Documentary Workshop

Objectives

The course adopts a theoretical approach, complemented by practical technical sessions, with the goal of effectively cultivating students' skills within the realm of non-fiction documentary. The theoretical component focuses on establishing a strong foundation of knowledge regarding the various historical periods and influential movements that have shaped documentary cinema. In the practical segment, students engage in the development of a project related to one of the genres associated with documentary filmmaking, such as essay, reportage, or documentary production.

Learning outcomes

• Skilfully uses the camera and properly illuminates indoors and outdoors.
• Knows the narrative and expressive foundations of audiovisual documentaries.
• Is able to direct and produce a creative and collaborative documentary production.
• Knows and uses the techniques that are part of the process of editing, visual and sound, and editing audiovisual projects.
• Uses different forms of communication, both oral and written or audiovisual, in their own language and in foreign languages, with a high degree of accuracy in use, form and content.
• Acquires narrative and expressive criteria.
• Acquires working methods for directing and authorship in the documentary genre.
• Acquires professional skills for teamwork.
• Acquires theoretical foundations around the genres of audiovisual and interactive non-fiction.

Competencies

General skills

• Acquire skills in project design and management by making appropriate decisions and using problem solving strategies.
• Organise and plan tasks related to professional performance through proper time management and timing of these tasks.

Specific skills

• Apply the theoretical and practical principless (composition techniques and procedures) to the fields of infographic, photographic, cinematographic, television and hypermedia communication.
• Create content and organise management and direction processes for the cinema, television, radio and interactive media.
• Create content and organise management and direction processes for the cinema, television, radio and interactive media.
• Develop narrative skills for different audiovisual and multimedia products and apply techniques for creating fiction, non-fiction and entertainment screenplays.
• Master audiovisual and multimedia technology and apply it to the different stages in the creative process and thus be able to adapt to different work environments.
• Operate in a variety of computer and digital environments for traditional communication disciplines, in written and audiovisual formats, and also in new contexts online.

Basic skills

• Students can apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and have competencies typically demonstrated through drafting and defending arguments and solving problems in their field of study.
• Students can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists.

Core skills

• Display professional skills in complex multidisciplinary contexts, working in networked teams, whether face-to-face or online, through use of information and communication technology.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

Theoretical programme of the workshop

History of the documentary genre

1. Foundation of non-fiction films and beginnings of the documentary genre (1820-1933). Late nineteenth century and early twentieth century
   • The birth of the genre in France and the United States. Louis Lumiere and the cinematographer. (Prophet)
   • The era of socio-ethnographic expeditions. The anthropological purpose in documentary cinema. Robert Flaherty and the first documentary in history. (Explorer)
   • News documented during the early years of the twentieth century in Russia. The ideological purpose in documentary cinema. Dziga Vertov is ahead of her time in stylistic innovation. (Reporter)
   • The avant-garde of the 1920s and 1930s embodied in the documentary. The aesthetic purpose in documentary cinema. Ruttman, Vigo, Ivens and the symphonies of the big cities. (Painter)
2. Documentary films that change the world and genre during World War II. First half of the twentieth century
   
   • The British documentary movement and the figure of John Grierson. The social purpose in documentary cinema. Riefenstahl and the Nazi propaganda documentary. Gender in other countries. (Lawyer)
   • The documentary during World War II. The patriotic and exhilarating purpose in documentary cinema. Humphrey Jennings, director of war. (Clarinet touch)
   • The post-war era for documentaries. The probative and accusatory purpose of documentary cinema. (Prosecutor)
   • Films close to art and neorealism. The artistic and poetic purpose of documentary language. Contributions from Arne Sucksdorf and Bert Haanstra. (Poet)
3. The documentary after the Second World War. Second half of the twentieth century
   • Access to historical archives and the reconstruction of memory: the historical chronicle after the Second World War. The historical purpose in documentary cinema. Jean Rouch. (Chronicler)
   • The sponsorship of private industrial and commercial companies. The promotional purpose in documentary cinema. The Shell Company and McCarthyism. (Promoter)
   • The free cinema movement in Britain and North American direct cinema. The observational purpose of documentary cinema. Robert Drew, Richard Leacock and Fred Wiseman. (Observer)
   • The truth cinema movement in France. the sociological purpose in documentary cinema. Jean Rouch, Edgar Morin and Mario Ruspoli. (Catalyst agent)
4. The contemporary documentary to the present day. Second half of the twentieth century and early twentieth century
   • Politico-militant resistance documentaries. The vindictive purpose in documentary cinema. John Alpert and video production. (Guerrilla)
   • Traditionalism and experimentation: contemporary documentary and new trends. (Movement)
   • The case of Spain and Catalonia: from the beginning to the present.

