NHD COMPETITION TIPS
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
I. INTRODUCTION
Each year more than 700,000 students in the United States and abroad participate in the National History Day contest in one of five project categories. These categories include Exhibit, Paper, Performance, Website and Documentary Film. Students compete to advance to a Regional Contest then a State or Affiliate Contest and finally to the National Contest. Contests offer students the opportunity to share their projects, answer questions, and receive medals and prizes recognizing their work.
I submitted a film to the National History Day competition for five consecutive years from sixth grade through tenth grade. My films advanced to the National Contest every year. In June of 2023, my film was awarded the top prize for Individual Documentary Film in the Senior Division. I am going to explain my process.
My older sibling KG Giroux had been participating in National History Day in the same category. The second year her film advanced to the National Contest. We sat in room after room watching student films, and we discussed them as a family afterward. Which topics were the most creative? Who had the best narration? Which films were the most memorable? I was in fifth grade, but I remember thinking that I could do this too.
It was an enormous advantage to have watched my older sibling advance from her School Contest to the National Contest. I watched dozens of award-winning student films and listened in on the judging. During this process, I learned many things not included in the official NHD Rule Book.
I am going explain the strategies I used that helped me advance to the National Contest five times. I believe this will reduce stress and confusion for students competing in the Documentary Film category. But I also hope that the guidance I provide here will help students improve both the “historical quality” and “clarity of presentation” of their films. Let’s jump right in.
II. THEME & TOPIC
Each June, the National History Day competition announces the theme for the coming year. This theme challenges students to examine historical events from a particular perspective. Students select a topic for their project that relates in some way to this theme.
The theme for 2023 was “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas.” Topics Included the Western Expansion, the birth of the railway, the 1969 Moon Landing, or innovations like the atomic bomb. These are all good topics that appear regularly at National History Day competitions. However, the contest website provided extensive supplementary materials showing how students could consider historical frontiers outside of these boxes.
My project, Wade in the Water: How African Americans Got Back Into the Pool discussed the history and legacy of swimming exclusion in the United States. The frontier I was exploring was a frontier for justice and human dignity. Remember, the contest theme is not designed to limit topic selection; the theme simply creates a framework for the competition.
There are a few things to consider before you settle on a topic.
A film benefits from quality high-resolution historic footage. Film was not widely available before the nineteen teens. Do you have enough material to make a film?
An original oral history interview with someone directly involved in or impacted by the events discussed in your film greatly improves your project. Do you have someone to interview?
What new information or perspective you will contribute to our understanding of the topic?
Selecting the topic carefully, and with the requirements for film in mind, will set you up well for a successful project, but it is the research phase that makes or breaks your project.
III. RESEARCH PHASE
I started with secondary resources including well-researched books and academic articles. These sources helped me to understand the sequence of historical events, placed my topic in historical context, and gave me an appreciation for the significance of these historical events today.
I then read primary sources, often using the bibliographies of the secondary sources as a starting point. These bibliographies could take me to museum collections, university archives, and municipal libraries. I searched the internet to find additional collections.
I then read historic periodicals and newspaper articles. The Library of Congress Chronicling America digitized newspaper collection is a good resource. But that database only includes newspapers through 1963, so additional newspaper databases like Proquest and Newspapers.com are also helpful.
Finally, I conducted interviews. An account by someone who experienced the events first-hand makes the topic real for your viewer.
With research complete, you now write the script for your film.
IV. SCRIPT
My script started with typed notes from a my written sources. Each note in my master document had the quotation, the source, and page number, in brackets.
I organized my notes in chronological order matching the sequence of historical events and created a paragraph outline. If my sources disagreed on basic facts such as dates and spellings of names, this is the point where I would notice those discrepancies and determine which sources were accurate. I eliminated paragraphs from my outline that were not essential to the story I was trying to tell.
The first draft of my script would have six to seven thousand words. I cut my script down to approximately fourteen hundred words, which is probably the hardest part of the script-writing process.
I then did a final read through. I double-checked names, dates and numbers. I made sure I knew how to pronounce proper names. I applied the same rubric the judges would use to see if my connection to the theme was clear, if I had presented varied perspectives, or if I had forgotten to mention something important to my topic. I considered if my film had impactful moments to help my viewer connect with the topic on an emotional level. I also made sure I had ended my film in a way that would be memorable for my viewer. Finally, I read my script out loud to check that the narration flowed well from start to finish.
I kept a copy of my final script for when I recorded my narration, but I also created an annotated version of my script.
