Course syllabus

 

 

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SCREEN 300: Documentary Video Making

SEMESTER 2, 2019

15 points

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Instead of crafting scenarios and characters wholly produced by their imagination, documentary filmmakers tell stories by looking to the world around them. This course teaches students how to make short documentaries. It encourages them to tell stories based in and of the world they inhabit rather than the one they conjure. Over the course of the semester students will make 3 short documentary film projects. These projects are designed to help develop a range of skills that are fundamental to the craft of non-fiction filmmaking. Some of these skills include how to recognise and construct narrative, how to tell a story visually, how to respond nimbly and creatively to events unfolding in real time, and how to negotiate with people. Basic technical proficiency with respect to cinematography, sound and editing is expected but some class time will be spent on technical instruction. This course is project based and some of the work will rely on collaboration and take place in groups. The course aims to develop creative and technical skills by ‘doing’ which means practicing filmmaking consistently over the course of the semester.

 

Convenor	Sarina Pearson
Room:	201E-149
Office:	201E [School of Social Sciences Building]
Phone:	37387599 ext 88900
Email:	s.pearson@auckland.ac.nz
Technician:	Martin Hansen
Phone:	373-7599 ext. 84596
Email:	m.hansen@auckland.ac.nz
	Arts 1 Building, FTVMS Technician’s Offices 1st floor

Class Rep:  Zheng Wei Lu -  zlu810@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Sarina's Office Hours - Thursdays 2-3 pm and by appointment

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Class Participation: Attendance is expected. We have 12 classes in which to cover a significant amount of material. If you miss class you will be at a distinct disadvantage. A significant component of the assessments take place in class time and your learning is based not only on your own efforts but your exposure and engagement to your peers’ efforts as well. Therefore, it will be difficult to ‘make’ up components of the course. If you are genuinely ill please stay home but otherwise you will be expected in class.

Readings & Viewings: Students will be assigned readings and viewing throughout the semester. These can be found on TALIS and under MODULES for each week. Please come to class prepared. Readings provide important information and they reinforce the creative documentary process.  

 

COURSE ASSESSMENT

Working in groups of 3  you will be making 3 short (3 minute) film projects: one multi-shot interview sequence, one that dramatises a location and one that documents a process or an event. Click here for a description of Project 1, here for Project 2 and here for Project 3. 

 

Each project will have a 1)Producer/Director, 2)DOP and 3)Sound Recordist. These roles will rotate so that over the term you will have the opportunity to develop skills in each of these departments. Everyone will edit their own films and complete their own post-production sound. We are fortunate this semester in that we will be collaborating with students in the School of Music MUS 311 for the second assignment.

 

You will be working collaboratively to fulfil your creative ambitions during development, pre-production and production. The success of your project depends upon your generosity, respect and engagement towards one another. A description of your creative roles is available on CANVAS. Your assessment however, will be individually based. 

• Each Producer/Director will be responsible for a written proposal and a pitch and planning presentation
• DOPs will be responsible for organising and presenting one “Dailies Presentation.”
• Sound Recordists will be responsible for organising and presenting one “Dailies Presentation.”
• You will commission one musical composition for Project 2.

The requisite permissions paperwork will be required for each project. Failure to submit a complete set will result in a 10% penalty.

 

Please note that there may be many other tasks, which will not be assessed (such as logs, transcripts, paper edits, rough cuts) which are nevertheless important aspects of your training. We will be referring to and work-shopping some of these processes in class. Just because it isn’t assigned a mark doesn’t mean it isn’t a valuable learning opportunity.

 

Course Schedule:

In class technical exercises

 

Week 1 

July 23                       Course Introduction

 Camera Refresher

 

Week 2

July 30                      What Makes a Good Documentary?

Workflow: Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production

Developing Story Ideas

Pitching, Proposing and Planning

Sound Refresher

**Please come to class with groups formed and projects assigned

                                   

Week 3                       

August 6                   Ethics

Coverage

Editing

Editing Diagnostic

 

 

Week 4

August 12                Project 1 Proposal Due to CANVAS at 12 midday

 

August 13                   

Project 1 Pitch and Planning Presentations

Image Composition

UG Editing Suite Set Up

 

August 14               Project 1 Participant Information Sheets and Consent Form Templates emailed to Sarina by 5 pm.

**Please note that you cannot shoot without having these forms reviewed and signed off by Sarina

 

Week 5           

August 19                Project 1 Dailies Due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

August 20                Project 1 Dailies Presentations (DOP & Sound)

Dialogue Editing

 

 

Week 6

August 26                Project 1 Rough Cuts Due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

August 27               Project 1 Rough Cut Screening  

 

Midterm Break

September 6          Project 1 Due to Drop Box by 5 pm

 

Week 7

September 16       Project 2 Proposal Due to CANVAS at 12 midday

 

September 17       Project 2 Pitch and Planning Presentations

Sound Design and Music Composition

 

September 18       Participant Information Sheets and Consent Form Templates emailed to Sarina by 5 pm.

**Please note that you cannot shoot without having these forms reviewed and signed off

 

Week 8

September 23       Project 2  Dailies Due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

September 24       Project 2 Dailies Presentations (DOP & Sound)

“Speed Dating” Composition Students

 

Week 9

September 30       Project 2 Rough Cuts due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

October 1                Project 2 Rough Cut Screening

 

October 4                Project 2 Picture Lock Due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box

Please provide file to your composer

 

Week 10 

October 7                Project 3 Proposal Due to CANVAS at 12 midday

 

October 8                Project 3 Pitch and Planning Presentations

Licensing Music

Titles, Credits & Subtitles

                                   

October 9                Project 3 Participant Information Sheets and Consent Form Templates emailed to Sarina by 5 pm.

**Please note that you cannot shoot without having these forms reviewed and signed off

 

Week 11

October 14               Project 3 Dailies Due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

October 15             Project 3 Dailies (DOP & Sound)

 

October 18              Compositions for Project 2 due back to each editor

 

Week 12

October 21             Project 3 Rough Cuts due to SCREEN 300 Drop Box (5 pm)

 

October 22             Project 3 Rough Cut Screening

 

October 25             Project 2 Due

 

November 1          Project 3 Due

 

           

 

COURSE ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN:

9% TECHNICAL EXERCISES

10%  PROPOSAL 

10%  PITCH & PLANNING PRESENTATION

20% 2 DAILIES PRESENTATIONS 

45% 3 EDITS

6% COMPOSITION BRIEF