Practical programme of the workshop

Production processes / Phases

1. Pre-production / Before
   • Idea
   • Script (literary, final and storyboard)
   • The producer: budget
   • The director: artistic direction of the project
2. Production or filming
   • Fundamentals of visual discourse: narrative units (plane, scene and sequence), visual transitions (cut, chained, cast ...), continuity or connection and axis of action
   • Fundamentals of sound discourse: sound functions, sound visualization, sound effects, music, silence, etc.
3. Post-production / After
   • Editing: editing and rhythmic narration
   • Multimedia interaction. New ways of presenting audiovisual products.
   • Marketing: press dossiers, technical dossiers and international film festivals.
   • The case of interactive multimedia documentary and interactive forms of non-fiction on the web.

Evaluation

The course have 3 different sections with continuous assessment:

- History of Documentary film
- The production of a short documentary film
- Filming workshops and Film screenings

The course is designed for the students to engage with practical activities and film screenings, demanding your participation in class.
It will be assessed through continuous assessment as follows:

25% - Filming exercises. Students will be asked to produce short filming practices and deliver them every two or three weeks aproximately.

20% - Writing exercises / film commentary. An important part of the course is the screening and analysis of documentary films, where students will present short essays related with the screenings. 


45% - The final project: Short documentary (30%) + Dossier (15%). From day one students will be asked to make groups and start working on a short documentary project that should be presented at the end of the course (late January). That will include the finished audiovisual piece, plus a dossier with: idea, synopsis, a treatment, characters and influences. 


10% - Participation in class. The assistance in class is compulsory, and the pro active attitude of the students will be taken into consideration for a positive assessment.

In the case of students failing to submit the final project for reasons that can be justified (illness or uncontrolable circumstances during the production) will have a theoretical exam on the day that marks the end of the semestre which will include the various topics of the program and questions about the basic bibliography.

Methodology

The structure of the course is divided into three clearly differentiated blocks: sessions dedicated to reviewing and analysing the most significant periods in the history of the documentary genre and viewing a set of case examples that will serve to illustrate these times and movements. Group interaction is a key factor as it allows debate and reflection between students and the teacher.

Sessions dedicated to a workshop on creating and producing documentaries where students can develop the different parts of the project they have chosen and always have the support of the teacher, from the initial conception of the idea and the synopsis of the piece until editing and final assembly. In practice, each student will assume a specific professional role. Through the initial elaboration of a group project, each student will develop his part in a theoretical way, necessary to face with guarantees the part of development of the theoretical project. At the end of the course there is a joint viewing of all the pieces.

And filming practices that will be produced outside the class sessions but will be screened and reviewed in class.

Teaching enables the student to learn processes such as defining, comparing, justifying, creating..., in order to be able to conceive, from the most initial phase that arises with the idea, the project to elaborate with guarantees of success a documentary piece. Through a set of theoretical notes and films, the student will learn the methodology needed to build their own original project. A series of didactic tools will be used that will include reading guides, practical exercises and analytical viewing in order for the student to acquire skills in the areas of criticism, assessment, etc.

The following methodologies are included in the course:

• Work sessions in small groups with the teacher
• Group tutoring sessions with the teacher
• Autonomous group work sessions
• Work sessions with the whole class group with the teacher

Bibliography

Key references

• Barnouw, Erik (1993). Documentary: A history of non-fiction film (2 ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Escudero, Nel (2002). Las claves del documental. IORTV.
• Nichols, Bill (2001). Introduction to Documentary. Indiana University Press.
• Rabiger, Michael (2004). Directing the Documentary (4 ed.). Elsevier.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.