The annotated version of my script included, in several bright colors, title cards and captions, transcriptions of dialogue, and the visuals and audio I planned to use in my film. I added each piece of information to the script exactly where it would occur onscreen. The last thing I did during the writing phase was select a project title. Many students incorporate words from the annual theme into their title. However, you can show how your topic relates to the theme in other ways. Pick a title that is impactful. Consider using a title with a subtitle.
My older sibling KG Giroux titled one of her films Death, Disease & Discrimination: The Building of the Panama Canal. The title is short, memorable and hints at the specific lens she used to discuss historical events. She explains the film concerns the construction of the Panama Canal in the subtitle. Her title was so good, someone subsequently used a nearly identical title for their own academic article on the same subject. Please do not use someone else’s title! My project Ashes Ashes We All Fell Down: How the 1964 Surgeon General’s Report Helped Break Tobacco’s Grip on American Health also uses this strategy.
V. TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS
When your annotated script is ready, it is time to make the film. The NHD Rule Book does not require students to use a specific film editing application. However, many students who advance in the competition use Final Cut Pro. This application is easy to use and provides the essential tools you need to make your film.
This category is an excellent option for students who are comfortable with the technological aspect of filmmaking. Remember, it is fine to have another person explain some aspect of filmmaking, but no one should put their hands on your computer and make changes to your film.
Low quality images and watermarks will detract from the aesthetics of your film. Request high-resolution versions for your project. List materials by collection with identifying item and collection numbers. You should request all materials from each collection at one time. Occasionally, an online collection will have a high-resolution image freely available for immediate download. But in most cases, you will need to make a special request.
When you submit a request, explain that you need the material for a National History Day project. Some institutions will waive their fee.
Sometimes requests are fulfilled the next day, but this is rare. When I needed recorded oral histories from Duke University’s special collections for my film Revolt of the Good Guys: How Postal Workers Found Their Voice During the Great Postal Strike of 1970, it took eight weeks. I was the first person to request those recordings, and they had not yet been converted from cassette tape to digital format.
Request materials early; you need them to make your film.
VI. MAKING THE FILM - TITLE SEQUENCE
Your film begins with the opening sequence, which is also known as the title sequence. The title sequence sets the stage for what is to come. Your job is to support the first sentences of your script with impactful visuals and music. As you transition to the title of your film, you hope to achieve a kind of crescendo where your viewer experiences a moment of intense emotion.
There is no one way to make your title sequence. This is where the artistry of filmmaking really begins. In the end, it is just you and your own artistic choices.
There are several things to keep in mind as you complete your film.
VII. AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS
Include a wide variety of visuals in your film. If possible, include at least one map and a few historic newspaper articles. Make sure that the articles have interesting photographs, eye-catching titles, or text that you are referencing or quoting in your script. Incorporate government documents and posters, advertisements, illustrations, correspondence, and charts and graphs in your film where relevant to show the breadth of your research and to add visual interest.
Use title cards throughout your film to help the viewer at transition points in your narrative.
This is a title card.
Use tools like the Ken Burns effect to add movement to still images. This will improve the aesthetics of your film.
Masking draws attention to one part of a photograph or document. Masking helps the viewer rest their eye on the correct person or thing at precisely the right moment.
Captions quickly orient the viewer. A caption at the bottom of the screen tells the Viewer what when and where so you do not have to repeat that information in the narration. Captions should be short enough and should stay on the screen long enough for the viewer to process the information they have read.
Think of other places in your film where text on the screen would help the viewer absorb information quickly. Dates, figures, lists, as well as court cases and titles of government documents are all good candidates.
When someone is speaking either in your oral history interview or in archival footage, include a transcription for clarity.
VIII. MUSIC
Each film is different, and I have never used the exact same music twice. Matching the music to the narration and visuals is part of the artistry of filmmaking. Make sure the music does not overwhelm your narration or become too quiet.
IX. CREDITS
Credits at the end of your film are not the same as bibliographic citations. Your credits list the recognized source for that image or audio which can be a person or company or organization. Sometimes the credit line should be the photographer and sometimes the museum or archive or company that owns the image or audio. If you have several items from one collection and the credit line is the same for all of them, you only need to list it once.
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Remember to include all of your music. It is also important to thank the people you interviewed. You may also wish to thank specific people or organizations who provided exceptional support for your project.
The credits are often in smaller font and in double columns to convey a lot of information quickly. Your film is only ten minutes long and only a couple of seconds can be devoted to the credits at the end.
Some students simply have the credits run on a black screen, but consider including impactful visuals while your credits are running.
