BA Music and Drama

This course introduces the craft and theory of documentary storytelling. You will learn how to create powerful 5-minute documentary films that respond creatively to a set brief. Throughout the course you will develop your own narrative and filmmaking approach through practical and theoretical instruction in the tools and techniques of digital film production. These include principles of camera and sound, ethical and effective approaches to interviews and personal testimony, observational techniques and editing with Adobe Premiere. These practical creative skills are developed alongside a critical investigation of documentary technique and the art and ethics of storytelling.

You will work individually or in small groups under the close supervision and guidance of the tutor to develop, pitch, research and produce your own film. Students will also learn how to reflect on their own developing creative practice and the responsibilities and sensitivities of working with contributors and a range of multimedia content.

The course is preparatory for third level courses on practice-based research in film and screen studies and documentary and docufiction film practice.

• To give students an introduction to documentary film preproduction, production and postproduction
• To develop students understanding of narrative craft and theory
• To develop students’ ability to apply documentary film and narrative theory to their own developing practice
• To equip students with a grounding in how to work responsibly and effectively with archival sources, contributors and external partners (where relevant)
• To stimulate students creatively to produce short films with impact

• Demonstrate a basic contextual understanding of documentary film theory
• Demonstrate a capacity to use a range of documentary film production processes to produce their own films
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to work to a set creative brief
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to establish and maintain relationships with participants in filmmaking and research practice
• Demonstrate an understanding of the critical issues surrounding narrative agency and storytelling

• Demonstrate their abilities in critical documentary film analysis
• Demonstrate an ability to use reflective practice in order to develop and evaluate their own practical work in film-making

• Demonstrate their skills in the research, development and pitching of documentary film
• Demonstrate their skills in the production of documentary film, including the use of camera and sound equipment and archival research and compilation
• Demonstrate their skills in the postproduction of documentary film, including the use of Adobe premiere editing software

• Work to a professionally set brief
• Demonstrate a good level of interpersonal communication and team-working skills
• Demonstrate creative individual and group-work skills (problem-solving, thinking innovatively, drawing on creative approaches of others, evaluating creative approaches of others, giving and receiving feedback, time-keeping)
•  Use effective leadership and group-work skills to solve problems and sustain a creative process
• Perform with confidence and precision for specific audiences/contexts, making use of diverse creative approaches and media as appropriate to the module)
• Exercise ethical and social responsibility when working with externals partners and individuals 

Bernard, S. C. 2007 (2nd ed.). Documentary Storytelling: making stronger and more dramatic nonfiction films

Bernard, S. C. and Rabin, K. 2009. Archival Storytelling: A filmmaker’s guide to finding, using and licensing third party visuals and music

De Jong, Wilma, Erik Knudsen and Jerry Rothwell. 2012. Creative Documentary

Millerson, G. 2012 (5th ed.). Video Production Handbook  

Nichols, 2017 (3rd ed). Introduction to Documentary

Rabiger, M. 2014 (6th ed.). Directing the Documentary  

Rosenthal, A. 2016 (5th ed.). Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Digital Videos