1. Project Overview – Ribbons: Women in the Fabric of Leeds
Ribbons: Women in the Fabric of Leeds, explores recognition and visibility to highlight the work that women do every day for our community that often goes unseen. In collaboration with Pippa Hale I created a documentary following the story of her sculpture, as well as some of the women whose names are engraved on it.
The documentary features voices from Shelly and Becky Joyce, owners of Homeless Street Angels. Sheila Howarth, Front of House Manager of Leeds Playhouse and Leeds City Academy pastoral tutor. And Keranjeet Kaur Virdee MBE, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of South Asian Arts UK.
These women offered to be interviewed after I reached out to them. After sharing their stories about helping the homeless, wanting Black Women’s voices to be heard, and representing minority groups in the arts, the documentary begins to fulfil its primary goal: recognition.
Music is used to underscore and highlight the stories being told. Instead of overpowering the story, I decided to give the women their light and use the music as emotional support. From simplistic string arrangements to deeper piano-synth cross melodies, the music is used as a subtle tool to shape stories in the documentary.
2. Panopto Video – Final Product (10-12 Minutes)
3. Chronological Monthly Diary
4. Evidence of Planning/Process
Beginning and Research
The ideas for the documentary began through my connection with Pippa Hale, which started in October 2025 through her Ribbons sculpture at Leeds Playhouse. The project stood out to me because of its focus on recognising the gender imbalance in public art, and aligned with my own interests in politics, art and storytelling.
Rather than presenting the women through a structured narrative, I wanted them to tell their own stories. Pippa’s narration was used to provide cohesion. This approach was important in ensuring the documentary felt respectful rather than interpretive.
I engaged in research surrounding representation and visibility in documentaries. This influenced my decisions to centre the documentary around first-person accounts, allowing the contributors to define their own narrative.
Stella Bruzzi (2006) defines documentaries as performative, suggesting that ‘truths’ are constructed through the act of filming and shaped into narrative. Rather than attempting to eliminate performative elements, I tried to minimise my influence by avoiding staged responses and excessive direction, which reflects a shift away from filmmaker led storytelling, creating a more participant-led approach to storytelling.
Collaborators
A key stage in the planning process was identifying and collaborating with the women. With support from Pippa and Sophie Wallace from Leeds Arts University, my document (Fig. 1) was sent out to the women involved in Ribbons’ press release.
This resulted in participants: Shelley and Becky Joyce, Sheila Howarth, and Keranjeet Kaur Virdee MBE, who were chosen due to their community contributions and different forms of impact. The range of perspectives helped make the documentary diverse. The selection of these women was intentional. I decided to only share a few women’s stories to emphasise the work that they do.
Coordinating interviews needed lots of flexibility. This part also highlighted the importance of building relationships, I needed to make the women feel comfortable, so I invited them to Leeds Conservatoire and framed the interview as informal conversations, which created a comfortable environment and good first impression, essential to ensure authenticity.
Shelley and Becky have busy schedules and invited me to film at their homeless support centre, which was a positive contingency as I could get more diverse footage.
Interviews
When planning the interviews I used open-ended questions to encourage the women to talk about themselves in detail. This approach aligns with the ‘participatory mode’ of documentary making as said by Bill Nichols (2017), where the filmmaker interacts with the collaborators but does not dominate their voice. This allowed for a more spontaneous and genuine connection with the interviewees and resulted in more emotionally authentic responses.
My questions were informed by research into each of the women and their ongoing contributions (Fig. 2). I also made participant consent and release forms for the women to sign, as the documentary will be posted and may be shown publicly (Fig. 3).
This also reinforces the aim of the documentary to maintain credibility, reducing the risk of constructing a false narrative that does not accurately represent the contributors’ stories.
Visuals
When it came to visual planning, I aimed to create a natural filming style, where the women are the centre, with minimal cuts and carefully selected B-roll. This helped to situate the women within their environment, reinforcing the connection between them and Ribbons.
I filmed around Leeds, using footage of the sculpture too, to create a sense of community and emphasise the meaning of the documentary. B-roll is important because it creates a sense of time and place and adds layers to a story (Adobe, no date).
The editing process was planned with a similar emphasis on authenticity. As the full documentary expands beyond what I submitted, I selected key excerpts so it could be a standalone 12-minute documentary. Inspired by a video by Documentary Film Academy (2024), I made a ‘paper edit’ and storyboard (Fig. 4) which gave me a rough idea on how the narrative would be formed.
Music
Music was planned to be a subtle tool to support the tone of the documentary rather than dominate it. I wanted to use recurring themes and motifs to create a sense of wholeness throughout, inspired by what Universal Production Music states about music’s role in documentary making (UPM, 2025). This ensured the emotional impact was guided and not imposed.
The process of structuring a 12-minute piece meant balancing authenticity with time, ensuring that the excerpts represented what the women said without compromising their integrity.
Overall, the planning and production process was guided by a consistent focus on authenticity, as well as communication with Pippa and feedback on scenes I had edited, and what she wanted to be included (Fig. 5). The integration of research and practice allowed me to make informed decisions, rather than relying on instinct alone.
