SCREEN 300 : Documentary Video Making
Arts
2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
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 a short documentary. They will be encouraged to tell stories based in and of the world they inhabit rather than the one they conjure up. Students will identify, research, and develop a documentary project. Some of these projects will be selected to go into production. Working in groups of four, students will take responsibility for various creative and technical roles. Each student will edit their own film. The course involves collaboration and the capacity to work independently. Students will 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 a 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.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
| Capability 6: | Social and Environmental Responsibilities |
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the process and practice of documentary filmmaking (Capability 1.2)
- Be able to to craft a technically sound film (Capability 4.2)
- Develop a relevant and insightful documentary (Capability 1.3)
- Develop a well reasoned and powerful documentary narrative (Capability 3.1 and 5.2)
- Reflect critically upon one's own creative practice and others (Capability 5.2 and 6.3)
- Construct a well reasoned argument (Capability 2.3)
- Treat subjects with ethical care and compassion (Capability 6.3)
- Create compelling and persuasive audiovisual work
- Evaluate and offer constructive criticism to colleagues and peers (Capability 4.2)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Documentary Proposal | 15% | Individual Coursework |
| Documentary Pitch | 5% | Individual Coursework |
| Preproduction Presentation | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Dailies Presentation | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Editing Diagnostic | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Composition Brief | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Production Notebook | 5% | Group Coursework |
| Edit | 35% | Individual Coursework |
| 8 types | 100% |
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation on average.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information,
look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894),
which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.