- Research, research, research:
No matter what your category, research is paramount. Finding great primary and secondary sources and using them to create a thesis is still key to NHD.
- Music
I highly advocate using music of the time period that your documentary addresses. This is a way to create some contextual understanding through a different medium.
- Use your 10 minutes wisely
Ten minutes may seem like a lot of time, but it really isn't. Professional documentary makers will have hours of time to tell their story. Think about the outline of your documentary: Have an introduction, have chapters or sections, wrap up with a conclusion that really brings home your thesis and related to the annual theme.
- Interviews
Interviewing either the "expert" or someone who was a witness to the event adds diversity and interest to your documentary. Don't over use any interview. The interview acts as a source to illustrate a point and help reinforce your thesis.
- Storyboarding
After you've done your research, using a storyboard to lay out your documentary can be extremely helpful. A storyboard is a tool that shows what will be on screen, while also showing what the voiceover will be saying.

If you'd like to check out some student documentaries, you can find them on YouTube or by searching Google Videos.