5. Reference Material/Inspiration
Influences and Authenticity
One key influence for the documentary was She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (2014), a feminist documentary with first-person narration from women. This influenced my decision to prioritise first person accounts, rather than a conventional interview structure where the interviewer’s questions are audible.
This aligns with observational documentary conventions (Nichols, 2017), where the filmmaker reduces visible authorship to preserve authenticity.
This influence also reflected in my editing choices. I intentionally kept some natural pauses and speech patterns to maintain a sense of realism and authenticity. As mentioned in the project proposal, the goal is visibility, and I wanted to reflect this in every stage. As Dickerson states: “Footage can be creatively edited to achieve a desired effect” (Dickerson, 2012). This reinforces the idea that authenticity in documentary is constructed through editing choices, rather than being purely natural.
Editing and Construction
As further explained by Dickerson (2012), “Documentarians… select the facts they think are the most relevant”, which is why I decided to create harsh cuts in the interviews. When the women spoke, they went on tangents, so I selectively edited their speech while preserving the intended meaning. This further reflects conventional documentary practices, where coherence and pacing are often prioritised.
Although I was aiming for realism, I still controlled the interpretation of each interview. While this can be seen as a negative, it enhances clarity and engagement without removing any realism. This highlights the paradox of documentaries, where realism is constructed through subjective choices.
Another reason the cuts are so harsh is due to the 12-minute limitation for my project, without this, the documentary could have been longer and included more of the women’s natural talking points. This demonstrates that documentary is not a natural reflection of reality, but a constructed representation.
Example of harsh cuts
Music and Sound Design
Emotional elements are a key part of documentaries, by scoring to the finished product instead of creating songs and trying to fit them to the film, I allowed myself to enhance and shape the film’s emotional depth.
Repeated motifs are often used in film and TV to represent characters and places and to give them an identity (Lam, 2025). This allowed each participant to be associated with a distinct musical identity, particularly Pippa, whose motif evolves throughout the documentary (Fig. 7).
To match the themes of the documentary I used pianos, synth pads and string textures. These instruments evoke softness, emotion and fit the mellow and uplifting emotions. The use of key changes further enhances this. These choices align with the documentary’s reflective themes.
Visuals and Cinematography
I filmed the documentary using an iPhone 17 Pro to retain full creative control. I wanted it to feel present, and by including filmmakers and editors, while it would have been easier, may have reduced the sense of comfort and intimacy.
The composition of each interview creates the impression that the audience is observing a conversation, which creates intimacy. I aimed to avoid performative behaviour, encouraging participants to present themselves naturally.
On the contrary, even when the aim was authenticity, “Documentarians make representations, or formulate persuasive strategies”, and this cannot be avoided. By making careful decisions and liaising with Pippa (Fig. 8), I could include necessary talking points that respected Pippa and the women’s stories. This reinforces the idea that complete authenticity is unattainable, as all documentaries are shaped by the filmmaker’s decisions.
6. Use of Technology
Equipment
I did the technical aspects for the documentary myself, using:
- iPhone 17 Pro with BlackMagic Camera App
- Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro
- Lapel microphones
- Recording equipment, VSTs, and plugins
- Canon camera
Doing the production solo gave me full control over the project and avoided any waiting time with editors, filmmakers etc.
Capture (Film and Audio)
I chose to use my iPhone to film as it has 4K, Pro-Res technologies which are industry standard, and using the Blackmagic Camera app, I could set things like ISO, focus, stability and more. This allows for an industry level of filming in an accessible way.
Before filming I did test shoots to test things like storage and quality. This was vital to ensure nothing went wrong on filming days.
I borrowed a Canon camera to get alternative angles in Pippa’s interview (Fig. 9) but ended up not using it again as the quality seemed inferior, and the hassle of using SD cards and tripods seemed unnecessary for such mediocre footage.
Audio
Using lapel microphones ensured an intimate feel, not just for the sound quality, but it also took pressure off the interviewees and allowed them to focus on their stories.
An issue with this is that they did not have dual mono capabilities, which meant that in Shelley and Becky’s interview, both voices were on the same channel. This created issues with levels, editing each person’s narrative and removing any mistakes that occurred.
An upside to the lapel microphones was the portability, which allowed for a tour of their Abi House support centre.
Budget
Using my iPhone and cheaper lapel microphones, as well as editing software I already owned meant that the budget for the production was low. Compared to my original planned budget, I did not have to spend anywhere near as much as anticipated (Fig. 10), which proves efficient planning and left me with money to spend on other aspects of production.
Fig. 10 – Planned Budget VS. Actual Budget (Left image – planned budget) (Right image – actual budget (estimate))
Editing and Arrangement
Using Final Cut Pro was a challenge as I have never edited in the software before. While this seems like a mistake, it worked out well. It allowed me to explore and develop my creative practise while using an industry standard software.
To make the documentary look professional, I created masks to blur backgrounds, colour graded using my own presets, and did lots of research on how to get the most professional, quality looking footage.
To structure the documentary I made a storyboard. Each interview was placed in the order they occurred, with Pippa’s narration following the stories. The most prominent example of this is when Pippa talks about her upcoming project Blanket, which links to homelessness and segues smoothly into the section on Homeless Street Angels.
