58115 Composing the Real
UTS: Communication: Creative PracticeCredit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): 58113 Exploring Media Arts
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Handbook description
This subject explores conceptual and production approaches to documentary media forms. Students are introduced to key documentary modes and examine and develop documentary projects involving a range of outcomes from photo essay to video and sound documentary to emerging online and interactive documentary projects. Activities include short documentary exercises across a range of media and the development of a short documentary treatment. Hybrid forms and boundary blurring such as reality TV, blogging and other cross-overs between fiction and non-fiction are also examined. Throughout the subject, students investigate the issues facing media producers seeking to work with the 'creative interpretation of reality'.
Subject objectives/outcomes
At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:
- analyse documentaries critically
- explain different techniques, approaches and forms of the documentary
- create documentary work using professional production skills
- collaborate on group projects
Contribution to graduate profile
This subject makes a major contribution to the students capacity to apply their knowledge and skills in media production. It also contributes to their capacity to think analytically and .
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is delivered in lecture/tutorial/workshop mode. The lecture program provides a focus for examining ideas, concepts and creative practices in the production of documentaries. The tutorials are the venue for discussion and critique and the development of projects.
Content
The subject will cover the following aspects of documentary theory and professional practice:
- Research and script writing the documentary
- Modes of documentary
- The craft of directing the documentary from shoot, editing and sound design for documentaries
- The voice of the documentary: narration, interview, commentary and reflexive forms
- Ethics of documentary practice
- Production for an interactive and online environment
- Emerging modes of documentary
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Class Blog (individual)
| Objective(s): | a, b |
| Weighting: | 20% |
| Task: | Students are asked to research and post a short critique of three different styles of documentary work (e.g. a radio documentary; a long form theatrically released documentary; a short You Tube piece; an online documentary hosted by the ABC…). The length of each posting is approximately 250 words. After completing these three initial postings, students are then asked to view one of the works discussed by their classmates and contribute an additional point of view / critique of the work. |
| Assessment criteria: |
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Assessment item 2: Online Photo / Archival / Audio Essay (individual)
| Objective(s): | c |
| Weighting: | 25% |
| Task: | Using photographic, archival and audio materials, students conceive and develop a short online essay exploring a documentary theme. The final piece will be between 45 seconds to 3 minutes in length. The final item must be submitted optimised for online delivery as per provided specifications. |
| Assessment criteria: |
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Assessment item 3: Written Project Proposal (individual)
| Objective(s): | b, c |
| Weighting: | 25% |
| Task: | Students are to research and write a project proposal for a short documentary project. This will involve the creative visualization of an original idea for a documentary, including a synopsis, treatment and information regarding intended style and approach. |
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Assessment item 4: Short Documentary Group Project Work
| Objective(s): | a, b, c, d |
| Weighting: | 30% |
| Task: | A number of works developed as part of Assessment item #3 will be produced by the class in small groups. These works will be taken from script / treatment stage to final edit (or form of completion where they can be presented or screened to a small audience). |
| Assessment criteria: |
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Minimum requirements
Submission of all four assessment items.
Attendance is important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor. An attendance roll will be taken at each class. Where possible, students should advise the tutor in a timely manner if they are unable to attend. Students who fail to attend 85% of classes may be refused to have their final assessment item assessed (see Rule 3.8).
Students will submit a Student Project Approval Form in which they identify risks, research current industry best practice and undertake to adhere to the safe work practices associated with their project.
Indicative references
Beattie,K. 2004, Documentary Screens - Non-fiction Film and Television, Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire and New York.
Bruzzi, S. 2000, New Documentary A critical introduction, Routledge, London.
Nichols, B. 2001, Introduction to documentary, Indiana University Press, Bloomington Indianapolis.
Nichols, Bill. 1994, Blurred Boundaries: Questions of Meaning in Contemporary Culture. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, Bloomington Indianapolis.
MacDougall, David.1998, Transcultural Cinema, Princeton University Press
Manovich, Lev. 2001, The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, Boston.
Marks, Laura, 2000. The Skin of the Film, Intercultural Cinema, Embodiment and the Senses, Duke University Press, Durham.
Rabiger, M. 1992, Directing The Documentary, Focal Press, London and Boston.
Renov, M. (ed) 1993, Theorizing Documentary, Routledge, New York.
Rosenthal, A. 1996, Writing, Directing and Producing Documentary Films, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
Russell, Catherine. 1999, Experimental Ethnography: The Work of Film in the Age of Video, Duke University Press, Durham and London
Sutton, D., Brind, S., Mckenzie, R. (eds) 2007, The State of the Real, I.B.Taurius,London & New York.
Winston, B. 2000, Lies, Damn Lies and Documentary, British Film Institute, London.
Film References:
Billal, 1996, Tom Zubrycki, Australian Film Finance Corporation: Jotz Productions.
Cane toads: an unnatural history, 1987, Mark Lewis, Film Australia,
Eternity, 1994, Lawrence Johnston, director, Vivid Pictures
Grey Gardens, 1976, David Maysles and Albert Maysles, Maysles Films
Jabe Babe: a heightened life, 2005, Janet Merewether, Go Girl Productions.
Homemade Histories, 2003, Robert Herbert, Arcadia Pictures.
The Illustrated Auschwitz, 1992, Jackie Farkas, Australian Film, Television & Radio School.
Making Biscuit, 1987, Sharon Laura, AFI Distribution
My mother India, 2001, Safina Uberoi, Chili Films
Painting with light in a dark world, 2002, Sascha Ettinger-Epstein.
Rats in the Ranks, 1996, Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson, Film Australia
Reassemblage: from the firelight to the screen, 1982, Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Women Make Movies
Regen (= Rain), 1929, Joris Ivens, Netherlands
Sherman's March, 1991, Ross McElwee, New York, N.Y.: First Run Features.
Shoppingtown, 1987, David Caesar, AFI Distribution
Seven hours to burn, 1999, Shanti Thakur, Women Make Movies, New York
Sunless (= Sans solei), 1982 Chris Marker, Argos Films
Tarnation, 2005, Jonathan Caouette, Wellspring Media
Links:
Mobile Voices // Voces Moviles: http://www.mobilevoices.net
Korsakow System: http://www.korsakow.org
The Whale Hunt: http://thewhalehunt.org
Media Storm http://mediastorm.org/
Beyond the Fire http://www.itvs.org/beyondthefire/
Tracked in America http://www.trackedinamerica.org/
7sons.com http://www.7sons.com/
Gallipoli http://www.abc.net.au/gallipoli
First Australians http://www.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians/
Long Journey, Young Lives http://www.abc.net.au/longjourney/index_flash.html
World Without Oil http://worldwithoutoil.org/
Escape from Woomera http://www.selectparks.net/archive/escapefromwoomera/
Pixelpress- Chernobyl photo essay http://www.pixelpress.org/chernobyl/index.html