X. REVIEWERS
Now that you have cut your film together, it is time to get some feedback from teachers and family members. After the first reviewer watches and comments on your film, make the changes you think need to be made before showing it to the next person. Are there places where the narration is not clear? Have you mispronounced a word? Do you need a transition between two visuals? Is there an error in a caption? These reviewers help you catch those small mistakes before you submit your final version for competition.
Do not continue to make changes to your film right up to the contest deadline. You must convert your film to the correct format and upload it to the contest website. This process can take hours. Be kind to yourself and finalize and convert your film several days before the deadline.
XI. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Do not wait until you have completed your film to begin the bibliography. Start to build your bibliography at the start of the research phase. If you wait until the very end, you may struggle to remember what sources you used and where you found them. I made that mistake exactly one time, and yes, it was as terrible as it sounds.
Style guides are updated frequently, so check to see what, if anything, has changed for bibliographic citations within the last year and use the most recent version.
Include the original oral history interviews you used in your film.
Include sources you used for research not just the sources you used as visuals in your film.
The current NHD Rule Book specifies exactly how many sentences you may use for your annotations. Do not include more sentences than the rules allow. Use commas and semicolons where necessary to include additional information.
There is no right or wrong length for your bibliography. My bibliographies were usually between 20 and 25 pages long. If that last sentence made you start to hyperventilate, remember the annotations and spacing make the bibliographies much longer. Your own bibliography may be longer or shorter depending on the sources you used.
XII. COMPETITION - TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES
Every category has its challenges. Posters bend and props deflate—but there is nothing that compares to the disasters that seem to happen for film. There will be problems.
Help yourself by bringing the correct version of your film. It is terrible to watch another student in front of judges nearly in tears because they brought the wrong version and the movie stops 53 seconds in.
Bring your film in the format required by the competition, but also bring as many backups as possible including a YouTube link, a Google link, a drive and your laptop and chargers. Bring all of this, all the time, no matter what.
Then go to competition knowing that things can still go badly. In 2023, I had serious technology problems through no fault of my own at every contest. I just kept going, communicating with adults when things were not working, advocating for myself by explaining that those glitches were not part of my film, and offering to stay later to screen my film a second time once the contest technology issues had been resolved.
It is frustrating to watch three people present their films without problems and then have your own film suddenly start glitching because the cable in that room isn’t working properly. When you are the first to be judged, but the screen will not come down, so they proceed directly to questions, it can be difficult to appear calm when you are panicking. Welcome to the film category.
Despite having some of the worst technology problems in five years of National History Day competition, I still won first place in 2023 for my film at the National Contest. So, bring backups, keep calm, and advocate for yourself when you experience problems.
XIII. COMPETITION - JUDGING & JUDGING SHEETS
Most students worry about the judging portion of the contest. It is nerve-wracking for everyone and a little bit horrible, but there are a couple of things to remember.
The judges enjoy history and working with students. They want you to succeed, and they are excited to meet you and watch your film.
The question portion will not exceed ten minutes. This is not the Lewis and Clark Expedition. You can survive ten minutes.
There are only so many questions the judges can ask, because they do not have that much time with you.
You can prepare for questions in advance. There are certain questions the judges are likely to ask you, and they often start with easier more generic questions before asking a question specific to your project. If you think you will be so nervous that you will freeze during questioning, memorize answers to questions such as:
Why did you choose this topic?
What was the most important source/primary source/secondary source/collection?
What was the most interesting thing you learned?
What is the significance of this topic today?
If you could make changes to your project, what would you change?
I always knew that the judges would ask me a question I could not anticipate, but I felt more comfortable walking into the room armed with something. Because judges often started with a question for which I already had an answer prepared, I could use up some time answering that first question fully and confidently as my nerves settled down a little.
At every contest you will have two or three judges, and each judge will fill out a judging sheet with completed rubric and comments just for you. Study those judging sheets to see where you could have improved your project. If you advance to the next round, those judging sheets will be incredibly helpful.
Sometimes you will have the opportunity to request additional comments if your project is selected to advance to the next contest. Request that feedback; it may be the most helpful guidance you receive during the competition.
You decide what changes to make of course, and sometimes one contest comes so close to the next that you do not have enough time to make many changes.
XIV. THE YEAR IN REVIEW
The National History Day competition ends with the National Contest in June bringing us full circle.
Perhaps your film advanced in the competition. Maybe you won a special prize. But even if your project didn’t win any awards, you have something that you didn’t have when you started—your film. Your film is now part of the portfolio of work you have to show and share and be proud of. You have learned new skills, developed as an artist, and brought something new into the world.
You have also built a foundation for yourself as a scholar and an artist, and next year your project will almost certainly be even better. Now get to work.