A documentary program : contemporary pioneers - The Sikhs

The project had two objectives. The primary objective was to produce a documentary on video tape rather than in the traditional film format. The project was to serve as a feasibility study on the use of portable videotape recorders on location. As additional supportive material graphics and still photographs were used. There was a minimum amount of audio material added in post production.\ud The secondary objective was to produce a documentary program about the Sikhs residing in the Northern Sacramento Valley. \ud The documentary was recorded on a Sony AV 8400 portable videotape recorder using a Sony AVC 3400 black and white video camera. The equipment was easily handeled by two people, which made up the crew of this production. The total budget for this production was $805 dollars. If this project was produced on film with the same shooting ratio the budget would have been at least $1,549 dollars which would be an increase of 93%. The editing time was less as compared to film. The instant playback capability of video tape was very useful in this production. This feature was the basis for participant involvement and feedback used extensively in this production.\ud The production in its entirety was shot on location in and around Yuba City - Marysville area. The program attempted to show the changes, if any, that the Sikhs have gone through after they left India. The program dealt with five different areas of Sikh life: a brief history of the Sikhs in the area, their agricultural practices, their religion, their attitude towards education, and finally the political and economic power of the Sikhs.\ud The program was produced in the interview format, with the people talking about their lives and their problems. The total program material was three and one half hours long. In addition to this, about one hundred still photographs and ten hours of audio interviews were made.\ud The program was edited on paper which took approximately one month. The tape was edited electronically. A preliminary edited version was made and shown to a small audience. The final editing was done on the basis of the comments received from this audience