elements.
Edit your material together using available software.