USU Explores Documentary Storytelling

Communication science students at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) examined how documentary filmmakers shape narratives and maintain credibility during a guest lecture with Ari Trismana, director of Watchdoc Documentary, on 24 September 2026.

Around 60 students attended the session at USU’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences in Medan, Indonesia. Organised by the university’s Communication Science Study Programme, the lecture connected classroom learning with the practical decisions involved in documentary production.

Yovita Sabarina Sitepu, head of the programme, said the session complemented the Film Studies course by introducing students to a practitioner’s perspective. She explained that many students remained more familiar with film as entertainment, despite studying it through academic theory. The lecture aimed to broaden their understanding of documentary filmmaking and encourage those interested in production to explore the genre.

Drawing on his professional experience, Ari discussed how filmmakers develop ideas and construct stories during production. His presentation explored how choices about events and perspectives influence the narratives audiences encounter, and why credibility matters when representing real people and situations.

Students questioned how filmmakers could communicate complex realities without producing contradictory or misleading messages. The discussion brought questions of representation and responsibility into their examination of storytelling techniques.

When asked how beginners should approach documentary production, Ari encouraged students to begin with subjects that interested them while considering the consequences of their work.

“For those who are new to documentary production, I always suggest first choosing a subject they find interesting. They need not feel burdened with addressing a public interest issue, as long as their work does no harm,” Ari said.

His advice offered students a starting point for developing documentary ideas: personal curiosity, accompanied by attention to the people and issues represented.

The lecture extended the Film Studies discussion beyond theory to the choices filmmakers face in practice. For students exploring the genre, it placed creative development alongside the need to build credible narratives and consider a story’s potential impact.