This proves high level documentary planning and storytelling through pre-planning and editing decisions, something I researched heavily before jumping in.
Music Production
In Logic Pro, I mapped out the project before I started composing, placing markers and levelling the audio of the documentary.
To start, I created the main motifs (Pippa), to give the documentary a sense of theme. Using VSTs (Fig. 11) which I tweaked to achieve the sound I wanted I began to score. Automation was essential to achieve a natural sound (Fig. 12).
While I wanted to keep a natural sound for most of the documentary, synthetic textures were essential to create movement and emotion. An example of this is when Keranjeet talks about a magical feeling, introducing a glittery synth which I designed in Alchemy (Fig. 13) helps to push this.
Another element to the music production was reverb tails. Automating a reverb bus I had at the end of elements allowed for an airy transition (Fig. 14), by bypassing the effect I could decide where the reverb would be placed on any instrument.
Recording piano felt like something that had to be done, using Neumann KM184 microphones in an XY pattern for both low and high ends to be captured, and using a real piano I could play a more authentic motif which conveys emotion on a higher level (Fig. 15).
7. Evaluation
Feedback
Collaboration
My role as a collaborator was to work closely with Pippa and create a project that mirrors what her art stands for, especially in terms of representation. Pippa’s feedback to me as a collaborator was overwhelmingly positive, as she provided ongoing support and guidance.
Pippa sent lengthy feedback throughout, which was a huge amount of help and allowed for continuous refinement of the documentary (Fig. 16).
This demonstrates that I kept an approachable and professional working style throughout the collaboration, which is essential in documentary filmmaking, especially when working with real people and sensitive subjects. This is important because it highlights that I acted professionally, taking on constructive criticism and improving any areas for development.
The feedback from the women was also positive, as all of them felt comfortable throughout and understood the terms of our agreement, from publishing and consent to telling their stories.
This suggests that my minimal and conversational interview approach was effective in creating a safe and open environment. Also, it reinforces my intention to prioritise first-person storytelling, showing that my approach was not only theoretically informed but also effective in practice.
Tutor and Peers
After showing the project to family, friends, peers and tutors, including feedback forms (Fig. 17) feedback was mostly positive, with a few refinements.
Strengths
Feedback was highly positive, especially in relation to the quality and professionalism. Both tutor and peer responses highlighted strengths in:
Visuals, editing and narrative
Music (“Fits really well”, “Doesn’t jump out”)
Emotional impact
Aesthetic elements
This reflects the goals I stated in my project proposal, to create a documentary about visibility and emotion.
Improvements
Key areas for improvement were also identified, particularly in audio mixing. Tutor feedback suggested that dialogue should be more prioritised, which is something that has now been fixed. Similarly, peer feedback indicated that music could be increased slightly between dialogue.
The number of cuts used was also noted as a limitation, while this was used to fit within time limits, it reflects the challenges of the footage recorded and suggests that a more controlled filming could reduce this.
Further Development
The Ribbons documentary has an exciting future, not only has it not been released publicly yet, but it also has the chance to be shown at Leeds Playhouse, where participant Sheila works.
Another goal for the project is to enter it into film festivals or competitions, and use it for funding opportunities, as it hits many goals in terms of ethics, sociability and social change.
Finally, the project is proof that I can collaborate, film, interview, compose and project manage effectively. It can be used for my CV, and also created connections to other areas of the creative industry, via Pippa, Sheila and Keranjeet.
Final Evaluation
The final product meets its aim, a project about awareness and visibility, supported by fitting music. When starting the collaboration, I never imagined it would turn into this, having never interviewed or worked with so many people on one project.
The strengths of the documentary are proved through feedback from peers and tutors, as well as Pippa, where the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
There are several areas that could be improved, however, for the level of project this is, it isn’t necessary to undermine what the project has become. In future, I would use this feedback to better my project before going in, for example getting more shots when people are talking.
8. Bibliography
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Documentary Film Academy (2024). How to Edit a Documentary: A Step-by-Step Guide. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sBI7aS-rcI (Accessed 16 April 2026).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.xa9f-dgzx (Accessed 10 April 2026).
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4128 (Accessed 10 April 2026).
Lam, K. (2025). The Power of Motifs in Music | HK Phil. [online] Hkphil.org. Available at: https://www.hkphil.org/education-resources/the-power-of-motifs-in-music (Accessed 17 April 2026).
Leonid-group.com. (2026). Why the First Few Moments of an Interview Are so Crucial. [online] Available at: https://www.leonid-group.com/insights/why-the-first-few-moments-of-an-interview-are-so-crucial/ (Accessed 15 April 2026).
Music, U.P. (2025). The Role of Music in Documentaries. [online] Universalproductionmusic.com. Available at: https://www.universalproductionmusic.com/en-gb/news/the-role-of-music-in-documentaries (Accessed 15 April 2026).
Nichols, Bill. Introduction to Documentary, Third Edition. 3rd ed., Indiana University Press, 2017. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt2005t6j. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026 (Accessed 10 April 2026).
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